Best laserdisc player?

[Jim Pez]

I want to get my first laser disc player. Which brand and model would you says is the best ?

[slimdude]

The third party sellers on ebay have tons of Pioneer laserdisc players for sale, and just a handful of Sonys. Since laserdiscs players are almost 42 years old and you can't buy them brand new anymore, you'll be taking a high risk of buying one because, you can only buy them used on ebay, and the replacement parts may be hard to find, if they're available anymore. If something goes wrong with it, you'll be stuck with a broken machine that can't be used. The laserdisc movies are subjected to laserdisc rot as well, when the movie(s) will no longer play. If you still want to invest in a 42 year old video technology you may do so but like I've said before, it will be a risk.

[slimjean]

Originally Posted by slimdude

The third party sellers on ebay have tons of Pioneer laserdisc players for sale, and just a handful of Sonys. Since laserdiscs players are almost 42 years old and you can't buy them brand new anymore, you'll be taking a high risk of buying one because, you can only buy them used on ebay, and the replacement parts may be hard to find, if they're available anymore. If something goes wrong with it, you'll be stuck with a broken machine that can't be used. The laserdisc movies are subjected to laserdisc rot as well, when the movie(s) will no longer play. If you still want to invest in a 42 year old video technology you may do so but like I've said before, it will be a risk.

I don't agree. Many of the Pioneers are still built like tanks and the laser rot of LD's are exaggerated.

You can get LD's for practically nothing and many titles are still the best way to get them.

I think that tranferring content is the best, but with an Pioneer 703 LD I just bought it still kicks butt. I say read the use, see that it was tested, trusted feedback, and don't worry.

Buy to archive not to play like a bluray player.

[slimdude]

Originally Posted by slimjean

I don't agree. Many of the Pioneers are still built like tanks and the laser rot of LD's are exaggerated.

You can get LD's for practically nothing and many titles are still the best way to get them.

I think that tranferring content is the best, but with an Pioneer 703 LD I just bought it still kicks butt. I say read the use, see that it was tested, trusted feedback, and don't worry.

Buy to archive not to play like a bluray player.

You don't have to agree that's your right, but investing in a 42 year old technology is still a risk, and it doesn't matter how well the players are build. Everything is subjected to break just from normal wear and tear because nothing is made to last forever, that's why they have replacement parts, but unfortunately not for a laserdisc player. I'm not going to sugarcoat it I'm telling it just the way it is, and I'm not going to give anybody false hope because machines do break and laserdisc rot does exist. Even DVDs and blu-ray discs suddenly becomes defected and won't play anymore. It may not be from laser rot but they've quit playing totally. I know this for a fact because I've had a few, so what does that tell you about laserdisc. Laserdisc rot is not exaggerated.

https://www.lddb.com/laserrot.php

[sfmarine]

Originally Posted by Jim Pez

I want to get my first laser disc player. Which brand and model would you says is the best ?

What is your budget?

Slim dude is right that there are risks involved with the old technology and there are only a small number of passionate enthusiasts who will even work on players. I got into LD almost 2 years ago mainly for Star Wars OT. I’ve managed to pick up six players in that time and all but 1 had issues. I have two McIntosh 7020s and one currently does not spin.

Originally Posted by slimjean

I don't agree. Many of the Pioneers are still built like tanks

It's so true!! My LD-S2 is built like a tank! It only does one thing: plays LDs. No auto flip and extra parts to go bad inside. It’s flawlessly over-engineered but I love it. Still prefer the look of the McIntosh though... which is why I'm selling the S2.

[meremortal]

I would agree that the players are definitely a risk at this point. Out of my collection of players, only one of them still plays LDs and it could use an alignment or general "tune-up." They are much heavier than dvd and blu players, which can be a chore to move them around and costly to ship. There are also very few people around who repair and modify them and of those who do it's probably on a part-time basis with a decent wait period. Parts are becoming more scarce. For example, I have a CLD-97 that has an inoperable tray and to ship it and have it repaired would be fairly costly. Plus, I wouldn't necessarily say laser rot is understated. I've had a decent number of discs go bad that are not listed in databases as likely rotters. You also have to make sure the people you're buying them from ship them correctly as I've had a number of them that arrived cracked. The same goes for players in that they need to be adequately shipped or they may arrive quite damaged. At this point, an above average player will likely be needed to achieve decent results, such as a CLD-D703/704 or better. The better players have also taken on quite an inflation in price as well and so you may have to shell out several hundred dollars or more for one. Additionally, while common titles may be very cheap, cult and horror titles may cost as much as more than the original msrp of LDs since they're a reasonably collectible and competitive niche.

[slimjean]

Originally Posted by slimdude

You don't have to agree that's your right, but investing in a 42 year old technology is still a risk, and it doesn't matter how well the players are build. Everything is subjected to break just from normal wear and tear because nothing is made to last forever, and there are things to consider. I'm not going to sugarcoat it I'm telling it just the way it is, and I'm not going to give anybody false hope because machines do break and laserdisc rot does exist. Even DVDs and blu-ray discs suddenly becomes defected and won't play anymore. It may not be from laser rot but they've quit playing totally. I know this for a fact because I've had a few, so what does that tell you about laserdisc. Laserdisc rot is not exaggerated.

https://www.lddb.com/laserrot.php

I was not stating Laserdisc rot does not exist, or that players don't break. If you thought that from what I wrote, I want to make it clear now. I certainly wasn't conveying any such hope to anyone posting.

What I am saying is that Pioneer laserdisc players and laserdiscs or more often than not playing just fine.

Obviously this changes as more time passes (at least for the players), but I have experience with buying at least 7 that play flawlessly after all these years! Pioneer players rock!

As for the blurays, dvd's, and laserdisc, and VHS tapes for that matter. If well stored and well manuafactured, they will last many last life times past the 40 years you quoted.

Life has risks, we all know this without saying, but to not invest in something that one enjoys because of fear of getting the exception is another matter.

It makes sense to transfer at best quality and put less stress on the player. It does not make sense to completely miss out on what you want because of fear factors.

[hariseldon]

Best? Assuming you aren't interested in one of the Super Players from Japan and willing to spend $1500-4000, then I'd opt for one of the early 1990's built Pioneers since even a ton of the other brand players were Pioneer guts.

Basically still 25-30yo players, but Pioneers have lot of options for spare parts by scavenging broken players. There are also still a few people that are quite knowledgeable in repair and refurbing the Pioneers. The LD tech of the late 70-most of the 80's was quite a bit different by the 1990-1995 peak when the majority or players and disc will originate. Other than the basics I pretty much barely include pre-1987 LD in the same tech conversation

Elite S2 may be the best overall player, but one sided only which is an advantage and it's disadvantage. The disc flip ability adds lot of complexity. The Elite CLD 97 may be the best flipper player. Both of those are even better if they've been upgraded to AC3 capable and tweaked by Kurtis Bahr (not sure if he's still doing any LD work).

The 703 and esp the 704 players are among the best.

I'd avoid Sony's since those were problematic even when new.
Panasonic was the other good player brand, but made in relatively small numbers.

[captainsolo]

I'd advise start small with a solid working player at the best price you can. Then see if the bug has grabbed you and move on to a better player.

Since shipping units is expensive and dicey the best bet for newbies its to try and find a good player in your local area for cheap. LD is a very difficult thing to get into and full of eccentricities. The players vary in PQ form unit to unit with their own quirks so you have to find the one that works best for you.

The most difficult thing besides research is finding a working player in good condition that isn't going to cost you an arm and a leg. It really helps if you buy from a collector who knows their stuff and is willing to sell extra players to new fans at good prices.

Pioneer models are the benchmark but you have to decide on the features you're after.

My biggest suggestions:
Get a plyer with good composite video output
You NEED digital audio out.
Auto flip is nice
AC3 RF out if you plan on using Dolby Digital at any point.


Keep an eye on local craigslist ads and look on Laserdisc Forever on facebook where members regularly post their extra players for sale.

[Jim Pez]

My price range is around $500 or less. What about Getting something like a pioneer player that does both laserdisc and dvd ? I have heard that pioneer was still making those till around 2009.

[starman15317]

Originally Posted by Jim Pez

My price range is around $500 or less. What about Getting something like a pioneer player that does both laserdisc and dvd ? I have heard that pioneer was still making those till around 2009.

Some of those units are great LD players (I have a DVL-700). They offer AC-3 and DTS capabilities (which you'll need additional hardware to take advantage of; mainly a demodulator and DTS capable receiver). I really enjoy my DVL-700 personally.

Be forewarned though as a DVD player, those models are terrible. A lot of that is because they are some of the early DVD players, not to mention the machines were mainly built as LD first, DVD second. Many of those players that you'll find online don't even have working DVD functions anymore (mine included).

[js666]

Pioneer 704. Mine is over 25 yrs old and still works great.

[Pondosinatra]

As an aside, there is an official thread for all things laserdisc:

https://forum.blu-ray.com/showthread...serdisc+thread

But while I'm here - here's my 2 cents:



Pioneer HLD-X9

[benji888578]

Originally Posted by Jim Pez

My price range is around $500 or less. What about Getting something like a pioneer player that does both laserdisc and dvd ? I have heard that pioneer was still making those till around 2009.

I’d recommend Pioneer, but not the LD/DVD combos, more complicated, better to stick with the ones that play all variants of pre-DVD video discs & CDs. Mid to late 1980s models and into the ‘90s were made with quality engineering in Japan, (not sure when that changed specifically).

Any LD player you pick up...it’d be best to open it up and clean and re-lubricate the rails (and gears) the pickup mechanism uses, and you may need to replace a belt....

I recommend this website for more detailed info: https://forum.lddb.com/ you do not need to be a member to read. You can also look up laser disc titles there, find to buy, and also see if it has been affected by rot (most have not).

Also keep in mind, laserdisc players are big and heavy, you’ll need a bigger shelf for it...and they make a bit of noise.

[benji888578]

Originally Posted by Pondosinatra

As an aside, there is an official thread for all things laserdisc:

https://forum.blu-ray.com/showthread...serdisc+thread

But while I'm here - here's my 2 cents:

[Show spoiler]

Pioneer HLD-X9

Nice! But, that might not fit within his $500 budget.

[Pondosinatra]

Ah, I missed the price point...

Not sure what they're going for these days, but this is also quality player with less of a sticker shock:

[Takeshi666]

The best laserdisc player is the one that still works.

[CompleteCount]

Again, Pioneer ones are built like brick shithouses, and my 515 is still going without grumble or complaint. The Kenwood RF-Demodulator* which accompanies it still works perfectly, which is fortunate, as I'd be screwed for watching AC3-5.1 soundtracks.

Conversely, a multi-region Pioneer Blu-ray player is one of the worst AV purchases I have ever made. Its image and sound are inferior to any other player I have had, the audio drifts out of synch and the earlier it is during playback of a disc the louder the mechanism - the further along it gets, it tails off. The thing sounds like a sodding Hoover at full-pelt.

Buying old technology like that is always a gamble, as you have no idea how they have been treated over the years. It's the same as used cars - a sign saying "One Careful Owner" or "Only Driven to Church on Sundays" is usually code for "Ripped the guts out of it for years" or "I thought a lube-job was something obscene, so never bothered".


*Not the gun used by Marvin the Martian.

[hariseldon]

lddb is a great resource. SHIPPING LD players is one of the hardest parts to get right. They are heavy and relatively fragile and most Ebay folks don't have a clue how to ship correctly so picking one up in person is highly recommended.

There used to be a couple folks there that tweaked, refurbed, tuned up and cleaned out players then sold them. If they are still around, I'd say that's the way to go.

" grasshopper (Duane) " comes to mind as a name to check with -- he was in Michigan last I checked.

Kurtis Bahr was at one point the go-to guy (?Northern Virginia), but not sure if he still does much LD work. I think he was a EE who worked on, took apart, put back together LD Players for much of the East Coast for a while. I either bought directly or had him tweak/refurb 3 or maybe 4 of my players over the years. His email address is in this thread somewhere and I actually just found a YouTube Video from this summer with him being interviewed about a different piece of equipment he donated to a museum and it sounds like he still has his hand in LD

Seems at one point there were several folks in Washington and California that maybe worked for Pioneer at one point

[slimdude]

Originally Posted by hariseldon

lddb is a great resource. SHIPPING LD players is one of the hardest parts to get right. They are heavy and relatively fragile and most Ebay folks don't have a clue how to ship correctly so picking one up in person is highly recommended.

If a buyer on ebay or anywhere else is selling a laserdisc player, they should know how to pack it properly and securely so it won't get damaged during transit. It's part of the responsibility of the seller whenever they're selling large and heavy electronics. A buyer shouldn't have to spend their time and gas to travel local or long distance to pick up their item when it's purchased online.