Pioneer Elite BDP-LX500

[HDTV1080P]

Originally Posted by BijouMan

There is no format war on physical vs digital. Both options will always be available. Physical is the main format and digital, despite its popularity, is really only a "sub-format."

Vilya, now it's your turn to reply to the post I quoted.

Streaming and download are much more popular then physical media. And if 10+ years from now they stop making optical discs, then that would be evidence that there is a format war going on. But I hope both formats will coexist for many more years.

[Auditor55]

Originally Posted by BijouMan

The prices on eBay show you how much people want things like this and just how good they are. This is enough of a reason for Pioneer to introduce a new player.

The prices on Ebay show you how greedy and exploitive some people are and try to be.

[BijouMan]

Originally Posted by Auditor55

The prices on Ebay show you how greedy and exploitive some people are and try to be.

Things are sold based on how much they are worth. Just look up what "collectible" means. OPPO and Pioneer players would qualify as "collectible."

[JohnAV]

Originally Posted by BijouMan

Pioneer could use a Wi-Fi module as well as HDR10+ playback, as well as an approach to HDR10 dimming.

And nobody has built an Ultra HD Blu-ray player (especially its disc drive) with higher quality than the UDP-LX500.

If Pioneer was so perfect, and nobody made a better player than they did. why did they have such a small following and no WiFi?


Most of the posts in this thread are not about the LX-500 from many owners, that tells you something.

[BijouMan]

Originally Posted by JohnAV

If Pioneer was so perfect, and nobody made a better player than they did. why did they have such a small following and no WiFi?


Most of the posts in this thread are not about the LX-500 from many owners, that tells you something.

I'm talking about how it's made. Listen to the disc drive of the LX500 vs Panasonic's high-end machine. You can clearly hear the difference between them, especially the sound of the tray opening and closing. The LX500 clearly feels and sounds more expensive than its rival.

UPDATE: I have owned the Panasonic for a while now, and I find nothing wrong with how it operates.

[JohnAV]

Originally Posted by BijouMan

I'm talking about how it's made. Listen to the disc drive of the LX500 vs the other "P" company's high-end machine. You can clearly hear the difference between them, especially the sound of the tray opening and closing. The LX500 clearly feels and sounds like it is worth it compared to its rival.

I have not noticed a optical loader being noisy at all. Especially when playing a film even in elonigated period of sustained silence. Listen to a drive opening and closing as you insert and take out physical media, have you finally lost it totally? You can have a UHD BD player a lot lighter that doesn't make any noise, no vibration and the tray ejection/retraction is quiet.

Pioneer didn't need to add that much weight to the player, with modest amount of accostical isolation of the chassis to what it is resting on. DVD, BD, UHD BD players aren't record players where some one jumping up and down in a room cause it to misread a disk.

[RalphoR]

Someone said there aren't a lot of owners posting in this thread. I do occasionally but I'm too busy enjoying this awesome 4k player. I'd have to say it's the second best optical drive I've owned. Only the Pioneer Elite BDP-09FD was tops. I still have that brute. Talk about a gorgeous, heavy, universal playing masterpiece. If it could play 4k discs I never would have gotten the LX500.

[BijouMan]

Originally Posted by JohnAV

I have not noticed a optical loader being noisy at all. Especially when playing a film even in elonigated period of sustained silence. Listen to a drive opening and closing as you insert and take out physical media, have you finally lost it totally? You can have a UHD BD player a lot lighter that doesn't make any noise, no vibration and the tray ejection/retraction is quiet.

Pioneer didn't need to add that much weight to the player, with modest amount of accostical isolation of the chassis to what it is resting on. DVD, BD, UHD BD players aren't record players where some one jumping up and down in a room cause it to misread a disk.

HDTVTest says that opening and closing the LX500's disc tray is a moment that gives you the same impression of quality as when the door of the Mercedes S-Class closes with that "satisfying thud." He can't say the same about its rival. Also, the disc drive, audio and video processing components and power supply are separate pieces, and the disc drive is even suspended on foam blocks (I would assume) so that a disc that causes other players to rattle will not cause the LX500 to rattle.

[BijouMan]

Originally Posted by RalphoR

Someone said there aren't a lot of owners posting in this thread. I do occasionally but I'm too busy enjoying this awesome 4k player. I'd have to say it's the second best optical drive I've owned. Only the Pioneer Elite BDP-09FD was tops. I still have that brute. Talk about a gorgeous, heavy, universal playing masterpiece. If it could play 4k discs I never would have gotten the LX500.

I know. I've been dying to get one for months but I'll still be patient.

[JohnAV]

Originally Posted by BijouMan

HDTVTest compares the LX500’s disc tray to when the door of the Mercedes S-Class closes with that "satisfying thud." He can’t say the same about its rival. Also, the disc drive, audio and video processing components and power supply are separate pieces, and the disc drive is even suspended on foam blocks, I would assume, so that a disc that causes other players to rattle will not cause the LX500 to rattle.

A optical loader doesn't sound like a car door. If it does you should return it to the dealer before you injure yourself.

[JohnAV]

Originally Posted by RalphoR

Someone said there aren't a lot of owners posting in this thread. I do occasionally but I'm too busy enjoying this awesome 4k player. I'd have to say it's the second best optical drive I've owned. Only the Pioneer Elite BDP-09FD was tops. I still have that brute. Talk about a gorgeous, heavy, universal playing masterpiece. If it could play 4k discs I never would have gotten the LX500.

The comment was made by me to point out how BijouMan talks about other things rather then the topic.

Example

Most of the posts in this thread are not about the LX-500 from many owners, that tells you something.

[R3P0]

I find it funny that many of those commenting in this thread are not owners who have any knowledge about the unit or how it performs. Fantasy owners of the BDP-LX500 as many of you are get your information from an CNET article not the few owners who have it who have all told you or the sales people from reputable stores who will all tell you this is a fantastic unit and we are sad to see it off the market, it was the true Oppo replacement unit.

[BijouMan]

Originally Posted by R3P0

I find it funny that many of those commenting in this thread are not owners who have any knowledge about the unit or how it performs. Fantasy owners of the BDP-LX500 as many of you are get your information from an CNET article not the few owners who have it who have all told you or the sales people from reputable stores who will all tell you this is a fantastic unit and we are sad to see it off the market, it was the true Oppo replacement unit.

I don’t think CNET or Consumer Reports reviews players like this. This player would not rank high on a top ten list from them because of its price tag.

[R3P0]

Originally Posted by BijouMan

I don’t think CNET or Consumer Reports reviews players like this. This player would not rank high on a top ten list from them because of its price tag.

Your missing the point of my post. Point is many commenting are not owners they have read X/Y/Z from an article and state things as fact. IE your post about the disk drive "thud" My drive does not thud, it opens it closes its fine. This is a well built unit and it deserves praise for how well it performs and how well built it is. It is the best at what it does if HDR10 + comes later so be it, if it doesn't so what so the 5 movies I own with that feature wont play it as they don't play it now.

Do I hope Pioneer release the firmware sure I do, but im not going to cry over spilled milk here as this was the best player I could buy when I could afford it. Its what every sales person I talked to recommended including Robert from this site.

[BijouMan]

Originally Posted by JohnAV

A optical loader doesn't sound like a car door. If it does you should return it to the dealer before you injure yourself.

Originally Posted by R3P0

Your missing the point of my post. Point is many commenting are not owners they have read X/Y/Z from an article and state things as fact. IE your post about the disk drive "thud" My drive does not thud, it opens it closes its fine. This is a well built unit and it deserves praise for how well it performs and how well built it is. It is the best at what it does if HDR10 + comes later so be it, if it doesn't so what so the 5 movies I own with that feature wont play it as they don't play it now.

Do I hope Pioneer release the firmware sure I do, but im not going to cry over spilled milk here as this was the best player I could buy when I could afford it. Its what every sales person I talked to recommended including Robert from this site.

If you watch HDTVTest's review, you'll know what I'm talking about.

https://youtu.be/ziTmN81IkPU

It's at 2:33.

DISCLAIMER: This video does not belong to me. All credit goes to HDTVTest.

[Oniiz86]

I'm all for optimism but the chances of Onkyo/Pioneer releasing another player is slim to extremely slim, never mind another player they couldn't release that HDR10+ "promised" firmware update which is coming up 2 years since they announced the players would support HDR10+ back in December 2018, Onkyo/Pioneer is officially Insolvent struggling to pay the bills, https://www.strata-gee.com/onkyo-cor...le-to-survive/

Onkyo is Insolvent, Not Bankrupt
There was a rumor going around that Onkyo was in bankruptcy, but that rumor is false – at least as of the time of this writing. The company has not filed for bankruptcy protection. Insolvency is not bankruptcy – insolvency is a state of being unable to pay bills, where an individual or a business finds itself in a situation where it does not have the cash or the assets to pay their debts or liabilities. Onkyo has until March 31, 2021 to cure their insolvency – or they will be delisted and dropped from the exchange.

They have four more months to pull off this turnaround…

[BijouMan]

Originally Posted by Oniiz86

I'm all for optimism but the chances of Onkyo/Pioneer releasing another player is slim to extremely slim, never mind another player they couldn't release that HDR10+ "promised" firmware update which is coming up 2 years since they announced the players would support HDR10+ back in December 2018, Onkyo/Pioneer is officially Insolvent struggling to pay the bills, https://www.strata-gee.com/onkyo-cor...le-to-survive/

The number of people waiting to purchase their products has built up from all these months (and I'm one of them,) so if they introduce a new player model, which I absolutely hope they do soon, they will without a doubt get a whole bunch of orders all at once. Same goes for all their other products.

[Waboman]

Originally Posted by BijouMan

The number of people waiting to purchase their products has built up from all these months (and I'm one of them,) so if they introduce a new player model, which I absolutely hope they do soon, they will without a doubt get a whole bunch of orders all at once. Same goes for all their other products.

When this doesn't happen what's your backup plan? What player will you pair with your new Vizio?

[danny24]

Originally Posted by Wendell R. Breland

IMHO, not going to happen.

At one time Pioneer was a major player in home and automotive electronics as seen here. Once again IMHO, being sold to a Hong Kong private equity firm does not bode well for major R&D and cutting edge products.

It seams today's world operates on the cheap. If you want to be big in anything it must be cheap.

Yes, people want cheap quality stuff. Except when it comes to TV sets. For most people the idea of spending a grand on a disc player is laughable. Oppo saw the writing on the wall.

Originally Posted by BijouMan

Pioneer was always Japanese. They are not going to abandon a market they specifically cater to. There are still people (like myself) who want a high-end universal player and have had enough of cheap players. They only discontinued the LX500 because they were having production problems for too long due to the crisis, so they figure they might as well as introduce a new model, especially since they have competition from another company "P." With the other "P" company I won't have access to the little-known but amazing world of High-Resolution Surround Audio. Maybe they're also working on a new entry-level model. All of Pioneer's other A/V products are listed as "Out of Stock." Haven't you read my posts and Vilya's?

Yes but we are a niche group but there is still a market for high end a/v gear but it's more niche than ever. Most people do want cheap quality a/v equipment though like stuff sold at Best Buy. In DVD's heyday I used to have a few stores near me specializing in high end a/v gear, they are all gone now. People that want high end a/v gear will likely just buy it online now and it's just the way it is now. I miss browsing those stores it was so much fun.

[BijouMan]

Originally Posted by danny24

Yes, people want cheap quality stuff. Except when it comes to TV sets. For most people the idea of spending a grand on a disc player is laughable. Oppo saw the writing on the wall.



Yes but we are a niche group but there is still a market for high end a/v gear but it's more niche than ever. Most people do want cheap quality a/v equipment though like stuff sold at Best Buy. In DVD's heyday I used to have a few stores near me specializing in high end a/v gear, they are all gone now. People that want high end a/v gear will likely just buy it online now and it's just the way it is now. I miss browsing those stores it was so much fun.

OK. Here's my story. I have a room in my house with a projector and had only had a DVD player in it, a 2008 Pioneer Elite DV-48AV Super Audio CD/DVD-Audio player, although I didn't originally know what a Super Audio CD or DVD-Audio disc was. In 2013 or something, I decided to get a Blu-ray player for that room, and back then I didn't really know about Blu-ray players, so I went to Best Buy and bought a cheap one from Samsung. I do not like that player at all. It doesn't have a front panel display and when you put a Blu-ray Disc in, the player has the whiniest disc drive I have ever heard. I moved the Pioneer to a very small room in my home where I rarely, if ever, watch anything. Even the player I got free three years earlier with my Samsung 3D LED display had a quieter motor and a front panel display, but when the laser moves back and forth it does not sound great (not even back then.) The optical audio output on it stopped working, so I decided to get a new player.

I had started buying Ultra HD Blu-ray discs early this year as I knew my next player would be an Ultra HD Blu-ray player. This time, I wanted a player completely the opposite of the two players I had before, so I had my sights set on the Pioneer UDP-LX500 as I also listen to a lot of music in this room and want access to Super Audio CD and DVD-Audio. Pioneer had run out of these players in February and was supposed to get more of them in March, and then the crisis happened, causing production to come to a halt. Now I'm waiting for Pioneer to either start making the LX500 again (with the HDR10+ update) or preferably introduce a new one. I didn't want to upgrade my display to 4K until an OLED with both dynamic HDR formats was introduced, and that already happened before I knew it. So now I have a 4K display but no player.

I will be using the player I got free with the old display until Pioneer starts making players again, then I will be moving the free player to the room where the projector is, and the cheap player to the room where I hardly watch anything. I recently decided to step into the world of High-Resolution Surround Audio, so I decided to move the 48AV back to the projector room which is where it originally was (good thing I didn't sell it!) Once the new Pioneer comes, I will be able to listen to High-Resolution Surround Audio discs on both of my systems.

UPDATE: It looks like Pioneer has all but, albeit quietly, exited the disc player market. I have owned the Panasonic for a while now, and if you do want a machine with all these features there is the MAGNETAR.