Pioneer CLD-M301?

Wolverine

Wolverine

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I have always wondered about Laserdiscs and their PQ so I went ahead and picked up a Pioneer CLD-M301 for $7 at a local thrift and even found a copy of Jurrasic Park to play on it. I cleaned the lens with a standard CD cleaning disc dusted it off and gave it a spin on my Sony HD TV.

I must say the PQ was pretty impressive and the sound was equally good on my HT speakers. I can't seem to find much info on this unit as you would expect given its age so was wondering if someone here knows anything about it (was it a budget model-mid-level?) or knows where I might be a able to score a free owner's manual download.
 
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Kinda mid-level with better sound than picture...if I remember right. The tech highpoint being the 700 series (and the Elite models). I think most of the Pioneer LD machines had great sound. The real difference was the video output (comb filters, S-cable outs, etc.). I watch em all the time, but I always use the "weak signal" setting on my Philips HDTV and that makes even my Selectavision discs palatable.
Anyway, start hitting ebay for laserdiscs. They are a cheap and wonderful media!
 
I own 700 or more LDs, and I got a late start collecting them (like 3 years ago at most). Fun format, lots of obscure stuff. A player with an optical out will sound mighty impressive in a surround system, you'd be suprised. Just be sure to keept the analog outs hooked up for analog only LDs. Use composite out to any modern TV, the comb filter in most HDTVs is better than the one in most LD players (a few TOTL Pioneers aside). Some TVs are better at it than others. My CRT based HDTV, a Samsung TXN2771HF will yeild jaw dropping results with LDs, the better ones looking darn near perfect, with a mid line player.
 
Thanks to all for responding so far. I just picked up 17 LD's off of E-Bay for about $2 a piece so it looks like I will have enough to keep me busy for awhile. Looks like I have an all 90's HT now with my DCM speakers and my Pioneer Laser Disc
 
Got back in town this weekend and had fun with some of the LD's I scored off E-Pay. All of them were in pretty good to excellent shape but one has some minor scratches that seem to only effect the audio. Can I use similar products used to clean/repair CD's on an LD?
 
hey wolverine, I am pretty thick with LD's and players. I have over 3000 LD's and my LD players are all Pioneers. I had a CLD-M301 a while ago but sold it because it had some problems. It was the BOTL LD player for about $250 in 1992-95. It does not have DLI(Direct Linear Inversion) which means it only plays one side of the disc. with all my experimenting over the years I finally settled on a DVL-909 for it's versatility, it can play just about every digital format out there, CD's, LD's, DVD's, CDV's, and even DVD-R's and CD-R's! The players I have are, CLD-V2400(commercial unit), CLD-95 Elite, DVL-90 Elite, DVL-700, DVL-909(2 of them), CLD-2080, and 2 CLD-D503's. I just love the nostalgic look and the depth to the picture quality in the later more refined pressings, and The unsurpassable gatefolds, artwork and literature you just don't see with DVD's. Also the fact that the LD transfers were taken right from the Film prints and unaltered or tampered with like they do with DVD's ruining the originality of the film.

Charlie:nutz:
 
it seems from my experience that any LD player with the number 3 in the model # are the BOTL players. Not to say that they are bad but they were not built to the same standards as the MOTL- TOTL players. There are good BOTL units out there, but they are few and far between. I haven't run into one yet:)
 
What i meant by the 3 in the model # is it's the first number in the line after the letters. also any player with only LD in the model # is ONLY an LD player and won't play anything else.
 
ohh and i forgot wolverine, yes you can use the same stuff for cleaning/polishing CD's on LD's:) I use/prefer the Meguiar's Clear plastic polish and do it by hand with cheesecloth and then wipe with 100% cotton lint free cloths you can buy at Lowe's.
 
BT

Thank you for all the info you have provided. My intial reason for buying this unit was the price/novelty aspect. However my first couple of viewings on LD as mentioned have been impressive and has piqued my interest. I echo your comments about regarding the sleeves of LD's they have some interesting artwork/photos compared to standard DVD's.

I figured the CLD-M301 was not one of the top units and after doing a little more research on LD players I will not be on the look out for an upgrade.
 
If you plan on staying with the LD format and you have the funds to do so, look into getting a better player. The low end models don't do justice to the picture quality that can be obtained from the better players. Some people have mentioned models they have. The Pioneer Elite players are some of the best and they are very affordable now compared to what they cost initially. I've had several Elites over the years and they just exude quality. My last player was a CLD-95 and it has a fantastic picture not to mention a first rate CD player.
 
Duane said:
If you plan on staying with the LD format and you have the funds to do so, look into getting a better player. The low end models don't do justice to the picture quality that can be obtained from the better players. Some people have mentioned models they have. The Pioneer Elite players are some of the best and they are very affordable now compared to what they cost initially. I've had several Elites over the years and they just exude quality. My last player was a CLD-95 and it has a fantastic picture not to mention a first rate CD player.
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Thanks that is my plan, it is just difficult to justify going from paying $7 to a $100 + that alot of the better players go for on E-Pay.......

You never know what will show up on CL or in a thrift.......
 
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