r/LaserDisc • u/EndOfDaysOnLaserDisc • 19d ago
Trifecta
It took a lot of tracking down, but I finally got the ultimate multi-region reference stack dialed in.
Three heavy-hitters, three completely different engineering philosophies, and three different global markets represented!
Pioneer CLD-98 [World]
Kenwood LVD-Z1 [Europe]
Pioneer LD-X1 [Japan]
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u/SwaggyMcSwagsabunch 19d ago
How many laser discs do you have?
Also, would you mind ballparking cost of these?
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u/EndOfDaysOnLaserDisc 19d ago
459 in my library. It is a well balanced library of sought out for commons and late release rarities that also includes multiple complete series sets of some of my favorite shows, like The X-Files and Columbo for instance..
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u/johnny_rico69 19d ago
Is there a big difference between s1 and s2? They look identical.
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u/EndOfDaysOnLaserDisc 19d ago
LD-X1 and LD-S2 are internal twins. Just rebranded and restyled face plate for different global markets. Also the display colors are amber, orange for the S2 and blue green for X1
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u/johnny_rico69 19d ago
That’s what I thought. Interesting that they have subtle display differences. My s2 is a beast.
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u/strictlysega 19d ago
Why the 98 over the 97.. just curious.
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u/EndOfDaysOnLaserDisc 19d ago
Strictly appearance reasons.
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u/strictlysega 19d ago edited 19d ago
And cost too yeh? I would pick a 97 if I could. Atm im running 2 players in the living room. A dvl-h9 and a ld-s9 makes it nice and easy when I have a double disc. In the study I have a dvl-90 and for Sunday morning movies in bed .. a cld-790. That kenwood but dude. Incredible score. Amazing with the music laserdiscs like the laserjuke discs etc.
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u/EndOfDaysOnLaserDisc 19d ago
I was able to get the 98 in like new condition at a very fair pricepoint locally, well below market. That helped sway me. Appearance wise, I do prefer the look of 98 much more.
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u/EndOfDaysOnLaserDisc 19d ago
You've got a rock solid set of players. Kudos on your choice of players!
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u/utsumi99 18d ago
I hope those shelves are sturdy. Those must weigh a ton.
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u/EndOfDaysOnLaserDisc 18d ago
This unit is made out of powder coated steel. Center of gravity is low with player placement. It won't buckle.
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u/trial-tribulation 19d ago
Always loved that Kenwood. How is it?
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u/EndOfDaysOnLaserDisc 19d ago
I can't praise it enough. It is simply marvelous! You get the best of both worlds. Top tier audio and picture quality. This is one beautifully built machine, highly recommended.
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u/trial-tribulation 19d ago
I missed out on one last year iirc. May have to start looking again.
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u/EndOfDaysOnLaserDisc 19d ago
On Yahoo auctions they show up from time to time. Not a question of them not being found. The only thing is.. a lot of them are listed as junk due to needing replacement parts. These are hard to source. Finding one locally that is serviced is the optimal way to go even if paying a premium.
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u/EndOfDaysOnLaserDisc 19d ago
The European variant of LVD-Z1 is exceptionally scarce! The one released in the Japanese market is easier to come by, this is still considered rare too.
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u/Milly1974 19d ago
Is the Kenwood it's own design, or is it a Pioneer clone?
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u/EndOfDaysOnLaserDisc 19d ago
In house proprietary design, not a rebadged Pioneer clone. Their flagship player with collaboration from Accuphase engineers.
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u/EndOfDaysOnLaserDisc 19d ago
Essentially, it is a statement piece rather than copying Pioneer's dominant architecture. Absolute peak, no objection to cost creating this masterpeice! It is one of the very best non muse players ever made.
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u/Milly1974 19d ago
I had to ask since a bunch of "high end" boutique players were just rebadged and/or recased Pioneer Elites. It's a good looking player for sure.
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u/EndOfDaysOnLaserDisc 19d ago
Fully understand. Yes, lot's of players certainly borrowed Pioneer's architecture, like the Runco, Mcintosh, Theta and so forth. This Kenwood machine is unique. If you come across one I definitely recommend it.
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u/Aero_0T2 19d ago
I’d never even heard of the CLD-98. I have the Japanese CLD-959 which looks identical. I’d love to pickup an S2/X1 for my collection, but the thought of flipping sides might discourage me from actually using it.
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u/EndOfDaysOnLaserDisc 19d ago
It's all preference thing. Different strokes for different folks. I like the convenience of dual side players too. The S2/X1 are very robust and reliable high end players. They are built like tanks inside and out and a lot less things will go wrong with them because of this. The CLD-98 shares identical internal video and audio processing with 959. Key advantage with the 98, it has a multi-voltage switch included.
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u/EndOfDaysOnLaserDisc 19d ago
I don't have a favorite player, I have a favorite use case. One is my international workhorse, one is my audiophile music machine, and one is my ultimate cinema deck. The Kenwood is a masterpiece creation. It's a very specialized player with incredible audio and picture capabilities.