Earlier when I was capturing Small Soldiers through the s-video it looked superior to my lx-900 revision 1995, LX-h670 rev 1995, and my Elite CLD-53. I don't know what it was but it felt like it was giving off a better overall picture through s-video and I read online the s-video on this is supposedly pretty good. That's not just it though. Through optical i felt like the sound was a little crisper and cleaner than what the other players were producing. I thought this was just in my head specifically the sound but then I found this website https://maker.pro/forums/threads/help-needed-pio-cld-3080-problem.53133/ and someone mentioned how the CLD-3080 and CLD-95 both have great sound. Is this true or do you think it's just in my head? I obviously know that anyone can write anything online.

The 3080 and 95 have multi-bit DAC's where Stephen Sank and I prefer the warmer sound from multi-bit DAC's, you do need an audiophile sound system to notice this. Also this is from the RCA outputs. Newer players except for the HLD-X0 and X9 have bit-stream DAC's. Now non of this doesn't have anything to do the optical output. The 3080 and 95 don't have any re-clocking as in high end optical/digital outputs but the 2080 and 95 do have separate power supplies just for the audio section with lower noise levels so the Optical out could be stabler. All the other players you mentioned have one common power supply for the entire unit. The CLD-97, HLD-X9, HLD-X0, HLD-1000, and LD-S2 are examples of other players with separate power supplies for video verses digital sections.

Now many prefer the newer units so if you like the older players that is your preference, others don't feel that way. If you like it just enjoy it.

Don't get caught up in what sounds and looks best. I personally am on your side but again that is just my preference, it is not an absolute.