TLDR
Got a Marantz LV520 (D704 clone) and Rotel RDA-980 demod/decoder for ~$200 shipped with 1-year warranties. Good deal?

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I'm my LD rabbit hole I've made another likely overboard purchase but it seemed like a good deal nonetheless and is part of a larger theater overhaul project. I picked up a Marantz LV520 (D704 clone) and Rotel RDA-980 demodulator/decoder for right at $200 shipped including Square Trade 1-year warranties. With D704s going for $400-$700 or higher, and pretty much anything with AC3 going for $200+, this seemed like a pretty screaming deal (comparatively, at least)... not to mention that my AVR is a Marantz, so there's some feng shui there too. I know the Square Trade warranties won't actually get anything repaired or replaced if it dies... but for ~$15 for the two, it should at least get me my money back if they arrive working then die in the first year (which is probably a real threat). The only real issue with the of note is the front display on the player is not working, which really doesn't bother me (the display on my current player is like a torch in a dark room). Thoughts on the deals?

For context, the LV520 is replacing a CLD-3070 which is generally working well but has ~30% success rate at playing Side B when it auto-flips... though strangely that jumps to 60-70% when you send the head to Side B yourself via the remote or front panel. Also, obviously, no AC3 RF output and seems like an intimidating chassis to try to mod. I may try to sell the 3070 locally but if I don't get any takers, I'll hold on to it as a backup.

The new player and demod/decoder will be part of the theater listed below:

- Epson 4000 4(ish)K Projector
- Silver Ticket 125" 2.35:1 WVS Screen
- Marantz SR6011 9ch AVR
- Sonance .5 THX-LCR Front Speakers
- Sonance .5 THX-SUR Surround Speakers
- MCM In-Ceiling Atmos Speakers
- Panasonic UB420 UHD Player
- Toshiba HD-A3 HD-DVD Player
- Nvidia Shield TV Pro Android TV Streaming
- Roku Express+ Streaming (pretty much just for Apple TV+)

The video path will be composite to the AVR which will handle comb, deinterlace, and HDMI conversion at 480p 4:3... then on to the projector which will handle aspect ratio zoom. I'm trying not to think too much about spending more on the player + demod/decoder than I did on the UHD player (which itself carried a small premium over similarly capable players for its HDR tone mapping feature, handy for getting the most out of the limited HDR capabilities of any projector).

Anyone else integrating LD into a 4K home theater, and doing so without a dedicated video processor? That's probably my next logical upgrade but I'm not sure I want to incur the cost or take up more space in my rack/cabinet. I was on the hunt for one previously due to the fact that my previous projector had no aspect ratio zoom function, but the Epson will do aspect ratio zoom at 480p 4:3, so that negated a VP as a necessity (and the VP budget I'd set aside went towards the projector upgrade).

Heh, “warranties“.

What good is a warrantee if they can’t repair it? What good is a refund if it isn’t enough money to buy an LD player?

If you have it and if works then it was a good deal regardless of cost. LDs players get more rare every time they are smashed in transit.

I am not sure I understand the purpose of your post. If you already know LV520 is a CLD-704 clone then you surely know how much it is worth as well. I agree with signo on the warranty. They can’t repair it and replace it.

As for 4K integration, it is probably much easier now than before. There is a ton of posts from the HD and full HD era. A lot of people read the old threads and buy old equipment. It’s not apples and apples anymore. Newer 4K TVs are better in every aspect. They process old video better too. All that old info on the internet does not apply to newer TVs. You will likely get better performance plugging your LD player directly into your TV.

Well, the main thought was that for $12 for the player, I at least get my ~$160 back if it arrives working but craps out in the next year. I'll still likely have the 3070 around (will try to sell locally for ~$50, not getting my hopes up) and can start the hunt all over again. Starting the hunt with $160 in my pocket will be easier to stomach than starting it with $0. I'm not an extended-warranty kind of person on new electronics purchases... and usually not even on more recently manufactured used purchases... but for a player pushing 25 years old with a lot of moving mechanical plastic parts, it seemed worth it for minimal cost.

As to integrating with my existing equipment... LD via composite to my AVR, letting it comb/a-d/deinterlace/HDMI convert (sending 480p 4:3) then sending it on to the projector over HDMI is the only signal path that works. The projector has no analog input available. Outside of adding a stand-alone VP, this is the only path my current equipment allows.

As for the reason to post... I'm bored and wanted to talk about something I'm interested in. This isn't the most jumping forum in regards to traffic, just looking to start a conversation. This isn't AVS, we don't need the "did you do a search" police, do we?

If the picture quality looks good on the CLD-3070 on side B, I think your only issue could be the loading belt needs replacing even though I know this unit uses (I think) a belt with teeth (unlike the 2nd gen Alpha Turn units).

Or just need to check some switches to see if they are dirty or maybe the unit need some regreasing.

Otherwise, like Zeta said, I would keep it. Players are getting hard to come by these days and we all need multiple units to ensure we can keep spinning these discs.

When Side B plays, the picture quality seems to be on-par with Side A. When it doesn't, it sticks on Chapter 0 with a black screen and some white lines that look like VHS tracking lines (for lack of a better point of comparison. Some others have mentioned disc centering on Side B can be a failure point on these too. From the pictures I've seen of the inside of these (I think it was a 2070, but comparable) they look like they'd be a bear to work on. Maybe when the LV520 arrives (tracking says Saturday, but I don't trust tracking these days) and gets the once over, maybe I'll be a little braver in opening it up for a look. My only LD repair to-date is a tray belt on an M401. While not the easiest thing I've ever done, it wasn't the hardest either... though there was seemingly a lot more room for clumsy hands in that one than there would be in the 3070.

No I sincerely didn’t understand why you asked if it was worth it, especially since you answered your own question in the next paragraph;) I was sorta complimenting you know your Marantz unit is a 704 clone. Because I didn’t know that and I know everything.

We like some traffic here. I appreciate you start one now. And as you noticed I recommended against doing a search on the old posts for your modern equipment. I don’t use the video capabilities of audio equipmentS myself. I don’t have any experience in here. I would expect them to progress the same way as newer TVs. Your main issue is going to be your screen size. On a projector screen everything will show. I think you would benefit from a cleaner player like 95,97 and S2 before an expensive video processor.

Not sure on the warranty. They usually give you market value or comparable model. I wouldn’t be shocked if they offer you an upscaling dvd player as a replacement and say this is what replaced LDs lol

Actually the LV520 is a clone of the CLD-D504. Was wondering why I didn’t recall a 704 clone on the Marantz line.

In this case, the CLD-3070 is the better model since it has digital field memory for CLV effects and definitely more robust construction since it’s older. Although it lacks AC-3, it can be modded later.

It's referenced as an Elite CLD-59 clone in the Moes Realm Laserdisc Guide article... I think that's what I was thinking of but got I've read up on so many different players lately, it's all running together. The rear layout does match the D504, just with the addition of the Optical SPDIF output. It doesn't match the CLD-59 very closely, so I'd say you're spot on. The presence of both AC3-RF and Optical SPDIF is what had me thinking D704.



It's a Square Trade warranty... if the elect not to repair, they give you the purchase price back.

I stand corrected.

It is kind of a mix between a CLD-D604 and the Elite CLD-59. The 604 has the same layout on the back as the LV520 (minus the Karoke attenuator switch) but the 604 has Karaoke functions on the front (two mic jacks and key controller). The 59 did away w/ the optical out jack and replaced it with the coax digital out but the front panel is very much the same as the LV520.

Not to mention reconfigured Remote in/out and VHF-adapter ports on the Marantz! It does look more D504 than D604 on the back, just with the addition of Optical.

Sounds like it might be the mail man's baby

Dammit.....

I stand corrected again. Did a search on remotes.com to see if the remote has a jog/shuttle. This Marantz doesn’t have digital field memory so it actually is a 504 with an optical output.

Ah well, it is what it is... probably better than the 3070 and getting the AC3 out was the point anyway. Even for a D504 clone, not a terrible price and a little more unique than just another Pioneer!

No

As I said previously, the 3070 would still be the preferred machine for me because of the field memory circuit and the robust construction. Also, AC-3 can be added if you or someone else has the skill set to make a board for it (like me ).

Field Memory doesn't really do anything for me... I can live with a blank screen when I hit pause. As heretical as it may sound, I also have a feeling I'll prefer the sharper "digital" look of a newer player to pure analog... I've just been watching 1080p and 4K too long. Plus I won't have to live with the the dreaded walk-of-shame when my 3070 refuses to play Side B. I'm pretty sure I could built an RF board, but man, the 3070 looks like it would be a bear to actually install it in.

Got the LV520 in this afternoon... it survived the trip and was packaged EXTREMELY well. Hooked up and working just as described, and would even play a slightly warped disc just fine that my CLD-3070 would choke on. Image quality seems a tad sharper than the 3070, but I'll have to watch a few discs to get a better impression.

I just got home from picking up the Rotel RDA-980 locally, so should have it hooked up and checked out shortly.

Got the RDA-980 hooked up last night and it worked great as well.

Seller even let me pick over his remaining discs for $5/ea and I grabbed 6 good ones, all like-new and well kept.