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mcintosh laserdisc player MLD 7020

Hello all, I am have just finally after many years bought a great laserdisc player that i wanted in '97 but could not afford.. the Mcintosh MLD-7020 Laserdisc player.. i know it is supposed to have awesome audio and video.. and based on a Pioneer CLD-97 (which is still considered one of the best LD players made) i was able to get this Mcintosh and it will be delivered in about a week.. I have read many times that it was not tweaked but have also heard that it was tweaked in the power supply and the DACS.. if anyone owns one .. does anyone know if Mac did anything to it.. ? Regardless.. i cannot wait to hook it up and watch my LD's on it.. I am retiring my old aging Yamaha CDV-870 LD player to the bedroom.. thanks for any info anyone has on this Mac.. !

Mike
audiomike1
joelv's avatar
joelv
103 posts
 
The sound of a good laserdisc is hard to beat by any other source. It is analog.

Well, the audio of early laserdics was analog, but it wasn't "good" by any stretch. It required its own analog noise reduction circuit to sound passable. The digital audio of the later discs (ca 1987 and later) is vastly superior. And i have to agree that the Pioneer players sound great compared even to very expensive, modern CD players. I preferred mine to my Rotel RCD-975, and that was an excellent-sounding machine.

IIRC, the video was the the only thing that remained analog (though read by a laser, of course) for LD's entire run.

What does one have to spend to get a Mac player?
audiomike1 OP
21 posts
 
I was able to get mine from an ebay auction.. I paid about 820.00 including shipping.. they seem to go between , at least here in the states ... roughly.. 650-800.00..$USD mine was in excellent condition and had the remote and box.. i have seen some brand new at audioclassics.com for 2250.00 $USD brand new in the box... but thats a little steep.. i am glad i found the excellent player on ebay from a respected seller.

Mike
audiomike1 OP
21 posts
 
Oh yeah , Joelv, I absolutely 100% agree this Mcintosh LD player is based on the Pioneer Elite CLD-97 and the CD section runs rings around EVERY Cd player i have ever owned!! I think Mcintosh even tweaked it, because it sounds AMAZING.. no need for external DAC..

Mike
rwwear
2,867 posts
 
The Dolby Digital or AC-3 signal from laserdisc is an RF signal. But compare Pink Floyd's The Wall on laserdisc to the DVD version in regular stereo, the LD is much better in dynamics, bass and soundstage. The picture isn't that great though. I have the HLD-X9 from Japan, I had the 7020 also.
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