Yes, balanced listening is superb from the Pono
Yesterday I received my XBA-Z5 (comes with a balanced cable) that I bought on the classifieds.
I think my (more expensive) 1P2 are still king of the hill on overall sq, but the Z5 has a ''big fun sound'', especially when I'm listening in balanced mode from the Pono. It's almost like listening with a full-size headphone on. Very full sound, good lows and wide soundstage (I think it's almost on par in that departments with the 1P2). 1P2 has better mids though and also better details imo, but I have a wonderful Silver Widow cable on that one...
I think the Z5 will become my ''on the go'' iems for this summer. Yesterday I took them with me to the playground (where my kids were playing) and did some listening in the sun...great fun!
Watch out! Pono in the wild
Yes, the Z5 sticks out like some kinda alien sucking your brain out through your ears and I probably look ridiculous with them (but hey, also without them with those sideburns
)
Some guy (another father) over there that I knew (who initially laughed a bit about them) tried them also for some minutes and was really impressed, he said he had never heard something that good in his life