[Sam Edwards]

Sorry for not putting "FLAC/ALAC"

But as I was, trying to, point out; a test of 24bit (88/96/176/192khz) at say 2000-5500kbps vs a 16bit MP3 128kbps is going to be a waste of time really.

Thanks for your opinion. I felt I learned something. 

 

[RandomHajile]

Thanks for your opinion. I felt I learned something. 

Snap, I learnt that iTunes can't play flac but can play high res files (I'm kidding)

On a serious note I'm still waiting for a definitive battery test/results from one of the Pono owners

I think there should be three tests.

1; line out at max vol playing high res
(should be the same as headphone max vol)

2; balanced out to balanced headphones at 60% vol playing high res

3; balanced out at max vol to xlr amp playing high res

 

[Koolpep]

  After watching this video I did my own informal 'Pepsi Challenge at home. I took some HD audio and made 128KB MP3's from them. Then I switched back and fourth between the originals and the down sampled versions on MacPro>Vox>Hugo>TH900. Even with a terrible cold I could tell the difference, but it was more subtle than I thought it would be.
But the differences in mastering can easily account for the difference between people's preference on the video. At least I took that out of the equation. 
The designer of the Hugo says that HD audio makes 'less difference' on his device because of the very long tap length design. I'm going to try on other devices, like the Pono!

Great test. Did you use the ABXTester app from the Mac App store. It's a real blind test and the app is free. That is interesting indeed. The encoders are so much better than they used to be, I have seem old 128kbit mp3 from more than 10 years ago and boy do they sound bad. But new compressed ones made today from CD sources or FLAC with the latest technology are actually much better.
 
Cheers,
K

 

[Sam Edwards]

 

Great test. Did you use the ABXTester app from the Mac App store. It's a real blind test and the app is free. That is interesting indeed. The encoders are so much better than they used to be, I have seem old 128kbit mp3 from more than 10 years ago and boy do they sound bad. But new compressed ones made today from CD sources or FLAC with the latest technology are actually much better.
 
Cheers,
K

Downloading ABXTester now. It appears to not support Flac. So some preparation is going to be required...

 

[audionewbi]

There are talks that pono player might soon be discontinued, that would be a shame, they are to at least open to the international markets at least for a brief period.

I regret not getting the Norah jones version.

 

[turbo87]

really, before its even out to the general public? other than kickstarter backers, i don't believe anyone has received theirs via the online store. seems odd to discontinue it now. unless they mean discontinue in favor of pono 2

 

 

[grrorr76]

There are talks that pono player might soon be discontinued, that would be a shame, they are to at least open to the international markets at least for a brief period.

I regret not getting the Norah jones version.

The product was always a proof of concept. That it could be done so to speak. Neil young has spoken about his desire not to make hardware but the licence the brand and technology to other makers to produce branded pono products. So yes no more independently produced Pono's but Pono in the car maybe a harmon kardon pono device etc

 

[olddude]

There are talks that pono player might soon be discontinued, that would be a shame, they are to at least open to the international markets at least for a brief period.

I regret not getting the Norah jones version.

Can you point us to that discussion?

 

[burnspbesq]

There are talks that pono player might soon be discontinued

Source?

 

[burnspbesq]

Hi there, Neil Young.

I'll bet you think that's clever.

 

[grrorr76]

  Source?

His CES talk for one I have seen it reported as a quote from the man himself.

 

[olddude]

If you Google Pono or Pono Player all you see are posts and blogs about why the thing is a piece of crap and why Neil Young is a doofus for putting it out.  What's interesting is that some of them are dated March 2014 and the thing didn't begin to get to consumers until Nov/Dec.  So either there are some folks that had very early access to it (doubt it) or they are blowing dirty smoke out of the north end of a southbound hater.  There are the "unbiased" testers and their ludicrous testing who need to be heard.  And we all know you get more attention with a negative than with a positive.  I stopped believing in testers back in the 1970s when Consumer Reports found that Nikon cameras (the big ones for pros, folks) weren't so good.  Riiiigggghhhht.  I spent thirty years as a shooter and trust me, CR had its head up it's north end.     
 
Again (for those haters who accuse me of being on a Pono payroll - I wish), I have no financial or social or any other kind of connection to Pono or NY.  I do have stock in Apple, however, and you sure don't hear me extolling its music players.  
 
What I have is a Pono Player.  It works.  It's good.  It sounds great, and even better in balanced mode.  No amount of disinformation is going to nudge me away from those sentiments.  If you are curious about the Pono, read my posts or pm me.  Or anyone else here who has one and has posted about it.  If you think that reading the crap you find with a Google search about it is helpful, be my guest.  I'm not making money if you buy a Pono.  
 
What I am curious about is why is there so much anger and hate about it.  If it was a Chinese DAP and nobody famous was pushing it, would the response be the same?   Probably not.  No one is posting about the X5 or the DX90 the way they are about the Pono.  And people aren't even pissed off at the AK240, which you'd think would be an easy target due to its price.  So why the Pono?  Is it because it suggests that people might have a better listening experience if they try it?  Hey, every DAP from the X1 for a hundred bucks up to the RWAK240 offers that.  So is it the tone of the ads?  Try it, you'll like it?  Why would so many haters start trumpeting it's crap just because of that?  Is it an elitist vs. the great unwashed thing?  And this isn't even going into the whole "mp3 is all you need" stuff.  Sure, and enjoy your VHS movies in your VCR.  Or does Neil Young engender hate because of who he is and this is the response to that?  
 
So what is it that is bringing this stuff out, and even slopping it over like a big wet stink onto the Pono pages here, where anyone who has one (including me) can call you (not pointing fingers, but you know who you are) out over it?  
 
If this crap is about all DAPs that play anything better than an mp3 file, then be honest and attack them all.  If you don't like it that people want big old 24/x files, deal with it.  
 
This is not meant specifically at anyone on this page, so don't get your panties in a bunch.  I've already called out the ones I felt were out of line who were just blowing smoke out of their opinion (oh, nice metaphor).  And I'll continue to do so.  How about we just keep the Pono pages for people that have it, use it, or are actually interested in getting it.  If that's not you, be prepared.  

 

 

[olddude]

 
His CES talk for one I have seen it reported as a quote from the man himself.

I think I saw that.  Didn't he imply that the Pono might not be a long-terms (years) device but that the store would?   I'm not sure you can take that to mean that the Pono is already dead or dying.  

 

[Dinerenblanc]

If you Google Pono or Pono Player all you see are posts and blogs about why the thing is a piece of crap and why Neil Young is a doofus for putting it out.  What's interesting is that some of them are dated March 2014 and the thing didn't begin to get to consumers until Nov/Dec.  So either there are some folks that had very early access to it (doubt it) or they are blowing dirty smoke out of the north end of a southbound hater.  There are the "unbiased" testers and their ludicrous testing who need to be heard.  And we all know you get more attention with a negative than with a positive.  I stopped believing in testers back in the 1970s when Consumer Reports found that Nikon cameras (the big ones for pros, folks) weren't so good.  Riiiigggghhhht.  I spent thirty years as a shooter and trust me, CR had its head up it's north end.     

Again (for those haters who accuse me of being on a Pono payroll - I wish), I have no financial or social or any other kind of connection to Pono or NY.  I do have stock in Apple, however, and you sure don't hear me extolling its music players.  

What I have is a Pono Player.  It works.  It's good.  It sounds great, and even better in balanced mode.  No amount of disinformation is going to nudge me away from those sentiments.  If you are curious about the Pono, read my posts or pm me.  Or anyone else here who has one and has posted about it.  If you think that reading the crap you find with a Google search about it is helpful, be my guest.  I'm not making money if you buy a Pono.  

What I am curious about is why is there so much anger and hate about it.  If it was a Chinese DAP and nobody famous was pushing it, would the response be the same?   Probably not.  No one is posting about the X5 or the DX90 the way they are about the Pono.  And people aren't even pissed off at the AK240, which you'd think would be an easy target due to its price.  So why the Pono?  Is it because it suggests that people might have a better listening experience if they try it?  Hey, every DAP from the X1 for a hundred bucks up to the RWAK240 offers that.  So is it the tone of the ads?  Try it, you'll like it?  Why would so many haters start trumpeting it's crap just because of that?  Is it an elitist vs. the great unwashed thing?  And this isn't even going into the whole "mp3 is all you need" stuff.  Sure, and enjoy your VHS movies in your VCR.  Or does Neil Young engender hate because of who he is and this is the response to that?  

So what is it that is bringing this stuff out, and even slopping it over like a big wet stink onto the Pono pages here, where anyone who has one (including me) can call you (not pointing fingers, but you know who you are) out over it?  

If this crap is about all DAPs that play anything better than an mp3 file, then be honest and attack them all.  If you don't like it that people want big old 24/x files, deal with it.  

This is not meant specifically at anyone on this page, so don't get your panties in a bunch.  I've already called out the ones I felt were out of line who were just blowing smoke out of their opinion (oh, nice metaphor).  And I'll continue to do so.  How about we just keep the Pono pages for people that have it, use it, or are actually interested in getting it.  If that's not you, be prepared.  :veryevil:  

I think the reason people are annoyed with your comments is because you're treating your own words like gospel while writing off anyone's opinion that does not align with yours. I mean, you're referring to other reviews as articles of disinformation. Come on, dude.

 

[grrorr76]

 
I think I saw that.  Didn't he imply that the Pono might not be a long-terms (years) device but that the store would?   I'm not sure you can take that to mean that the Pono is already dead or dying.  

he definitely said he didn't want to be in the hardware business . If that means 1 2 3 or 5 years who knows. They are definitely after partners to produce pono branded hardware, his words not mine.