[subguy812]

  Here is a question for OldDude and others with some high end IEM or CIEMS.
 
I want to know what is a good match for the Pono in the high end IEM or CIEM world.
 My "short list" includes:
 

JH Audio JH13 Pro Freqphase

Shure SE 846
 
Dita Audo "Answer"
 
Regards,
Eric

Hi Eric...I am installing music as we speak to the PONO and preparing to go for a long walk, I will be using my Earsonic Velvets. I had the SE846 at one point and they didn't do it for me. I will let you know how I feel about this pairing.

 

[Lord Chaos]

If you want a look inside your Pono player:
http://mikebeauchamp.com/2014/12/pono-player-teardown/
 
I just ran into this while looking for something else, and thought the video was well worth watching. I'm impressed with how the player is made.

 

[PalJoey]

  Regarding folder navigation: I expected that, too, and was frustrated at the beginning by the Pono player's album view. I was lucky in that most of the music I loaded to the Pono I had downloaded from Hyperion Records, and they include album images with the download. It didn't take long for the Pono to reprogram me into using Album view.
 
I learned years ago that the automatic tagging from metadata sites is often wrong, so I check every CD's tags and adjust as necessary before doing the rip. CDs are still my primary source of music. The one additional step I have to do for any music going onto the player is to find the album art somewhere, copy it, and paste it into the Artwork field.
 
Once that's done, selecting music isn't a problem. Gently scroll through the visual list of albums, touch-and-hold, select "Play," and relax. This device really does make lovely music.
 
People who have a huge library on the Pono might be less happy. I have only about 90 albums on mine, so finding things doesn't take long, and the fast-scroll feature makes it quicker.

Keeping your metadata accurate and consistent is a useful discipline to acquire. It will not only make your portable use easier, but will also bring up more useful search results in any player like Foobar. The more work you put in, the more it will reward you. Online metadata is generally inputted by blindfolded baboons wearing boxing gloves (or the human equivalent), so checking and correcting everything before you rip that CD is a damn good idea.
 
In my former job, one of my responsibilities was managing a database of 90,000+ entries, each with up to 40 fields (only half of which were optional). This is not a job for a committee, this is a job for a dictator, who will point an unfeasibly large gun in data's face and tell it to line up and obey orders.

 

[ImperialBlade]

 
Hi Eric...I am installing music as we speak to the PONO and preparing to go for a long walk, I will be using my Earsonic Velvets. I had the SE846 at one point and they didn't do it for me. I will let you know how I feel about this pairing.

Thanks subguy812, can't wait to hear the report back!
 
Regards,
Eric

 

[olddude]

I like the Pono with the 846 (a lot).  It also sounded very good with the Fidue A83.
 
Consider also that you can run a good balanced cable and it improves the sound exponentially.  
 
Tips also matter a whole lot with this player.  So a certain amount of playing around will be helpful as well.

 

[ImperialBlade]

  I like the Pono with the 846 (a lot).  It also sounded very good with the Fidue A83.
 
Consider also that you can run a good balanced cable and it improves the sound exponentially.  
 
Tips also matter a whole lot with this player.  So a certain amount of playing around will be helpful as well.

Thanks OD for the feedback.
Got to work on that balanced cable (and cans) situation then!
 
Regards,
Eric

 

[Kerouac]

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

 

 

[drew911d]

I've been using my Noble Audio K10 CIEM's with my Pono for several hours daily with a Silver Litz balanced cable from Ted's headfi lounge for over a month now.
 
I can't find anything to complain about.  Very nice together!

 

[Koukol]

  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

 

Looks good, Lieutenant Uhura!

 

[Jazzi]

 
Hi Eric...I am installing music as we speak to the PONO and preparing to go for a long walk, I will be using my Earsonic Velvets. I had the SE846 at one point and they didn't do it for me. I will let you know how I feel about this pairing.

I'm with you on this one -- the SE846, IMHO, just doesn't pair very well with the Pono.  However, I'll have a Silver Dragon balanced cable on the way and I expect that to change.  With balanced cables, even my HD600 sounds great with the Pono.  While it's probably good with most IEMs with SE, the Pono excels in balanced mode.

 

[Kerouac]

Looks good, Lieutenant Uhura!

In case you're referring to the pics/Pono/Z5, thanks!
 
In case you're referring to the sideburns: Well, when I read how the Pono changed Neil Youngs vision on music (he got it back) I thought ''Hmmm, maybe it's not the Pono alone''. I saw his picture and noticed his huge sideburns and decided to grow some myself and guess what.....
The sideburns gave me extra isolation on the cheeks what resulted in much better resonance and acoustics in my head, everything sounded way better and it took my musical experience to a whole new level (I really got it back). So, those sideburns gave me the best 100% placebo sq upgrade I've ever experienced and the best part is, they're totally for free

 

[H20Fidelity]

I believe the extensive sideburns are an aerodynamic add-on to counter attack Z5 wind noise. 
 
My Pono didn't make it for the weekend. I feel like that kid at the show who missed out on the last dagwood dog. 

 

[Kerouac]

  I believe the extensive sideburns are an aerodynamic add-on to counter attack Z5 wind noise. 
 
My Pono didn't make it for the weekend. I feel like that kid at the show who missed out on the last dagwood dog. 

Yeah, now I'm thinking about that, it seems to be a real win/win situation

 
Sorry to read that your Pono didn't make it for the weekend

Well, at least iBasso has a new (and from what I've read pretty good) FW out for your DX90 to give you some musical distraction for these 2 days...

 

[olddude]

Nothing worse than a new toy not arriving.  Both my new carrying bag for my Pono and the Sensaphonic sleeves for my 846 arrived at the same time yesterday and it was like Xmas or a birthday celebration.  Then I went and bought a new computer at the Apple store (my last one was purchased in 2008 and it's getting a bit long in the tooth).  
 
Talk about instant gratification.  

 
Oh, and I have a beard, so my sideburns are built in.   

 

[H20Fidelity]

Well, I guess I have some questions while we wait. (congrats on your new toys btw)
 
1) Regarding the Pono headphone jack, do you think its going to handle Grado's thick 325e cable? 
 
Its quite light weight despite the appearance but I'm a little unsure about using it with a player the jack comes out from the top.
 
Remembering I will be lifting the player up and down a lot and sometimes above my head whilst laying down at night.
 

 
 
2) On the off chance has anyone driven Etymotic ER4S with Pono, how did they feel it went with the 100ohm Ety?