[Saraguie]

   
The downside of that is there's a 100% chance you'll be forced to listen to an old man (the shop owner) ramble on about some music that even if you're interested in it, will still manage to make it the worst 'conversation' you've ever had.

Really dude, 'Old Man' are you making a pun about Neil Young's big hit?

 

[AmberOzL]

How do you get the clear version?

 

[thegrobe]

How do you get the clear version?

It's available on the kickstarter page, amongst the artist series

 

[fiascogarcia]

   
The downside of that is there's a 100% chance you'll be forced to listen to an old man (the shop owner) ramble on about some music that even if you're interested in it, will still manage to make it the worst 'conversation' you've ever had.

  Quite true!!  On the flip side, it's guaranteed you'll hear the vinyl through unbelievable, pyramid shaped, 8 foot tall speakers that cost the equivalent of a third world GNP, made by an engineer geek who makes two sets a year!!

 

[AmberOzL]

It's available on the kickstarter page, amongst the artist series

I must have missed it, I will check again, thanks mate. Any photo btw?

 

[RogerWilcoSQ]

I was considering getting the Fiio X5 but some of the small issues have turned me off. I'm still not sure because what matters most is how good it sounds plus the storage capacity. I decided to email Pono and ask them if it was possible to support the new 128gb microsd cards and they told me that the player would read them. This narrows the gap in storage space. Plus I feel that the Pono player won't have the same bugs and quirks as the Fiio X5.
 
The only $400 pledges I am interested in is Metallica and the clear Pono but for $100 less I might just jump on the standard yellow or black. $50 cheaper than Fiio and the include a 64gb microsd card. I don't c
are too much about that shape but Fioo is sexier looking and it is at least on the market now and sounds great according to reviews.
 
I wish the choice was clear cut for me.

 

[Saraguie]

  I was considering getting the Fiio X5 but some of the small issues have turned me off. I'm still not sure because what matters most is how good it sounds plus the storage capacity. I decided to email Pono and ask them if it was possible to support the new 128gb microsd cards and they told me that the player would read them. This narrows the gap in storage space. Plus I feel that the Pono player won't have the same bugs and quirks as the Fiio X5.
 
The only $400 pledges I am interested in is Metallica and the clear Pono but for $100 less I might just jump on the standard yellow or black. $50 cheaper than Fiio and the include a 64gb microsd card. I don't c
are too much about that shape but Fioo is sexier looking and it is at least on the market now and sounds great according to reviews.
 
I wish the choice was clear cut for me.

Do you want to wait 5 months? Maybe that wait time helps make the decision.

 

[Canaudio]

I've had the X5  for a week.  The sound is incredible, the build quality and aesthetics are excellent.  The user interface is acceptable and will only get better.
 
The wait time, the chocolate bar shape and more limited flexibility and UI are deal breakers for me - "Is that a Pono in your pocket, or are just glad to see me?"

 

[warth0g]

  I was considering getting the Fiio X5 but some of the small issues have turned me off.
 
.....
 
 
I wish the choice was clear cut for me.

 
I don't wish to make your choice more difficult, but the just released DX90 is getting very good initial feedback. At $419 it should be quite the giant killer...

 

[RogerWilcoSQ]

   
I don't wish to make your choice more difficult, but the just released DX90 is getting very good initial feedback. At $419 it should be quite the giant killer...

I can't find the info. Does it have 1 or 2 microsd slots?

 

[warth0g]

  I can't find the info. Does it have 1 or 2 microsd slots?

 Just the one..

 

[AmberOzL]

   Just the one..

I wonder if it can accept 128 gb sd cards too.

 

[Kokomo O]

I really don't understand what all these manufacturers are doing with the storage issue. iPods have had 256GB capacity for many years now. Why is that still the maximum available in any player? Moore's Law would imply that we should be seeing internal-storage terabyte players for relatively cheap prices, with the real cost going into things like battery life, DACs, internal amps, displays and GUIs.

 

[inertianinja]

  I really don't understand what all these manufacturers are doing with the storage issue. iPods have had 256GB capacity for many years now. Why is that still the maximum available in any player? Moore's Law would imply that we should be seeing internal-storage terabyte players for relatively cheap prices, with the real cost going into things like battery life, DACs, internal amps, displays and GUIs.

 
the bigger question, to me, is why smartphones are still being released with 16GB (9GB or less usable), with 32 being a premium. I'm not sure if you can even buy a 64GB phone anymore (HTC One was the last), and Samsung is the only phone in the US with MicroSD. 
 
I hate to be a conspiracy theorist, but I think it's significant that our onboard phone storage has completely stagnated since carriers introduced data caps, but introduced streaming services.

 

[fiascogarcia]

  I really don't understand what all these manufacturers are doing with the storage issue. iPods have had 256GB capacity for many years now. Why is that still the maximum available in any player? Moore's Law would imply that we should be seeing internal-storage terabyte players for relatively cheap prices, with the real cost going into things like battery life, DACs, internal amps, displays and GUIs.

As far as I know Apple only provides 160 gigs max, all the rest is after market iMods.
 

 

 
the bigger question, to me, is why smartphones are still being released with 16GB (9GB or less usable), with 32 being a premium. I'm not sure if you can even buy a 64GB phone anymore (HTC One was the last), and Samsung is the only phone in the US with MicroSD. 
 
I hate to be a conspiracy theorist, but I think it's significant that our onboard phone storage has completely stagnated since carriers introduced data caps, but introduced streaming services.

 
I don't think it's even a conspiracy, phone manufacturers very definitely want to steer customers towards streaming service vendors.