[Mython]

DELETE

 

[Saraguie]

  Or is it going to be walled garden a la iTunes?

What problems do you have with playing other than iTunes purchased music? I have lots and lots of music not ripped from a CD nor bought from Apple that I can play on my MAC, iPod, and iPhone. There are only three songs I can think of that I get a error message with.

 

[miceblue]

 
Or is it going to be walled garden a la iTunes?

What problems do you have with playing other than iTunes purchased music? I have lots and lots of music not ripped from a CD nor bought from Apple that I can play on my MAC, iPod, and iPhone. There are only three songs I can think of that I get a error message with.

I think the original poster meant can we just put music on the Pono, or do we have to be tied to a piece of software to sync data (a la iTunes).


I'm pretty sure you can put other music on it.
https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1003614822/ponomusic-where-your-soul-rediscovers-music

although the PonoPlayer can play most popular high-res music formats from other sources

 

[Levanter]

   
A current one, related to the new 'news', or an old, decaying PONO thread ?
 
If there is an up-to-date PONO thread, by all means, please link me to it - I was unaware of it.
 
Cheers.

 
The "New" news was only announced less than 24 hours ago with the release from Kickstarter. Just because the "New" news is less than 24 hours old, i hardly consider it as a decaying thread.
Besides, the "Old" thread latest posts have already been talking about the latest updates if you are unaware of it.

 

[Saraguie]

I think the original poster meant can we just put music on the Pono, or do we have to be tied to a piece of software to sync data (a la iTunes).


I'm pretty sure you can put other music on it.
https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1003614822/ponomusic-where-your-soul-rediscovers-music

Gotcha.....it is a pain. My guess is FLAC and a card slot would point to drag and drop. We should ask!

 

[miceblue]

And just to clarify:
http://www.ponomusic.com/#faq

Can I play digital music files I already own on my PonoPlayer?

Yes, you can and it will probably sound better on the PonoPlayer than you've ever heard it.

The PonoPlayer is designed to play PonoMusic with stunning clarity. However, the player can play almost any kind of music track including FLAC, ALAC, mp3, WAV, AIFF, AAC (unprotected).

What this really means is the PonoPlayer can play all your digital music, and all of it will sound great.

How do you use the PonoPlayer?

Your PonoPlayer works in much the same way as your other portable music devices. The PonoMusic App (for Mac or PC) provides you access to the PonoMusic Store, where you can browse, search, purchase and download high-resolution music to your computer. You then just connect your PonoPlayer mini-USB cable to your computer's USB port in order to sync your favorite music and playlists and then you can enjoy your PonoMusic at the same quality level as the original recording from your PonoPlayer.

What are the specifications of the PonoPlayer?

The PonoPlayer was designed to meet or exceed the audio quality of portable devices and many home audio components:

• It is available in yellow or black with a soft touch finish. It weighs 4.5 ounces (128 grams) and comes in a box with:

• A 120/240VAC adapter/charger
• A micro USB cable for charging and syncing files from a Mac or PC
• 64GB of internal memory and a removable 64GB microSD card included (128GB total)
• Free downloadable desktop software (for Mac and PC) with a built-in music store to browse, purchase, manage and sync Pono certified tracks as well as others
• A user guide

• The dimensions of the PonoPlayer are 5” (H) x 2” (W) x 1” (D)
• It is powered by a built-in Li-Ion rechargeable battery for all-day listening (about 8 hours).

• It has very easy-to-use controls:

• The O button turns the player on and off.
• The + and - buttons adjust the volume.
• The illuminated color touch display lets you scroll through your music by album, song, artist, ..., and play, stop, fast forward, ...

 

[Wouter]

At this time there are some providers of "high res" music and some providers of "audiophile players". This Pono initiative seems to be the first to combine both: providing and audiophile player and providing high res music. In fact, they're aiming to provide high res music form the major labels, which should lead to a far better availability of popular music in high resolution than provided anywhere else.
 
So this Pono initiative does seem to do things different and therefore I don't mind the way they put their goal, unlike you.
Nor do I feel that the way they put their goal is disrespectful to any producer of audiophile players currently available.
If this Pono player simply has a good user interface and no bugs, than it just may be ahead of quite a few audiophile players currently available...
 
So it's shaped like a toblerone instead of a candy bar, so what? 
I kind of like the courage to choose something else from the rectangular flat bars that everyone else is producing.

 

[jeycam]

It looks like there are some serious caps in the output stage. Any of the DIYers know what are they?
 

 

[suicidal_orange]

  It looks like there are some serious caps in the output stage. Any of the DIYers know what are they?
 

The colour scheme looks like Nichicon Finegold's, a popular choice.
 
 
The crucial thing with this Pono idea is whether they've got proper distribution rights or will happily send me e-mails of the latest release which I'm not allowed to buy like HDTracks do.  All the musicians in the video can't be deaf so it's likely they're remastering and that can only be a good thing for us. 
 
If the yellow one were $200 I'd have seriously considered picking one up "deaf" but $300 (plus import taxes) is too much without hearing one.

 

[alphabetagaga]

  Buying this was a no brainer for me......the Neil Young Limited edition sold out in hours. Its worth the $$ from an investment point of view. Plus I really dig Neil's music. Rust Never Sleeps has got to be the best live concert every filmed.
I bet all the other editions will sell out way before production too.

+1.

 

[alphabetagaga]

  It's funny to hear all of the musicians crow about how great it sounds, as if they just invented high-res music. This is a good thing though - I think this is going to put a big spotlight on sound quality for the masses. I'm tempted to spring for the CSNY limited edition player - too bad the Neil Young-only version is sold out...I'm surprised that it only has 8 hours of battery life since they mention the added benefit of using a cylindrical battery. It's funny that they do say it has a Toblerone-like shape on the kickstarter page....they make no mention of putting the thing in your pocket, though. Maybe they will come out with a holster at some point.

exactly. yes apple have made it easy for everyone and their dog to access music now. no one is denying them that. but at the expense and i mean BIG expense of dumbing down the audio quality.
 

  It's funny to hear all of the musicians crow about how great it sounds, as if they just invented high-res music. This is a good thing though - I think this is going to put a big spotlight on sound quality for the masses. I'm tempted to spring for the CSNY limited edition player - too bad the Neil Young-only version is sold out...I'm surprised that it only has 8 hours of battery life since they mention the added benefit of using a cylindrical battery. It's funny that they do say it has a Toblerone-like shape on the kickstarter page....they make no mention of putting the thing in your pocket, though. Maybe they will come out with a holster at some point.

'Pono's CEO John Hamm also spoke during the session and talked about the triangular shape of the Pono device. "The electronics that fit inside wouldn't fit in a flat package," he explained. "It's a small piece of audio gear, not a mobile device."

Read more at http://www.nme.com/news/neil-young/76018#BOfTjo3zP0r8hcs6.99'​

 

[doublea71]

  exactly. yes apple have made it easy for everyone and their dog to access music now. no one is denying them that. but at the expense and i mean BIG expense of dumbing down the audio quality.
 
'Pono's CEO John Hamm also spoke during the session and talked about the triangular shape of the Pono device. "The electronics that fit inside wouldn't fit in a flat package," he explained. "It's a small piece of audio gear, not a mobile device."

Read more at http://www.nme.com/news/neil-young/76018#BOfTjo3zP0r8hcs6.99'​

  It's a small piece of audio gear that will not only fit in your hand but also does not have to be plugged into a wall outlet to function. However, it's not a mobile device. Right. I suppose it's a portable stationary device then. Does re-purposing it for mobile use void its warranty? (Add sarcastic intonation)

 

[Sauntere]

Pricing seems very reasonable and i wish i was early enough to grab one of Neil Young's signature editions. Stupid time zones. Living on the other side of the world. Bah. 
 
Are there any other available specs ? Output Impedence etc

 

[audionewbi]

I was this close to back the Norah jones version but than I thought perhaps wait and just get the normal version as October is a long way away and my expectation will grow more and more and chances of this pono turning out mediocre compared to my current dap is super high.

 

[392462]

Definitely looks like Nichicon caps there.
 
But I must say, the board rather reminds me of a Meridian design. Look inside the Meridian Director for example:
http://images.computeraudiophile.com/graphics/2013/0805/Inside-the-Director.png
 
Pono originally stated that Meridian were involved in the project, eg see:
http://www.spin.com/articles/neil-young-pono-digital-music-service-early-2014-launch-audiophile-mp3/
specifically "...we work with our brilliant partners at Meridian to unlock the richness of the artist's music to you..." - but Pono are no longer mentioning them - instead they are now talking about Ayre. I wonder if something has happened here, and the picture shows an old proto board that is no longer current?
 
And wasn't Pono supposed to offer something more than just lossless compression, high sample rates and word lengths? We kinda know about that already, and there are other people doing it - although I applaud anything that places the focus on high-definition audio in general and lossless compression in particular. I am quite certain that you can have quality and convenience and don't have to sacrifice one for the other.