[Sarah]

My Human Factors and Ergonomics mind is questioning the comfort of this in any pocket.

 
At 5" x 2" x 1" with awkward triangular corners, it may not fit in your pocket at all. Problem solved!

 

[flatmap]

Some of the best information available currently is in the FAQ on the Pono kickstarter page.  For example:
Can I play digital music files I already own on my PonoPlayer?
...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.

 

[Foolwolf]

   
Please post the responses you receive.

I'll keep you posted, hope to hear from them soon regarding this.
 
Using FLAC and having Linn records going ape all over suggests that it could be an open format and environment, but I want to know for sure.

 

[bpower]

http://www.head-fi.org/a/high-res-music-download-sites
http://www.24bit96.com/24bit96khz-download-sites/hd-music-download.html
http://www.whathifi.com/news/high-resolution-audio-everything-you-need-to-know

 

---

This is directed to anyone: be very, very, very careful about what and where you buy with these so-called HD music albums. A year ago I ventured into the HD music scam. High resolution music: offering many times more resolution than a standard CD. Must be good, right? More resolution is better, right? Awesome, they have Michael Jackson's "Bad" album! One of the best-selling albums of all time. This must be in my music library! *buys 24/48 version, thinking it's better*

Nope, nope, nope, nope, nope, nope, nope. This was probably one of my most regretful moments in my audio journey.

A: Loudness war (I had no idea what this concept was at the time)

^ you can quite easily see that this was remastered as it has a clear line as to where the music's dynamic part stops

B: CD-quality origin(?)

^ 44.1 kHz sampling rate is the Red Book standard; Nyquist sampling theory states that the maximum frequency obtained is half the sampling rate (44.1 kHz / 2 = 22.05 kHz); you can, again, easily see that the cutoff frequency was ~21 kHz here and there's added stuff above it in some parts of the song

C: Clipping. Clipping as far as the eye can see....

^ words need not to be said



As they say: garbage coming in, garbage coming out.

 
This is such a good post. If you still do get it you're probably a lost cause.

 

[Bas72]

The Ponoplayer is about playing music, about experiencing sound, about being moved emotionally. That requires a good recording and a good device to reproduce the music. That's what Pono is about. Experiencing music does mean a lot to me, and if Pono is promising that, that's what I want to try. And I don't care if the source is 192/24, 96/24, 44.1/16, 22/8, 11/4 or 5/2, as long as I'm moved emotionally.

 

[Saraguie]

   
This is such a good post. If you still do get it you're probably a lost cause.

Many have called me a lost cause in the last 60 years  Called Neil the same IIRC from his Biography. Yet here we both be.

 

[RASeymour]

Looks like the old iRiver players from ten (?) years ago.

 

[Happy Hamlet]

Well, I could not resist and bought a Neil Young signature edition. I am very curious how it will sound. And yes, it does remind me of my old iRiver player I bought ca. 2003. I hope it does sound better, though

 

[bpower]

Only slightly off topic, but do you know of any sites that review new releases for their mastering. Maybe a list of "mastering critic recommended" new releases?

 

[jnonweiler]

  Well, I could not resist and bought a Neil Young signature edition. I am very curious how it will sound. And yes, it does remind me of my old iRiver player I bought ca. 2003. I hope it does sound better, though

I'm absolutely looking forward to hearing how this sounds. What a curious little triangular device.... 

 

[JacobLee89]

  Only slightly off topic, but do you know of any sites that review new releases for their mastering. Maybe a list of "mastering critic recommended" new releases?

Quoting to bump. Now that would be the most useful thing ever for audiophile initiates such as myself.

 

[Actual Proof]

I'd be apt for this if I didn't have to buy my whole library again. And if it were true. I understand people want to hear more of their music, but this thing is a ripoff. Its the way so much of music is mastered and produced aka. the loudness war that has ruined music quality, not the file type.

 

[Megalith]

I'm genuinely surprised by the positivity toward this product based on the design, lack of specs, and marketing drivel that's spewed on the KS page.

 

[Happy Hamlet]

  I'm genuinely surprised by the positivity toward this product based on the design, lack of specs, and marketing drivel that's spewed on the KS page.

You are not alone, I was surprised myself when I ended up ordering one

. I would advise newcomers to not believe the hype (and I think it is hype at this point) and keep expectations down - way down. Wait for independent reviews. Fight the 'new gadget' urge - I could not.
 
Of course, secretly I hope the Pono will knock it out of the park sonically.

 

[JacobLee89]

  I'm genuinely surprised by the positivity toward this product based on the design, lack of specs, and marketing drivel that's spewed on the KS page.

The design is clearly not thought about, even Microsoft were intelligent enough to spill their product specs earlier, and the talk of 192 and the water level thing (found in the kickstarter video) is clearly nothing short of marketing propaganda.
 
The only thing going for it is its price. But as far as alternatives are concerned, my money is on the X5 for its integrated amp. If I need a portable amp for something that isn't pocket friendly......