[miceblue]

I think there's a huge bias in the video. What right-minded music artist is not going to agree to participate in the video and say how awesome it is.

Like I kind of mentioned earlier, it's like Dr. Dre asking Lil Wayne if he wants to be a part of his new advertising campaign. Of course the dude is going to say yes and of course he's going to say it's the best thing he's ever heard.

How can you not be sold by it?

 

[Foolwolf]

Well, you could argue that a Porsche is a great car and thus it is not overpriced - but still - that money isn't something I spit up just because it is a good car, it is because I have to sacrifice a lot of other things - so price will always be an issue.
 
Perhaps missed that Sweden loves to tax everything and everyone? There are plenty of Kickstarters outside the US, and we have to pay tax and import fees...
I have to pay a fee and a roughly 20-25% intake tax on the player and I was looking for the 400$ version.
My latest conclusion was that if I buy from UK directly, I pay more than import from US (usually Amazon covers the same wares) and since my contact then would be with Amazon UK to deal with any hassles and EU laws, that makes sense.
The Ibasso which I am so far more intrigued about comes directly from China - a bit easier with tax so far but that may change as well.
 
Also, my gripes isn't with the player or the entire idea - it is backing things that I'm not sure of that I will get the full benefit of and with the latest news, I might be forced to have a Facebook account to get the FLAC's
 
Well, there are too many if's and but's fo my liking. The player is most likely good - but so are the Fioo and Ibasso and many others. I will wait and see instead. With that, not saying that I fault anyone for jumping on this Kickstarter mind you.

 

[kazsud]

After watching the video on the Kickstarter page, it's hard NOT to be sold on Pono. The cream of the music industry, and lots of them, all saying the same thing - that it sounds completely revolutionary, that they'd never heard anything like it before.

But Neil Young himself admits that Pono is nothing new, it's just about getting hi-res music to a wider audience than before. Source is from this interview with him in Audiostream:

[COLOR=333333]ML: People have commented on AudioStream things to the effect of I can already buy HD downloads from a number sites and play them through my DAC. So what's the new thing with Pono?[/COLOR]
[COLOR=333333]NY: There's nothing, there's nothing new. There is no new thing. It's just available. It's available to everybody.[/COLOR]

[COLOR=333333]So it's not radically better than existing solutions from Fiio, iBasso, even Sony - it's just got more marketing behind it. That's OK I guess - but it does suggest that all of those people on the video were less than truthful - you're telling me that Springsteen, Elton John, Beck etc etc have never heard hi-res music played on an high-end system before?[/COLOR]

You have to look at and wonder what speakers and amp is in the showcasing car. In the hotel room he was demoing the pono on very expensive speakers.

 

[H20Fidelity]

You have to look at and wonder what speakers and amp is in the showcasing car. In the hotel room he was demoing the pono on very expensive speakers.

+1

My exact thoughts for quite some time now. 

 

[Dumbleroar]

I can't see anything about output impedance on their kick starter page.

 

[Indiehouse]

You have to wonder if the artists are motivated because of increased revenue from users re-purchasing their music for the Pono.

 

[phalanger]

Perhaps, but is that the point? If the result is better masters of my favorite music being available, then I don't really care if the artists endorsed it because they are enthusiastic about how it sounds or because they can sell more albums that way. Although I think the artists involved are rich enough that they don't really need more income, and they dont seem to be the most materialistic musicians out there. More likely, when Neil Young asks you to listen to his thing, you will, and when he asks you how it sounded, you'll say it sounds awesome. Because I'm sure it did on his car-stereo, and because Neil is Neil, a much loved and respected guy in the music scene.

 

[BoneEnterprise]

Pretty much on the fence with keeping my Kickstarter backing for my "limited edition - foo fighters pono player", mainly played into the hype that is slathered all over the Kickstarter page, but the truth is I would rarely be playing flac based media off of it to being with.
 
My main use of my current DAP (which is a ZuneHD), is for playing audio in my car and or via my Klipsch KMC3 when I am outside doing things, think I should get a player more focused on capacity than its feature set of playing more high resolution files as I would not really take advantage of it otherwise, though it would be nice to have that ability available if I am going to be buying something new.
 
The only think keeping me from holding my current backing is the hopes of getting some form of return on investment if I was to try and resell the unit, but at this point that sound more like a costly gamble if anything.
 
So many new DAPs that are about to hit the market, it is crazy.
 
 
*edit*
Aaaand pulled my backing.

 

[flatmap]

 
The only think keeping me from holding my current backing is the hopes of getting some form of return on investment if I was to try and resell the unit, but at this point that sound more like a costly gamble if anything.

Well, these may be collector's items, but hard to say if they will really be an investment or not.  
And I guess that's usually how it works. Investments are often uncertain.
 
IMO, it's great to get one if you're sure to use it.  We know at this point it will have the (terrific)
Ayre Acoustics digital filter.  On the other hand we really don't know how good the headphone
amp will be.  Likewise we don't know about quality control, feel, or finish.  

  Aaaand pulled my backing.
 

Totally understand.  And if you should change your mind... well, there's still 20 days left.   

 

[Jnjy]

You have to wonder if the artists are motivated because of increased revenue from users re-purchasing their music for the Pono.

Probably the labels and bosses.
Business is business.

 

[Saraguie]

  Aaaand pulled my backing.
 
 

Quote:

  Well, these may be collector's items, but hard to say if they will really be an investment or not.  
And I guess that's usually how it works. Investments are often uncertain.
 
IMO, it's great to get one if you're sure to use it.  We know at this point it will have the (terrific)
Ayre Acoustics digital filter.  On the other hand we really don't know how good the headphone
amp will be.  Likewise we don't know about quality control, feel, or finish.  
Totally understand.  And if you should change your mind... well, there's still 20 days left.   

Foo Fighters all gone.........

 

[Jupiterknight]

Wow, I was lucky to pick up the first Greg Sage (Wipers) Pono edition. This unit is not going to be mass distributed/marketed since there's only one unit and it will strictly stay between me as a consumer and Greg Sage. This is a very special release will also not be a collector's item since I don't plan to sell it or even tell anyone that I have it..
 
Basically, I'm unique because I will have it and Neil Young doesn't even know.. Latest, I have heard is that he's sharing a joint, like business ..with someone..

 

[miceblue]

Wow, I was lucky to pick up the first Greg Sage (Wipers) Pono edition. This unit is not going to be mass distributed/marketed since there's only one unit and it will strictly stay between me as a consumer and Greg Sage. This is a very special release will also not be a collector's item since I don't plan to sell it or even tell anyone that I have it..

Basically, I'm unique because I will have it and Neil Young doesn't even know.. Latest, I have heard is that he's sharing a joint, like business ..with someone..

Wait, so you're the first...and only person then? Also, putting that message on the public forum on the internet is going to help how? XD

Congratulations for being unique.

 

[Jupiterknight]

Wait, so you're the first...and only person then? Also, putting that message on the public forum on the internet is going to help how? XD

Congratulations for being unique.

What are you saying.. You also bought the Greg Sage one and only personally signed edition as well ?? I'm confused..

 

 

[Saraguie]

  What are you saying.. You also bought the Greg Sage one and only personally signed edition as well ?? I'm confused..

 

I think he is puling our leg.......some kind of humor. Who's Greg Sage, is he real person?