The Pono Player Impressions Thread

[T.R.A.N.C.E.]

I'm liking the Pono more and more, burn in definitely weighing in. I can hear the musical tuning of the Pono now, kudos to Ayre. Pono gets very warm when using balanced out though, doesn't seem as warm with single ended.

 

[olddude]

If you mean warm as in physical temperature, I found that to be the case when mine was burning in.  It also depended if I gave the screen a bit of breathing room in my shirt pocket (not turned towards my body but forward).  But after some time I don't notice it getting warm anymore.
 
Glad you are enjoying the Pono.

 

[FFBookman]

From http://tinyurl.com/mu8lx9s
 
More random reasons to love the PonoPlayer, the more I live with it:

• It has no EQ. Thank you. The mix is perfect, or at least final. You can buy different headphones/speakers, or run an external EQ if you insist, but the PonoPlayer stays pure and presents the files without any EQ or degradation. From artist to you, perfect.
• It will shuffle all songs or playlists, but won’t shuffle albums or songs within the album. So it doesn’t break continuity of an album, has lossless playback, and let’s you concentrate on something other than the screen as the album plays. I sometimes miss the iPod shuffle features but you can make it work if you like specific types of shuffles. Playlists can take care of most custom concepts, but PP likes to play traditional album/CD style by default.
• They’ve just about worked out all the minor kinks with the 2 firmware updates. Rotation is still frustrating because a triangle divides a square perfectly, leaving you right in spin zone all the time, so I lock it to landscape.
• The mac version of desktop client has also been updated 3+ times since 12/2014 and is becoming quite pleasant. It (“Ponomusicworld” is a rebranded version of JRiver Media Center) really kicks iTunes ass when it comes to library management and tag editing. It’s growing on me.
• A few more good reviews are out there, and the attacks against me in online forums have dwindled as people at least acknowledge basic signal chain -aka it sounds good. No matter politics or beliefs in audio science, it very simply sounds nice and it’s hard for people to hate on that.
• This thing doesn’t have a great battery. That sucks, but it is standard and easily replaceable so I’m sure someone will recommend an upgrade as these first generation batteries age. Thus even the bad battery is a net positive because you’ll be able to pop any number of 3rd party batteries into PP and get better performance than what I’m seeing for many years to come. Note that I have the kickstarter NY001 version, so they may have already moved to a better battery.

 

[JoeWP]

Has anyone been able to get the removable SD card to read on OSX?  I've downloaded the newest PMW and when I plug it in, it just says "working"

 

[olddude]

You mean the microcard that comes with the Pono?  Sure, from day one.  However, it didn't automatically (at least for me) show up with the Pono software- you have to point to it the first time you try it.  I got really tired of that software very quickly, I just mount the Pono (plug in the USB to the Pono and my iMac) and two mounted disks show up on the desktop.  One is the internal Pono space (64gb) and one is the microcard (64gb).  Then I just drag and drop music folders into either, clear off the Mac crud (Spotlight and two others) that is put on there using BlueHarvest (you can find a free program to do the same) and then unmount the disks.  Unplug the Pono and it will scan the library.  Done.
 
Unless you want to make playlists, there is no reason I can see to use the software from Pono.  Others may feel differently.

 

[ImperialBlade]

  You mean the microcard that comes with the Pono?  Sure, from day one.  However, it didn't automatically (at least for me) show up with the Pono software- you have to point to it the first time you try it.  I got really tired of that software very quickly, I just mount the Pono (plug in the USB to the Pono and my iMac) and two mounted disks show up on the desktop.  One is the internal Pono space (64gb) and one is the microcard (64gb).  Then I just drag and drop music folders into either, clear off the Mac crud (Spotlight and two others) that is put on there using BlueHarvest (you can find a free program to do the same) and then unmount the disks.  Unplug the Pono and it will scan the library.  Done.
 
Unless you want to make playlists, there is no reason I can see to use the software from Pono.  Others may feel differently.

Hey OldDude,
 
Give info sir. Can I ask what is the max microsd card size the Pono will recognize, is it 64 GB or 128 GB? Also, what speeds will work on the Pono. I ask as there is this card I am looking at, of course if the size or speed won't work this its a moot point:
 
http://smile.amazon.com/dp/B00O1M21H8/ref=wl_it_dp_o_pC_nS_ttl?_encoding=UTF8&colid=2UIODZHOEH3A9&coliid=I2WZLDGRBQBU47&psc=1
 
 
Regards,
Eric

 

[olddude]

Use this (also on Amazon).  It's cheaper and it works perfectly in my Pono.  Edit- I see Lexar claims almost double the speed of the SanDisk USING USB 3.  I have no idea how that will translate when using the Pono.  The SanDisk costs $89.  It works well.  Enjoy whichever one you buy.  

 

SanDisk Ultra 128GB UHI-I/Class 10 Micro SDXC Memory Card Up To 48MB/s With Adapter- SDSDQUAN-128G-G4A [Newest...

by SanDisk

 

[ImperialBlade]

  Use this (also on Amazon).  It's cheaper and it works perfectly in my Pono.  Edit- I see Lexar claims almost double the speed of the SanDisk USING USB 3.  I have no idea how that will translate when using the Pono.  The SanDisk costs $89.  It works well.  Enjoy whichever one you buy.  

 

SanDisk Ultra 128GB UHI-I/Class 10 Micro SDXC Memory Card Up To 48MB/s With Adapter- SDSDQUAN-128G-G4A [Newest...

by SanDisk

Thanks, that is what I needed to know! <Tips Hat>

 

[JoeWP]

Thanks for the info. I actually do want to make playlists which is the issue.  I use it quite a bit in my car, and find playlists quite helpful.  I the 128 sandisk ultra linked above.  For transferring though, I do just use finder on my Mac.

 

[olddude]

Like I said, the software wants you to "point" it to the micro disk.  It asks you on one of the windows to do so.  So it's clearly possible to use the card with the software on a Mac.  I just don't do it that way.  Perhaps post on the Ponomusic site and see if you can get help there, or post a help ticket with them.  They respond fairly quickly.  You might also look on the JRiver site, as the Pono software is basically the JRiver one.  

 

[JoeWP]

Thanks for the info!

 

[olddude]

Sure.  

 

[doctorjazz]

I mostly do use JRIVER, mostly on my PC, but have it on my iMac. Sometimes just drag and drop, but I do like JRiver.

 

[olddude]

So could you tell him how you got the microSD card to show up in it?  I just recall it asking me to point to it, but I didn't bother.  

 
"Has anyone been able to get the removable SD card to read on OSX?  I've downloaded the newest PMW and when I plug it in, it just says "working""

 

[FFBookman]

My mac mounts two volumes (PONONPLAYER & Untitled) when I plug in and say yes to music transfer mode. This is with PonoMusicWorld NOT running.  
 
When the app is running it did the same, just slower.
 
FWIW my card is what shipped with NY001 -  MicroSD XC1 64gb by SanDisk