The Pono Player Impressions Thread

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

Originally Posted by victorcc /img/forum/go_quote.gif
 
By the way, I feel a bit suspicious about the Revealer. I believe that Pono guys could easily use "bad" filters when downsampling the tracks for us to feel the differences more easily.

 
Well seeing as a couple people have already reported that there is only tiny difference between 16/44 and 24/192 using the revealer, it seems very  unlikely. Plus, I very much doubt they would risk it, it would only take one technically minded person to crack open the Pono firmware and have a look at the code. No one in their right mind would take such a risk, as Pono would lose all business if they were found out, Just imagine the news headlines of such an occurrence, people would be suing for refunds left right and center.

 

[victorcc]

   
Well seeing as a couple people have already reported that there is only tiny difference between 16/44 and 24/192 using the revealer, it seems very  unlikely. Plus, I very much doubt they would risk it, it would only take one technically minded person to crack open the Pono firmware and have a look at the code. No one in their right mind would take such a risk, as Pono would lose all business if they were found out, Just imagine the news headlines of such an occurrence, people would be suing left right and center.

 
I might have used an unfortunate word. When I said bad filters I did not mean filters that deteriorate the track on purpose. Among the different standard filters that they could use, they might have used lesser ones.

 

[olddude]

NY said in his interview that they are using the exact method companies, including iTunes, use to compress.  

 

[doctorjazz]

Can you imagine the hit NY/Pono would take on this? Look at the target they already are!

 

[mink70]

Some folks are reporting sound quality changes with the new firmware. Anyone notice the Pono Player sounding different after update?

 

[VBen]

  I agree- I went in and dl'd it to my new Pono.  Ran through the various formats, it was pretty subtle.  There's a smoothness that happens, a richness, as you get into the higher resolutions.  And there IS a bit of a veiled feeling with the MP3.  But it's not OH MY GOD!  You have to listen and discern.  I'll try a different track at some point and see if that give a more dramatic differentiation.
 
That said, does anyone feel that the new firmware is slightly brighter?  The new Pono certainly felt a bit crisper in the very upper uppers (it has about 5 minutes of burn-in, so....)..  But then I tried my older one and it, too, felt just slightly brighter.  Maybe it's the time of night, or I'm fooling myself, but it feels like the sound is slightly different.  Anyone?

 
Your have good ears. The sound IS slightly different. It is brighter (and/or less warm) It seems that the Pono has more gain than before (louder with the same volume setting). Not really my cup of tea. The sound is a little to cool and etched for my liking. You need warmer sounding headphones with this firmware update.

 

[scorpeeon]

  NY said in his interview that they are using the exact method companies, including iTunes, use to compress.  

I think they actually use itunes itself for the AAC version. I know this because I don't have it installed (I don't need it and also I think it's a piece of garbage) and it warned that since it's not installed, it couldn't make that version, so it had to skip it.
They do have a motive to have more people believe they need high resolution, but I don't think they would use dirty tricks much, I find even the mp3 version to be quite adequate.

 

[FFBookman]

  Is there anybody else getting errors when trying to generate Pono revealer tracks? 
 
I always get the same error regardless of the track used: "Error occurred generating this Pono Revealer Track. Please try a different song.". What I do in the Pono Music World app:
- Go to the PonoPlayer drive, select a song, click "Transfer to computer".
- Go to Music Library, select a song, click "Create Pono Revealer Track".
I have several GB free in both Pono drives and in my laptop hard disk.
 
 
By the way, I feel a bit suspicious about the Revealer. I believe that Pono guys could easily use "bad" filters when downsampling the tracks for us to feel the differences more easily.
 
 
Cheers

 
I didn't get that error in particular, but I did have one that just hung and wouldn't finish, so I force quit PMW and had to force-eject the PP, but it all came back up as if it hadn't started that track.  I have yet to go back and try again because it was my 8th revealer track, I have enough to do the tests with.
 
As far as being suspicious of the revealer, I say you are paranoid if you bought a PP and enjoy it. They have simple mathematical fact, solid engineering, and musical ears on their side so they have no need to lie or trump things up. You can hear it for yourself.  
 
--
 
The lower resolution lossys are OK, CD is a nice middle ground, and 24bit digital sounds like it should sound ---- when played through a device such as the PP.  That's the key - 99% of people have bad digital playback devices.  Even On this board there's people defending MP3 through a phone as being "good enough" for hi-fi.  I'm cheap but i'm not stupid.
 
Can't ignore that bitrate, that's the bandwidth. It's not an exact correlation because content is king (a good song at 320k sounds better than a bad song at 4320k).
 
But given the same material (especially if it was recorded to tape)--- 4320k bitrate is gonna sound better than 320k because it will have more audio information in it. it's really that simple.
 
Then the other piece of the puzzle is signal chain engineering, both digital and analog, and especially the cooperation of the two.  

 

[WriterHead]

   
I didn't get that error in particular, but I did have one that just hung and wouldn't finish, so I force quit PMW and had to force-eject the PP, but it all came back up as if it hadn't started that track.  I have yet to go back and try again because it was my 8th revealer track, I have enough to do the tests with.
 
As far as being suspicious of the revealer, I say you are paranoid if you bought a PP and enjoy it. They have simple mathematical fact, solid engineering, and musical ears on their side so they have no need to lie or trump things up. You can hear it for yourself.  
 
--
 
The lower resolution lossys are OK, CD is a nice middle ground, and 24bit digital sounds like it should sound ---- when played through a device such as the PP.  That's the key - 99% of people have bad digital playback devices.  Even On this board there's people defending MP3 through a phone as being "good enough" for hi-fi.  I'm cheap but i'm not stupid.
 
Can't ignore that bitrate, that's the bandwidth. It's not an exact correlation because content is king (a good song at 320k sounds better than a bad song at 4320k).
 
But given the same material (especially if it was recorded to tape)--- 4320k bitrate is gonna sound better than 320k because it will have more audio information in it. it's really that simple.
 
Then the other piece of the puzzle is signal chain engineering, both digital and analog, and especially the cooperation of the two.  

If it were that simple there would be no debate. You are ignoring human hearing limitations. 

 

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

^ Yep, just the same way that the benefit of a higher resolution video file or TV is limited by our vision. Example, we can't tell the difference between a smartphone with 5" 1080p screen and 5" 1440p, or viewing a 40" TV from 10 feet away we can't even tell the difference between 720p, 1080p, 4K.

 

[olddude]

Guys, our Mod has asked that the Pono threads be kept as Pono threads ONLY.  No off-topic discussions of sound science at all here.  The other thread was totally derailed by it, so please cease this discussion.

 
 
"Please, if you want to discuss the merits, or lack of, regarding high-res source material, please take that to another thread."  Currawong
 
If we are discussing the Pono, and how IT sounds using MP3 or 24/192, that would seem to be within the boundaries of the thread- but this is currently veering off the tracks immediately and will only lead to tears.
 
Thank you.

 

[gr8soundz]

Pono player sounds incredible in balanced mode (makes me think it's harshest critics should get a memo saying: You're Doing it Wrong). Hard to go back to single ended. Every time I do the volume has to go near max at times and feels like I'm leaving half the Pono's power on the table (ok if you plan to share with a friend on the other output or to directly compare 2 headphones as both get the same amount of power).
 
Searching for balanced cables for my headphones but the one thing I can't seem to find is a simple carry case for the Pono. I wasn't on the kickstarter so didn't get one of the 1st units with a leather case and that case doesn't appear to be for sale.
 
Anyone know where to find ANY cases designed for the Pono?

 

[sfoclt]

I use a Pelican 1030 case to take it back and forth to work.  The gold color even matches.  I use a slice of the Pick and Pluck foam to go inside the top cover.
 

 

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

I stick it in my pocket. Surprisingly, it works. 

 

[doctorjazz]

The material on the outside does seem to be resistant to the normal knock about scuffs and other minor injuries most portable gear will pick up thrown in a pocket.