[roggae]

i'd agree with a lot of what i've read here.  the GUI on OSX is garbge, the sound is DOPE, and the shape of the player can be good or bad.  it's not going to be taking to many bike rides with me this summer.  anyway currently using my shure SE535s and wondered what y'all thought bout this.  think i should try another IEM?  i also have grado RS1s.  should i use my headphone amp(little dot mk3) with those?

 

[olddude]

I'm learning to live with the OS X GUI.  As long as it works, I'll use it.  Just a bit of a learning curve.  The sound is very good, I've been going back and forth between my Altones and my Fidues, different albums sound better with different iems.  Most sound better with the atones, but for some reason The Beatle remasters sound better with the Fidues.  
 
Finally was able to download a couple of albums from the Music Store, the hi-res from there is very good.  Pricey, but very good.

 

[Audiophilliac]

Try Sennheiser ie 800's with the Pono - it's a revelation - absolutely stunning combo

 

[doctorjazz]

Haven't gotten anything yet from the Pono store...been listening to the Pono through the Ray Samuels HR-2 (doesn't get much love around here, but I think it is great with full size cans), listening to Hifiman HE-560 (because I got the Oppo PM-1 as part of the tour), and, to keep the comparison going, using the Koss ESP-950 (comes with its own headphone amp, Pono as source). Playing Hi-rez American Beauty (because I'm going through my second adolescence, and the HDTracks version does sound really nice). I think if there are any complaints with the Pono (and I'm quite happy with it so far, again, haven't done the head to heads), they are likely the amp part of the unit. Using the line out in these 3 situations, it sounds fabulous! (If you're curious, not thrilled by the Oppo so far, but just came today. Not as resolving as the other 2, darker, more closed in...does do nice bass, though. The other 2 are sort of 'pick em", go back and forth, lean a bit to the 560's).

 

[olddude]

I got the Dead stuff from their site (not sure if it's the same as the HDTracks versions) and American Beauty is indeed fabulous-sounding.  No need to "apologize" for listening to it, it's a great record (ooh, showing my age)
 
I haven't even tried the Pono with my Pioneer receiver and Kef speakers, just using it as a walk-around device.  I'll have to give it a try.

 

[Skylab]

My Pono is back from Pono customer service, having had to have its battery replaced (it had completely died - wouldn't hold enough of a charge even to boot up when plugged in).

Listening to it as a source component plugged into my main stereo (B&W N800, Sunfire amp, Cary tube preamp), it sounds very good. Not as good as my AVA DAC, which is $2,500, but nonetheless very good. It's not at all apparent when the Pono is playing through the stereo that one is listening to a small portable player.

I do find the sound to be just a wee bit on the thin side when compared to my reference DAC, but that's no real surprise. When taken on its own, it holds up well even in the context of my high end rig.

 

[Audiophilliac]

I'm also noting a fairly rapid power drain - I can probably get 4 or at most 5 hours playtime, or is this standard (The litrature said 8 hours)

 

[Skylab]

It also seems to lose power very quickly in "Sleep" mode. I wouldn't use this mode for more than an hour or so unless the Pono is plugged in.

 

[olddude]

Hi-res files use more power than do 16/44, so if you are playing a lot of 24/192 that will have an effect on battery life.  

 

[yakkattack]

  Try Sennheiser ie 800's with the Pono - it's a revelation - absolutely stunning combo

Do you need a AMP to run the HD800 on the PONO?

 

[BRCMRGN]

 
Do you need a AMP to run the HD800 on the PONO?

I'm listening to the HD800 connected in balanced mode to my Pono right now. Volume is at about 55% and sounds quite good. The HD800 scales very well with better amplification, but this combo is not bad at all. 

 

[Sam Edwards]

I am just trying to decide which Pono balanced cable to get: One to plug straight into HD800 or one to go through SR71B and into the HD800. 
For the AK120 it was not a clear win to go through the amp. Although it added a bit of grain to the presentation, it sure made the HD800 sound full. 
Do you all think the Pono is more powerful than the AK120 when the Pono in balanced mode? All things equal I'd rather carry less crap.
I'm leaning towards the cable going straight into the HD800.

 

[Ham Sandwich]

It also seems to lose power very quickly in "Sleep" mode. I wouldn't use this mode for more than an hour or so unless the Pono is plugged in.

 
I haven't done any formal testing.  But just from general use I've noticed that it seems to lose power during sleep if a headphone or line-out is plugged in.  If nothing is plugged in it seems to hold a charge better during sleep.  But I've done no formal testing.  I could be wrong.

 

[olddude]

I carried miine around in a shirt pocket and it got a bit warm.  Certainly warmer than my Fiio X5 does.  Screen and sides.  Not hot, but certainly noticeably warm.

 

[doctorjazz]

OK, did a bit of comparison with the DX90. I do like the Pono better. Listened to that hi-rez American Beauty, my current reference, using FAD Hope VI. Pono is more open, more silence between instruments better detail. DX90 slightly more bass, though I think Pono is better controlled in those nether reaches. More detail in mids and highs. Mind you, I've been happy with DX90 for quite a while now. Differences aren't day and night, could still live with DX90 and listen happily ever after. But, when the 2 are next to each other, reach for the Pono.
Happy New Years, Y'all.