The Pono Player Impressions Thread

[doctorjazz]

That was a cool article/nice pics, thanks for the link.
Y'know, I agree with shopping for the best price for the same item, but I'm not sure all high resolution files are really the same. I have read in these parts some find the sound on the HDTracks high rez files lacking. It is a fairly expensive project to buy multiple hi rez copies of the same album from the different stores they are available at now, but my sense, totally unscientific, could be explained in many ways, is that some files that are "hi rez" at HDTracks don't sound as good as other sources. My experience is from buying the 1st 4 Band albums in hi rez, the first 2 from HDTracks, the 3rd and 4th from ProStudioMasters. Now, again, not comparing the same albums, but I felt the sound from the ProStudioMasters downloads was much better. I will be the first to admit this is not any thorough evaluation, and I like HDTracks, they were the earliest entry to the hi rez biz, and even go back to buying LP's from Chesky, which was a tilting at windmills business for a while there (they should go back to that now that there is a "vinyl comeback"). So, I paid extra for some Pono tracks, curious what they'll sound like (haven't gotten the chance to listen yet, seems to be my middle name, "haven't gotten...").
Anyway, my $0.02 for what it's worth ("Something's happening here, what it is ain't exactly clear...")

 

[olddude]

I've stayed away from HDTracks for just that reason.  
 
Big Pink is easy to get in good hi-res, and it sounds very good.  I have a DSD from an SACD of it.  But The Band, the master was lost, so all copies are coming from a non-master source (not the original master I mean).  I bought the newest MFSL CD and it is very good, and also have the DSD portion of it.  Which sounds very good.  But not as good as Big Pink.
 
Oh, and I am haunting the Pono store waiting for Buffalo Springfield in 24bit.  No idea if they will be released, but hoping.   

 

[doctorjazz]

Hey, if Neil don't release them, who will?

 

[olddude]

Exactly my thinking.  They are on the site, but at 16/44.

 

[MisterMoJo]

  Exactly my thinking.  They are on the site, but at 16/44.

If you are a kickstarter, don't forget you can buy them at the 16/44 price and get free upgrades later.

 

[olddude]

Nope- the father of a son who gave him a nice Xmas present. 

 

[Sam Edwards]

  Nope- the father of a son who gave him a nice Xmas present. 

If your son is really nice he'll let you start a pono store account with his email address...

 

[audiofrk]

Has anyone started a thread relating to the quality of pono masters

 

[doctorjazz]

Downloaded a few this past weekend (Everything Will Be Alright In The End, Workingman's Dead, 1989, The Who Sell Out (Stereo Version), Blue...The Who Sell Out was expensive, is available in hi rez on other sites, but I've only seen it at those sites in Mono. I know many connoiseurs say the mono is best on these English recordings, but I've always been a stereo guy, sprung for it. I have Blue on vinyl and who knows what other format somewhere, one of the great albums-at least, when it is great, it is amazing, but it is a bit uneven...but I digress-, sprung for it)
, but haven't gotten chance to listen to them. But, evaluating is tricky...compared to what? You'd really have to have HDTracks, some other vendors, vinyl would be good (I do have some of these in more than 1 format, but not enough to make definitive conclusions). Then, how are you listening? I can compare Blue hi rez to blue vinyl, but is it really the best vinyl? Is my digital playback the equal of my newly almost rebuilt Linn LP-12? (it isn't...I'd pretty much have to connect the Pono or DX90 into the preamp, are the interconnects as good, ouch), and many more variables, enough to give me a headache...

 

[doctorjazz]

OK, hours later, plugged in the Geek Out Special Edition, playing out of PonoPlayer on the PC (JRiver 20), 24/192 Joni River Blue from the Pono store. No comparisons, so take this with a grain of salt, but.......TO DIE FOR!!!!!! FAD Hope VI as the cans, I don't recall hearing it any better than this, WOW. Again, just my momentary hysteria, but I think this is a fabulous download, whether it is from a great master tape, well handled, the high bit rate, don't know, don't care, it really sounds great!

 

[olddude]

The Neil Young downloads (Everybody Knows and Neil Young) and the CS&N first album sound truly fantastic as well in 24.  I can't compare the NY because these are new mixes but the CS&N is likely from the most recent remaster of a few years ago.  It is head and shoulders above the CD version I also have.

 

[doctorjazz]

OK, Everybody Knows...is one of my favorite albums, going have to go for it, I believe.

 

[doctorjazz]

The Neil Young downloads (Everybody Knows and Neil Young) and the CS&N first album sound truly fantastic as well in 24.  I can't compare the NY because these are new mixes but the CS&N is likely from the most recent remaster of a few years ago.  It is head and shoulders above the CD version I also have.

Did you get "Everybody Knows..." at the Pono store? I pulled up the Neil Young albums, not listed, though most every other one was. Tried searching for it by title, nothing came up. Maybe a different download store?

 

[olddude]

It's there.  https://ponomusic.force.com/ccrz__CCPage?pageKey=search&searchText=everybody%20knows%20this%20is%20nowhere
 
The one on the left is the hi-res.  Sounds really good.  The first album, Neil Young, hasn't sounded this good since I got the first (well, the second) vinyl release.  I'm going to get Comes a Time as well, have high hopes for that (boy that phrase sure means something different since I first bought these albums  

  ).

 

[doctorjazz]

That's so weird, searched by artist and album title, but, thanks...