dreamover Posted March 12, 2014 Share Posted March 12, 2014 Just reading up on the news from SXSW right now. I had heard some rumblings about it over the last couple months but the kickstarter launched today. Check out the video: http://vimeo.com/88705147 I mean, the gyst of it is... it's a music player and a music service that will play very high-quality files. They also claim to take the files you have and make them sound better. That's the part I'm really curious about. Anyone plan on getting one? I gotta admit, seeing all these people I really respect in the video is pretty convincing, but I might have to hear one in person to really buy in. It may just end up being the next zune. They make some pretty big claims. https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1003614822/ponomusic-where-your-soul-rediscovers-music http://www.ponomusic.com some technical info from the FAQ on why it's better than other players: • The digital filter used in the PonoPlayer has minimal phase, and no unnatural (digital sounding) pre-ringing. All sounds made (including music) always have reflections and/or echoes after the initial sound. There is no sound in nature that has any echo or reflection before the sound, which is what conventional linear-phase digital filters do. This is one reason that digital sound has a reputation for sounding "unnatural" and harsh. • All circuitry is zero-feedback. Feedback can only correct an error after it has occurred, which means that it can never correct for all errors. By using proprietary ultra-linear circuitry with wide bandwidth and low output impedance, there is no need for unnatural sounding feedback. • The DAC (Digital-to-Analog Converter) chip being used is widely recognized in the audio and engineering community as one of the best sounding DAC chips available today. • The output buffer used to drive the headphones is fully discrete so that all individual parameters and circuit values and parts quality can be fully optimized for the absolute finest sound quality. The output impedance is very low so that the PonoPlayer delivers perfectly flat frequency response and wide volume range using virtually any set of headphones Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Saint Posted March 12, 2014 Share Posted March 12, 2014 Yup, I did not read the title right at first. WereAllDudesHey, batman and taylo234 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
3arl Posted March 12, 2014 Share Posted March 12, 2014 Still can't get over the triangular shape. This thing is going to bomb. More expensive than an iPod and holds way less. Almost the entire population won't give it a second thought once they find that out, even if it does sound better. sjb2k1 and weinerdog 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dreamover Posted March 12, 2014 Author Share Posted March 12, 2014 The triangular shape is due to the larger components in it. Out of the box it holds 128 GB (64 hard drive and 64 mini-SD card). I assume it'll hold a larger mini-SD card, which is nice. Like I said, I think I'd bite if I listened to one and had half the reaction as everyone else in the video. Working in the audio industry and knowing that most people really do listen to such low-quality files, it's also true that most people can't tell the difference. Part of me thinks I could put an equalizer on some music and most people would think it sounds like higher quality. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Out of Breath Records Posted March 12, 2014 Share Posted March 12, 2014 Still can't get over the triangular shape. This thing is going to bomb. More expensive than an iPod and holds way less. Almost the entire population won't give it a second thought once they find that out, even if it does sound better. it holds 128 gb? i unerstand thats nothing if you're using FLAC files and other lossless, but how many people have THAT many flac files? your computer or harddrive alone would be hard pressed to hold it all Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dreamover Posted March 12, 2014 Author Share Posted March 12, 2014 it holds 128 gb? from the FAQ: The PonoPlayer ships with a total of 128GB. 64GB of memory is built into the player and another 64GB of memory on a removable microSD card. The expansion slot can accept microSD cards of up to 64GB each. Unlike many other portable music players, the microSD cards are designed to be easily swappable. For example, you can build a library of various playlists or genres on different cards and simply swap them in and out, much like you'd swap game cards on a portable gaming console. So in reality you have infinite capacity on the PonoPlayer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
3arl Posted March 12, 2014 Share Posted March 12, 2014 it holds 128 gb? i unerstand thats nothing if you're using FLAC files and other lossless, but how many people have THAT many flac files? your computer or harddrive alone would be hard pressed to hold it all I'm just saying it cost more than an iPod that has more storage. Most people won't look beyond that. And this device's purpose is to play lossless files. So yeah, it won't hold much. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dreamover Posted March 12, 2014 Author Share Posted March 12, 2014 I'm just saying it cost more than an iPod that has more storage. Most people won't look beyond that. Definitely my thoughts at first. I don't think it's meant to be an ipod-killer though. It's definitely being marketed to audiophiles and the like. If it really does what they say it does I think it'll do well enough to sustain growth or encourage some change in the status-quo of digital music today. Though, I wouldn't be willing to buy one right now, unless it truly did make my 320-kbps mp3's sound remarkably better. (which they claim). I do have some $500 earphones I'd love to try with this thing, though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
laralaurent Posted March 12, 2014 Share Posted March 12, 2014 I'm really curious about this. I perused the kickstarter and might have taken up the $200 offer, but with the normal 399 price tag, it won't be on my radar for awhile. I have speakers and a turntable to eventually upgrade. I can't imagine that they really think they'll draw in that average music listener, so from that perspective it might "bomb." Perhaps though it will find a cult following for those that have that kind of expendable cash to then upgrade their whole digital library. And damn does Dave Rawlings look different without his scruff. I had to do a double take! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Saint Posted March 12, 2014 Share Posted March 12, 2014 That shape will likely be an issue. I don't want a bulky triangle poking into my leg through my pants pocket. It would be uncomfortable. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
valve Posted March 16, 2014 Share Posted March 16, 2014 I got in on the $200 price on Kickstarter. I don't really care about the Pono music store since I am going to add my own music to it. Having a 128 gb player with good sound quality was enough to sway me. I plan to use it in my car mostly so the shape doesn't bother me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
weinerdog Posted March 16, 2014 Share Posted March 16, 2014 Wow their Kickstarter blew past their goal easily. I guess I still don't quite see the appeal entirely. Is listening to lossless files on a portable player with a good set of headphones completely inferior and apparent to most listeners? They do have some cool artist series versions. I'm totally shocked that the Pearl Jam one is sold out Since they come pre-loaded with the specific artist's favorite albums, I'm assuming the Metallica version has Lulu and Load on there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steviex2shoes Posted March 16, 2014 Share Posted March 16, 2014 Kind of nuts this is already up to almost $4 million. I'm definitely interested in this after watching the video, something to watch out for I guess. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Out of Breath Records Posted March 17, 2014 Share Posted March 17, 2014 i have a 64 gb iphone, and i can fit all of my music on it, i mean, at the level of volume i blast music in my car too, i don't know if the pono is ever going to be a worthy investment for me, i simply don't have the 400 dollars to spend on a hella fancy pono when i have an iphone that is capable of holding all my shit in one place already. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
radiatorhums Posted March 17, 2014 Share Posted March 17, 2014 i have a 64 gb iphone, and i can fit all of my music on it, i mean, at the level of volume i blast music in my car too, i don't know if the pono is ever going to be a worthy investment for me, i simply don't have the 400 dollars to spend on a hella fancy pono when i have an iphone that is capable of holding all my shit in one place already. I don't really think you're the target demographic for the Pono, I know I'm not. I'm guessing that a good percentage of the people on this board aren't. For most of us, mp3s are 'good enough'. The convenience of size and portability outweighs the loss of quality, a loss of quality that a good percentage of people don't even notice. This device is for the small group of people that don't want to compromise sound quality for convenience of portability. I think it's great that another device is coming to market, even if it is oddly shaped and aimed at a pretty specific niche. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jase Posted March 17, 2014 Share Posted March 17, 2014 I'm guessing all these tests were loaded. That is, here is the same album.One on shitty horrible sounding chinese made ipod BOOOOOO, and here is the same album on everyone's favourite musical artist NEIL YOUNG, very own designed and thought up pono. It's made right here for 'MERICANS by 'MERICANS. And both albums were ripped using vastly different quality settings. I would be very doubtful the pono would sound much better at all, than a 10 year old ipod classic with 320k ripped mp3's. Certainly not $400 better. BUT in saying that, if I get the chance to have a listen. I will Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
radiatorhums Posted March 17, 2014 Share Posted March 17, 2014 It's made right here for 'MERICANS by 'MERICANS. Neil Young is Canadian... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jase Posted March 17, 2014 Share Posted March 17, 2014 Neil Young is Canadian... Which is still a part of North America Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
radiatorhums Posted March 17, 2014 Share Posted March 17, 2014 Which is still a part of North America Touché! Well played, sir. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Out of Breath Records Posted March 17, 2014 Share Posted March 17, 2014 I don't really think you're the target demographic for the Pono, I know I'm not. yeah, i mean i'm pretty content with my records when i want to hear beautiful quality music, and alot of the music i listen to is punk lofi stuff anyways i mean theres only so audiophilic it can get haha, but yeah i think it's really cool what theyre trying to do, its just that cost doesnt outweigh the functionality of my iphone. i'd be really interested in listening to it if it ever hits a best buy or something, but since these tests seem to be made for listening to in the car, you'd have to have a pretty nice sound system to accompany, just way too much $$ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
valve Posted March 17, 2014 Share Posted March 17, 2014 I have Ultimate Ear reference in ear headphones (I did not pay full price). So a really high quality portable player is worth it for me. This isn't about MP3 vs lossless for me, as high bitrate MP3 is quite transparent, it's more about the better hardware. I had an iPhone and currently have an S3, audio quality is way down on the list for any phone maker. If any audio quality is a primary concern for them it's getting clear voice reception not music. For $400 (and maybe $300) I'd really want to try before buying or at least see if it's sticks around and the hardware is built to last. For $200 it was a much easier decision. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AlexH. Posted March 17, 2014 Share Posted March 17, 2014 If it's compatible with iTunes libraries, I'd consider it just for the solid state memory alone. Being on a Mac and having the same iTunes library (now up to 146 GB) over 8 or so years, I'm in far too deep to want to reconstruct all my playlists, ratings, artwork etc. in a new application. However, my aging iPod classic is getting more putzy every day, and the hard drive skips every so often which makes me think "well, this is it..." every time. As for the audiophile element, it's nice that it's got upgraded internal components vs. phones, iPods and most things people plug their cheapo earbuds into, but judging by their mission statement thing on Kickstarter, they're really missing the point. Audio quality isn't about the numbers that come before "Kbps", it's the intangible parts that come before that. A well engineered, subtly mastered album encoded as a high VBR MP3 is going to sound better than a brickwalled radio-ready mix in 24/96 FLAC. It has yet to be seen whether Young actually gets it, we'll see when the Pono store opens and how the mastering looks for what they're selling, because while a US store selling lossless is great news for people who upload to torrent sites, there's more they should be doing than just saying "look how big these files are! They have to be better!" They'd need to be heavily involved with labels to make sure they're not just selling bigger, shinier turds. Not to mention the fact that this is a portable player. How many times are you in an on-the-go-with-headphones situation where you'll be able to appreciate the difference between a Hoffman/Gray remaster and a Blogspot find? As of right now, the whole thing gets a solid "eh". Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kidamnesiac Posted March 17, 2014 Share Posted March 17, 2014 The thing that kind of bugs me is that Neil Young and Co. are marketing lossless music and a portable player that plays it at 24/192 as though it were a new and novel idea. The fact is, there are probably more than 10 players out right now that do the same thing Pono does. There are already several digital storefronts that sell hi-resolution FLAC. In fact, I have an app on my iPhone that allows me to play FLAC at resolutions as high as 24/48. I also listen to hi-res digital audio through a very capable 24/96 DAC at home. My point is that people like me, who make up a large cross-section of what I'm assuming is Pono's target market, already have the tools to do what this device and its storefront are claiming as revolutions in the market. And it's kind of insulting that they are playing it off as though we should be licking their boots for bringing it to us. I also agree with AlexH. that the thing that remains to be seen is if Pono can convince artists and record companies to provide them with more dynamically mastered files than are available now through the major digital retailers - something that, so far, the other HD music retailers have not been able to do consistently, and that ultimately is one of the most important links in the chain of a quality listening experience. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
harley Posted June 5, 2014 Share Posted June 5, 2014 When they can put this on my phone, then I'll pay attention. Digital music is listened to due to it's ease and portability, which I get by using my phone. This thing is not going to replace my phone, and it's not going to replace a turntable. I just don't need lossless audio on the go. It'd be nice, for sure, but I dont need it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheGhostOfRandySavage Posted June 6, 2014 Share Posted June 6, 2014 When they can put this on my phone, then I'll pay attention. Digital music is listened to due to it's ease and portability, which I get by using my phone. This thing is not going to replace my phone, and it's not going to replace a turntable. I just don't need lossless audio on the go. It'd be nice, for sure, but I dont need it. Agreed. Also, every time I see this thread I read it as porno music. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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