Have I missed the point on the Pono?

[MrReaper182]

I was thinking of buying one of Neil Young's new music portable music players but the the more I thought about it the more I got to thinking wht's the point, let me explain. I use a Sandisk Sansa as my main portable music player loaded up with 320kps of music for when I am out and about and half the time the music is just there for backround noise as my mind is not totally focused on it as it has to be somewhat focused on the environment around me. So if my minds not totally focused on the music when I'm out and about then what's the point of having it in High-res on the go? I'm just going to miss out on a lot of the detail anyway. When I want to absord myself in the highest detail of music I will be at home and the hi-fi separates system will be on because then there is nothing to distract me form even the littest detail of the music. I guess what I'm getting at is we don't need the highest of detail on are portable music devices when out and about as they are only there for backround noise. We will listen to are music on a hi-fi separates systems at home when we want the highest detail and if that's the case then what's the point of the Pono? No one is going to sit at home and listen to the Pono are they? I like Neil Young and I think he has the right idea about trying to get people to listen to their music in the highest quality who don't, but those types of people will not care one bit about the Pono. I think the Pono will be a failure. Am I right or have I got it all wrong?

 

[matt49]

Whilst I wouldn't argue with your reasoning, there will be people to whom it doesn't apply. For instance, I've just come back from a wonderful beach holiday. I spent quite a lot of time lying outside listening to music through a good pair of headphones. Or if I travelled a lot on business (thankfully I don't), I might want some really high quality sounds in my hotel room of an evening.

But it seems to me the success of Pono will depend on three factors:

1. it might offer a large library of benignly mastered digital downloads

2. lots of people think Neil Young is cool

3. the name sounds like pony.

Can't really think of any others.

 

[John Duncan]

2. lots of people think Neil Young is cool

Lots of people think Neil Young is dead.

 

[spiny norman]

Lots of people think Neil Young is dead.

Shan't believe a word of it until I see the simonlewis thread.

 

[MrReaper182]

:rofl:

 

[Vladimir]

2. lots of people think Neil Young is cool

Lots of people think Neil Young is dead.

Isn't he?

 

[MrReaper182]

Whilst I wouldn't argue with your reasoning, there will be people to whom it doesn't apply. For instance, I've just come back from a wonderful beach holiday. I spent quite a lot of time lying outside listening to music through a good pair of headphones. Or if I travelled a lot on business (thankfully I don't), I might want some really high quality sounds in my hotel room of an evening.

But it seems to me the success of Pono will depend on three factors:

1. it might offer a large library of benignly mastered digital downloads

2. lots of people think Neil Young is cool

3. the name sounds like pony.

Can't really think of any others.

I forgot about people who travel on long business trips. Anyone else think that the Pono is an odd shape?

 

[spiny norman]

I forgot about people who travel on long business trips. Anyone else think that the Pono is an odd shape?

Well, given that duty free shops seem to suggest that people who travel on long business trips have a penchant for Toblerone, perhaps it's the perfect shape ;-)

 

[John Duncan]

2. lots of people think Neil Young is cool

Lots of people think Neil Young is dead.

Isn't he?

Hard to tell.

 

[MrReaper182]

I forgot about people who travel on long business trips. Anyone else think that the Pono is an odd shape?

Well, given that duty free shops seem to suggest that people who travel on long business trips have a penchant for Toblerone, perhaps it's the perfect shape ;-)

It does look the shape of Toblerone chocolate now that you mention it.

 

[MrReaper182]

2. lots of people think Neil Young is cool

Lots of people think Neil Young is dead.

Isn't he?

Hard to tell.

:rofl:

 

[basshound]

1. it might offer a large library of benignly mastered digital downloads

I think this might be the most interesting/important thing to come out of all this

 

[bigfish786]

its a product doomed to failure. high res audio of any kind has never took off, i don't see this being any different.

portable high res is a pretty pointless product. noise cancelling headphones are probably going to give better results.

we are due another great leap in sound/technology but i don't think the ponolerone is it.

the music should be widely available in ultra high res before "devices" can be singled out to champion it.

(IMO)

 

[ReValveiT]

The OP's post assumes that hi-res files produce more detail in the first place, which of course they absolutely do not.

So no, no point what-so-ever.

 

[MrReaper182]

The OP's post assumes that hi-res files produce more detail in the first place, which of course they absolutely do not.

So no, no point what-so-ever.

If you want to have that debate then start your own post because we are not having it here as debates about whether you can hear high-res audio or not become as stupid as all the debates on hi-fi cable that are on the internet.

 

[wilro15]

The biggest problem with Pono is that it is only a music player. It won't compete with Smartphones that can do everything.

It is a niche product that will only appeal to a small number of people. It's a good thing to try and might lead to other things getting better, like iPhones/Android devices offering hi-res (actually now I think about it wasn't there an LG phone that supported hi-res).

 

[Xanderzdad]

The Nexus 5 already supports it but LG and Google haven’t made a point of advertising the phone’s support for high-res audio up to 24-bit/192khz [taken from WHF review].

 

[Happy_Listner]

Porno is hard to understand. Usually the plot makes no sense other times there seems to be no plot at all.

 

[Paul.]

Ponyo however was delightful.

 

[John Duncan]

Ponyo however was delightful.

And may have been what George W Bush was referring to.

 

[manicm]

The Nexus 5 already supports it but LG and Google haven’t made a point of advertising the phone’s support for high-res audio up to 24-bit/192khz [taken from WHF review].

LG's own branded phone supports it too, maybe they haven't made a point of it because, as WHF's review would suggest, it doesn't sound that great. Pono however is promising to sound really great and that may seal the deal for quite a few.

If I was constantly living out of hotel rooms a thing like the Pono could be my sanctuary - if it would sound great with standard-res as well. I'll wait for reviews to feed my curiosity.

And in any event, there are NO really great sounding portable players around. The iPod classic is frankly mediocre, and Sony's hi-res portables are even more expensive than the Pono - take note of that.

 

[manicm]

Ponyo however was delightful.

And may have been what George W Bush was referring to.

Ah got it

 

[spiny norman]

Hockey on horseback, what's not to like?

 

[kmlav]

Personally I think the studio master download market is one of the biggest business opertunities in home audio. Linn / naim etc are fine but there is very little choice and someone offering a large catalogue will do very well indeed. So will they player sell ? Who knows but if they get the download part right the company could be onto a winner.

The big risk is the established giants , apple, will work out there is money in it and clean up.

As some on this post rightly said the debate about hi res should be had else where but there is no denying the volume of hi res comparable hi fi product in he market so there must be a consumer demand.

 

[Alec]

...there is no denying the volume of hi res comparable hi fi product in he market so there must be a consumer demand.

I'm not at all sure that follows.