[Phil A]

So, I'm not seeing the Pono appeal for me personally.  Is the idea to appeal to quality minded younger people who insist of mobility?  (which of course I encourage)

My prediction....this goes nowhere unless the attention prompts Apple to adopt high-rez via iTunes.

I don't really have use for the Pono or anything portable either.  I guess if I didn't have my old iPod Classic for the car at some point I'd be forced to look at another portable player.  I think it won't go that far either unless enough people who care about sound quality want portable and will use it in their main systems for hi-rez.  I don't see that happening.  I see a limited market for portable hi-rez and hi-res is not a huge market to start with vs. iTunes or something else.

[fex02]

It is fairly clear that David's test was fraught with too many variables (let alone being done with folks who have no clue of what to listen for...many times hirez is not earth shattering but instead non-fatiguing over long sessions).  And portability, as I said ealrlier, is a huge sonic obstacle.  But...Cookie takes it to another level.  Her invitation is fun reading.  She is one of a kind.
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Okay, here's my open letter to David Pogue's more recent revision his blog.. posted Feb 4. I've offer him to come to my studio openly. Here's my letter to him.

Posted Feb 5, 2015
David, it's okay if you don't want to convert your music collection to high resolution audio. Relax, no one is trying get you to switch from mp3 if you're happy.

My company sells high resolution audio downloads in a format you may not be aware of... DSD (Direct Stream Digital). I routinely give lectures on "provenance" -- the history/legacy of a recording. There are at least 6 stages to consider when spending $6/song (yes, that's what people will pay us and want more).

Either you hear the difference or you don't. Our customers do. I'm sure you would hear the difference when given a true comparison test.. the question is "do you care"... not "can you hear the difference". We have enough customers who care, so I'm not worried about mainstream adoption.

But, I would like to talk about your comparison test. Your method was somewhat akin to a guy on the street doing a lie detector test to determine someone's fate going to prison. It takes a professional to do a lie detector test or an audio comparison test. Audio comparison variables are too great and it's very hard to do.

I've been doing AB blindfold tests for than 30 years working as a consultant to pro audio and consumer divisions selling audio gear. It's not easy to create a fair test. Unfortunately, you didn't.

Here's the first place you went wrong.... Apples and Oranges

Apples... output of devices are not the same sonically (meaning frequency response for instance and other colorations determined by taste of manufacturer). If you're testing the Pono for quality as a device, then you test with the same file and format (exact, not purchase from different sources) knowing with confidence it is not a digital generation different. Getting those files is not easy. That's why you need controlled files.

Oranges... the formats.. if you're goal is to compare formats, then you need to get various formats on one device and compare from that device. You'll want reliable source material (same situation as apples) that was well recorded so that the frequencies of high and low (where high resolution audio matters) can be heard. Sorry, most pop music is run through so many filters, plugins and low fi alterations it's not usable to compare formats. The audiophile community has a lot of discussions going on about this already and I would agree that buyer be aware.

There are a minimum of 6 stages where audio quality can be diminished before it hits the consumer. Three of those stages occur after the artist/producer hands it over to the label. The labels don't care.. they don't know where their original masters are. Sad.

I can help you set up a test... or better yet... I invite you to our studio to have us give you a listening test... not to convert you to high resolution audio, but as the technology reporter, a musician and journalist, you sincerely want to report accurately to your audience.

Our studios are in the San Francisco area.

Cookie Marenco
Blue Coast Records
my bio for reference
http://bluecoastmusic.com/about-the-founder
I'm easy to find.

Have a great day.

(By the way, for those reading this who fear their mp3 collection is being threatened.. take a chill pill. You can listen to all our music at no charge in streaming mp3 on YouTube...

[fex02]

Cookie-great note! don't be discouraged , you know the truth !

[Don_S]

Are Pono files priced differently based upon resolution of the source material?

[ted_b]

Are Pono files priced differently based upon resolution of the source material?

Don, browse for yourself.  It's a public site, like HDTracks.  Not sure where and why folks got some "proprietary" notions.  It's simply another hirez music grocery store.  And the player is another hirez portable.
https://ponomusic.force.com/

But to answer, prices are mainly based on sample rates of the source...but not always.

[Don_S]

Thanks Ted.  I was only curious.  Based upon my searching other hi-res sites there is precious little I would pay for.

Aside from dubious provenance, some of the older albums have been played-out in my head. I really don't care to hear them enough more times to justify the cost. And I have not seen much new stuff I like at any res. 

[kingdeezie]

Don, browse for yourself.  It's a public site, like HDTracks.  Not sure where and why folks got some "proprietary" notions.  It's simply another hirez music grocery store.  And the player is another hirez portable.
https://ponomusic.force.com/

But to answer, prices are mainly based on sample rates of the source...but not always.

I think the notion of "proprietary" came from the fact that it was being touted as such for a while. I think there was a mincing of words, when Neil Young kept talking about how Pono was a new "format," lead myself to assume that it wasn't going to be something universal like FLAC.

I originally was very excited about Pono because I wanted access to as much as possible in even just redbook quality for download. There are still a lot of releases that are only available as mp3 (obviously CD as well).

I was hoping that Pono was going to open the flood gates for high definition for all kinds of music.

I'm glad their stuff is FLAC, that is a great news. 

[jarcher]

@ $400 the Pono seems like a pretty decent deal for hi-res DAP with a pedigree (Ayre), and sound quality-wise seems to garner good reviews.  Aside from on the go, you could use it as a source for secondary static systems as well.  I'm seeing a lot of other DAP's at substantially more $ including models from mass market co's such Sony.    So, PeterJ, I'll take yours off your hands if the deal is right.........

The Pono store is frankly more underwhelming.  I guess you can't sell what isn't there - i.e. higher res / higher quality versions of albums.  At least the slightly higher than redbook ones are not outrageously priced.  For the moment I don't see any compelling reason though to buy @ Pono store vs alternative cd / high res quality download sites in terms of price / selection / quality.

Pogue's article / experiment is less understandable.  If you have an ax to grind, you'll find a stone to do it on.  He seems to actively encourage through tone of voice, body language and selective choice of words / questions that his subjects come to the same conclusion : ie. that the Pono player & hi-res is a waste of money as it's not "better enough" vs MP3, etc.  He draws people to the conclusion that even if they feel the Pono sound is 10-30% better, it's not worth spending more money on it - and that somehow you'd have to buy ALL of your music at 4X the price as well, as if you were forced to rebuy all of your music collection vs just tracks / albums that you really treasure and want better SQ versions (assuming such exist). 

By this standard many things are "good enough" i.e. you tube videos on a smart phone vs 4K, McDonalds vs a michelin starred restaurant, a photo copy vs an original painting,  a potato sack vs an armani suit, a timex digital watch vs a Rolex etc etc.  Yet people are not begrudged for spending more money - sometimes substantially more - on 4K sets, fancy meals, original artwork, designer / bespoke clothing, luxury watches etc. 

I don't know what it is about sound reproduction in particular that brings out the haters - it seems in the last 10+ years that having a nice stereo and being an audiophile has gone from something desirable and potentially being considered a "connoisseur" - albeit sometimes a pursuit for the more well-off - to something to be disdained and ridiculed as gullible arrogant fools of fantastical conspicuous consumption.  Can't we be left in peace to enjoy our music and gear and do we have to begrudge any person or company who tries to cater to us?  Just because so many people have decided to accept sound quality mediocrity in exchange for convenience and low price, when for so many other things people constantly demand and pay for better, why begrudge those of us who want and are willing to pay for better sound? Even if 90% of people don't hear it, or if they do, don't care enough to pay more, why be so upset that the other 10% do and are willing and able to pay for it?

This audiophile thing seems like such a benign, personal and pacific hobby, why all the vitriol? 

[srb]

I think it was mentioned that at this time only about 10% of the Pono store is HiRez, so I searched the store for 20 or so jazz albums and they were all 16/44.1 @ ~ $15.29 each.  Downloading is very convenient, but for Redbook resolution I'll still continue to buy 2 - 3 used CDs for the same money as one download for now.  Part of the allure of downloading is also the ability to purchase individual songs, but only about half of the albums I looked at offered individual tracks.

Steve

[Phil A]

I noticed HDTracks seems to have regular CD quality for $11.98.  I only buy from them for Hi-Rez though.  If I am just going to doing regular CD quality, unless something is out-of-print, I'd prefer a disc as often you can get them cheaper than $12.