Come Hear Pono And Talk Computer Audio At The Audio Salon

Best of luck in LA, hopefully soon to be followed up by an event in NY!

Hi Chris, Tell John Hamm that if they (Pono) really want to reach a broader audience that they need to have a 48/24 streaming service. It will drive people to buy hi-res downloads from the Pono store once they hear for themselves how good they can sound. The mainstream hasn't been interested in hi-res music for a very simple reason: they don't know what it is. We are a hobby within a hobby when it comes to hi-res music. We need a way to get more people exposed to it if it is ever to go mainstream. Some will say that you can't stream 48/24 or higher but that is no longer true. I am listening to a 48/24 stream right now. Have fun in LA, this whole Pono thing is great as it is adding some energy to the hobby.

I would think the THE Show in Newport Beach (30 May) would be a great place to see the device.

I would think the THE Show in Newport Beach (30 May) would be a great place to see the device.

Or, come to The Audio Salon where there won't be thousands if people and you can talk computer audio. I love meeting readers and helping people :~)

Thanks for the heads up. I'll try to get there. I may bring a few different headphones to try on the Pono player.

Russ

Thanks for the heads up. I'll try to get there. I may bring a few different headphones to try on the Pono player.

 

Russ

Very keen to hear anything you learn about the headphone amp capabilities!!!

Looking forward to some hands on reviews. Is the hardware even finalized yet? I know the store is not selling the pono hirez files yet.

Nearly five and a half thousand miles is a little too far for me to walk (and swim) but could you perhaps ask about this statement Neil Young made...

"We provide the best it can be and if the best it can be gets better, Pono will supply the new track for nothing. You get it. You already bought the best it can be, the best it can be just got better, so you don't have to pay a penalty." - From the article Hello Mr. Soul: My Interview with Neil Young by Michael Lavorgna

Would be interesting how they envisage this working? A 24/192 version to replace the 24/96 version they originally made available? How about if a new remaster of a recording I already purchased is made available?

Does the query make sense?

Eloise

I cannot wait to check this out!!

Chris, I RSVP'd and will be there after work. For once, the Los Angeles traffic will work in my favor; I live in nearby Pacific Palisades and this is on my way home from my office.

I really look forward to meeting you and Mr. Hamm, and I hope you can answer some questions that I, as a longtime audio enthusiast with a beer budget, have about computer based audio. I am especially interested in your thoughts as to how one can improve on using itunes as the hub of my audio system. I have over 16,000 songs, mostly cd rips, and am readying for the pono release in October. I have bought a couple sets of headphones and put together a nice little office system (Topping Vxr amp with Polk Monitor 30 speakers). I'm using my MacBook Pro usb out into the DAC in the amp and it really sounds sweet. I'm sure the pono will sound better, and as an early adopter (kickstarter backer 510) I'm very excited about what I hope will be a real paradgm shift in the way we access and play music. So, see you there.

Peter

I will be there as well.

Decided to make the trek up from behind the Orange curtain and check this out. As a backer look forward to hearing what Mr. Hamm has to say about Pono and also look forward to meeting Chris in person.

I wrote to the Audio Salon on Monday and received a response on Tuesday from the owner that I he couldn't add me to the guest list...very curious. No reason was given. I was really looking forward to coming by to check out the place, the Pono and say hello...especially as this is only 5 minutes away from my studio.

I wrote to the Audio Salon on Monday and received a response on Tuesday from the owner that I he couldn't add me to the guest list...very curious. No reason was given. I was really looking forward to coming by to check out the place, the Pono and say hello...especially as this is only 5 minutes away from my studio.

Maybe you left the reply too late and the event is full.

Great event tonight! John Hamm from Pono was there with a couple prototype Pono players and there was a very casual chat with him at the Audio Salon. Everyone there got to see and listen to the prototype Ponos (pretty awesome I might add) while John answered questions and discussed a lot of the background to the company, how he got into it and what the future might hold. After seeing and listening to the prototype I am happy with my $400 contribution on Kickstarter. John also confirmed that he was very confident about the October delivery of the first players.

Agreed, it was fun getting a chance to take a quick break from work in the middle of the week. Anyone want to guess what The Audio Salon handed out as treats?

What a wonderful event. Chris, thanks. The Pono is going to be a major hit I think.

Anyone want to guess what The Audio Salon handed out as treats?

Toblerone chocolate bars?

Toblerone chocolate bars?

Exactamundo! I thought it was terrifically tongue-in-cheek. Thanks Maier!

Toblerone chocolate bars?

that's funny. Good to know they have a sense of humor.

Exactamundo! I thought it was terrifically tongue-in-cheek. Thanks Maier!

What was your impression of the sound quality of the Pono player? What headphones did you try it with?

It was a great evening. Chris, thanks!

I used it with Martin Logan Mikros 90s. It sounded incredible in a crude A/B with an iphone playing the same Neil Young song. Like, incredible.

What was your impression of the sound quality of the Pono player? What headphones did you try it with?

Well, TBH, I shouldn't say anything because the units they brought were the old Meridian-based prototypes. My understanding is that the forthcoming Ayre-based units will be markedly different in SQ. And with respect to those, I'm just as in the dark about those as everyone here for the time being.

Just watched the testimonials on the pono website. (last time I visited the site... quite a while ago.. I don't think it was there). If they walk the talk.. and don't have to compromise it to ship it.. its hard to imagine that it won't be a huge success.... Any rumors as to when it will ship? Next question for me is the power output - will it be sufficient to drive planar headphone? What have people been using to listen to it?