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Pono Music Store online and out of beta according to report


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The USB was 24/44 BTW.

 

Mea culpa. Relied on an erroneous source on the internet. Should have verified. Regardless, I sure would like to get my hands (or ears) on the 24/192 versions. :)

"Relax, it's only hi-fi. There's never been a hi-fi emergency." - Roy Hall

"Not everything that can be counted counts, and not everything that counts can be counted." - William Bruce Cameron

 

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Logged in and ordered 2 NY albums. Zuma and On the Beach - my 2 favorites, one in 88k and one in 192. Purchasing experience was okay.

You do need their music store app to download the purchases.

 

Buying requires US address and US credit card, apparently. They only have the US listed as a country for addresses when you check out. I tried using a non-US credit card and it was rejected.

 

The download itself is going well, about as fast as I get anything with my provider.

 

Edit: SQ is good, best versions I"ve heard. I've got the original vinyl and the 2003(?) CD remasters (they're good). This has the usual attributes of a good hi-res remaster: more clarity, better detail. Not orders of magnitude better, but definitely worth it for someone who likes the albums.

 

This sparked my curiosity. I have the circa 2003 DVD-A rip of On The Beach and it says it is 176.4/24. I thought the Pono store only sold the highest quality version available. My next thought was the DVD-A was an upsample OR the current 88.2 Pono version is not the highest resolution available. Here are some pics of the DVD-A rip:

01_Neil_Young_-_Walk_OnWaveform.jpg

01_Neil_Young_-_Walk_On_and_Frequency_Analysis.jpg

Frequency_Analysis_and_01_Neil_Young_walkOnplot.jpg

 

FWIW, My Pono Player sounds amazing. And the Beatles remasters in 44.1/24 FLAC from the USB sound great on the player. So does NY Harvest and Time Fades Away.

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This sparked my curiosity. I have the circa 2003 DVD-A rip of On The Beach and it says it is 176.4/24. I thought the Pono store only sold the highest quality version available. My next thought was the DVD-A was an upsample OR the current 88.2 Pono version is not the highest resolution available. Here are some pics of the DVD-A rip:

 

[ATTACH=CONFIG]16453[/ATTACH]

 

FWIW, My Pono Player sounds amazing. And the Beatles remasters in 44.1/24 FLAC from the USB sound great on the player. So does NY Harvest and Time Fades Away.

 

So maybe I should write Pono and ask them about it.

Main listening (small home office):

Main setup: Surge protector +>Isol-8 Mini sub Axis Power Strip/Isolation>QuietPC Low Noise Server>Roon (Audiolense DRC)>Stack Audio Link II>Kii Control>Kii Three (on their own electric circuit) >GIK Room Treatments.

Secondary Path: Server with Audiolense RC>RPi4 or analog>Cayin iDAC6 MKII (tube mode) (XLR)>Kii Three .

Bedroom: SBTouch to Cambridge Soundworks Desktop Setup.
Living Room/Kitchen: Ropieee (RPi3b+ with touchscreen) + Schiit Modi3E to a pair of Morel Hogtalare. 

All absolute statements about audio are false :)

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So maybe I should write Pono and ask them about it.

 

First off, thanks for the note regarding the mono version of Kind of Blue.

 

Interestingly the resolution for On The Beach is displayed differently on the PonoMusic site. If you search for the album it returns with a small thumbnail of the album that denotes 24/88.2. However if you click that thumbnail to the full page view of the album, it is listed at 24/176.4. The latter is the resolution of the previously issued DVD-A.

 

Barr

Silver Circle Audio | Roon | Devialet | Synology | Vivid Audio | Stillpoint Aperture | Auralic | DH Labs

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Interestingly the resolution for On The Beach is displayed differently on the PonoMusic site. If you search for the album it returns with a small thumbnail of the album that denotes 24/88.2. However if you click that thumbnail to the full page view of the album, it is listed at 24/176.4. The latter is the resolution of the previously issued DVD-A.

Barr

 

Thanks for this! I was waiting for this to be offered in 176.4 and apparently that's already the case.

By the way, same thing is true with American Stars'n Bars where thumbnail shows 88.2 but when you click on it you can see all songs are 176.4.

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Thanks for this! I was waiting for this to be offered in 176.4 and apparently that's already the case.

By the way, same thing is true with American Stars'n Bars where thumbnail shows 88.2 but when you click on it you can see all songs are 176.4.

Well I bought both of them last week and they were 24/88. A little ticked off, as Pono said they would offer the "highest resolution available" and then after a week come out with 24/176.

Main listening (small home office):

Main setup: Surge protector +>Isol-8 Mini sub Axis Power Strip/Isolation>QuietPC Low Noise Server>Roon (Audiolense DRC)>Stack Audio Link II>Kii Control>Kii Three (on their own electric circuit) >GIK Room Treatments.

Secondary Path: Server with Audiolense RC>RPi4 or analog>Cayin iDAC6 MKII (tube mode) (XLR)>Kii Three .

Bedroom: SBTouch to Cambridge Soundworks Desktop Setup.
Living Room/Kitchen: Ropieee (RPi3b+ with touchscreen) + Schiit Modi3E to a pair of Morel Hogtalare. 

All absolute statements about audio are false :)

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Well I bought both of them last week and they were 24/88. A little ticked off, as Pono said they would offer the "highest resolution available" and then after a week come out with 24/176.

 

I had only heard the earlier ones were mislabeled, not mis-sampled. Regardless, Pono's very public policy is they will replace the lower rez ones. Make sure you ask and remind them Neil said that.

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I had only heard the earlier ones were mislabeled, not mis-sampled. Regardless, Pono's very public policy is they will replace the lower rez ones. Make sure you ask and remind them Neil said that.

 

For Kickstarter backers. For others, caveat emptor.

One never knows, do one? - Fats Waller

The fairest thing we can experience is the mysterious. It is the fundamental emotion which stands at the cradle of true art and true science. - Einstein

Computer, Audirvana -> optical Ethernet to Fitlet3 -> Fibbr Alpha Optical USB -> iFi NEO iDSD DAC -> Apollon Audio 1ET400A Mini (Purifi based) -> Vandersteen 3A Signature.

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For Kickstarter backers. For others, caveat emptor.

 

Yeah, I know that, but I wrote them and complained anyway.

Main listening (small home office):

Main setup: Surge protector +>Isol-8 Mini sub Axis Power Strip/Isolation>QuietPC Low Noise Server>Roon (Audiolense DRC)>Stack Audio Link II>Kii Control>Kii Three (on their own electric circuit) >GIK Room Treatments.

Secondary Path: Server with Audiolense RC>RPi4 or analog>Cayin iDAC6 MKII (tube mode) (XLR)>Kii Three .

Bedroom: SBTouch to Cambridge Soundworks Desktop Setup.
Living Room/Kitchen: Ropieee (RPi3b+ with touchscreen) + Schiit Modi3E to a pair of Morel Hogtalare. 

All absolute statements about audio are false :)

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Yeah, I know that, but I wrote them and complained anyway.

 

No harm in that, hope they do right by you. Only reason I posted was so you weren't under the impression they'd promised to do this for all buyers (though I think it would be to their advantage to offer everyone upgrades for the price difference between resolutions - otherwise customers hesitate to buy).

One never knows, do one? - Fats Waller

The fairest thing we can experience is the mysterious. It is the fundamental emotion which stands at the cradle of true art and true science. - Einstein

Computer, Audirvana -> optical Ethernet to Fitlet3 -> Fibbr Alpha Optical USB -> iFi NEO iDSD DAC -> Apollon Audio 1ET400A Mini (Purifi based) -> Vandersteen 3A Signature.

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No harm in that, hope they do right by you. Only reason I posted was so you weren't under the impression they'd promised to do this for all buyers (though I think it would be to their advantage to offer everyone upgrades for the price difference between resolutions - otherwise customers hesitate to buy).

 

I agree. I think that would be a good practice for all these companies. Apple basically did this with "iTunes Plus". Seems to me HDtracks, Pono, and others could easily allow paid upgrades.

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Well I bought both of them last week and they were 24/88. A little ticked off, as Pono said they would offer the "highest resolution available" and then after a week come out with 24/176.

 

I hear ya. How i felt with the Springsteen releases. Qobuz and Springsteen's site did right by me though. Hope Pono does for you. Let us know.

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I agree. I think that would be a good practice for all these companies. Apple basically did this with "iTunes Plus". Seems to me HDtracks, Pono, and others could easily allow paid upgrades.

 

Maybe, but I'm guessing iTunes has preferential arrangements with labels that the small hi-res sites don't get.

 

Obviously the record companies would make more money this way, so they will be sure not to agree. Just think of the horror if some poor schmuck gets 2 hires version of an album for a little over the price of one:)

Main listening (small home office):

Main setup: Surge protector +>Isol-8 Mini sub Axis Power Strip/Isolation>QuietPC Low Noise Server>Roon (Audiolense DRC)>Stack Audio Link II>Kii Control>Kii Three (on their own electric circuit) >GIK Room Treatments.

Secondary Path: Server with Audiolense RC>RPi4 or analog>Cayin iDAC6 MKII (tube mode) (XLR)>Kii Three .

Bedroom: SBTouch to Cambridge Soundworks Desktop Setup.
Living Room/Kitchen: Ropieee (RPi3b+ with touchscreen) + Schiit Modi3E to a pair of Morel Hogtalare. 

All absolute statements about audio are false :)

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Just think of the horror if some poor schmuck gets 2 hires version of an album for a little over the price of one:)

 

:)

 

Yeah, people might be happy buying music, and the labels can't allow that.

One never knows, do one? - Fats Waller

The fairest thing we can experience is the mysterious. It is the fundamental emotion which stands at the cradle of true art and true science. - Einstein

Computer, Audirvana -> optical Ethernet to Fitlet3 -> Fibbr Alpha Optical USB -> iFi NEO iDSD DAC -> Apollon Audio 1ET400A Mini (Purifi based) -> Vandersteen 3A Signature.

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Maybe, but I'm guessing iTunes has preferential arrangements with labels that the small hi-res sites don't get.

 

Obviously the record companies would make more money this way, so they will be sure not to agree. Just think of the horror if some poor schmuck gets 2 hires version of an album for a little over the price of one:)

 

I've noticed my download locker at qobuz.com has multiple resolutions and formats in it. Available for download any time.

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I bought 2 albums a few days ago. There was some weird interaction btw PMW and JRMC but, otherwise, it went smoothly. I paid ~$30 for the 2, both 24 bit. One of them is NOT available at HDT.

 

I'm happy, so far, altho' they need to keep working on the search fxn and browsing capabilities (eg, search on 24 bit files).

 

Go Pono!

Roon ROCK (Roon 1.7; NUC7i3) > Ayre QB-9 Twenty > Ayre AX-5 Twenty > Thiel CS2.4SE (crossovers rebuilt with Clarity CSA and Multicap RTX caps, Mills MRA-12 resistors; ERSE and Jantzen coils; Cardas binding posts and hookup wire); Cardas and OEM power cables, interconnects, and speaker cables

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(though I think it would be to their advantage to offer everyone upgrades for the price difference between resolutions - otherwise customers hesitate to buy).

 

I fully agree. Qobuz has been offering such upgrades, where you pay only for the price differential, for quite some time.

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Well I bought both of them last week and they were 24/88. A little ticked off, as Pono said they would offer the "highest resolution available" and then after a week come out with 24/176.

 

This is the reply I got from Pono. Not very encouraging for all sorts of reasons:

 

Hello,

 

Thank you for contacting Pono Support!

 

We do apologize for this issue. However, we are still in Bata form. Our store is gowning daily. We are adding songs and albums to the store. We are also going to be offering Hi Res songs for these albums as well. This updated on a regular base to different songs.

 

Mahalo,

Laura

 

Note: I didn't change any wording or spelling in the quote.

Main listening (small home office):

Main setup: Surge protector +>Isol-8 Mini sub Axis Power Strip/Isolation>QuietPC Low Noise Server>Roon (Audiolense DRC)>Stack Audio Link II>Kii Control>Kii Three (on their own electric circuit) >GIK Room Treatments.

Secondary Path: Server with Audiolense RC>RPi4 or analog>Cayin iDAC6 MKII (tube mode) (XLR)>Kii Three .

Bedroom: SBTouch to Cambridge Soundworks Desktop Setup.
Living Room/Kitchen: Ropieee (RPi3b+ with touchscreen) + Schiit Modi3E to a pair of Morel Hogtalare. 

All absolute statements about audio are false :)

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Well either they only have one support person ( all my tickets have initially been responded to by Laura ) or this is the standard support account used by their team. The replies I received from "Laura" were grammatically correct with strong spelling skills, albeit boilerplate responses.

 

I would be persistent until you get a satisfactory response ( and/or reach the right individual at Pono ).

 

And I agree with Ted, this version of Laura should be sent back to shrink wrapping those digital bits.

Silver Circle Audio | Roon | Devialet | Synology | Vivid Audio | Stillpoint Aperture | Auralic | DH Labs

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As of this morning, both albums, On The Beach and American Stars n Bars are listed at a resolution of 24/176.4 in thumbnail and full album view on the PonoMusic site.

Silver Circle Audio | Roon | Devialet | Synology | Vivid Audio | Stillpoint Aperture | Auralic | DH Labs

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