I completely understand why the PJ collectors bought it even if just to own.
I would have liked to pick one up to use, but considering it is new tech and all the bugs that may come with it, I can wait to see how it works and if it is still there in a year or so.
Or if an improved model is out 6 months later- just like Apple does to their customers
...got a mind full of questions and a teacher in my soul...
I couldn't give a monkeys whatever it is - the next ipod or the next monster flop.
I will hold up my hand and say I bought it because it says Pearl Jam on it, Im unlikely to play it, and Im more than happy with that.
I wouldn't say people don't know what it will look like, the Bio page on the product is very detailed and there are various images.
I also wouldn't believe I have more money than common sense, that is a crazy generalisation. I collect Pearl jam items, that aint rocket science, and limited edition items that sell out within 24 hours are obviously going to be solid collectibles in the long run.
You guys be crazy. $400+ on something that you don't know what it's gonna look like it but it's ok cos it says Pearl Jam on it?!!?
A serious case of people with more money than common sense!
I got one because I think it's a brilliant concept (that I want to support) and I can't wait to hear how music sounds at this level of quality. The fact that it has Pearl Jam on it and is a limited edition is great added bonus.
Word, sadly some people don,t care about sound, and listen to good music through computer or TV speakers. Can't wait to hear what it sounds like.
I'll admit I know very little about Pono, I'd only heard about it through this thread and I stand by that the majority have gone for this PJ one because they hope there is sigs on it, albeit laser-engraved ones. Many won't even play it. Now it may well be the next step in digital music players but it could also be the next flash in the pan. We'll see.
I couldn't give a monkeys whatever it is - the next ipod or the next monster flop.
I will hold up my hand and say I bought it because it says Pearl Jam on it, Im unlikely to play it, and Im more than happy with that.
I wouldn't say people don't know what it will look like, the Bio page on the product is very detailed and there are various images.
I also wouldn't believe I have more money than common sense, that is a crazy generalisation. I collect Pearl jam items, that aint rocket science, and limited edition items that sell out within 24 hours are obviously going to be solid collectibles in the long run.
PJ fans come in all types and sizes...some couldn't give a monkeys butt what the object is...if it says Pearl Jam it is theirs. Others could give a monkeys but what the object says...if they don't want it, they don't want it.
I've met Rob
DEGENERATE FUK
This place is dead
"THERE ARE NO CLIQUES, ONLY THOSE WHO DON'T JOIN THE FUN" - Empty circa 2015
I love Neil and have been a huge fan for over 40 years. I support anything that this genius dreams up - be it "unusual" music like the 'Trans' album (which is still one of my favorites) or new technology to better the world. I also have to be practical with my limited resources. So I opted for the HAND-SIGNED Neil concert poster for a hundred bucks. Helps Neil with his latest dream and really is, IMO, the only guaranteed collectible from this project. I wish Neil and PONO the best of success!!!
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RD101189
A distant time, a distant space Posts: 454
I love Neil and have been a huge fan for over 40 years. I support anything that this genius dreams up - be it "unusual" music like the 'Trans' album (which is still one of my favorites) or new technology to better the world. I also have to be practical with my limited resources. So I opted for the HAND-SIGNED Neil concert poster for a hundred bucks. Helps Neil with his latest dream and really is, IMO, the only guaranteed collectible from this project. I wish Neil and PONO the best of success!!!
If this doesn't work out, people have an expensive inscribed paper weight and hard to see someone wanting it as a PJ collectable 5-10 years from now.
09/08/1992 - Phoenix, AZ 07/08/1998 - Phoenix, AZ 10/21/2000 - Phoenix, AZ 11/19/2013 - Phoenix, AZ 10/22/2014 - Denver, CO 05/09/2022 - Phoenix, AZ 09/22/2022 - Denver, CO
I thought about it for 2 seconds but decided to pass. Been working on my, uh, addiction I don't like feeling enslaved to something where I feel like I MUST have it all and feel utterly ill when I don't get something, or the guilt that comes along after hitting "buy". Congrats to those who scored one, post pictures when you get it.
PS Kickstarter projects are notorious for being late on goodie delivery, so just be prepared.
I love Neil and have been a huge fan for over 40 years. I support anything that this genius dreams up - be it "unusual" music like the 'Trans' album (which is still one of my favorites) or new technology to better the world. I also have to be practical with my limited resources. So I opted for the HAND-SIGNED Neil concert poster for a hundred bucks. Helps Neil with his latest dream and really is, IMO, the only guaranteed collectible from this project. I wish Neil and PONO the best of success!!!
If this doesn't work out, people have an expensive inscribed paper weight and hard to see someone wanting it as a PJ collectable 5-10 years from now.
With Pearl Jam backing up Pono, let's hope their social media pages are also advertising Pono Music as well. And not just inferior iTunes music.
Yes! It surprises me to see how much EV and the band have been into vinyl since the beginning, and now PONO. Lets be honest, the sound quality of their albums is far from any of the NY release!
Just gotta say ... the whole kickstarter thing is very clever marketing my Mr Young & his team.
it's wholly a marketing thing. people asking 'why do these rich guys need money???' and nothing else aren't getting it. just look at the press this has received. nothing about this is about actually raising funds. but i'm sure they are indeed thrilled with the funding response so far.
Just gotta say ... the whole kickstarter thing is very clever marketing my Mr Young & his team.
it's wholly a marketing thing. people asking 'why do these rich guys need money???' and nothing else aren't getting it. just look at the press this has received. nothing about this is about actually raising funds. but i'm sure they are indeed thrilled with the funding response so far.
My local Global TV News this morning talked about it. Well, said Neil Young was starting this KickStarter thing for his new MP3 Player"
Alright... I'm gonna say this, cause it's been bugging me thinking about this...
I read through the first 3 pages of this thread, before jumping ahead to page 7 to make this comment, so apologies to anyone who's hashed this already...
Why the fuck are these people asking for money to "kickstart" this project?
When you've got the names behind it that you list on the website - if y'all support it so much pony up your own $800,000 to "kickstart" the project. Asking for a virtual handout instead is fucking bullshit. Many of the names "promoting" neil's player could easily have funded the entire project on their own without the need to ask for a handout...
I get that this is really just a "presale" for the most part - However, if that's how you're going to run things, why use kickstarter? Just conduct a GD presale through your website. Take some risk, don't ask everyone who buys your player to take the risk of it failing for you.
To me, kickstarter is nothing more than this:
without me having to physically having to look at you beg.
I am not supporting any business that basically attempts to pass their risk onto the consumer prior to opening the doors for business. Period.
There's a reason you're on kickstarter: (a) because you don't believe in the project enough to risk your own assets to support it, or (b) because educated investment bankers have gone through your business model and product and don't think there's enough demand to support your project. Either way, I have no interest in taking the risk for you.
Apart from the kickstarter thing annoying me, as a professed audiophile who is actually on the market for a new portable music system, I've got 2 major gripes that make this pointless for me to consider as an option:
(1) storage. Even if I had all of my music in a HD format, this device has no where near a suitable storage level. one of the most appealing things about apple's products is they have enough storage to contain my entire collection (almost 85 gigs at 256 hz). I can listen to whatever i want, wherevere I want, without having to cart around anything but the player. Clearly not going to happen here with current storage limitations.
(2) existing library. What's the benefit in buying this when it has taken me 10 years to accumulate all the music I have, all of it carefully ripped from mine and friends actual physical media (I actually don't buy digital media whenever I have the option to get a physical form instead).. Either (a) I re-buy it all from "pono" in HD which looks like I will spend a fortune, or (b) I have to track everyone and everything down again and re-rip it. Only to have to buy 20 or 30 microSD cards to store it all.
pfffffffftttttttttttttttttt........
as much as I can't stand apple and their products, I don't see this as a remotely viable alternative. Good luck Neil.
Houston, Texas... Believe it or not, there are 7 million people here... must be a couple of fans who'd love to see you play.
Alright... I'm gonna say this, cause it's been bugging me thinking about this...
I read through the first 3 pages of this thread, before jumping ahead to page 7 to make this comment, so apologies to anyone who's hashed this already...
Why the fuck are these people asking for money to "kickstart" this project?
When you've got the names behind it that you list on the website - if y'all support it so much pony up your own $800,000 to "kickstart" the project. Asking for a virtual handout instead is fucking bullshit. Many of the names "promoting" neil's player could easily have funded the entire project on their own without the need to ask for a handout...
I get that this is really just a "presale" for the most part - However, if that's how you're going to run things, why use kickstarter? Just conduct a GD presale through your website. Take some risk, don't ask everyone who buys your player to take the risk of it failing for you.
To me, kickstarter is nothing more than this:
without me having to physically having to look at you beg.
I am not supporting any business that basically attempts to pass their risk onto the consumer prior to opening the doors for business. Period.
There's a reason you're on kickstarter: (a) because you don't believe in the project enough to risk your own assets to support it, or (b) because educated investment bankers have gone through your business model and product and don't think there's enough demand to support your project. Either way, I have no interest in taking the risk for you.
Apart from the kickstarter thing annoying me, as a professed audiophile who is actually on the market for a new portable music system, I've got 2 major gripes that make this pointless for me to consider as an option:
(1) storage. Even if I had all of my music in a HD format, this device has no where near a suitable storage level. one of the most appealing things about apple's products is they have enough storage to contain my entire collection (almost 85 gigs at 256 hz). I can listen to whatever i want, wherevere I want, without having to cart around anything but the player. Clearly not going to happen here with current storage limitations.
(2) existing library. What's the benefit in buying this when it has taken me 10 years to accumulate all the music I have, all of it carefully ripped from mine and friends actual physical media (I actually don't buy digital media whenever I have the option to get a physical form instead).. Either (a) I re-buy it all from "pono" in HD which looks like I will spend a fortune, or (b) I have to track everyone and everything down again and re-rip it. Only to have to buy 20 or 30 microSD cards to store it all.
pfffffffftttttttttttttttttt........
as much as I can't stand apple and their products, I don't see this as a remotely viable alternative. Good luck Neil.
I disagree, bro.
I don't have much time so can't really write much. However, is it a little weird for such wealthy people to have a kickstarter campaign? Yes, but I don't see this as begging for cash. It's a marketing device and they're offering the product at a discount for 34 days. That's really all it is and that is very different from begging.
And to your other point about "educated investment bankers"...often those guys don't know cock about what the public wants or "needs". You bring up Apple and that's a perfect example. No one was predicting the success of the iPod when there were already a bunch of way more affordable mp3 players on the market. Everyone said the iPhone would fail and people laughed at the idea (and name) of the iPad. And fuck investment bankers, anyway. I would rather have people contribute who actually believed in my product and offer them a one-time "gift" in return than pay a cut to some cocksucking bank. That's what Kickstarter is all about. It's not about begging for funds for an inherently bad idea that no one else wants to back.
Also, your storage complaints are illogical. This thing comes with enough storage to carry almost double your existing collection (all 85GB) and the left over space could be filled with larger lossless files. You could also expand the memory with a bigger card. Something you can't do with any Apple player!
All that said, I do respect and fully support your molon labe sig.
Alright... I'm gonna say this, cause it's been bugging me thinking about this...
I read through the first 3 pages of this thread, before jumping ahead to page 7 to make this comment, so apologies to anyone who's hashed this already...
Why the fuck are these people asking for money to "kickstart" this project?
When you've got the names behind it that you list on the website - if y'all support it so much pony up your own $800,000 to "kickstart" the project. Asking for a virtual handout instead is fucking bullshit. Many of the names "promoting" neil's player could easily have funded the entire project on their own without the need to ask for a handout...
I get that this is really just a "presale" for the most part - However, if that's how you're going to run things, why use kickstarter? Just conduct a GD presale through your website. Take some risk, don't ask everyone who buys your player to take the risk of it failing for you.
To me, kickstarter is nothing more than this:
without me having to physically having to look at you beg.
I am not supporting any business that basically attempts to pass their risk onto the consumer prior to opening the doors for business. Period.
There's a reason you're on kickstarter: (a) because you don't believe in the project enough to risk your own assets to support it, or (b) because educated investment bankers have gone through your business model and product and don't think there's enough demand to support your project. Either way, I have no interest in taking the risk for you.
Apart from the kickstarter thing annoying me, as a professed audiophile who is actually on the market for a new portable music system, I've got 2 major gripes that make this pointless for me to consider as an option:
(1) storage. Even if I had all of my music in a HD format, this device has no where near a suitable storage level. one of the most appealing things about apple's products is they have enough storage to contain my entire collection (almost 85 gigs at 256 hz). I can listen to whatever i want, wherevere I want, without having to cart around anything but the player. Clearly not going to happen here with current storage limitations.
(2) existing library. What's the benefit in buying this when it has taken me 10 years to accumulate all the music I have, all of it carefully ripped from mine and friends actual physical media (I actually don't buy digital media whenever I have the option to get a physical form instead).. Either (a) I re-buy it all from "pono" in HD which looks like I will spend a fortune, or (b) I have to track everyone and everything down again and re-rip it. Only to have to buy 20 or 30 microSD cards to store it all.
pfffffffftttttttttttttttttt........
as much as I can't stand apple and their products, I don't see this as a remotely viable alternative. Good luck Neil.
I agree completely. If this was anyone other than Neil young everyone here would be yelling SELLOUT. Shame on him for "begging" for money to start this up when he clearly has the funds himself.
Alright... I'm gonna say this, cause it's been bugging me thinking about this...
I read through the first 3 pages of this thread, before jumping ahead to page 7 to make this comment, so apologies to anyone who's hashed this already...
Why the fuck are these people asking for money to "kickstart" this project?
When you've got the names behind it that you list on the website - if y'all support it so much pony up your own $800,000 to "kickstart" the project. Asking for a virtual handout instead is fucking bullshit. Many of the names "promoting" neil's player could easily have funded the entire project on their own without the need to ask for a handout...
I get that this is really just a "presale" for the most part - However, if that's how you're going to run things, why use kickstarter? Just conduct a GD presale through your website. Take some risk, don't ask everyone who buys your player to take the risk of it failing for you.
To me, kickstarter is nothing more than this:
without me having to physically having to look at you beg.
I am not supporting any business that basically attempts to pass their risk onto the consumer prior to opening the doors for business. Period.
There's a reason you're on kickstarter: (a) because you don't believe in the project enough to risk your own assets to support it, or (b) because educated investment bankers have gone through your business model and product and don't think there's enough demand to support your project. Either way, I have no interest in taking the risk for you.
Apart from the kickstarter thing annoying me, as a professed audiophile who is actually on the market for a new portable music system, I've got 2 major gripes that make this pointless for me to consider as an option:
(1) storage. Even if I had all of my music in a HD format, this device has no where near a suitable storage level. one of the most appealing things about apple's products is they have enough storage to contain my entire collection (almost 85 gigs at 256 hz). I can listen to whatever i want, wherevere I want, without having to cart around anything but the player. Clearly not going to happen here with current storage limitations.
(2) existing library. What's the benefit in buying this when it has taken me 10 years to accumulate all the music I have, all of it carefully ripped from mine and friends actual physical media (I actually don't buy digital media whenever I have the option to get a physical form instead).. Either (a) I re-buy it all from "pono" in HD which looks like I will spend a fortune, or (b) I have to track everyone and everything down again and re-rip it. Only to have to buy 20 or 30 microSD cards to store it all.
pfffffffftttttttttttttttttt........
as much as I can't stand apple and their products, I don't see this as a remotely viable alternative. Good luck Neil.
I disagree, bro.
I don't have much time so can't really write much. However, is it a little weird for such wealthy people to have a kickstarter campaign? Yes, but I don't see this as begging for cash. It's a marketing device and they're offering the product at a discount for 34 days. That's really all it is and that is very different from begging.
And to your other point about "educated investment bankers"...often those guys don't know cock about what the public wants or "needs". You bring up Apple and that's a perfect example. No one was predicting the success of the iPod when there were already a bunch of way more affordable mp3 players on the market. Everyone said the iPhone would fail and people laughed at the idea (and name) of the iPad. And fuck investment bankers, anyway. I would rather have people contribute who actually believed in my product and offer them a one-time "gift" in return than pay a cut to some cocksucking bank. That's what Kickstarter is all about. It's not about begging for funds for an inherently bad idea that no one else wants to back.
Also, your storage complaints are illogical. This thing comes with enough storage to carry almost double your existing collection (all 85GB) and the left over space could be filled with larger lossless files. You could also expand the memory with a bigger card. Something you can't do with any Apple player!
All that said, I do respect and fully support your molon labe sig.
Peace
+1 October kickstarter is great, maybe a little much for guys like this but for millions of people it can be the difference between doing what you love for a living or punching in 9 to 5 at some factory that doesn't give a shit about you.
You guys be crazy. $400+ on something that you don't know what it's gonna look like it but it's ok cos it says Pearl Jam on it?!!?
A serious case of people with more money than common sense!
No, it's a good investment. Much better than a Benaroya. That's the only reason I'm bummed I missed it. Because these will go for $1000 easily.
^^^
That actually made me laugh out loud.
Hard.
I don't think you understand the mindset of a good portion of this fanbase. These will be worth a lot more than what people just paid for them.
10/31/93 Berkeley (Baba!), 10/1/94 Bridge School, 9/16/96 Seattle (In My Tree!), 10/19/96 & 10/20/96 B. School (Alt Corduroy & Alt Porch!), 10/25/03 B. School, 6/1/03 Mtnview (Crazy Mary! You Are!), 11/29/13 Portland (All Those Yesterdays! Even Flow!), 10/25/14 Bridge School (Rain! Fuckin Up! TOTD!), 5/13/22 Oakland (W.M.A.! Immortality!)
I would have to think that trying to develop/create an ultra-quality mp3/flac player in the era of Smartphones is a pretty risky endevour. They probably no idea how well it might sell, and thus Kickstarter lets them take shot at making a new innovative music player without risking millions of their own dollars.
It seems to make sense to me. Would any of those "rich" guys think that investing millions on an mp3/flac player when the masses now use their smartphones to do so? Would they be willing to risk losing a big chunk of their assets if its a giant flop? Probably not.
I think Kickstarter (and crowdsourced funding) takes the risk out of the developers hands by funding in advance.
The only thing I've funded so far was the creation of the Web only TV show Tornado Chasers. I felt my $20 was worthwhile and I'm still impressed they can make that show on as little money they got on the kickstarter.
I'll stop ranting now, but kickstarter seems like a good idea to me. By taking the risk out for developers, you can see projects developed that might not have been due to the costs and risks involved. You flip up a kick starter. Set goal budget (goal) and see if there's interest to actually make the thing and get funded in advance.
Alright... I'm gonna say this, cause it's been bugging me thinking about this...
I read through the first 3 pages of this thread, before jumping ahead to page 7 to make this comment, so apologies to anyone who's hashed this already...
Why the fuck are these people asking for money to "kickstart" this project?
When you've got the names behind it that you list on the website - if y'all support it so much pony up your own $800,000 to "kickstart" the project. Asking for a virtual handout instead is fucking bullshit. Many of the names "promoting" neil's player could easily have funded the entire project on their own without the need to ask for a handout...
I get that this is really just a "presale" for the most part - However, if that's how you're going to run things, why use kickstarter? Just conduct a GD presale through your website. Take some risk, don't ask everyone who buys your player to take the risk of it failing for you.
To me, kickstarter is nothing more than this:
without me having to physically having to look at you beg.
I am not supporting any business that basically attempts to pass their risk onto the consumer prior to opening the doors for business. Period.
There's a reason you're on kickstarter: (a) because you don't believe in the project enough to risk your own assets to support it, or (b) because educated investment bankers have gone through your business model and product and don't think there's enough demand to support your project. Either way, I have no interest in taking the risk for you.
Apart from the kickstarter thing annoying me, as a professed audiophile who is actually on the market for a new portable music system, I've got 2 major gripes that make this pointless for me to consider as an option:
(1) storage. Even if I had all of my music in a HD format, this device has no where near a suitable storage level. one of the most appealing things about apple's products is they have enough storage to contain my entire collection (almost 85 gigs at 256 hz). I can listen to whatever i want, wherevere I want, without having to cart around anything but the player. Clearly not going to happen here with current storage limitations.
(2) existing library. What's the benefit in buying this when it has taken me 10 years to accumulate all the music I have, all of it carefully ripped from mine and friends actual physical media (I actually don't buy digital media whenever I have the option to get a physical form instead).. Either (a) I re-buy it all from "pono" in HD which looks like I will spend a fortune, or (b) I have to track everyone and everything down again and re-rip it. Only to have to buy 20 or 30 microSD cards to store it all.
pfffffffftttttttttttttttttt........
as much as I can't stand apple and their products, I don't see this as a remotely viable alternative. Good luck Neil.
I disagree, bro.
I don't have much time so can't really write much. However, is it a little weird for such wealthy people to have a kickstarter campaign? Yes, but I don't see this as begging for cash. It's a marketing device and they're offering the product at a discount for 34 days. That's really all it is and that is very different from begging.
And to your other point about "educated investment bankers"...often those guys don't know cock about what the public wants or "needs". You bring up Apple and that's a perfect example. No one was predicting the success of the iPod when there were already a bunch of way more affordable mp3 players on the market. Everyone said the iPhone would fail and people laughed at the idea (and name) of the iPad. And fuck investment bankers, anyway. I would rather have people contribute who actually believed in my product and offer them a one-time "gift" in return than pay a cut to some cocksucking bank. That's what Kickstarter is all about. It's not about begging for funds for an inherently bad idea that no one else wants to back.
Also, your storage complaints are illogical. This thing comes with enough storage to carry almost double your existing collection (all 85GB) and the left over space could be filled with larger lossless files. You could also expand the memory with a bigger card. Something you can't do with any Apple player!
All that said, I do respect and fully support your molon labe sig.
Peace
+1 October kickstarter is great, maybe a little much for guys like this but for millions of people it can be the difference between doing what you love for a living or punching in 9 to 5 at some factory that doesn't give a shit about you.
Neil young is not a factory worker. Kick starter is not for him.
Neil young is not a factory worker. Kick starter is not for him.
No but a few million dollars is still a lot of money to a rich guy. Would a rational person risk millions of dollars on trying to sell a high end portable music player to a population that is pretty content with listening to music on their smartphones? I doubt it.
If it was such a money making idea you would think he would of gotten backing from one of the big electronics companies. Mp3/Flac players have died right out thanks to smartphones. There's not many of us left that use them.
Even if I were rich I'd have a hard time dumping millions on a project that might not return the money. So if my only choice was to fund it myself, I'd probably decide it wasn't worth the risk, and not bother.
Project Update #2: Some answers to your questions! Posted by the PonoMusic Team Black heart (cards) Like
Hello backers!
We have gone through tons of your questions/comments/messages and have worked to respond to many of them. We came across a handful that address similar issues, so we wanted to share our answers here.
Also, keep in mind that a lot of your PonoMusic-related questions can be answered in our FAQ at the bottom of our campaign page. Kickstarter-related questions are addressed in their FAQ.
We hope this helps, and of course, thanks so so much for the support!
1. What headphones do you recommend? The audio experience is excellent with any decent headphones or earbuds from many of the well-respected brands. We've used products ranging from $80 up with top results. At our press demo yesterday, Ayre used Sennheiser Momentum headphones that retail for $300. We've also gotten amazing results using Audeze headphones, Etymotic in-ears, and many others. To those asking why we didn't bundle headphones, it's because many already own a pair and we wanted to offer the PonoPlayer at the best price possible. That said, we will be providing more recommendations and offering several models for sale when we launch our online store after the Kickstarter campaign.
2. Can I use the PonoPlayer with Linux? There will be desktop software for Mac and PC computers for managing and adding your content to the player like iTunes, but there are no plans for an app for Linux. You will likely be able to add songs to the MicroSD card, which will appear on your Linux computer as an external drive.
3. Can I change/increase my order? Yes, you can. Visit the project page and click “Manage Your Pledge.” Enter a new amount in the pledge amount box. Note that you are not adding to your existing pledge; the amount you enter will be the total amount collected. Also, increasing the amount of a pledge doesn't automatically change the reward you receive. If you would like a higher tier reward, you would need to select that reward when increasing the pledge. If you want to double-check that your pledge and reward selections are accurate, you can always refer to the Backer History: https://www.kickstarter.com/profile/backings
4. Can you make special shipping arrangements (make as gift to avoid duty, avoid VAT taxes, etc.)? Unfortunately, no.
5. How do I cancel my order? If you must cancel, visit the project page and click “Manage Your Pledge.” At the bottom of the next page you’ll see the “Cancel Pledge” button.
6. Can you offer more players with Neil's autograph? Because the Artist Signature Series is limited edition, we cannot offer more of this specific category since it is sold out. But do check out all the other excellent artists in the series! More to come...
7. Will Pono support DSD playback? No plans on this first release. We are focused specifically on PCM at this time because it has broad acceptance, and when done properly, still offers the best sonic solution. While DSD is also a great format, it simply doesn’t have broad enough acceptance by consumers, studios, or labels.
8. Will there be a Pono Mac app to play the FLAC files I purchase on PonoMusic? Yes. I would suggest using a simple file converter application such as this … http://sbooth.org/Max/
9. Does the PonoPlayer use Bluetooth? No Bluetooth. Audio over Bluetooth is not suitable for high resolution.
10. Any DRM limits on PonoMusic? None.
11. Can I use the player with my car's USB port and see the songs on my car's display? No. You can use the player as an auxiliary source and plug it into the car's input connector.
12. Where will the PonoMusic Store be available? The PonoMusic.com Store will launch in the US, UK, and Canada. We plan to grow and expand from there.
13. I would love to be an artist featured in the PonoMusic.com Store! How can I? Awesome! Please send an email to artists@ponomusic.com.
14. Do you have any plans to make any more $200 Early Bird players available? Unfortunately, no. That is the nature of the Early Bird option! We encourage you to consider the yellow and black players, which are still discounted. Plus stay tuned for more Artist Signature Series players.
15. I just bought a PonoPlayer but would love to also get a T-shirt! How can I? Kickstarter only allows for one reward per donor. I'd recommend using another credit card. Thanks for your support!
You guys be crazy. $400+ on something that you don't know what it's gonna look like it but it's ok cos it says Pearl Jam on it?!!?
A serious case of people with more money than common sense!
No, it's a good investment. Much better than a Benaroya. That's the only reason I'm bummed I missed it. Because these will go for $1000 easily.
^^^
That actually made me laugh out loud.
Hard.
I don't think you understand the mindset of a good portion of this fanbase. These will be worth a lot more than what people just paid for them.
If you believe a good portion of this fan base will pay $1,000 for this device then I would argue your imagination has gotten the best of you.
And for the record, the Benaroya Hall LP has shown a significant ROI whereas this device has shown none to date so your argument is moot.
To quote the 10C from Newsletter #8: "Please understand we have a lot of members and it is very hard to please everybody. If you are one of those unhappy people...please call 1-900-IDN-TCAR."
"Me knowing the truth, I can not concur."
1996: Toronto - 1998: Chicago, Montreal, Barrie - 2000: Montreal, Toronto - 2002: Seattle X2 (Key Arena) - 2003: Cleveland, Buffalo, Toronto, Montreal, Seattle (Benaroya Hall) - 2004: Reading, Toledo, Grand Rapids - 2005: Kitchener, London, Hamilton, Montreal, Ottawa, Toronto, Quebec City - 2006: Toronto X2, Albany, Hartford, Grand Rapids, Cleveland - 2007: Chicago (Vic Theatre) - 2008: NYC X2, Hartford, Mansfield X2 - 2009: Toronto, Chicago X2, Seattle X2, Philadelphia X4 - 2010: Columbus, Noblesville, Cleveland, Buffalo, Hartford - 2011: Montreal, Toronto X2, Ottawa, Hamilton - 2012: Missoula - 2013: London, Chicago, Buffalo, Hartford - 2014: Detroit, Moline - 2015: NYC (Global Citizen Festival) - 2016: Greenville, Toronto X2, Chicago 1 - 2017: Brooklyn (RRHOF Induction) - 2018: Chicago 1, Boston 1 - 2022: Fresno, Ottawa, Hamilton, Toronto, NYC, Camden - 2023: St. Paul X2, Austin X2 - 2024: Vancouver X2, Portland, Sacramento, Noblesville, Philadelphia X2, Baltimore
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RD101189
A distant time, a distant space Posts: 454
I wonder how many of the 500 were bought with the intention of flipping them. :-?
09/08/1992 - Phoenix, AZ 07/08/1998 - Phoenix, AZ 10/21/2000 - Phoenix, AZ 11/19/2013 - Phoenix, AZ 10/22/2014 - Denver, CO 05/09/2022 - Phoenix, AZ 09/22/2022 - Denver, CO
I agree- I don't normally like Kickstarter- But I did get the Neil Young signed poster- (I'm getting something I always wanted for my money) I feel like this particular Kickstarter was to generate interest in the product- And I really hope this product succeeds.
Oh Neil.....so right now on the home page of neilyoung.com is an article regarding how bad the pollution in china is...and then there is this from the kickstarter page "The PonoPlayer will be built by PCH International (Cork, Ireland and San Francisco), with its production facilities in Shenzhen, China. "
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I would have liked to pick one up to use, but considering it is new tech and all the bugs that may come with it, I can wait to see how it works and if it is still there in a year or so.
Or if an improved model is out 6 months later- just like Apple does to their customers
Last: SEA2 08/10/2018
Next: ??
http://expressobeans.com/members/collections.php?id=29417
“I think you won, but I enjoyed the fight” - EV
DEGENERATE FUK
This place is dead
"THERE ARE NO CLIQUES, ONLY THOSE WHO DON'T JOIN THE FUN" - Empty circa 2015
"Kfsbho&$thncds" - F Me In the Brain - circa 2015
I support anything that this genius dreams up - be it "unusual" music like the 'Trans' album (which is still one of my favorites) or new technology to better the world.
I also have to be practical with my limited resources.
So I opted for the HAND-SIGNED Neil concert poster for a hundred bucks.
Helps Neil with his latest dream and really is, IMO, the only guaranteed collectible from this project.
I wish Neil and PONO the best of success!!!
07/08/1998 - Phoenix, AZ
10/21/2000 - Phoenix, AZ
11/19/2013 - Phoenix, AZ
10/22/2014 - Denver, CO
05/09/2022 - Phoenix, AZ
09/22/2022 - Denver, CO
Neil deGrasse Tyson
Why not (V) (°,,,,°) (V) ?
PS Kickstarter projects are notorious for being late on goodie delivery, so just be prepared.
I read through the first 3 pages of this thread, before jumping ahead to page 7 to make this comment, so apologies to anyone who's hashed this already...
Why the fuck are these people asking for money to "kickstart" this project?
When you've got the names behind it that you list on the website - if y'all support it so much pony up your own $800,000 to "kickstart" the project. Asking for a virtual handout instead is fucking bullshit. Many of the names "promoting" neil's player could easily have funded the entire project on their own without the need to ask for a handout...
I get that this is really just a "presale" for the most part - However, if that's how you're going to run things, why use kickstarter? Just conduct a GD presale through your website. Take some risk, don't ask everyone who buys your player to take the risk of it failing for you.
To me, kickstarter is nothing more than this:
without me having to physically having to look at you beg.
I am not supporting any business that basically attempts to pass their risk onto the consumer prior to opening the doors for business. Period.
There's a reason you're on kickstarter: (a) because you don't believe in the project enough to risk your own assets to support it, or (b) because educated investment bankers have gone through your business model and product and don't think there's enough demand to support your project. Either way, I have no interest in taking the risk for you.
Apart from the kickstarter thing annoying me, as a professed audiophile who is actually on the market for a new portable music system, I've got 2 major gripes that make this pointless for me to consider as an option:
(1) storage. Even if I had all of my music in a HD format, this device has no where near a suitable storage level. one of the most appealing things about apple's products is they have enough storage to contain my entire collection (almost 85 gigs at 256 hz). I can listen to whatever i want, wherevere I want, without having to cart around anything but the player. Clearly not going to happen here with current storage limitations.
(2) existing library. What's the benefit in buying this when it has taken me 10 years to accumulate all the music I have, all of it carefully ripped from mine and friends actual physical media (I actually don't buy digital media whenever I have the option to get a physical form instead).. Either (a) I re-buy it all from "pono" in HD which looks like I will spend a fortune, or (b) I have to track everyone and everything down again and re-rip it. Only to have to buy 20 or 30 microSD cards to store it all.
pfffffffftttttttttttttttttt........
as much as I can't stand apple and their products, I don't see this as a remotely viable alternative. Good luck Neil.
your collection on PJ collectors...radtastic
I don't have much time so can't really write much. However, is it a little weird for such wealthy people to have a kickstarter campaign? Yes, but I don't see this as begging for cash. It's a marketing device and they're offering the product at a discount for 34 days. That's really all it is and that is very different from begging.
And to your other point about "educated investment bankers"...often those guys don't know cock about what the public wants or "needs". You bring up Apple and that's a perfect example. No one was predicting the success of the iPod when there were already a bunch of way more affordable mp3 players on the market. Everyone said the iPhone would fail and people laughed at the idea (and name) of the iPad. And fuck investment bankers, anyway. I would rather have people contribute who actually believed in my product and offer them a one-time "gift" in return than pay a cut to some cocksucking bank. That's what Kickstarter is all about. It's not about begging for funds for an inherently bad idea that no one else wants to back.
Also, your storage complaints are illogical. This thing comes with enough storage to carry almost double your existing collection (all 85GB) and the left over space could be filled with larger lossless files. You could also expand the memory with a bigger card. Something you can't do with any Apple player!
All that said, I do respect and fully support your molon labe sig.
Peace
I would have to think that trying to develop/create an ultra-quality mp3/flac player in the era of Smartphones is a pretty risky endevour. They probably no idea how well it might sell, and thus Kickstarter lets them take shot at making a new innovative music player without risking millions of their own dollars.
It seems to make sense to me. Would any of those "rich" guys think that investing millions on an mp3/flac player when the masses now use their smartphones to do so? Would they be willing to risk losing a big chunk of their assets if its a giant flop? Probably not.
I think Kickstarter (and crowdsourced funding) takes the risk out of the developers hands by funding in advance.
The only thing I've funded so far was the creation of the Web only TV show Tornado Chasers. I felt my $20 was worthwhile and I'm still impressed they can make that show on as little money they got on the kickstarter.
I'll stop ranting now, but kickstarter seems like a good idea to me. By taking the risk out for developers, you can see projects developed that might not have been due to the costs and risks involved. You flip up a kick starter. Set goal budget (goal) and see if there's interest to actually make the thing and get funded in advance.
I think it's cool, but maybe that's just me.
If it was such a money making idea you would think he would of gotten backing from one of the big electronics companies. Mp3/Flac players have died right out thanks to smartphones. There's not many of us left that use them.
Even if I were rich I'd have a hard time dumping millions on a project that might not return the money. So if my only choice was to fund it myself, I'd probably decide it wasn't worth the risk, and not bother.
Lower the risk of investment.
Free marketing.
Establish a price point.
Follows more of the DIY motto
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12 - DeLuna Fest, EV Orlando 1 & 2, EV Ft Lauderdale 1 & 2
13 - Wrigley!!! ,Brooklyn 1 & 2, Hartford, OKC, Seattle
14 - Leeds, Milton Keynes, St Louis
16 - Ft Lauderdale, Miami, Tampa, Jacksonville, Wrigley 1 & 2
Posted by the PonoMusic Team Black heart (cards) Like
Hello backers!
We have gone through tons of your questions/comments/messages and have worked to respond to many of them. We came across a handful that address similar issues, so we wanted to share our answers here.
Also, keep in mind that a lot of your PonoMusic-related questions can be answered in our FAQ at the bottom of our campaign page. Kickstarter-related questions are addressed in their FAQ.
We hope this helps, and of course, thanks so so much for the support!
1. What headphones do you recommend? The audio experience is excellent with any decent headphones or earbuds from many of the well-respected brands. We've used products ranging from $80 up with top results. At our press demo yesterday, Ayre used Sennheiser Momentum headphones that retail for $300. We've also gotten amazing results using Audeze headphones, Etymotic in-ears, and many others. To those asking why we didn't bundle headphones, it's because many already own a pair and we wanted to offer the PonoPlayer at the best price possible. That said, we will be providing more recommendations and offering several models for sale when we launch our online store after the Kickstarter campaign.
2. Can I use the PonoPlayer with Linux? There will be desktop software for Mac and PC computers for managing and adding your content to the player like iTunes, but there are no plans for an app for Linux. You will likely be able to add songs to the MicroSD card, which will appear on your Linux computer as an external drive.
3. Can I change/increase my order? Yes, you can. Visit the project page and click “Manage Your Pledge.” Enter a new amount in the pledge amount box. Note that you are not adding to your existing pledge; the amount you enter will be the total amount collected. Also, increasing the amount of a pledge doesn't automatically change the reward you receive. If you would like a higher tier reward, you would need to select that reward when increasing the pledge. If you want to double-check that your pledge and reward selections are accurate, you can always refer to the Backer History: https://www.kickstarter.com/profile/backings
4. Can you make special shipping arrangements (make as gift to avoid duty, avoid VAT taxes, etc.)? Unfortunately, no.
5. How do I cancel my order? If you must cancel, visit the project page and click “Manage Your Pledge.” At the bottom of the next page you’ll see the “Cancel Pledge” button.
6. Can you offer more players with Neil's autograph? Because the Artist Signature Series is limited edition, we cannot offer more of this specific category since it is sold out. But do check out all the other excellent artists in the series! More to come...
7. Will Pono support DSD playback? No plans on this first release. We are focused specifically on PCM at this time because it has broad acceptance, and when done properly, still offers the best sonic solution. While DSD is also a great format, it simply doesn’t have broad enough acceptance by consumers, studios, or labels.
8. Will there be a Pono Mac app to play the FLAC files I purchase on PonoMusic? Yes. I would suggest using a simple file converter application such as this … http://sbooth.org/Max/
9. Does the PonoPlayer use Bluetooth? No Bluetooth. Audio over Bluetooth is not suitable for high resolution.
10. Any DRM limits on PonoMusic? None.
11. Can I use the player with my car's USB port and see the songs on my car's display? No. You can use the player as an auxiliary source and plug it into the car's input connector.
12. Where will the PonoMusic Store be available? The PonoMusic.com Store will launch in the US, UK, and Canada. We plan to grow and expand from there.
13. I would love to be an artist featured in the PonoMusic.com Store! How can I? Awesome! Please send an email to artists@ponomusic.com.
14. Do you have any plans to make any more $200 Early Bird players available? Unfortunately, no. That is the nature of the Early Bird option! We encourage you to consider the yellow and black players, which are still discounted. Plus stay tuned for more Artist Signature Series players.
15. I just bought a PonoPlayer but would love to also get a T-shirt! How can I? Kickstarter only allows for one reward per donor. I'd recommend using another credit card. Thanks for your support!
And for the record, the Benaroya Hall LP has shown a significant ROI whereas this device has shown none to date so your argument is moot.
"Me knowing the truth, I can not concur."
1996: Toronto - 1998: Chicago, Montreal, Barrie - 2000: Montreal, Toronto - 2002: Seattle X2 (Key Arena) - 2003: Cleveland, Buffalo, Toronto, Montreal, Seattle (Benaroya Hall) - 2004: Reading, Toledo, Grand Rapids - 2005: Kitchener, London, Hamilton, Montreal, Ottawa, Toronto, Quebec City - 2006: Toronto X2, Albany, Hartford, Grand Rapids, Cleveland - 2007: Chicago (Vic Theatre) - 2008: NYC X2, Hartford, Mansfield X2 - 2009: Toronto, Chicago X2, Seattle X2, Philadelphia X4 - 2010: Columbus, Noblesville, Cleveland, Buffalo, Hartford - 2011: Montreal, Toronto X2, Ottawa, Hamilton - 2012: Missoula - 2013: London, Chicago, Buffalo, Hartford - 2014: Detroit, Moline - 2015: NYC (Global Citizen Festival) - 2016: Greenville, Toronto X2, Chicago 1 - 2017: Brooklyn (RRHOF Induction) - 2018: Chicago 1, Boston 1 - 2022: Fresno, Ottawa, Hamilton, Toronto, NYC, Camden - 2023: St. Paul X2, Austin X2 - 2024: Vancouver X2, Portland, Sacramento, Noblesville, Philadelphia X2, Baltimore
07/08/1998 - Phoenix, AZ
10/21/2000 - Phoenix, AZ
11/19/2013 - Phoenix, AZ
10/22/2014 - Denver, CO
05/09/2022 - Phoenix, AZ
09/22/2022 - Denver, CO
I don't normally like Kickstarter-
But I did get the Neil Young signed poster-
(I'm getting something I always wanted for my money)
I feel like this particular Kickstarter was to generate interest in the product-
And I really hope this product succeeds.
DEGENERATE FUK
This place is dead
"THERE ARE NO CLIQUES, ONLY THOSE WHO DON'T JOIN THE FUN" - Empty circa 2015
"Kfsbho&$thncds" - F Me In the Brain - circa 2015
Really Neil?