Should Jimmy help his friend Neil Young launch PONO!?

[parrotheadla]

Pono is a new High Definition music service and player being launched by Jimmy’s friend Neil. The purpose is to bring back the original sound the way the artist recorded it. Neil is launching this via Kick Starter and he has a Signature Series player available for $400 with two albums pre-loaded by the Signature Artist and a handmade leather case. Signature Artists Pono’s (limited to 500 units/artist) that have helped so far are Crosby, Stills, Nash, Tom Petty, James Taylor, Jackson Browne, Dave Matthews and more.

Let Jimmy know if you think Jimmy’s music should be available in high definition and if he should be part of the signature series for the initial launch. If so what two albums would everyone want on the pre-loaded signature limited edition PONO? This is a tough one; my vote would be A1A and Changes.

Maybe if enough chime in Jimmy will be on PONO!

(you can find the kick starter link at http://www.ponomusic.com )

[Tiki Torches]

Maybe if Buffett actually put some emphasis on high fidelity, namely by reissuing expanded, remastered versions of his albums there might be some sort of connection there. He did release Songs From St. Somewhere on vinyl but that was just a drop in the bucket and was most likely just his way of jumping on the resurgence of vinyl bandwagon. Perhaps if he could emblazon the Pono with his Margaritaville logo he would show some interest. Otherwise, I seriously doubt it's even a blip on his radar. If I can use reaction here as a gauge, there also doesn't seem to be much interest among the Buffett fanbase for higher sound quality. Any mention in the past about the possibility of remasters of his albums was brushed aside as inconsequential. Not by everyone, mind you but by the majority. Unfortunately, that seems to go for the general public as well. I sincerely hope Neil's Pono campaign is successful but with the majority of the music consuming public being perfectly content with the inferior sound quality of mp3's, I have a feeling it's going to fall largely on deaf ears, literally.

[Rabbitz]

OK, I gotta start reading things more closely.

I read the title as:

Should Jimmy help his friend Neil Young launch PORNO!?

I thought that that might have been why he was selling off the Margaritaville restaurant chain....

[sistergoldenhair]

OK, I gotta start reading things more closely.

I read the title as:

Should Jimmy help his friend Neil Young launch PORNO!?

I thought that that might have been why he was selling off the Margaritaville restaurant chain....

Did you say Jimmy and Neil are making a porno?

[Tiki Torches]

Pretty much the response I expected this to receive at BN. You folks never disappoint.

[jbfinscj]

OK, I gotta start reading things more closely.

I read the title as:

Should Jimmy help his friend Neil Young launch PORNO!?

I thought that that might have been why he was selling off the Margaritaville restaurant chain....

Did you say Jimmy and Neil are making a porno?

Well it is a market the Margaritaville brand hasn't reached out to yet.

[spark26981]

$400 for a FLAC player? Pass.

You can get a comparable player from Sansa for about $60...

[Bicycle Bill]

Pretty much the response I expected this to receive at BN. You folks never disappoint.

You know, every time I read one of Tiki's posts I get the distinct feeling that he is saying "See how much I know about other music and artists?  I am the only person worthy to post here about those subjects, and my opinions are the only ones that matter.  The rest of you are just a bunch of kool-aid drinking poseurs."

Maybe not in so many words, but his sense of superiority and smugness is figuratively dripping from every word in the above post.

-"BB"-

[melon]

^^^^ I totally agree, my question is why do you think tiki continues to post here when all we do is high five each other and have our heads up JB's a$$? Just saying.

[Tiki Torches]

Pretty much the response I expected this to receive at BN. You folks never disappoint.

You know, every time I read one of Tiki's posts I get the distinct feeling that he is saying "See how much I know about other music and artists?  I am the only person worthy to post here about those subjects, and my opinions are the only ones that matter.  The rest of you are just a bunch of kool-aid drinking poseurs."

Maybe not in so many words, but his sense of superiority and smugness is figuratively dripping from every word in the above post.

The first response to this from a BN'er other than myself was a smart a$$ reply and another followed in quick succession. Since posting on this board beginning around 2001 I feel like I've got a pretty good idea of others' interests in items such as the Pono which is geared towards those that want the best fidelity in a portable player. Discussions in the past about the remastering of Buffett's back catalog were quickly shot down by the vast majority (even though I have a sneaking suspicion that if he were ever to release expanded remastered versions of his albums, nearly everyone here would be first in line for them). I've noticed very similar reactions when discussions here turned to vinyl/analog vs. digital so my reply had nothing whatsoever to do with "superiority" or "smugness". However, it had everything to do with the responses I've seen to similar discussions here in the past.

So, how many here actually are interested in high fidelity formats such as high res digital files or products such as the Pono? I'm no audiophile myself but as some article I read a few years ago suggested, the advent of mp3's have made just about everyone audiophiles. That is, if they are concerned at all about high quality sound. The popularity of downloading indicates the general public really doesn't care, which is one factor that will make the Pono a hard sell. There's no "superiority" or "smugness" in that statement either, it's simply a hard, cold fact.

[2muchcoffeeman]

Pono is a new High Definition music service and player being launched by Jimmy’s friend Neil. The purpose is to bring back the original sound the way the artist recorded it. Neil is launching this via Kick Starter and he has a Signature Series player available for $400 with two albums pre-loaded by the Signature Artist and a handmade leather case. Signature Artists Pono’s (limited to 500 units/artist) that have helped so far are Crosby, Stills, Nash, Tom Petty, James Taylor, Jackson Browne, Dave Matthews and more.

Let Jimmy know if you think Jimmy’s music should be available in high definition and if he should be part of the signature series for the initial launch. If so what two albums would everyone want on the pre-loaded signature limited edition PONO? This is a tough one; my vote would be A1A and Changes.

Maybe if enough chime in Jimmy will be on PONO!

(you can find the kick starter link at http://www.ponomusic.com )

Meh. Given what I use a portable music player for (it's portable for a reason, and I don't have a high-dollar, acoustically tuned mancave or $300 headphones to listen with while smoking an authentic Cuban cigar — I'm usually walking or on my bicycle, using a Bluetooth stereo headset), I'd rather spend my money elsewhere.

Blocky form factor's not the best, either. Tough to just slide it in a pants pocket and go.

Neil's trying to answer a question that nobody asked — and probably won't, given the continuing market direction away from single-purpose digital audio players and toward smartphones that play music.

He has been a grouchy old grump for a long time now, too. I imagine the little kids in his neighborhood are tired of him yelling at them to get off his perfectly manicured, high-fidelity lawn.

[FinsUp6835]

I agree...

Tiki does come off as smug most of the time. He is also bit of a Debbie downer-sorry it's true. To be honest, I can't even finish reading some of your posts because they are so biased. We get it dude, you don't like present day JB or his current focus on business. Then why do you check a fandom site 20 times a day? You condemn the Parrotheads but just watch the 60 minutes interview and Live By The Bay - jimmy will tell you, "get a life."

[Tiki Torches]

We get it dude, you don't like present day JB or his current focus on business.

Another one with their head in the sand that conveniently overlooks the many positive, uplifting posts I've made here over the years and continue to make. Also, you left out the part about how I've posted several times about how I like the new record. Of course, it wouldn't suit your agenda if you were to actually acknowledge that. As for Buffett's priorities shifting away from music and almost solely towards business, there's nothing "current" about that. Nor am I the only one that's noted it.

You condemn the Parrotheads but just watch the 60 minutes interview and Live By The Bay - jimmy will tell you, "get a life."

That comment was directed at Parrotheads who Buffett likened to Trekkies in that sketch. Oh, and I've never once condemned Parrotheads. Have I said I don't consider myself one? Most certainly. Maybe you're confused about some of the posts I've made where I addressed the public's opinion of Parrotheads.

Your thoughts on Neil Young's Pono?

[Planosmith1]

We get it dude, you don't like present day JB or his current focus on business.

Your thoughts on Neil Young's Pono?

It's interesting...I went and read about it and listened to some of the reviews. I guess I'll have to wait and go listen and see it for myself, I would be very leary of jumping into it before I really got to hear the difference (I'm no great audiophile). Of course I can remember the day when some folks wondered about whether we would notice the difference between our old tube tv's and high def...and we know how that turned out (can't stand to watch an old tube tv now days). Of course the other questions is who, and how many other artists will join the bandwagon. I think the selection will need to be all encompassing for it to succeed...I hope it does.

[Rabbitz]

Pretty much the response I expected this to receive at BN. You folks never disappoint.

Do you have more than one penis?

Because I doubt you could be such a monumental wanker tugging on just one.

[melon]

^^^^ LMAO

[lime rickie]

Pretty much the response I expected this to receive at BN. You folks never disappoint.

Do you have more than one penis?

Because I doubt you could be such a monumental wanker tugging on just one.

[Tiki Torches]

Pretty much the response I expected this to receive at BN. You folks never disappoint.

Do you have more than one penis?

Because I doubt you could be such a monumental wanker tugging on just one.

Take a gander at some of the previous posts. Surprise, surprise, some kind souls have actually taken the time to weigh in with their thoughts on the Pono.

[SMLCHNG]

Ahem. Please - no more of the personal comments.

[sonofabeach]

I consider myself a bit of an audiophile but I can't tell the difference between an mp3 ripped at 320 and a store-bought cd.
I rip some mp3s at 192 to make more room on my flash drive, mp3 player and cds. Even then, I can't tell a difference.
Lower than that though, and it starts to sound tinny or hissy imo.
PONO sounds like a waste of $$$ for something that you probably won't be able to tell much of a difference.