4 ms·

Haven't heard anyone or news mention the fact Young tried to start his own music service a while back. And that his catalogue was a selling point. https://en.w

Haven't heard anyone or news mention the fact Young tried to start his own music service a while back. And that his catalogue was a selling point. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pono_(digital_music_service) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pono_(digital_music_service)

AaronNewcomer 5y ago
Discontinued April 2017 Must not've been that great of a selling point
- major505 5y ago
  It was expensive compared to spotify and the file sizes where way larger, since the files where in loseless format, something that is very niche, since most people cant tell the diference beetween a good quality mp3 and other formats.
  - the_biot 5y ago
    It went a little further than that. IIRC it was specifically higher quality than the human ear could possibly hear. Young's response to this rational, science-based criticism was just pathetic; actual fact-based reasoning had no chance against his ego. Excuse me if this latest drama of his makes me roll my eyes.
    - major505 5y ago
      Let's not forget the hiper expensive player that came together, the Pono. How the Hell was you suposed to put that thing in your pocket with that triangular shape?
classichasclass 5y ago
Oh, golly, the Pono. That's $400 I won't get back, so don't get me started. Oh, wait. http://tenfourfox.blogspot.com/2015/01/and-now-for-something-completely.html http://tenfourfox.blogspot.com/2015/01/and-now-for-something...
- Jerry2 5y ago
  Heh, I had one of those players as well. A coworker of mine purchased it, didn't use it often and when he decided to use it for biking, it stopped working. In the meantime the company went out of business and he couldn't even get it serviced. So he gave it to me. I did manage to fix it after waiting for spare parts for many weeks. The reason why it looks like a Toblerone bar is because they decided to use through-hole electrolytic capacitors (because audiophile reasons) and the battery was round too (an 18650 IIRC): http://mikebeauchamp.com/wp-content/gallery/pono-teardown/cache/IMG_0735-nggid041505-ngg0dyn-640x480x100-00f0w010c010r110f110r010t010.JPG http://mikebeauchamp.com/wp-content/gallery/pono-teardown/ca... The triangular shape and inability to carry it comfortably in jeans pants pockets doomed it from day one. I'm amazed something like this passed the design stage. And first encounter with user testing would have made it crystal clear that the shape was a no-go. Yet it not only got funded but was also mass-produced. It was a massive waste of money.
  - classichasclass 5y ago
    I mean, it plays, and the audio quality was good (doubtful it was due to the reasons they claim, but it was good). But I hated the screen and you're right, the form factor would have never passed a focus group that tried to actually use it.
ChrisArchitect 5y ago
Yeah, that's all I immediately think of when I think of Neil Young. Griping about mp3 quality and nonsense no average listener cared about. He's probably very pleased to be off some streaming mumbojumbo site he already hates, and got to put out some positive PR about his 'principles' at the same time. Whatever. Anyone who cares about his music either owns hard copies or finds it on other things like youtube heh
dehrmann 5y ago
Funny to see the man who tried to sell a high-definition audio snakeoil music player deciding to suddenly listen to scientists.
no_butterscotch 5y ago
I wonder if the Pono was the inspiration for the pyramid from the Office: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yZBVnjXp7GQ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yZBVnjXp7GQ.
- saalweachter 5y ago
  The Pyramid predates the Pono by half a decade.

AaronNewcomer 5y ago

Discontinued April 2017 Must not've been that great of a selling point

major505 5y ago
It was expensive compared to spotify and the file sizes where way larger, since the files where in loseless format, something that is very niche, since most people cant tell the diference beetween a good quality mp3 and other formats.
- the_biot 5y ago
  It went a little further than that. IIRC it was specifically higher quality than the human ear could possibly hear. Young's response to this rational, science-based criticism was just pathetic; actual fact-based reasoning had no chance against his ego. Excuse me if this latest drama of his makes me roll my eyes.
  - major505 5y ago
    Let's not forget the hiper expensive player that came together, the Pono. How the Hell was you suposed to put that thing in your pocket with that triangular shape?

classichasclass 5y ago

Oh, golly, the Pono. That's $400 I won't get back, so don't get me started. Oh, wait. http://tenfourfox.blogspot.com/2015/01/and-now-for-something-completely.html http://tenfourfox.blogspot.com/2015/01/and-now-for-something...

Jerry2 5y ago
Heh, I had one of those players as well. A coworker of mine purchased it, didn't use it often and when he decided to use it for biking, it stopped working. In the meantime the company went out of business and he couldn't even get it serviced. So he gave it to me. I did manage to fix it after waiting for spare parts for many weeks. The reason why it looks like a Toblerone bar is because they decided to use through-hole electrolytic capacitors (because audiophile reasons) and the battery was round too (an 18650 IIRC): http://mikebeauchamp.com/wp-content/gallery/pono-teardown/cache/IMG_0735-nggid041505-ngg0dyn-640x480x100-00f0w010c010r110f110r010t010.JPG http://mikebeauchamp.com/wp-content/gallery/pono-teardown/ca... The triangular shape and inability to carry it comfortably in jeans pants pockets doomed it from day one. I'm amazed something like this passed the design stage. And first encounter with user testing would have made it crystal clear that the shape was a no-go. Yet it not only got funded but was also mass-produced. It was a massive waste of money.
- classichasclass 5y ago
  I mean, it plays, and the audio quality was good (doubtful it was due to the reasons they claim, but it was good). But I hated the screen and you're right, the form factor would have never passed a focus group that tried to actually use it.

ChrisArchitect 5y ago

Yeah, that's all I immediately think of when I think of Neil Young. Griping about mp3 quality and nonsense no average listener cared about. He's probably very pleased to be off some streaming mumbojumbo site he already hates, and got to put out some positive PR about his 'principles' at the same time. Whatever. Anyone who cares about his music either owns hard copies or finds it on other things like youtube heh

dehrmann 5y ago

Funny to see the man who tried to sell a high-definition audio snakeoil music player deciding to suddenly listen to scientists.

no_butterscotch 5y ago

I wonder if the Pono was the inspiration for the pyramid from the Office: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yZBVnjXp7GQ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yZBVnjXp7GQ.

saalweachter 5y ago
The Pyramid predates the Pono by half a decade.