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PonoMusic World Update Version 20.0.72 & 20.0.75
March 08, 2015

PonoMusic World Updates

PonoMusic World Update Version 20.0.72 & 20.0.75
***ALERT: PonoMusic World can be updated within the application. From the top menu bar select Help>Update Channels and select Stable(recommended). Then return to Help>Update Channels and select Check for Updates. The update info will appear on the side. When you click the Install button, the application will close, and the update file will extract and install. PonoMusic World will re-launch when complete. ***

Visit our Support page for video tutorials on using PonoMusic World.
Quick Start Tutorials

PonoMusic World Version 20.0.72 & 20.0.75 Release Notes:

Feature Enhancements & Bug Fixes

Added DSF and DFF to supported file types for PonoPlayer.

• Adds default DSD file support for transferring files to the PonoPlayer

PMW now downloads firmware to computer and then copies to device rather than direct download to device

• PonoPlayer firmware updates will download to the computer’s temporary file folder, copy to the PonoPlayer internal drive, and will then be deleted from the computer
• This process prevents partial update files from being downloaded onto the PonoPlayer, causing failed updates

When 'Eject' is selected for a PonoPlayer containing a microSD card, both internal and external storage will be ejected at the same time

• To prevent confusion both drives eject when Eject is clicked

General Improvements

• PMW no longer creates download music folder names with the "&" sequence, but simply uses "&"

• Improvements to the CD ripping functions
  • An error dialog will now appear for any failed CD reads
• Auto-import was sometimes importing image and 'data' files which aren't supported in PMW

• Improve slow performance on computers with an old diskette drive and/or several remote network drives (Windows Version 20.0.72)
• PonoPlayer external storage card was not always showing up in PMW without doing a manual re-detect of devices (Mac Version 20.0.75)

 

New versions of PMW are available:

20.0.82 (3/16/2015)

1. Fixed: Syncing files with conversion enabled would cause files to re-convert on every sync.
2. Fixed: Tracks on device not in sync were not getting deleted even when this option was enabled.
3. Changed: Timeout moved to September 1, 2015
4. Changed: By default, list columns widths are now auto-sized depending on contents. This can be changed in options / tree & view.
5. Fixed: CD ripping would sometimes fall out of secure mode.
6. Changed: The download process triggered at PMW startup will skip over downloads that have failed 3 or more times. Selecting "check for downloads" from the PMW account menu will force retrying the failed downloads.

Windows: http://yabb.jriver.com/interact/index.php?topic=96259.0

Mac: http://yabb.jriver.com/interact/index.php?topic=96260.0

 

I have gotten to play with my friends Pono, which he let me borrow for a day or so.

I have noticed that it's very sensitive to the headphones plugged into. Certain headphones will make the preamp section sound really bad, with others it sounds quite smooth and full-bodied.

Decent, wraparound soundstage on headphones. Did not listen to it plugged into the mains. Don't know if I would replace my iPod with it just yet.

 

Sounds great with my Oppo PM-2s. Good enough in fact that I rarely sit down to listen to music on my main headphone rig anymore. Which just for comparison's sake is a Fostex HP-A8C and either the Oppos or ATH-W5000s.

Often use one of the Ponos (I have 3) as source digital component on my Arcam rCube. Again, sounds just fantastic to the extent that I have no desire to get my main rig out of storage (Denon transport, Rotel amps and B&W floorstanders).
The entire sonic experience is just very much *there* and *present* (yea waffle I know, but how to put it into words properly?) and above all *easy*.

 

The Pono is picky about what headphones it likes. Some headphones work with it and some don't. Synergy and matching are important with this player.

It's similar with recordings on the Pono. Some recordings work or synergize better than others. Recording style and mastering style have a lot to do with that. The type and style of recordings that this forum likes are well suited for the Pono. The more natural sounding the recording the better.

When the headphones and recording synergize with the Pono you get the wraparound soundstage and the smooth full-bodied sound. Magic happens when that comes together.

I don't view the Pono as a player I want to fully replace my other portable or on-the-go listening options. I view it as an alternative to have for when I want the style of sound that it does. The style of sound it does is something I want most of the time, but not all of the time.

 

I take my Pono with me when I have errands to do. I only used an original iPod mini when I cut the grass. I use Fidue A83 IEMs and the sound is about as good as my NAD Viso HP50s. I don't have any problems with taking the Pono anywhere, and I enjoy great music when I'm out and about. I've sworn of mp3s at this point in my life. Life's too short to listen to music in a crappy form at this point in my life.

 

Thank God! Syncing finally works like one might expect.

 

The Pono has a set-back and relaxed and somewhat smooth sound. It makes for a very nice headphone sound presentation that I can listen to and enjoy for hours. However, sometimes I want a more forward and aggressive sound. And some music is mixed to sound right with forward and aggressive playback. So in those cases It's nice to have something somewhat forward and aggressive (but not too forward and aggressive cause I'm not a masochist). Probably about 95% of all portables are in the more forward and aggressive camp so plenty of choices there to choose from. It's the pleasant and set-back and smooth camp where the Pono is where the alternative choices get very few.

 

A question I have out of curiosity.....how does the Pono handle album artwork. More specifically, say I had a compilation album, would the Pono display different images if tagged (different from the general artwork), ie. say I tagged specific tracks with the album artwork they're taken from (rather than the compilation art).

 

If a HDTracks sampler album I have is any example to go by, either you have every track treated as an individual album with the track specific artwork visible as a result, or you have a various artists album that only shows either the folder specific artwork or the first track it scanned. Which case you get would depend on whether your tags have only one album artist listed for all the tracks.

 

This comment and the one above about impedance matching with headphones I think are the two primary reasons that people are hearing the Pono compared to the iPod and choosing the iPod as the better sound. It's because with their headphones, or with their nasty, aggressively mastered CD dubs, the Pono is not being shown at its best.

 

I only have two albums in my entire collection that have different artwork for each track. Both happen to be Nine Inch Nails albums.
I just loaded them on the PonoPlayer. The PonoPlayer shows the artwork for the first track as the album artwork. And that artwork in the first track is what gets displayed for every track in the album.

 

Ugh lost my Pono USB cable, it's not the typical connector type, anyone know the official name for that type of USB connector?

Thx

 

It's a Micro USB connection. Note that there is also a Mini USB standard size that is a little larger than the Micro size. Make sure you get the Micro size.
And make sure you get a cable that handles both data and charging. Some cables you'll find will only support charging and won't let you sync.

Here's an Amazon Basics cable: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B003ES5ZSW/
Monoprice also has a cable: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B001U3SU8U/

 

I'll have a Pono player in April. My cousin is in the USA and got it for me
I have a few micro SD cards loaded with music. I wonder if my player will read those cards or I need to transfer the music again using the PMW?
Sorry if this has already been dealt with.

Thanks

 

It should read the cards just fine.

 

Thanks a lot. I'm looking forward to having the Pono player

 

PonoMusic World Update Version 20.0.82 & 20.0.83
March 23, 2015

PonoMusic World Update Version 20.0.82 & 20.0.83

PonoMusic World Update Version 20.0.82 & 20.0.83

***ALERT: PonoMusic World can be updated within the application. From the top menu bar select Help>Update Channels and select Stable(recommended). Then return to Help>Update Channels and select Check for Updates. The update info will appear on the side. When you click the Install button, the application will close, and the update file will extract and install. PonoMusic World will relaunch when complete. ***


Visit our Support page for video tutorials on using PonoMusic World.

Quick Start Tutorials


PonoMusic World Version 20.0.82 & 20.0.83 Release Notes:

Feature Enhancements & Bug Fixes

By default, list columns widths are now auto-sized depending on contents.

• This can be changed in options / tree & view.
  

When songs in the PMW library are stored on a network share drive, the drive is now bookmarked by PMW.

• If the drive is not mounted after a reboot, PMW will automatically re-mount the drive when needed.
  

WebKit plugins are now disabled.

• Plugins (e.g. Silverlight) could cause crashes and freezes, especially during the checkout process.
  

Syncing files with conversion enabled would cause files to re-convert on every sync.

• By default, the option to re-convert is disabled.
  

After playing a track directly from CD, a message could pop-up saying the disc could not be identified.

Tracks on device not in sync were not getting deleted even when this option was enabled.


General Improvements

• The download process triggered at PMW startup will skip over downloads that have failed 3 or more times.
  
  • Selecting "check for downloads" from the PMW account menu will force retrying the failed downloads.
    
• CD ripping would sometimes fall out of secure mode.
  
  
• Numerous Retina mode improvements. (Mac Version 20.0.83)
  

 

Review: http://www.innerfidelity.com/content/pono-player-and-promises-fulfilled

 

Thanks for posting this. A very well written and fair review by someone who actually cares about music reproduction via player and headphones. I was tickled to see he started with NAD VISO HP50 cans. There my go to phonea and I had the same experience he did when I first started listening, i.e. I couldn't stop listening because the sound was so excellent. He gives the pros and cons, but the Pono is "Pono" for him as well. Very well written article.

 

John Atkinson loved Pono. Here's the review:

http://www.stereophile.com/content/pono-ponoplayer-portable-music-player

 

Matthew Kalman (Member) asked a question.
Will PP play 24/352800 files?
When I convert a dsd file to flac in PMW, it creates a 24/352800 file. I cannot hear a difference from the dsd source. Can these be downloaded to the Pono Player? Can they be converted to 24/192K?

Sean F. (Member)
If you convert files, you can choose the 24bit option. Under options in the convert window. Then go to options, another menu pops up and hit Output (and check the box) you can then change the output to 192khz or whatever from 352800.

Charles Hansen (Member)
@Matthew Kalman (Member) Hi Matthew,

Good question, but I'm not sure of the answer. The DAC chip requires a 1024 Fs master clock, which the PonoPlayer has (or it could not play DSD-128 files). In theory I'm pretty sure that the hardware is there to do play 352/384 kHz PCM files.

The problem would be in the firmware. Pono has to prioritize things, and spending time and money to be able to handle a file that is essentially unavailable to the normal person doesn't seem to be the highest use of their resources. Hope this helps.
Like
· Yesterday at 3:00 PM ·

 

Just a heads up on customer service issues

Luckily I got my pono from a dealer because I would have been even more furious otherwise. Upon the initial sync or transfer of files it froze after 42 songs. Could not add anymore it delete those initial 42. Called customer service and spent 45 minutes troubleshooting. Tried adding just one song, tried deleteing and starting over, reinstalled pono music world twice nothing worked so they escalated the ticket. 5 days go by with no response I finally have to call them and they have no answers other than we will send you a return label and we will fix your player, seriously ? It doesnt work out of the box I was expecting them to send me a replacement with a return label to send true faulty unit back. No supervisor to talk to and rep didn't seem to care that I was returning item to dealer and buying something else. Was excited about this product as I'm sure many are and I'm sure Its a great product when working and I'm small percentage of people with bad units but I don't care how good a product is when something goes wrong and the customer service is awful it doesn't matter if it's free

 

That's odd. Mine worked right out of the box. I wish I had taken more time and selected more carefully what I wanted transferred initially. I ended up with mp3s and CD rips and hi-res music. In essence, everything on my computer went into My Library. Adding music to my PonoPlayer was very easy to add to my player and/or my micro SD card.

 

I'm sure a high percentage will have no problems but when something goes wrong a company should stand behind their product. 14-21 business days for them to repair a defective item out of the box is a worse policy than buying underwear at target