What is Pono?

A device that allows music to be played in FLAC (Free Lossless Audio Codec) format, meaning you will enjoy music like musicians do in studios. There are two parts to Pono –– a Toblerone-shaped player which comes with 64GB internal memory besides a microSD slot that supports another 64GM, and a music store that will allow you to buy music in a high-resolution format. It’s like going back to the vinyl days when music quality was at its finest.

Who created it?

Neil Young, through his company PonoMusic. In a promotional video he says, “Pono is about the music, the people who make the music and the way it sounds in the studio while making it. It’s about you hearing what we hear. And that hasn’t happened in a long time. It’s a music ecosystem.”

Can it play other formats?

Yes. PonoPlayer can play FLAC, ALAC, MP3, WAV, AIFF and AAC (unprotected). Not just that, Neil Young and his team promises that even MP3 files would sound better on this player.

Can I have a Pono?

The question you should ask yourself is do you need one. Pono is for audiophiles, which means if you are in the habit of downloading MP3 files for casual play, your existing music player is good enough. But if you want to hear Bob Dylan or even Jay Z in all their glory, Pono is your pick. A Kickstarter (the popular crowdfunding site) campaign is on to collect $800,000. With three weeks to go, the project has already collected $4.7 million! This means, the $399 player is well on its way.

Right, what about the music?

If you already have, say, Dylan’s Highway 61 Revisited and want to get the FLAC format, you need to download it again. Digital albums downloaded from PonoMusic are expected to set you back between $14.99 and $24.99. But think of the larger picture. Once you have this format, you will never have to buy another version of the album because this is as good as it can get.

Will music labels support it?

All major music labels are supporting it.

The design?

This Toblerone-shaped music player comes in yellow, blue and black. And it can easily be balanced on the table. But the problem lies elsewhere. Since the player comes with two speaker jacks, it would be a difficult fit in one’s jeans pocket.

Finally, what is it: Pono, Bono, Porno… eh?

Simply put, Pono, which is Hawaiian for ‘righteous’, plays music at a quality that audiophiles consider music porn.

How high is high?

You will be able to download music in these qualities…

1. CD lossless quality recordings: 1411 kbps (44.1 kHz/16 bit) FLAC files

2. High-resolution recordings: 2304 kbps (48 kHz/24 bit) FLAC files

3. Higher-resolution recordings: 4608 kbps (96 kHz/24 bit) FLAC files

4. Ultra-high resolution recordings: 9216 kbps (192 kHz/24 bit) FLAC files

Is Pono your thing? Why/ why not? Tell t2@abp.in