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In the Forum: Audio Discussions
In the Thread: Pono & Meridian - another hi-resolution effort

Post Subject: Pono & Meridian - another hi-resolution effortPosted by scooter on: 9/3/2013

Neil Young and Meridian are launching yet another digital "high resolution" business:

http://evolver.fm/2013/08/13/neil-youngs-pono-ecosystem-will-put-a-freemium-on-sound-quality/

So one could choose either.

(1) a (maybe) higher resolution file using the inexpensive (?) Pono DAC/headphone amp (that yellow thing) or

(2) a lower resolution file with his own DAC/ playback chain
.

Seems like an illogical proposition although I would expect Meridian will try to license the system, a concept we have seen before a few times I think. Actually Meridian just released this year a cheap small DAC and a portable DAC-headphone amp which I believe can be updated with new firmware via the Internet, so that might be one path.

Can anyone come up with a reason this new format will succeed (market question).

Reminds me of the HDCD I accidentally purchased past month (I didn't notice the HDCD label and didn't know much about the format anyways). The lower resolution track was terrible. I don't have the hardware to access the "better" tracks so have no opinion there. This HDCD went straight to the recycling bin.

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