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| Image from Under The Rusted Moon |
Oct 3 2012 – As a website whose foundation is based in lengthy careers in high-tech for all our music loving editors, Neil Young has just become our tech hero. Musically Young’s 50 year career should not need any introduction. The man is a rock and roll legend period. My favorite Neil Young moment recently was at the 2011 Juno Awards (Canada’s version of the Grammy’s). Young was up against commercial darlings Drake and Bieber for Artist of the Year. When Young was announced the winner he looked as shocked as anyone watching the show – he strolls up on stage and starts off his acceptence with a sincere “Now what year is this?”
In an interesting development Young announced that he is working on a new audio system and service entitled Pono that will hopefully restore proper fidelity to music. Rolling Stone Magazine reports:
Beginning next year, Pono will release a line of portable players, a music-download service and digital-to-analog conversion technology intended to present songs as they first sound during studio recording sessions.
FINALLY! Something to bring back music to its natural state as it is intended. The proliferation of MP3 and its ease of illegal downloads has not only devastated the music industry and the livelihood of many musicians, it has destroyed the quality of music we consume. Apparently record studios are on board with Young, and he even mentioned he was working with Steve Jobs on this before the Apple CEO died.
The device was shown on David Letterman where Young tells the world that Pono is Hawaiian for “Righteous” and that Sony and Warner are on board. Check out the video below to hear Young talk to Letterman about it. Young struggles to describe the benefits and the technology so we will have to wait a little longer to see some of the technical specs and the merits of the technology.
Verdict: As long as it fits in my pocket and does not cost more than $200, I am a day 1 customer (and yes I am okay bying some of my favorite albums again to hear them properly). Thanks Uncle Neil!
