Engineers at Neil Young’s company admit doubts on music player

While this article is now a couple months, it is no less relevant. This quote from Monty Montgomery sums up everything of import regarding hi-res music:

““Neil is advocating for good sound, and I think that is a noble and good thing that will benefit people,” Montgomery says. “I just object to where science is being misrepresented.””

He explains the ridiculous 16-bit 'stair step' graphs we are now used to seeing:

“Nonsense, says Montgomery, who explains that the samples actually serve as plot points that are used by music software to draw continuous, analog-form waves. CD-quality files are more than enough to generate smooth waves for all frequencies detectable by human ears, he adds.”

Source: Engineers at Neil Young’s company admit doubts on music player

thanks @Lachlan

Ayre's white paper on minimum phase digital filters

Not enough of the media attention sucked up by Neil Young's Pono portable music player and music service is about the qualitative improvements the player boasts over other players.

Ayre, the company engineering the Pono, released a white paper illustrating how their digital filters outperform the filters used in "99+% of all modern digital equipment" through, essentially, the elimination of digital pre and post ring. If Ayre's minimum phase digital filters do make it into Pono, Neil's player will have a real, audible leg up on the competition.

Ayre MP White Paper (PDF) 
Thanks @Cymbacavum

Neil Young Pono slated for 2014 release

... 

Anyway, the Meridian/Neil Young collaboration portable player should see light of day in 2014. If this Facebook posting is on track, it's time to lube up.

Hearing PONO for the first time is like that first blast of daylight when you leave a movie theater on a sun-filled day. It takes you a second to adjust. Then you enter a bright reality, of wonderfully rendered detail.

Either it is going to sound crap (and therefore will require you to adjust) or it will sound good (and you will be able to lay off the lube). Whichever it turns out to be, I think it is safe to say that portable audiophile is on the rise.