Will Pandora Satisfy My Music Needs?

[quadomatic]

One of my big motivations for buying Pandora along with a 32GB SDHC card is so that I can stick my whole music collection on it, along with a some video. I don't really have a good media player to turn to. I have 2GB 1st Gen iPod Nano, but that's it. I really want a device that I can put all of my music on and listen to.

Will Pandora function well as a music player? I know there are possibilities for programs like Rhythmbox or Banshee, but I'd just like to know.

 

[bigtruck]

Music playing ability is also a major factor for me. The Pandora is going to replace my iaudio X5L. The battery life for mp3 playing is supposed to be great. Also, I'm no audiophile, as is evidenced by the crappy $10 sony headphones I'm using to listen to music right now, but from what I understand the two main factors in sound quality are the DAC, which is supposed to be really good, and the amp, which I don't think we have been told much about yet. I suppose there's line out if it turns out to be poor quality, but based on all the information I've read so far about hardware choices I'd be surprised if that is the case.

Anyway, as far as actual music playing programs go, I'm hoping for mpd+mpc and/or moc. I'd prefer the music player not to be X based so that it's still running if some emulator wants to run without X (though I'd think there will be ways to have X still running in the background, assuming memory isn't a problem). With a good gui frontend for mpd, even people who don't want to use a terminal could still have music playing while using a non-X emulator.

 

[greendots]

Firsly, the hardware should be very capable to listen to high quality sound and should have SNR to compete with the best out there.

If your at home you can stream music from another computer holding your entire collection.

If your away with and internet connect you can use Pandora radio (gnash), shoutcast streams, or SSH to your home computer to listen to your entire collection.

If your away without an internet connect you can listen to as much audio as can afford SD storage, you should also be able to listen to music from your favorite video games.

 

[quadomatic]

Firsly, the hardware should be very capable to listen to high quality sound and should have SNR to compete with the best out there.

If your at home you can stream music from another computer holding your entire collection.

If your away with and internet connect you can use Pandora radio (gnash), shoutcast streams, or SSH to your home computer to listen to your entire collection.

If your away without an internet connect you can listen to as much audio as can afford SD storage, you should also be able to listen to music from your favorite video games.

Being able to access Pandora or Shoutcast would be great, though I haven't used either in ages.

But yeah, my focus is more on the application for playing music and sound quality. I don't think I'm worried about sound quality itself, but the application. If an application like Banshee or Amarok or Rhythmbox was ported/made, letting me browse the collection properly, I'd be happy.

 

[PolloLoco]

I'm really excited for the Pandora as a DAP. It's got a Ray Burr DAC which should be outstanding and line out was added recently, which is huge for me. I've got a solid portable amp already, which I'll use at home even if the onboard amp is great.

I was researching DAPS & PMP's at the same time as the Pandora, and I had the following requirements which only the Pandora fully meets: Possibility for Album Art, Removable Memory, Line Out, TV Out, video formats with AC3, Touchscreen, Stereo Bluetooth.

I guess we won't know until we listen, but I'm excited for the possibilities.

I'm also looking for a long term replacement for the Cowon X5L. I guarantee the headphones listed above don't do the X5L justice and you're missin A LOT of the X5L's beautiful sound quality. I have a pair of Grado Sr60's for $69, a pair of Crossroads Mylarone X3i's for $57, and recently added Sennheiser CX500's for $64 on sale. When I first upgraded to the Grados from $10 earbuds, I was amazed by the amount of notes I'd never picked up on in my favorite music. The clarity is shocking when compared to cheap headphones. While audiophiles can tell the difference between DAP sound quality - I think most all would agree that upgrading from cheap or included earbuds makes for the most effective and inexpensive improvement. Beyond the midrange, you see less improvement for your buck.

 

[adsharma23]

yeah i'm very interested in sound quality because all my tracks are lossless (converted from FLAC to Apple Lossless) and i have a decently new pair of Shures 220s.
Do you think the pandora will support flac?
Also, even though i love Amarok and Rythmbox for the linux pcs that i have, i hope that pandora doesn't try to be like a desktop music player
i'm hoping for an interface like a standard mp3 player (ipod, zune, sandisk anything would be great)

 

[quadomatic]

yeah i'm very interested in sound quality because all my tracks are lossless (converted from FLAC to Apple Lossless) and i have a decently new pair of Shures 220s.
Do you think the pandora will support flac?
Also, even though i love Amarok and Rythmbox for the linux pcs that i have, i hope that pandora doesn't try to be like a desktop music player
i'm hoping for an interface like a standard mp3 player (ipod, zune, sandisk anything would be great)

I think FLAC is pretty much a given.

 

[cb88]

yeah a handheld style media app would be better....

 

[AireTamStorm]

I could care less if the media player was only CLI- just give me all the format support in the world and I'll be happy.

 

[Mjlink]

I'm a very big fan of Grado SR60 myself. Great depth/sound!

Keep listening!

Link

 

[jhoff80]

Canola2 for Maemo would really be a great port if possible, and it has internet radio support, a last.fm plugin (pretty similar to Pandora), and a youtube plugin all in a very handheld-friendly interface. I believe most of its interface is written in python as well.

Edit: though thinking about it, I'm not entirely sure the source is fully available.

 

[Gilrad]

As I have stated in another thread (funny how these things come up so close together in such a short period of time), my biggest worry is the control interface. Having a ridiculous amount of battery time and good sound quality is kind of a moot point if I only have the shoulder buttons to work with--especially when said buttons can easily messed with while in my pocket.

A bluetooth control module would work, but I fear for the battery life at that point. USB would also work, but would prove a little unwieldy to have two cords coming from it, one jutting out even more than the headphone cord. Ideally, a control module that hooks up to the audio jack, like what some CD players do, would be the best method for me.

As stated before, I recall there being a bit of discussion about this ages ago, but things can change over such a period of time, so with things wrapping up in the coming months, I would like to know the status of this...

 

[AireTamStorm]

Having a ridiculous amount of battery time and good sound quality is kind of a moot point if I only have the shoulder buttons to work with--especially when said buttons can easily messed with while in my pocket.

A bluetooth control module would work, but I fear for the battery life at that point. USB would also work, but would prove a little unwieldy to have two cords coming from it, one jutting out even more than the headphone cord. Ideally, a control module that hooks up to the audio jack, like what some CD players do, would be the best method for me.

Bluetooth is quite resilient, I don't believe it will really adversely affect your battery life too badly. I've found, some devices, bluetooth devours the battery. Others, I leave it on and forget about it. Otherwise:

-Use a USB headset with controls on the headset itself, map those events to control events in the media player
-A joystick / control pad like you mentioned

 

[impreziv]

Having a ridiculous amount of battery time and good sound quality is kind of a moot point if I only have the shoulder buttons to work with--especially when said buttons can easily messed with while in my pocket.

welcome to the world of open-source. any stupid software flaws such as, not having an external-button kill-function for when the clam is closed, is clearly something that would be fixed in a matter of days following the Pandora release.

as for audio playback... at first i was really excited to use the pandora for FLAC playback, but then i realized what a waste it is.

the lost quality between Lossy, and Lossless audio is so negligible when using headphones, you would be totally full of shit if you said you could hear/appreciate the difference.

i have 10 Pink Floyd albums ripped in Flac, and i keep them on storage only for use on my home sound system, which is capable of noticing the difference.

 

[BaDToaD]

the lost quality between Lossy, and Lossless audio is so negligible when using headphones, you would be totally full of shit if you said you could hear/appreciate the difference.

Well I reserver the right to be totally full of shit But as my headphones and Headphone Amp cost more than most peoples entire stereo setups I think It's justified. Certainly on my portables headphone amp gear the difference between 320Kbps EAC ripped MP3s and original CD is impossible to notice.

BTW If anyone wants a really cheap headphone upgrade from stock ear buds get some Sennheiser PX-100 folding phones. Fantastic for the price. £17.99 from play.com. They thrash many larger more expensive headphones.

 

[trooper]

BTW If anyone wants a really cheap headphone upgrade from stock ear buds get some Sennheiser PX-100 folding phones. Fantastic for the price. £17.99 from play.com. They thrash many larger more expensive headphones.

I know, I have them . Best headphones i`ve ever had the pleasure of owning. Thanks to a certain person. :rolleyes:

Trooper

 

[fusion_power]

I'm sure the Sound Quality onto the Pandora will be much better than onto the GP2X, and this shouldn't be to hard to realize becasue the GP2X Sound Quality was horrible, Speakers AND Headphones.

 

[Gilrad]

Having a ridiculous amount of battery time and good sound quality is kind of a moot point if I only have the shoulder buttons to work with--especially when said buttons can easily messed with while in my pocket.

welcome to the world of open-source. any stupid software flaws such as, not having an external-button kill-function for when the clam is closed, is clearly something that would be fixed in a matter of days following the Pandora release.

as for audio playback... at first i was really excited to use the pandora for FLAC playback, but then i realized what a waste it is.

the lost quality between Lossy, and Lossless audio is so negligible when using headphones, you would be totally full of shit if you said you could hear/appreciate the difference.

i have 10 Pink Floyd albums ripped in Flac, and i keep them on storage only for use on my home sound system, which is capable of noticing the difference.


But programming a hold feature on the shoulder buttons would mean you have absolutely no control while it's closed, then... At that point, the only way you could fiddle with playback is by opening the thing; a little silly to have to go through so much trouble in an mp3 player, if you ask me.
My point was, the shoulder buttons make terrible controls for an MP3 player. Of course, you could program things like having to hold the buttons for them to register, but there still is the possibility of the thing resting on a shoulder button, and even then there is the obvious downside of only having two buttons to work with.

 

[Tashi]

I'm sure the Sound Quality onto the Pandora will be much better than onto the GP2X, and this shouldn't be to hard to realize becasue the GP2X Sound Quality was horrible, Speakers AND Headphones.

And I hope the audio socket is not breakable like the GP2X one.

 

[Tobriand]

Or you implement USB remote usage for some wired USB remote (I state wired as I imagine they use a lot less battery).

Assuming the drivers would fit in the app, of course. It would have to be exceptionally tiny as it is!

EDIT: Something like this: http://www.joystiq.com/2006/09/07/mini-usb...th-small-hands/ might work very well for that use indeed, actually...