Audirvana 1.5 Beta

[Frans]

Today you can download Audirvana 1.5 public beta with multichannel playback and Audio Units effect plugins support.

you can download it here:

audirvana.com • View topic - 1.5 complete beta

 

It has a lot of updates, and Damien says: “And sound quality improvement”.

Has anyone tried it?

[damien78]

Thanks Frans you've posted faster than me

 

I've just released the public beta for 1.5 with Multichannel playback, and Audio Units plugins support.

The user manual is up to date.

 

It also includes:

 

 

• Add command to scroll playlist to the currently playing track
  
• DSD128 support for DoP 1.1 4x176.4kHz devices (Mytek)
  
• In iTunes integrated mode, use the track start and finish settings (in iTunes track info settings) to play only the wished subset of the track
  
• Remaining time display (toggle with total track time by clicking on it)
  
• Bug fixes:
  
  • Fix gapless playback in Cue Sheets and when using dithered volume control
    
  • Fix last seconds of the last of a playlist being cut off in iTunes integrated mode
    
  • Airplay fix applied also for 10.8.3
    
  • Gapless playback even when using filters (sample rate converter and/or Audio Units)
    

 

 

And also sound quality improvement

 

You can get it here: Download Audirvana Plus BETA | Audirvana

 

Damien

[Frans]

Hi Damien,

 

I was just passing by, and saw that you have the 1.5 beta ready.

I'm going to download it this evening and try it.

Thanks in advance for the good work!

 

Frans

[Viola]

Listening to it right now!

[wdw]

Are the sonic improvements centred on multi-channel reproduction or are they also applicable to two channel audio?

Cheers,

wdw

[Jud]

I've just released the public beta for 1.5 with Multichannel playback, and Audio Units plugins support.

The user manual is up to date.

 

It also includes:

 

* * *

And also sound quality improvement

 

 

Damien

 

It is improved. Listening to Satellites and the title track from Rickie Lee Jones' Flying Cowboys (a challenge because a lot of it is very soft - look at the dynamic range numbers from DR Database: DR Database), it was sweeter yet also more detailed than 1.4.6. On Southern Cross from the HDTracks download of CSN's Daylight Again, 1.4.6 has just a touch of harshness to the vocals, but this was gone with the 1.5 beta, and again there was at the same time more detail with the beta. Very nice.

[wwaldmanfan]

Thank you for adding major enhancements to an already superior music player. I confess that I don't have the technical background to understand the finer points of the AU Effect filters, or how some of them differ from each other.

My speakers (B&W CDM7SE) have pretty hot tweeters. Perhaps you can suggest a starting point to roll-off some of the hashness and sibilance I hear from cymbals, and from vocals, where a female singer might be too close to the microphone.

I assume that I should use either the high shelf filter, the lowpass filter, the band pass filter, or the graphic equalizer, but which, and what would be an appropriate starting point, without losing the amazing transparency that I otherwise enjoy in my music with Audirvana Plus.

TIA

[alcarp]

Can someone please provide a link to the updated manual that reflects 1.5 beta. Thanks

[wgscott]

Manual is on the disk image you download.

[mac-mono]

AUtab is not working when saving or modifying presets. It crashes Audirvana.

 

Just tried loading an EQ from IKmultimedia and although it is recognised, once I try to configure any settings within the AU panel window (wheter I cancel or save) it crashes audirvana.

[jhwalker]

AUtab is not working when saving or modifying presets. It crashes Audirvana.

 

Just tried loading an EQ from IKmultimedia and although it is recognised, once I try to configure any settings within the AU panel window (wheter I cancel or save) it crashes audirvana.

 

Works fine for me, at least for the plug-ins I've tried.

[wwaldmanfan]

To answer my own question, I set the lowpass filter at 15KHz, -5.0db. Definite improvement, but still interested in alternative suggestions.

I have no issues with the beta release on my MBP, running OSX 10.8.3.

[wgscott]

I was getting crashes upon playback until I deleted the plist file and allowed Audirvana to create a new one. If you have a crashing problem, try this, but make sure you have your license file available...

[Superdad]

I have to be brief here (so I can get back to work and then back to listening!):

 

First, I assume that 1.4.9.5 is the beta of what will become 1.5. Confusing number scheme.

 

Wow, it is quite different sounding than 1.4.6 in my setup (see other posts of mine for a rundown of how and what I use A+ with).

 

This may sound odd, but I am 85% in love with it versus 1.4.6. There certainly has been a trend with these last two releases towards a fuller, more balanced sound. Of course not in an EQ way, but indeed significant portions of the midrange (of piano, vocals, etc.) are more fleshed out. On Bill Evans' "Peace Piece" from the XRCD of Everybody Digs... it almost sounds like he is playing an entirely different piano.

 

Its funny, the ambient space and air/depth of many recordings has been rather prominent lately. My system has always been good at imaging and presenting a "room within my room." It is very enjoyable and I assumed was correct since all instruments seemed to have proper timbre and and tactileness. But 1.4.9.5 trades away a bunch of that air for a fuller balance and makes me think the abundance of "space" I had before was created by a depression in the midrange (of sorts because I doubt that Damien is EQing the product). While the stage has less depth, I won't say it is forward, just a bit dimensionally flatter. But the plus is that I am hearing notes (in the case of piano, literally a range of keys) that were somewhat buried before. Very obvious with some vocal harmonies too.

 

After I get used to this (maybe 5-6 hours), I may go back to my iZotope settings and try a couple of things. By the way, for the testing, and lately in general, I used just 2X upsampling instead of "power of 2" as I used to do with Redbook. I played some native 24/96, 24/176.4, and 24/192 tracks as well.

 

It is very easy to compare two or more versions of A+ and quickly switch. Just rename each app by appending the version number to the name; put each in your dock; launch iTunes if you use it integrated, then keep just one version of A+ running at a time. Be sure to release and quit each A+ before you switch. The versions will automatically share your license and plist file so your settings will be exactly the same in each.

 

A couple of notes to Damien:

My DAC has a single multicolor LED that changes color based on the sample rate it is getting (VERY handy, and to think I almost talked my engineer out of going to the trouble to do that!). 1.4.9.5 (and to a MUCH lesser extent 1.4.6) has a little hiccup in changing sample rates. If I just played a track with upsampling to say 176.4, then change the setting to 2x-only, even if I stopped the player (I always pause or stop the track) and load another track--which does go fine to the new sample rate--when I go back the first track it goes back to the 176.4 sample rate (per my DAC's light, not per A+ filter preferences).

A+ works fine automatically switching between the native high-res rate of a file (one that is not going to be upsampled) and whatever one setting I have it on for Redbook (2X or Power of 2), so this issue is probably not much of a problem as long as I am settled on a given setting and not switching around. But I thought I would mention it.

 

My other question/observation regards a clear change that seems to have been made in the way Filter Prefs works. I used to be able to just pause a track to make changes to filter settings (iZotope mainly). I always restarted the track to then hear my change. Now the preferences window tells me that "These parameters can't be changed during playback operation." I have to go the A+ player and fully stop/release iTunes and then restart playback. Not a huge deal and perhaps it was done for safety and to accommodate the new plug-in functions.

 

Well so much for my being brief. I look forward to exploring some of the new capabilities and features of A+ 1.5.

And just like 1.4.6 took a (very short!) adjustment period to get used to and then love (yes, even/especially Integer Mode 1), I am sure that after a few hours of listening (and maybe some tweaking) 1.4.6 will be in my rear view mirror and sound almost broken in comparison. Bravo again to Damien. Now if he would just explain to us a little more about what and how he is making these sonic adjustments! Is is all just tighter/faster/more direct audio software code? The bits can't be getting more "bit-perfect." But we are getting closer to the TRUTH OF THE RECORDINGS.

 

Enjoy!

 

--Alex

[wgscott]

If you ever wondered what Pearl Jam would sound like covered by the Chipmunks ...

 

[wdw]

At the risk of a b@tchslap from the objectivists on this site, I'm happy to report my initial impressions are that this 1.5 sounds just wonderful...noise floor has fallen again.

This program just gets better all the time. Thanks.

[vk80]

Will AudioUnits support presets? For example, I have used Fidelia player in the past which supports AudioUnits as well, more specifically the Apple "AUGraphicEQ" AudioUnit. I have several presets for my various headphones, but Audirvana doesn't allow me to select from any list of presets.

[wgscott]

If you save them as uniquely-named au files, they will show up, as for example those in the red box:

 

 

[Superdad]

So I get the idea of Audio Units plug-ins. Although I am not much of a fan of straight graphic equalizers, I would be interested in a really trick parametric to play with.

 

But what I hope someone can point me to is a room analysis program (Mac please obviously) whose result will load into a AU plug-in that I can activate within A+.

 

I am new to room analysis s/w, though I have been collecting links and reviews to the popular ones for OS X (REW, FuzzMeasure Pro, etc.) and I do have a Dayton Audio EMM-6 and calibration file as well as an Edrol UA-5 mic-pre>USB A/D. I even bought a cheap sound level meter this week so I can set the mic pre level to match actual room tone levels.

 

Now that A+ supports plug-ins, I just need to know how to generate and load in digital room correction files. Am I missing something here big time?

 

Thanks,

ALEX

[wgscott]

I would also like to know if this is possible on a Mac.

 

I need to learn more about REW. That at least runs on a Mac via Java, which is kind of like unprotected sex in a Thai brothel.

[Superdad]

I would also like to know if this is possible on a Mac.

 

I need to learn more about REW. That at least runs on a Mac via Java, which is kind of like unprotected sex in a Thai brothel.

 

Best laugh I have had all night!

There is this multi=platform UPnP network player s/w that some people here have been talking about--MinimServer. I was curious, but as soon as I saw it is a Java app I groaned and stopped reading. Maybe I'm being unfair, but I've been around the block...

[alcarp]

I'm having a problem with 1.4.6. Playing in Itunes integrated mode. Plays one track in an album, advances to the next and stops. I have to release Itunes playback and start again.

[Esprit]

There is no need to quit different versions. Simply click on stop and bring the application that you are interested in front.

About Java: unfortunately it does not manage the firewire so REW can not be used with firewire cards

[mac-mono]

I was getting crashes upon playback until I deleted the plist file and allowed Audirvana to create a new one. If you have a crashing problem, try this, but make sure you have your license file available...

 

Thanks for the suggestion.

 

I tried it but no avail. Audirvana still quits unexpectedly once I try to save or cancel any settings in the AU panel. However, this does not happen with the apple au bundled in. I guess there must be some incompatibility with the ik multimedia ones.

[damien78]

Thanks for the suggestion.

 

I tried it but no avail. Audirvana still quits unexpectedly once I try to save or cancel any settings in the AU panel. However, this does not happen with the apple au bundled in. I guess there must be some incompatibility with the ik multimedia ones.

 

Which IK Multimedia plugin do you use ?