Audirvana 1.5 Beta

[Jud]

Just to let folks know, here's the bit in the prefs settings that I took to mean using Audirvana Plus without iTunes should provide better sound quality, while understanding that playlist mode and "without iTunes" are not exact equivalents:

 

 

The manual has the following to say about these settings:

 

For best sound quality, Audirvana Plus can completely deactivate sound playback by iTunes. Note that this also prevents any other application to output sound during playback.

In addition, to increase further the Sound Quality, you can deactivate convenience functions:

- Volume Control: Audirvana Plus interacts with iTunes on a regular basis to exchange the volume control values. This option deactivates this mechanism and thus iTunes (and iPhone/iPad Remote) volume slider is not used anymore.

- Play Position: Audirvana Plus communicates the play position to iTunes, and seeks to a new position when the slider in iTunes is moved. This option deactivates this mechanism and thus iTunes (and iPhone/iPad Remote) play position slider is not used anymore. Furthermore, the time indication remains to 00:00 during playback.

 

 

 

 

This indicates to me a tradeoff between convenience (activating more of iTunes' functions) and sound quality (activating fewer or no iTunes functions), where the maximum number of iTunes functions would be available/activated in iTunes integration mode, and the ability to deactivate all iTunes functions would be available in playlist mode.

 

* * *

 

One other comment on an Audirvana Plus topic. I must emphasize that I am not presuming to speak for Damien here (really, how could I?), and what follows is solely my own thinking and opinions:

 

Damien has from the beginning of the development of Audirvana as a publicly available product been extremely kind and responsive to user feedback and requests, despite this being essentially a hobby for him that he must juggle alongside both a job that requires a lot of time (and significant transoceanic travel) and his most important responsibilities as father to a young family. He has done integration of iTunes and audio plugins primarily on the basis of customer requests. He asked for user discussion in the CA forum on whether he should go ahead with plugin integration as originally planned or work on direct mode first, and when user opinion came down in favor of the latter he changed his plans to accommodate. We all know how responsive he is to bug reports. It seems to me that all anyone has ever had to do is ask nicely and make a reasonable case, and Damien has either tried to respond in the near term, said he will do so in the longer term, or (rarely) explained why it will not be included in Audirvana.

 

The original version of Audirvana was free and open source. Even back then I felt it was the best software player for the Mac. As I remember it (someone can correct me if I am wrong), we early users had to persuade Damien to make it easier for those who appreciated the program to donate. He asked for other programmers to help out so he could have the enjoyment of working with others on a joint project, but as far as I know, no one took him up on it. (To my everlasting regret, I cannot code a lick.) What happened instead is something about which I don't know details, but apparently involved Damien's work being used outside of the Audirvana project without his agreement; i.e., he trusted in the spirit of open source and essentially, at least as I understand it from less than full information, got ripped off. Free Audirvana became the proprietary Audirvana Plus, and I no longer have the excitement I used to get from taking the latest source code, compiling it with a tweak or two, and listening to the result. (There was a lot of user discussion and even passion in those days over rather abstract topics like whether Audirvana sounded better when compiled with GCC or LLVM.)

 

So Audirvana was free and open source until Damien was put in a position where he could no longer enjoy continuing with that situation. Perhaps I just worry too much, but I don't want to see history repeat itself, i.e., I want to see Damien continue to enjoy making this wonderful little thing that allows us so much musical enjoyment. That doesn't mean we must say hosannas to Damien - though as I said I cannot speak for him; maybe he'd enjoy a hosanna or two? But I would urge everyone that if there is something you want to see changed about the program, its documentation, etc., to simply ask nicely. That has always seemed to work.

[Zakus]

I have just tested both modes and can't hear any difference for now - perhaps the issue is NOT that non-IM is sonically better. It may simply be that Macs with relatively lower processing power may struggle to deliver the expected quality under IM if subjected to some processor stress...since my iMac has an i7/16GB of RAM and never goes beyond 3% of processor usage under A+, I may not be able to hear any difference at all.

 

Interesting, I use an ageing macbook with 4GB of RAM and notice an obvious improvement in SQ in playlist mode.

[Esprit]

---

[mrmb]

Hi Damien! I evaluated A+ 1.4 using the 15-day trial back in March, however I decided not to purchase a license at that time. Reading the comments about 1.5 Beta, it seems that there are significant improvements and I would like to re-evaluate the program once 1.5 is officially released. Will I be able to do this under the 15-day trial or was that a one time deal? Thanks!

 

Was this question answered?

 

Having tried Audirvana over a year ago, I would like to trial it again. How might I do so via my Mac mini?

[Axiom05]

Was this question answered?

 

Having tried Audirvana over a year ago, I would like to trial it again. How might I do so via my Mac mini?

 

Unfortunately the question was not answered. Probably got missed with all of the postings on the beta-test.

[pl_svn]

Probably got missed with all of the postings on the beta-test.

 

... right what this thread is all about ;-)

[junker]

Please see post 1 & 2 of this thread. Is it not letting you run this beta version?

 

 

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

 

Damien

 

Was this question answered?

 

Having tried Audirvana over a year ago, I would like to trial it again. How might I do so via my Mac mini?

[dca58]

Interesting, I use an ageing macbook with 4GB of RAM and notice an obvious improvement in SQ in playlist mode.

 

I didn't not hear any definitive difference, but it would be interesting to know more about things like the connection type used between the computer and the DAC for those who do ear a difference.

I suspect for instance that an async USB connection would be less sensitive to small timing fluctuations than say, an optical one.

And it could be that the integration between iTunes and A+ is a bit convoluted and more prone to small timing fluctuations that when A+ does it all by itself ?

[Zakus]

I suspect for instance that an async USB connection would be less sensitive to small timing fluctuations than say, an optical one.

 

Dac is Arcam rDac connected asyn with Furutech USB cable.

 

Edit

Again I wonder whether the difference is the computer. Could drag the brand new iMac down to check?

[damien78]

I've just released 1.4.9.11 that brings:

• Fix playback not stopping at end of iTunes album
  
• Convert DSD files to Apple Lossless in 24bit format
  
• Fix multichannel playback in Direct Mode for multiple set of channels DACs like the Fireface UC (18 channels)
  
• Fix channel mapping when loading file for a device that has channels in non usual order
  

 

Still available at the usual place.

 

Damien

[Cycleman]

I've just released 1.4.9.11 that brings:

• Fix playback not stopping at end of iTunes album
  
• Convert DSD files to Apple Lossless in 24bit format
  
• Fix multichannel playback in Direct Mode for multiple set of channels DACs like the Fireface UC (18 channels)
  
• Fix channel mapping when loading file for a device that has channels in non usual order
  

 

Damien, this is great.

 

I'm curious: Have you been changing the user manual with each release?

 

Or will be the final updated manual come with the 1.5 release?

[damien78]

Damien, this is great.

 

I'm curious: Have you been changing the user manual with each release?

 

Or will be the final updated manual come with the 1.5 release?

 

It is already at 1.5 level, though I'll need to make some minor updates following the changes in the latest betas.

 

Damien

[Jud]

Hi, Damien. I've been using the betas for a couple of weeks as I burn in a new DAC, leaving it on shuffle. But it doesn't keep playing. Last night it stopped while I was listening on shuffle, in the middle of a 16/44.1 track. I copied the debug info and will send it along.

[mwheelerk]

Avery strange little thing is happening over the last two or three versions I have never seen. It is very,very intermittent and not that big of a deal. I use Audivrana + with iTunes integrated. I generally play from Smart Playlists and display the MiniPlayer with full screen artwork and the Audivrana GUI. on about four or five occasions over 10 or 12 hours of playing different artwork will be displayed in iTunes and Audivrana. The Audivrana is correct. iTunes displays the right band but wrong album. For instance just now Ocean from Led Zeppelin Houses Of The Holy was playing and displayed in Audivrana but Led Zeppelin II artwork was displayed in iTunes. Probably should have posted this in the iTunes thread.

[mwheelerk]

I think I. Have discovered the issue. I use Smart Playlist with live updating where the playlist has a specification that eliminates tracks (dates, number of plays etc.) Audivrana would previously "lock up", stop playing when playing this type of Smart Playlist. The fix was given to me on this forum to turnoff (uncheck live updates) while playing Smart Playlist and this cured the problem. I now realized that I noticed Audivrana no longer stopped playing when Live Updates was checked but now this little other anomaly appeared. Unchecking Live Updates has, after a brief test, apparently resolved this issue also.

[Axiom05]

Please see post 1 & 2 of this thread. Is it not letting you run this beta version?

 

No, I cannot run the beta file. I get a message saying that I do not have a valid license and my trial period has expired.

[Musicophile]

No, I cannot run the beta file. I get a message saying that I do not have a valid license and my trial period has expired.

Send a PM to Damien, I'm pretty sure he'll extend your license for a new trial period.

[junker]

Damien:

 

I'm afraid you'll need to watch Lotus in Monaco this weekend with Grosean sporting the daft punk sponsor logo of the rear wing endplate...

 

It is already at 1.5 level, though I'll need to make some minor updates following the changes in the latest betas.

 

Damien

[Esprit]

Do you mean Grosjean?

[Jud]

Do you mean Grosjean?

 

Ah, why would Italians want to know about French drivers for English marques?

[jvlata]

I know this tread is about my favorite player A+ but Junker mentioned Monaco (F1)..that bring back so many wonderful memories..

I was for 17 years a F1 photographer.. my last race was May 1, 1994.. Senna was killed in Imola. I still cry when I remember that tragic day..

[lijoe848]

Can someone try this.

In preference -> General tab

check use keyboard media key and uncheck volume control.

then in Audio Volume tab

Select DAC only.

 

See if you can still adjust the volume in the main interface?

 

I remember the volume control was disabled when I have the same settings in 1.4.6

[junker]

Ah, why would Italians want to know about French drivers for English marques?

 

Lotus Renault was formally the Renault factory team which now as of 2011 is wholly owned by Genii Capital and based out of Enstone England, like a great majority of F1 teams. Renault also makes engines for other teams such as Red Bull Racing, Williams, and Caterham.

 

Do you mean Grosjean?

Yes. I think Charles Pic &

Romain Grosjean are the only F1 French drivers at this time. Haven't been too many that I can think of since Alain Prost...

 

I know this tread is about my favorite player A+ but Junker mentioned Monaco (F1)..that bring back so many wonderful memories..

I was for 17 years a F1 photographer.. my last race was May 1, 1994.. Senna was killed in Imola. I still cry when I remember that tragic day..

 

Massive respect Jvlata. Monaco is truly special... The Tilke designed tracks just aren't them same as something like Monaco, Spa, or the retired Nurburgring Nordschliefe. People don't understand the historic risk in F1 and thank god for the likes of Sir Jackie Steward and and Niki Lauda who have championed safety. Tragic, and almost fluke, loss of Senna. Glad they slowed some sections of Imola down.

 

Looking very much to Ron Howard's Rush that will be out in Q4. He was in Monaco last year preparing for production...

 

[Varese2002]

Fixed. It will be in the next release.

 

Damien

 

I have installed the new Beta version 1.4.9.11 and the bug has gone, no manual ending is necessary of Audirvana when iTunes has finished. Thanks for the quick amendment, you are doing great. Soon the definitive release 1.5 will be ready I think. Hope the coming changes in OS X 10.8 or the new version (10.9) does not generate a lot of rework at the side of Audirvana.

 

All the best

[Nico]

Unfortunately with 1.4.9.9 to 11 "Realtime AU control and setup" does not function anymore. The popup window of the AU does not show up. This worked nicely for me with the first version of the 1.5 beta. No idea why it's gone.

The list of AU shows up, no problem to select and configure the AU's. They also work without problem in other hosts. Any advise what could be wrong in my setup or is it a bug in A+?

 

PS: I use Playlist mode (no iTunes)