Audirvana 1.5.12

[jhwalker]

I'm trying out Audirvana and I'm interested in it's DSD capability but so far I can't seem to get it to play the files natively. Here's the setup:

MacMini with OSX 10.9.4, Audirvana Plus 1.5.12, Onkyo PR-SC5507, HDMI <>

 

When looking at Audirvana Preferences under Audio Systems, Native DSD Capability is set to Automatic Detection but Audirvana does not recognize the device as DSD capable.

If I send DSD out from my OPPO BD-103 via HDMI to the Onkyo, the DSD signal is recognized so I'm wondering why this is not the case for Audirvana. I'm making a mistake with the preference settings or does Audirvana have a limited number of devices that it can work with for DSD playback?

 

Thanks!

 

Receivers accept DSD via HDMI only from standalone players, not computers, AFAIK. IOW, it works fine from your Oppo, and will work fine playing SACDs from Sony Blu-Ray players, etc. But it won't work from any software player (Audirvana, JRiver, etc.) through HDMI to a receiver - it only works via USB from a Mac or PC.

 

See this earlier discussion for more detail:

 

http://www.computeraudiophile.com/f8-general-forum/direct-stream-digital-hdmi-18895/

[konoyaro]

Receivers accept DSD via HDMI only from standalone players, not computers, AFAIK. IOW, it works fine from your Oppo, and will work fine playing SACDs from Sony Blu-Ray players, etc. But it won't work from any software player (Audirvana, JRiver, etc.) through HDMI to a receiver - it only works via USB from a Mac or PC.

 

See this earlier discussion for more detail:

 

http://www.computeraudiophile.com/f8-general-forum/direct-stream-digital-hdmi-18895/

 

Thanks, I think that's the answer. The software is capable but the specific hardware combo is not.

[Bansaku]

Amarra, especially 3, is far better for PCM than A+ ; and besides it opening iTunes (what is that app ?) when quitting it works just fine

 

Over the past 10 days I have been doing extensive A/B testing between Audirvana Plus 1.5.10 and Amarra 3 (trial) as well as Amarra 2.6 (own). I am 99% convinced that Amarra uses some sort of analogue/warmifier or tube filter. Messing around with the settings for Voxengo's Warmifier AU plug-in I not only mirrored Amarra's sound in Audirvana, but surpassed it.

-played using Audioengine D1 and Sennheiser HD598

 

All in all, Audirvana in my opinion is the superior player. Direct Mode, Exclusive Access, Integer mode, DSD handling, and the ability to use AU plug-ins without a doubt makes Audirvana a clear winner. Not to mention the interface on Amarra, 2.6 or 3 (which is just a blue rather than grey scheme) is just plain butt ugly. Even the preferences menu looks like something out of 1990 era AppleIIgs freeware. Just my 2 cents!

[juliocat]

Over the past 10 days I have been doing extensive A/B testing between Audirvana Plus 1.5.10 and Amarra 3 (trial) as well as Amarra 2.6 (own). I am 99% convinced that Amarra uses some sort of analogue/warmifier or tube filter. Messing around with the settings for Voxengo's Warmifier AU plug-in I not only mirrored Amarra's sound in Audirvana, but surpassed it.

-played using Audioengine D1 and Sennheiser HD598

 

Could you please post your settings for Voxengo warmifier please.

[Bansaku]

Could you please post your settings for Voxengo warmifier please.

 

Apologies, but I am the anal type when it comes to keeping my lists and files organized, and as my test settings for Warmifier was just to test and not for my main use, I already deleted it. I do however remember the basics how I got there. Basically I started with the 'Solidify' preset, changed the tube type to 12AX7A and started tweaking from there.

[Cycleman]

I do however remember the basics how I got there.

 

One part of getting there I cannot figure out, and I hope you can help.

 

I downloaded the Warmifier AU plug-in.

When I opened up the .dmg file, there were several files, including the Warmifier.component file.

 

I put that file into the Library/Audio/Plug-Ins folder -- both my user Library and the System one -- but Audirvana Plus does not see it, even after I reboot A+ (which is what the Warmifier setup info says to do).

 

And I tried the Warmifier.component file two ways in each Plug-Ins folder: by itself, and in an AU folder that I created.

 

That didn't work either.

 

So, how or where do I install the Warmifier AU plug-in?

Or, actually, probably, any third-party AU plug-in?

 

Thanks!

[Bansaku]

I put that file into the Library/Audio/Plug-Ins folder -- both my user Library and the System one -- but Audirvana Plus does not see it, even after I reboot A+ (which is what the Warmifier setup info says to do).

 

 

Did you put the file in Library/Audio/Plug-ins/Component?

[Cycleman]

Did you put the file in Library/Audio/Plug-ins/Component?

 

Thank you. That worked fine.

 

I surely over-thought that one, and didn't read either.

Didn't read, in that the file is a .component file, which I clearly saw.

 

So, why NOT put it in the Component folder?

 

Me, duh!

[elcorso]

Over the past 10 days I have been doing extensive A/B testing between Audirvana Plus 1.5.10 and Amarra 3 (trial) as well as Amarra 2.6 (own). I am 99% convinced that Amarra uses some sort of analogue/warmifier or tube filter. Messing around with the settings for Voxengo's Warmifier AU plug-in I not only mirrored Amarra's sound in Audirvana, but surpassed it.

-played using Audioengine D1 and Sennheiser HD598

 

All in all, Audirvana in my opinion is the superior player. Direct Mode, Exclusive Access, Integer mode, DSD handling, and the ability to use AU plug-ins without a doubt makes Audirvana a clear winner. Not to mention the interface on Amarra, 2.6 or 3 (which is just a blue rather than grey scheme) is just plain butt ugly. Even the preferences menu looks like something out of 1990 era AppleIIgs freeware. Just my 2 cents!

 

+1

 

Totally agree!...

 

Amarra is not true to the music, it never has been... 'Warms' the music from the very often harsh digital music, not to mention harsh music gear systems. Then it is fake (and buggy)!...

 

My 5 Colones,

 

Roch

[Le Concombre Masqué]

Apologies, but I am the anal type when it comes to keeping my lists and files organized, and as my test settings for Warmifier was just to test and not for my main use, I already deleted it. I do however remember the basics how I got there. Basically I started with the 'Solidify' preset, changed the tube type to 12AX7A and started tweaking from there.

 

too bad... for I just can not back your sayings... A+ + the 'Solidify' preset & the tube type to 12AX7A, no knob touched, does not sound at all like Amarra 3.0. It sounds heavily processed while AM3 does not, just more solid and crisper as Voxengo claims, yes, but without the counterpart of an heavier sound.

 

Furthermore, Voxengo, though 64 bits, is very ressource intensive, A+ loads forever, drops out (Macbook pro retina 15...) : there isn't such an intensive process going on inside Amarra 3... And if so, it's optimized way beyond the programming capabilities everybody is joking about... and with a much subtler tweaking of Voxengo than what i'm able to achieve...

 

If you don't want to pay for both players, uncheck Direct Mode (but keep Integer) and A+ will be almost as good as Amarra

[YashN]

Over the past 10 days I have been doing extensive A/B testing between Audirvana Plus 1.5.10 and Amarra 3 (trial) as well as Amarra 2.6 (own). I am 99% convinced that Amarra uses some sort of analogue/warmifier or tube filter. Messing around with the settings for Voxengo's Warmifier AU plug-in I not only mirrored Amarra's sound in Audirvana, but surpassed it.

 

Try using a tube amp instead, like a well implemented Single Ended Triode!

 

Nothing beats Audirvana+ for me (I tried them all before buying).

[pl_svn]

Try using a tube amp instead, like a well implemented Single Ended Triode!

 

a *truly well implemented* SET is nowhere "warmish"

[YashN]

a *truly well implemented* SET is nowhere "warmish"

 

Come stai?

 

Indeed for those who want their tubes to be as transparent as possible, but some people prefer to actually hear the tone of a tube amp.

 

I wasn't talking about that, I was talking about using a real good tube amp vs using a digital plugin.

[emuzaman]

Over the past 10 days I have been doing extensive A/B testing between Audirvana Plus 1.5.10 and Amarra 3 (trial) as well as Amarra 2.6 (own). I am 99% convinced that Amarra uses some sort of analogue/warmifier or tube filter. Messing around with the settings for Voxengo's Warmifier AU plug-in I not only mirrored Amarra's sound in Audirvana, but surpassed it.

-played using Audioengine D1 and Sennheiser HD598

 

All in all, Audirvana in my opinion is the superior player. Direct Mode, Exclusive Access, Integer mode, DSD handling, and the ability to use AU plug-ins without a doubt makes Audirvana a clear winner. Not to mention the interface on Amarra, 2.6 or 3 (which is just a blue rather than grey scheme) is just plain butt ugly. Even the preferences menu looks like something out of 1990 era AppleIIgs freeware. Just my 2 cents!

 

I want A+ 2.0 (beta), now!

[JohanS]

I want A+ 2.0 (beta), now!

Yeah, me too! :-) But... Software development is a harsh job: even in beta stage software needs to rather stable, as crashing software is useless. So, unless Damien asks me to test and report failures, I'll wait patiently for the release party :-D

[emuzaman]

Yeah, me too! :-) But... Software development is a harsh job: even in beta stage software needs to rather stable, as crashing software is useless. So, unless Damien asks me to test and report failures, I'll wait patiently for the release party :-D

 

Understood .. Cheers mate!

[edo]

I am having trouble getting A+ to send multichannel to the dac in my oppo105. Source shows 5.1 but it only outputs stereo. 1.5.12 does do multichannel doesn't it?

What am I missing here?

[edo]

Do I need to send the output to the OPPO via hdmi as opposed to USB? I have an older macbook that needs an adapter to use hdmi (no native hdmi output but it does work to send video/audio to a display device).

[jhwalker]

Do I need to send the output to the OPPO via hdmi as opposed to USB? I have an older macbook that needs an adapter to use hdmi (no native hdmi output but it does work to send video/audio to a display device).

 

Yes, HDMI for multichannel.

[edo]

Thank you

[zoom25]

Any eta on 2.0?

 

I'm clearing space on my internal hard drive to make room for 2.0 library but it's been taking forever. It's been years since I've used a library. I've just been dragging folders from an external drive to A+ in the past couple of years. The 2.0 is the first library player that's intrigued me in a long time. Am I right to assume it will store DSD, 24/192 in the library?

 

Also, damien or anyone know if 2.0 will be affected by which OS you're on? According to the FAQ on the audirvana site, mountain lion is stated as the best sounding os to date, so I haven't bothered updating my primary laptop to Mavericks.

[jhwalker]

Any eta on 2.0?

 

I'm clearing space on my internal hard drive to make room for 2.0 library but it's been taking forever. It's been years since I've used a library. I've just been dragging folders from an external drive to A+ in the past couple of years. The 2.0 is the first library player that's intrigued me in a long time. Am I right to assume it will store DSD, 24/192 in the library?

 

Also, damien or anyone know if 2.0 will be affected by which OS you're on? According to the FAQ on the audirvana site, mountain lion is stated as the best sounding os to date, so I haven't bothered updating my primary laptop to Mavericks.

 

Surely it won't take up any hard drive space (or at least, very little)? iTunes and JRiver, for example, simply create a small database that simply references the files in their current location - it's not like iPhoto which insists on creating and managing its own data store

[mikapoh]

Yeah, I am still waiting for 2.0 and it seems to take forever since last beta test screenshot. Probably it has scrapped the idea of having its playlist remote on ipad.

[Marley38]

Hi bin working on trying to get synology nas itunes server working with itunes on my Mac mini playing though audirvana. I have it all set up but when I select my nas in itunes and play any music. Audirvana cones up with initialising audio device and it freeze s.

So just hope some one can shed some light on the audirvana problem.

i have my ripped mp3s and wav on my nas

thanks

julius

[pl_svn]

Hi bin working on trying to get synology nas itunes server working with itunes on my Mac mini playing though audirvana. I have it all set up but when I select my nas in itunes and play any music. Audirvana cones up with initialising audio device and it freeze s.

 

do yourself a favour:

 

create a "music" partition on your Synology and have the MacMini mount it at boot

then add your music files to iTunes as you would do from an external HD

 

forget setting it up as iTunes server

(even just browsing files would be terribly slow)