amarra SQ version 2.0

[bobbmd]

any comments/reviews of this recent upgrade

i will reserve mine until i see how others feel

[Amarra_Support]

any comments/reviews of this recent upgrade

i will reserve mine until i see how others feel

 

 

Hi All,

We had reports of a small glitch in the new licensing for Amarra sQ 2.0. if you run into any issues with Activation, please do the following:

- Go to your Applications->Amarra sQ->Extras folder and double-click on ‘Uninstall Amarra sQ.app'

- Re-download and run the Amarra sQ installer again.

http://downloads.sonicstudio.com/Amarra_sQ/20/Amarra_sQ_2.0_Release_25.zip

 

- Click on Activate and enter your code, email and a pw you create (3-16 chars long) in the spaces provided and click ACTIVATE to activate Amarra sQ 2.

 

One last note - remember to use your new AsQ2 code that begins with ASQ. You no longer need your AsQ1 code that was a string of digits in 4 batch groups. You no longer need your iLok account either and may delete as desired.

[maelob]

lol it happened to me last night. i figured it out after 10 tries lol

[bobbmd]

maelob: i too had 'activation' problems tried more than 10x made 2 phone calls to 2 different sonic #'s left detailed messages and within 5" ralph schachter called me back took over my computer and fixed the problem-i call that great service

my thread was referring to sound quality appearance and functionality not about activation problems easily fixed with a phone call

how does it sound?

[maelob]

apologize didnt mean to change the subject, to be honest i am not sure, i find the whole eq too technical for me. but now it has some presets. seems a little more user friendly, i am using with my alpha dog headphones. at least now i can tell the difference between presets. overall i think is an improvemet.

[Melvin]

After receiving the activation code from Ralph (thank you Ralph!) and uninstalling the previous version, all went quite smooth and easy. So far I've had NO static or stuttering and just stunning playback from basic internet radio. Seems the "Amarra sound" is indeed present with more clarity than the previous version. The new UI is a welcome change (nice job). I like it.

[TPiddy]

I bought sQ to improve the sound of Tidal, which I thought it did but had similar clicks, pops and it was unusable. Downloaded 2.0 yesterday and let it play through the Macbook speakers and it did not seem to have any issues. Been listening casually and a few quick listening comparisons on the HiFi today and I can say it does sound better than without it (Tidal straight to the DAC), but still not quite as good as Audirvana and a CD rip. But it does sound good (generally more ease and musicality) and yeah - better than Tidal alone that I think uses core audio. It has been playing for hours today and I have not heard any issues (I would get trouble by song two with version 1 and for me it sounded like when a CD player heats up and skips). I would say it sounds a little bright but that is probably the music I am listening to today - in an Alt-Country mood - and the side by side tracks did not strike me that way. Plenty of detail and air...

 

Amarra Support - please fix the settings to remember the output device and dither setting (none in my case). I am happy to edit a config file but I tried this with v1 and the settings I wanted were in the file already so it made no difference.

 

Hope that is interesting - this is my first post

[kenbiquan]

You no longer need your iLok account either and may delete as desired.

[ckpiv]

I bought sQ to improve the sound of Tidal, which I thought it did but had similar clicks, pops and it was unusable. Downloaded 2.0 yesterday and let it play through the Macbook speakers and it did not seem to have any issues. Been listening casually and a few quick listening comparisons on the HiFi today and I can say it does sound better than without it (Tidal straight to the DAC), but still not quite as good as Audirvana and a CD rip. But it does sound good (generally more ease and musicality) and yeah - better than Tidal alone that I think uses core audio. It has been playing for hours today and I have not heard any issues (I would get trouble by song two with version 1 and for me it sounded like when a CD player heats up and skips). I would say it sounds a little bright but that is probably the music I am listening to today - in an Alt-Country mood - and the side by side tracks did not strike me that way. Plenty of detail and air...

 

Amarra Support - please fix the settings to remember the output device and dither setting (none in my case). I am happy to edit a config file but I tried this with v1 and the settings I wanted were in the file already so it made no difference.

 

Hope that is interesting - this is my first post

 

Are you using ASQ2 with the Tidal App or Chrome web player? When I use ASQ2 with the Chrome web player to take advantage of the CD quality stream I get clicks and pops after several minutes of playback. Seems to work fine with the Tidal App but can not use the app and do anything else on the computer as it drops out changing web pages, checking mail and printing (With or without ASQ2).

[TPiddy]

Are you using ASQ2 with the Tidal App or Chrome web player? When I use ASQ2 with the Chrome web player to take advantage of the CD quality stream I get clicks and pops after several minutes of playback. Seems to work fine with the Tidal App but can not use the app and do anything else on the computer as it drops out changing web pages, checking mail and printing (With or without ASQ2).

 

Using the Tidal Mac app, have not tried the browser version...

 

TP

[bobbmd]

No more crackles pops distortions of ANY duration no dropouts NOTHING but beautiful sound.

Hands above PureMusic.

Without a doubt the best streaming player!!

The service was great when i couldn't activate last week thank you again Ralph

I use the TIDAL and Qobuz mac apps both work with same efficiency and sound.

I also found that you just need your mac's sound volume at max not where the sound goes after your dac about -30-40dB on one's avr makes for even better sQ sound allowing the dither to be set so bars almost reach the top of the IU columns. AND the IU is very good well laid out easy to use thank you Ralph and Sonic Audio bobbmd-how about more responses and opinions problems or suggestions on this subject-Amarra sQ version 2.0

[ckpiv]

No more crackles pops distortions of ANY duration no dropouts NOTHING but beautiful sound.

Hands above PureMusic.

Without a doubt the best streaming player!!

The service was great when i couldn't activate last week thank you again Ralph

I use the TIDAL and Qobuz mac apps both work with same efficiency and sound.

I also found that you just need your mac's sound volume at max not where the sound goes after your dac about -30-40dB on one's avr makes for even better sQ sound allowing the dither to be set so bars almost reach the top of the IU columns. AND the IU is very good well laid out easy to use thank you Ralph and Sonic Audio bobbmd-how about more responses and opinions problems or suggestions on this subject-Amarra sQ version 2.0

 

Bob,

 

Are you using AsQ with the Tidal App or streaming through Chrome? I like the app but it is not as dependable as the web player in Chrome. However, I am having issues using AsQ with Chrome. After several songs it will begin to stutter constantly. It works fine with the app but I get drop outs when I am doing anything else on the computer which does not happen with the Chrome player. Just curious what your setup is?

 

Thanks,

 

Chuck

[bobbmd]

ckpiv/chuck- i want to answer this correctly-when Qobuz finally 'accepted' my subscription I went to the Apple store and got their desktop app/or maybe it just came with the subscription it sits in 'launch pad' and and on my dock-same is true for TIDAL-Google CHROME is my browser and technically the music from both Qobuz and TIDAL go through CHROME but i can't play anything through AsQ ver2.0 unless i have CHROME as my web browser-I never thought to try Safari- so i turn on my mac mini the google Chrome web page comes up I access either TIDAL or Qobuz play an album or one of my playlists with Amarra sQ ver2.0 on, the music goes out via USB to a Schiit Gungnir DAC then via rcas to a Schiit Magni headphone amp Sennheiser 598's and rca's out(Audioquewest forest green) to my relatively ancient yamaha rx-v2500 avr. I also have both apps on my new iphone 6 but don't use them much but they sound very good through the iphone accessing TIDAL/Qobuz/BeatsMUsic on my mac mini without CHROME- i also use APPLE Remote to stream from my mac mini to APPLE tv in another room by AIRPLAY. I never gave much thought to what you asked but after writing it out to you I GUESS the answer is I DO use CHROME but i ACCESS either TIDAL or Qobuz using the app but Google CHROME must be the 'engine' that gets the music.

In any event with the new AsQv2.0 absolutely no clicks pops distortion better SQ better soundstage and clarity compared to version 1.0 and MARKEDLY better than PureMusic 'playthrough mode'- hope this helps maybe you should try Safari for web browser or give Ralph Schachter director of customer experience at Sonic a PHONE CALL he will call you back bobbmd BTW PureMusic tried to tell me those distortions pops crackles were due to 'clocking' on the gungnir and prior to that my schiit modi-Jason Stoddard said HOGWASH(but that politely)!

[ckpiv]

ckpiv/chuck- i want to answer this correctly-when Qobuz finally 'accepted' my subscription I went to the Apple store and got their desktop app/or maybe it just came with the subscription it sits in 'launch pad' and and on my dock-same is true for TIDAL-Google CHROME is my browser and technically the music from both Qobuz and TIDAL go through CHROME but i can't play anything through AsQ ver2.0 unless i have CHROME as my web browser-I never thought to try Safari- so i turn on my mac mini the google Chrome web page comes up I access either TIDAL or Qobuz play an album or one of my playlists with Amarra sQ ver2.0 on, the music goes out via USB to a Schiit Gungnir DAC then via rcas to a Schiit Magni headphone amp Sennheiser 598's and rca's out(Audioquewest forest green) to my relatively ancient yamaha rx-v2500 avr. I also have both apps on my new iphone 6 but don't use them much but they sound very good through the iphone accessing TIDAL/Qobuz/BeatsMUsic on my mac mini without CHROME- i also use APPLE Remote to stream from my mac mini to APPLE tv in another room by AIRPLAY. I never gave much thought to what you asked but after writing it out to you I GUESS the answer is I DO use CHROME but i ACCESS either TIDAL or Qobuz using the app but Google CHROME must be the 'engine' that gets the music.

In any event with the new AsQv2.0 absolutely no clicks pops distortion better SQ better soundstage and clarity compared to version 1.0 and MARKEDLY better than PureMusic 'playthrough mode'- hope this helps maybe you should try Safari for web browser or give Ralph Schachter director of customer experience at Sonic a PHONE CALL he will call you back bobbmd BTW PureMusic tried to tell me those distortions pops crackles were due to 'clocking' on the gungnir and prior to that my schiit modi-Jason Stoddard said HOGWASH(but that politely)!

 

So if I understand you correctly, you are streaming through the Tidal website using the chrome browser and not the downloadable Mac App. I think I will shoot Ralph an email as AsQ causes stuttering when used playing Tidal from their website after several songs in HiFi mode from the chrome browser. I have 50meg Internet so that is not the issue. Could be my old MPB 17" hardware feeding a Schiit Bifrost maybe. When I get a chance will have to see if I get same results on my main system which is a MacMini.

 

Thanks

[bobbmd]

yes

[ckpiv]

yes

 

Bob,

 

FYI

 

Just happened to check the Sonic Studios website and there appears to be an updated AsQ2 installer package Amarra-sQ_2.0-Release_27.mkg. dated 12/9/14. I uninstalled the previous pkg (release_25) and installed the new release_27. So far I am halfway through an album in the Tidal Web player in chrome with no issues. Sounds fantastic!

[ckpiv]

Spoke to soon..... Got to the last song of the album and stuttering began.

[bobbmd]

chuck, just call them go to the home webpage scroll to bottom and in that small print are contact # n.c.& calif zip codes leave nice messages and someone will call you back probably Ralph S. i have a new iphone 6(our kids gave us each one) so i am now in the 21st century- the calls were saved!! the numbers are 415.944.7642 and 919.426.2772