Amarra For TIDAL HIFI with iRC Present and Future.

[Krutsch]

I have purchased and been using Amarra for Tidal for over a month now. I Just downloaded and tried to run 2.0.1228 and it crashed repeatedly. Then I remembered to delete the preferences file,(why doesn't the installer do this?) and Amarra started. After much looking clicked on the Remote icon to enter the remote key. ( I had downloaded the remote over a week ago only to discover that A4T wasn't ready to use it yet???) When I entered the remote key I was told I had to upgrade Amarra, for $9.95, in order to use the new version. Is this how Sonic Studio runs their business? I think I will wait for Audirvana, my main listening software, to incorporate Tidal streaming.

 

Dbath

 

I have not been able to update... it just crashes, over and over.

 

I don't even want to bother trying to find the preferences files on Mac OS ... the previous version was so piss-poor that I have little faith that this version will be worth the effort. The native Tidal app is very usable, in my opinion, and the hoops that Amara makes me jump through just aren't worth it.

[Krutsch]

Hello Krutsch,

 

Sorry for your troubles...

 

 

OK, thanks for the advice. I decided to take another run at this, since I've already paid for the app.

 

I completely removed the app, included the Library/Application Support/Sonic Studio folder, re-downloaded, reinstalled and slogged through the activation process (twice, again, never seems to work once).

 

Then, I even forked-over the $9.99 for the upgrade to the update to enable support for the iOS app and ... again... went through the activation process. Jesus... I felt like I was booking a flight going through it all...

 

But, It all works now and I am very impressed with the sound - definitely a step up from the native app, with excellent gapless playback.

[Krutsch]

So, I was able to get everything running, but I can't see what's been addressed with the new versions (the latest or the one from 5 days ago).

 

All of the earlier issues are still there: even thought I do a "scan" (which is amateur hour, from a software perspective), "My Albums" don't quickly populate. I still need to scroll down, revealing a the ">", which I click on, which adds a duplicate of the same album that was previously at the end of the list, and I have to repeat to fill-out the list. This is repeatable.

 

And the app (Amarra Remote)? It displays the first 10 albums of My Albums and everything hangs after that (the desktop app is continually updating the "scan progress bar" and nothing else happens. This is repeatable.

 

Sorry to be crabby, but I can't believe Sonic Studio felt this was ready for release. I'll keep my eye open for updates and try again, later, but I have low expectations...

[Krutsch]

Richard,

 

I appreciate how hard you are working to make things work for all of us - companies like Amarra live or die, based on the efforts of evangelists like yourself. So, thank you for your words of support.

 

I spent the first 20 years of my career as a developer and I can tell the difference between software that is on the right track, and just needs time to stabilize (e.g. Audirvana), and software that will never make it. Amarra for Tidal is definitely the latter.

 

Set down that glass of Kool-Aid, open the native Tidal app and see what I mean ... I have maybe 100 albums in "My Albums" and Sonic Studio can't even begin to handle it; watching the albums slowly fill-in, leaving blank space in the display pane, I can imagine the choices the programmer made - all of them bad.

 

Sorry... I don't have any skin in the game, other than wanting to enjoy the music.

[Krutsch]

Hello All:

 

Knock, knock!

Who's there?

Amarra.

Amarra who?

 

My thoughts, exactly. Is there an update coming to the completely dysfunctional A4T?

 

Who cares, because Roon + HQP has my attention for Tidal playback.

[Krutsch]

Krutsch,

As the OP/Curator of this thread, you've had your one bite at the apple at this thread.

 

<snip, snip>

 

Richard

 

Sure. But, is there an update coming? The iPad app that I paid extra for won't connect with the S/W running on my MacBook. The Mac software struggles to load/display my Tidal collections, etc.

 

This software is not usable. It's not like I am complaining because I don't like the icons, or something.

 

Honestly, I feel like I was ripped off and I've reached a point where I don't want to quietly give substandard software vendors a pass because it's audio and, you know, the bar is lower.

[Krutsch]

Well, A4T seems to have fixed some of the issues I've found (well done, Sonic Studio) and it's does seem to be more stable.

 

So, I will run it through a more focused trail this weekend. I assume the iOS app is still pending update on the App Store?

 

One things that still drives me crazy: so I perform the Medium Scan to acquire all of my saved albums; then, I switch to the My Albums view and it looks like it's still downloading the album covers from Tidal. Either that, or they are using very poor DB techniques.

 

But, at least all of my album are there, without duplicates, so it's worth giving it another chance.

[Krutsch]

Hello Krutsch,

 

Open up the App Store on your iPad or iPhone and type after me, A_m_a_r_r_a space R_e_m_o_t_e. Now click "Get". Install the bloody app and enjoy A4THIFIwiRCwARA

 

I performed a deep scan, in record time, and when finished, everything was as it should be, ready to rumble. I don't know the size of your database, but I have no issues whatsoever with my database, deep scans, enjoying the program.

 

Given the issues I read about that you are having with HQPlayer and NAA, A4T sounds like a walk in the park. Keep a positive outlook, keep the faith, enjoy the program. It's working without a hitch, stitch or glitch.

 

Enjoy the music,

Richard

 

OK, that response seems un-called-for.

 

I *do* have the A4T Remote App on my iPad. I haven't seen it update for some time, so I assumed a new version to match the newly released desktop app was queued-up in the app store. The iOS app has all of the same issues: it doesn't work, I mean, like, at all.

 

It pairs and shows the first 10 albums in my Tidal collection, but that's it. When I tap on an album, in the remote, it looks like it wants to start playback, but nothing actually starts (i.e. the progress bar never moves off of 00:00).

 

That was why I assumed a new version of the iOS app was pending, until I read further comments on here.

 

That's it. Now, if for you, that means working without a hitch, stitch or glitch, I envy your level of satisfaction.

[Krutsch]

Hi Ken,

A couple of things

- Make sure you have the current build installed, v1242, a link is below for reference.

 

http://downloads.sonicstudio.com/A4T/21/Amarra_for_TIDAL_Release_2.1.1242.zip

 

Thanks, Ralph. Checking the version number was the first thing I did... verified the release and I am running 2.1.1242.

 

- We recommend doing a mid-level scan to ensure artwork and track information is up to date. It should also allow the remote to perform better.

 

I did that, as well, as I mention in my post above, right away.

 

- On the remote, we initially load 10 or 15 items, depending on category. Swipe upwards on any of the pages to continue to load more information.

 

- There will be a bit of a delay when you select an album as the track information loads. You'll initially see the album cover, then the tracks will show and you should be on your way. We are continuing to make more improvements to the remote to provide better performance.

 

I think where I got hung up was with the 10 to 15 items. I tried swiping up, down, sideways. I tried this a few times and discovered I need to swipe with a much longer drag on the initial update.

 

In other words, with the initial 10 displayed albums, I needed to tap/hold/drag more than 1/3rd the vertical screen length. Then, after the first "refresh", smaller, more typical swipes perform as expected with iOS apps, and I was able to populate My Albums on the remote app (after about 10 similar drags). Try it, you will see what I mean with respect to the initial refresh.

 

With playback, I've noticed that with the remote running, if I click on the desktop app (e.g. My Albums), the desktop app stops responding and I am unable to play anything (or even click on anything that responds - it looks as though the app has crashed).

 

So, I restarted everything, clicked on a track in the Desktop app, started playing a song and then loaded the remote app. Then, I was able to control playback. Similarly, I loaded the Desktop app and made sure not to click on anything. Then, loaded the remote app and I was able to start playback.

 

In my earlier experience, I was mixing use of the Desktop and Remote app and, with my initial attempt I found you can't do that, as the desktop app stops responding. It was this playback sequence that made me believe that I could not play anything back.

 

So, thanks for your comments, but I stand by my earlier posts - if you play with the native Tidal app, using A4T is a poor experience, with respect to navigating Tidal content. It's definitely better than it was, as I wrote, than with the previous release, but it's just not something I will continue to use.

[Krutsch]

 

...

 

You save your worst for this thread, and you have had your fifteen minutes.

 

...

 

 

No worries, glad I could help.

[Krutsch]

Melvin, I've seen your and other's frustrations about dealing with this issue. There's already a backlash in the works against threads run by people with a need to control others. Really an unfortunate turn of events.

 

...

 

 

+1 ... I won't subscribe to anymore of his threads. It's just too hard and it takes all of the fun out of the hobby.