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music management software for macbook pro


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i am new to computer server based music for both existing cd collection and downloads. reading robert haley's guide to high end audio he recommended for mac's channel D software's pure music and max or dbpoweramp for ripping cd's. i will be running my macbook pro with 1 TB SSD into a W4S recovery unit into oppo 105D dac using Wireworld platinum starlight 7 usb cables. seems like there are many users of j river and others. all input will be appreciated. thanks.

 

ed

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I have used XLD for my ripping and converting for some years with no issues at all.

 

As for music management/playback, I have purchased or tried out many of the MAC alternatives and offer my personal comments on those. Listening to music is very personal so your and everyone else's experience may be different.

 

If you are going to use iTunes as your main library manager, BitPerfect is a very simple and cheap improvement.

 

For some time Audirvana was my software choice but my favourite for non-upsampling PCM (by "favourite", I mean the one which sounds best in my set up, to my ears) is Pure Music, however I have found it buggy (even in its latest release). Mind you, not as buggy as Amarra (even in its latest release). JRiver left me cold, as did Fidelia.

 

Eventually, the bugginess in Pure Music drove me to return to Audirvana+ and spend a lot of time with the iZotope settings and upsampling to end up with a sound which beat Pure Music and now, with its DSD conversion capability, Audirvana+ sounds the best in my set up, by some margin. (I do keep my copies of PM, Amarra and BitPerfect up to date and test them out just for reference).

 

HQPlayer does DSD conversion, but I did struggle with its interface.

 

Roon is a different sort of (expensive) beast altogether - with a music management functionality someway beyond the others. However, it offers something I don't need and did not sound as good in my set up. (I believe quite a few Roon users use it together with HQPlayer - to get towards some kind of management/sound nirvana).

 

Most players offer a free trial, and I recommend you take advantage of that facility to see what you like to use and listen to. (I believe Roon may still ask for credit card details up front, but I had no problem with them in cancelling my details when my test period revealed I did not want the product).

David

 

MacMini, Mytek Manhattan I DAC, Avantone The Abbey Monitors, Roon

 

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