New Amarra 4

[Frans]

Very interesting discussion...

I also bought an upgrade from A3 Symphony to A4 Luxe, and yes, the SQ is very good, better than A3. I also have problems to set up my library and problems with IRC. When I switched back to another player (Roon) I own I noticed the same as DancingSea: we are crazy to get the last % out of our equipment and are only listening to SQ instead of enjoy the music. I think I'll stay for now with Roon. In my setup is has also very good SQ and is the best in library management.

[Frans]

After half a week with Roon I switched this night to Amarea 4 Plus with IRC again... what a sound! More musical, richer... my wife, who was in the kitchen, came to the listening room and says that this is the best sound she ever heared with our system.

 

IRC is working only when the equalizer is set to off, when you set the equalizer on, the whole sound shifts to the right, on the left there is almost no sound left!

 

I hope Sonic Studio will come with an update soon, because with version 3 With some music and not so good material I use the equalizer and IRC at the same time.

[Frans]

On 23-7-2017 at 6:11 PM, jiminlogansquare said:

As a control, have you tried comparing Roon to Amarra with iRC turned off to determine how much of the improvement you hear with Amarra is attributable to the room-correction functions of iRC? I use Roon with Dirac Live and also have Amarra 4 with iRC

That is a good suggestion. I have also Roon and Dirac Live, so I can try Roon with Dirac Live, then Amarra 4 with IRC and then Amarra 4 with Dirac Live.

I'm going to do this test this week and write my conclusion in this treath.

[Frans]

On 25-7-2017 at 3:06 AM, jiminlogansquare said:

Great plan! Be sure to use filters in iRC and Dirac generated from the same or very similar measurements and following identical curves. 

 

I look forward to your report. 

I finally had time to perform the tests with Amarra 4 and Roon in

I finally had time to perform the tests with Amarra 4 and Roon in combination with Dirac / IRC. As previously described, I have listened to the following configurations in succession:

 

1. Roon with Dirac Live

2. Amarra 4 Luxe with Dirac Live

3. Amarra 4 Luxe with IRC

 

With Roon and Dirac everything sounded as used to be.

But after that, with Amarra 4 Luxe with Dirac Live we heard a very big difference. In comparison, Roon sounded quite flat.

 

Then with Amarra with built-in Dirac Live, so with IRC, I do not know how it is, but this really sounded the best of the three.

So with my configuration, this gives the best sound quality, and most importantly: the best music experience.

 

For sure, after that I've also listened to the older Amarra 3 Synfonie with IRC. But I'm staying at Amarra 4 Luxury with IRC. I only hope that I'll be able to use the equalizer again at the same time with IRC, because that is not the case at the moment.

[Frans]

Hi Tand,

 

With my system and the latest Amarra 4 Luxe I did not have a sound shift.

Also when I use it together with the equaliser it does a good job.

Tomorrow I will install the new IRC Measure.app v1.2.4 and make some new filters.

I understand from another tread that the old filters don't work in the new IRC.

 

Enjoy the music!

 

Frans

[Frans]

I just happened to be on the site of Sonic Studio and see a new version of Amarra: 4.2.401!!!

Tonight I'm going to try this new version.

 

Enjoy the music!

[Frans]

This very moment I am listening to the new update. IRC is now also not working properly, it has a shift to the right. I hope they will correct that issue, or must I make new measurements?

A luck that I also own Dirac Live Stereo.

The sound with this new Amarra 4.2 Luxe is superb!

 

Enjoy the music like I’m at this moment!

 

Frans

[Frans]

6 hours ago, MosfetMist said:

I'm now testing Tidal app + Audio HIjack + FabFilter Pro-Q 2, it sounds good to me, more detail than Amarra and crispy highs, I yet need to listen longer to draw a final conclusion,

 

Kind Regards,

MosfetMist.

 

Hi MosfetMist,

 

I have also FabFilter Pro-Q 2 and I'am curious how you can get the Amarra sound with it.

And does anyone know how to connect the FabFilter Pro-Q 2 plugin and the Dirac plugin to Roon?

 

Thanks in advance!

 

Frans

[Frans]

38 minutes ago, MosfetMist said:

 

Hi @Jamesroy, Apple AUGraphicEQ is free and it comes with MacOSX whereas FabFilter Pro-Q 2 costs $179 (you can try it for free for one month), there many others paid plugins Blue Cat comes to mind.

 

I recommend you try AUGraphicEQ first, to use it in A+ go to Preferences->Audio Units then select from the list: Apple AUGraphicEQ, as you will see there are many others plugins you can use (in A+ up to 4 at the same time), check "Use AudioUnits effects" and "Real time AudioUnits control and setup" so you can see and hear while tweaking the bands, then click "configure" and you'll see the EQ, you can choose to use 10-Band or 31-Band EQ as needed. Tweak with the EQ's bands gently until you find a pleasant sound, this is the easiest way to EQ in A+:

 

 

This is what AUGraphicEQ looks like in A+

 

And this is FabFilter also in A+

 

The FabFilter Pro-Q 2 is more complex to use, you need to know what you're doing, it is a parametric EQ with many options and settings.

 

 

 

Hi @Frans, in Amarra you can't use Audio Units directly as in A+, you need to capture the audio output with applications like Audio HiJack (paid) or SoundFlower (free) (don't know if the latter stills exists though), this way you can EQ Amarra externally with any plugin including FabFilter Pro-Q 2.

 

This is how you can capture Amarra's output with Audio HiJack applying FabFilter Pro-Q 2, you can use it with Roon as well:

 

Don't know anything about Dirac, sorry.

Hope it helps.

 

Kind Regards,

MosfetMist.

 

Hi MosfetMist,

 

Thank you for your quick reply, but I already know this solution with Amarra and Audio HiJack. I use this combination with bad recordings.

But Did you (ore somebody else) know how to connect it with Roon when you have Roon Server on one and Roon Bridge on another MacMini?

 

Thanks in advance!

 

frans

[Frans]

I see a new version (4.2.436) on the site of Amarra, maybe that helps:

https://downloads.sonicstudio.com/Amarra4Luxe/Amarra_4_Installer.4.2.436.zip

[Frans]

Hello,

 

Same here, I use even Amarra Luxe with iRC without problems. The only thing that's not working well is the library. So I also load only the music I want to listen to on that moment. And that is the same workaround as with Amarra 3. I also use Roon for a couple of years, it is really good, but best SQ comes from Amarra Luxe with iRC.

[Frans]

I updated last night to the latest version and compared it to my other players. It is without any question the best sounding player at this moment. Roon is my most used player, but I think it will be from now on Amarra!

[Frans]

Agree with ‘mergin’,

I also use Roon with HQPlayer and Dirac. SQ is fine but Amarra together with a standalone version of Dirac gives the best SQ!