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New Amarra 4


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To my ears, Amarra 4 has a very analog/ vinyl/ tube like sound. Fidelia is in the same neighborhood, but not up to Amarra 4's SQ level. Others, like Audirvana Plus, have a more digital sound - which has its virtues, but is not entirely my cup of tea. All analytics aside, Amarra sounds "right" to me. When I'm listening I feel a sense of "yeah, that's the stuff".

 

How they get there, I have no idea.

 

Yes, for me too. Amarra--and especially this new version--sounds better than ever.

 

That is why the 'bugs' really bug me. :-(

 

I'm at the stage now where the work-arounds ALMOST make it worth the extra work they take and the cost of upgrading from 3. I really hope something happens before the 17th--my birthday and the day my evaluation copy expires!

 

Greg

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Sorry for the issues some of you are having. We are working hard at resolving some key items and expect to have a new build out in the next day or so. Appreciate your patience.

 

best

ralph

Thank you for the heads up.

I have been a bit frustrated recently. Making playlists to listen to during the day helps me a lot :-)

Could I ask if it is possible to get a download of your macOS optimisation APP, i've looked for it on your website and the only download link I can find doesn't work properly.

It's an excellent utility and much easier for me with my disability than switching off everything One at a time through terminal.

Thanks

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Well, in spike of all the -ve feedback, I thought I would give it a go.

A couple of issues which were more than likely down to me which have now more or less been sorted.

But PLEEEEZ, can someone tell me how to delete an individual album from the library. Right click, no delete.......

Dont tell me I have to clear the entire library and reload!

MacMini 8Gb OSX > Pure Music / Bitperfect / Amarra / iTunes > Synology DS215J NAS > Schiit Wyrd > Stello U3 > Naim Uniti Atom, Harbeth P3ESR. Meier Corda Arietta Headphone Amp > Sennhieser HD650 Phones (Cardas rewire). Isol-8 Powerline Axis. Isotek GII Orion Power Conditioner. Cardas Clear USB Cable. Tellurium Q Black Speaker Cable. All other cables by Mark Grant.

Vinyl still has it's place. Technics SL1200. Modified with Mike New Bearing, KAB Strobe Disable, MCRU 2 box PSU, Isonoe Feet, SME M2-9 Tonearm > Goldring 2400 >Rothwell Simplex Phonostage.

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Sorry for the issues some of you are having. We are working hard at resolving some key items and expect to have a new build out in the next day or so. Appreciate your patience.

 

best

ralph

 

Hi All,

I wanted to give you a heads up on what we're working on and what's upcoming. We're targeting a new release to be available in the next day or so, barring anything unforeseen.

 

I'd also like to mention that although we are not always responding to messages, we do monitor the board and appreciate your feedback. I encourage you to contact me directly at either sales@ or ralph@ sonicstudio.com if you have questions.

 

Changes in Amarra 4.0.2 release

 

Scan / Metadata

- Fix crash on corrupted artwork images

- Fix duplicate tracks in Albums on Scan

- Fix support for AIFF artist/album metadata

- Fix support for AlbumArtist in metadata

- Add Unicode support for album/artist metadata

- DSD scan looks for .jpg as cover art in folder

Add Save Menu command - allows you to save your libra

Add iTunes Scan Menu Command

- import tracks, albums, artists from iTunes Metadata ( requires share XML in advanced iTunes prefs )

- import playlists

Various small fixes.

 

Upcoming

- Add basic support for changing information / artists, albums, etc.

 

 

Best,

Ralph

If you have any other questions or need assistance, please don't hesitate to contact us.

 

Best regards,

 

__________________________________________________

 

Sonic Studio Customer Support .:.

Sonic Studio, LLC .:. Trust the transparency

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We're rooting for you Ralph! If you can get the library to function at a Roon level, even without Roon's magazine elements, you'd have a giant killer. Imho, A4 sounds better than Roon & HQ Player. But Roon is running laps around you with functionality.

 

Out of curiosity, does Amarra have a new development team or is it the same bunch that has sparked our ire for so long?

 

Just pondering where to set my expectations meter. [emoji56]

 

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Computer Audiophile

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Thank you for the heads up.

I have been a bit frustrated recently. Making playlists to listen to during the day helps me a lot :-)

Could I ask if it is possible to get a download of your macOS optimisation APP, i've looked for it on your website and the only download link I can find doesn't work properly.

It's an excellent utility and much easier for me with my disability than switching off everything One at a time through terminal.

Thanks

 

Thanks for the note, try the link below:

 

http://downloads.sonicstudio.com/misc/MacOSX_Optimization_Setup.scpt.zip

 

best

Ralph

If you have any other questions or need assistance, please don't hesitate to contact us.

 

Best regards,

 

__________________________________________________

 

Sonic Studio Customer Support .:.

Sonic Studio, LLC .:. Trust the transparency

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Yes, for me too. Amarra--and especially this new version--sounds better than ever.

 

That is why the 'bugs' really bug me. :-(

 

I'm at the stage now where the work-arounds ALMOST make it worth the extra work they take and the cost of upgrading from 3. I really hope something happens before the 17th--my birthday and the day my evaluation copy expires!

 

Greg

 

Hi Greg,

We're about to release a new build, a lot of fixes that were giving people headaches. Should be out tonite or tomorrow. If you need an extension to your trial, send me email at ralph at sonicstudio dot com.

 

best

Ralph

If you have any other questions or need assistance, please don't hesitate to contact us.

 

Best regards,

 

__________________________________________________

 

Sonic Studio Customer Support .:.

Sonic Studio, LLC .:. Trust the transparency

Link to comment
Thanks for the note, try the link below:

 

http://downloads.sonicstudio.com/misc/MacOSX_Optimization_Setup.scpt.zip

 

best

Ralph

 

Thank you so much Ralph

However I can't seem to get it to work it only opens script editor when I try and open it. Obviously I must be doing something wrong but I don't know what. Do you have any ideas?

Also thank you very much for for your kind response to everyone's concerns and heads up on the new upcoming update :-)

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Hi Greg,

We're about to release a new build, a lot of fixes that were giving people headaches. Should be out tonite or tomorrow.

 

best

Ralph

Any news Ralph. We're getting desparate.

MacMini 8Gb OSX > Pure Music / Bitperfect / Amarra / iTunes > Synology DS215J NAS > Schiit Wyrd > Stello U3 > Naim Uniti Atom, Harbeth P3ESR. Meier Corda Arietta Headphone Amp > Sennhieser HD650 Phones (Cardas rewire). Isol-8 Powerline Axis. Isotek GII Orion Power Conditioner. Cardas Clear USB Cable. Tellurium Q Black Speaker Cable. All other cables by Mark Grant.

Vinyl still has it's place. Technics SL1200. Modified with Mike New Bearing, KAB Strobe Disable, MCRU 2 box PSU, Isonoe Feet, SME M2-9 Tonearm > Goldring 2400 >Rothwell Simplex Phonostage.

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Any news Ralph. We're getting desparate.

 

Hi All,

Thanks for your patience, we're going to have a build available shortly that you're all welcome to use. It's got many of the fixes I've mentioned earlier, however there are still some items we are working through.

 

If you'd like to get a copy of this build, please send me a note at ralph at sonicstudio dot com. This build is not for public consumption yet so I need all of your cooperation in keeping the download links sent out to yourselves, please do not post publicly.

 

Not sure of exact time, but likely available later on tonite.

 

best

Ralph

If you have any other questions or need assistance, please don't hesitate to contact us.

 

Best regards,

 

__________________________________________________

 

Sonic Studio Customer Support .:.

Sonic Studio, LLC .:. Trust the transparency

Link to comment
Hi All,

Thanks for your patience, we're going to have a build available shortly that you're all welcome to use. It's got many of the fixes I've mentioned earlier, however there are still some items we are working through.

 

If you'd like to get a copy of this build, please send me a note at ralph at sonicstudio dot com. This build is not for public consumption yet so I need all of your cooperation in keeping the download links sent out to yourselves, please do not post publicly.

 

Not sure of exact time, but likely available later on tonite.

 

best

Ralph

 

One note to clarify using Amarra 4 and loading your tracks:

 

1) Scan iTunes library button will scan your iTunes library for Tracks, Artwork, and Playlists and import them into Amarra 4. If you get a Finder or IE window, navigate to your iTunes Library.xml file or iTunes Library.itl if the .xml file is not present.

 

2) Use Choose Folder button to start a new library if you don't use iTunes. Navigate to your music folder and click Open. Then cick the Scan for Music button.

 

3) Once you have a library established, use Add to Library button to add additional tracks or music folders to your library.

 

I hope that helps.

 

Best

Ralph

If you have any other questions or need assistance, please don't hesitate to contact us.

 

Best regards,

 

__________________________________________________

 

Sonic Studio Customer Support .:.

Sonic Studio, LLC .:. Trust the transparency

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Hopefully future upgrades will by no mean affect the exceptional overall sound quality. No idea how a simple application can result in such a improvement. I can recall my old audiophile (sick) time (20 + year)listening CD's on super expensive machines, changing cables, tubes, vibrations isolators etc... for a relatively small sound improvement, if ever, giving me a completely disproportioned happiness for a very short time as much of these were a short time illusion. Now, such a jump in sound quality for 29 dollars... Exceptional result., audiophile dream.

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Hopefully future upgrades will by no mean affect the exceptional overall sound quality. No idea how a simple application can result in such a improvement. I can recall my old audiophile (sick) time (20 + year)listening CD's on super expensive machines, changing cables, tubes, vibrations isolators etc... for a relatively small sound improvement, if ever, giving me a completely disproportioned happiness for a very short time as much of these were a short time illusion. Now, such a jump in sound quality for 29 dollars... Exceptional result., audiophile dream.

 

I agree!

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One note to clarify using Amarra 4 and loading your tracks:

 

1) Scan iTunes library button will scan your iTunes library for Tracks, Artwork, and Playlists and import them into Amarra 4. If you get a Finder or IE window, navigate to your iTunes Library.xml file or iTunes Library.itl if the .xml file is not present.

 

2) Use Choose Folder button to start a new library if you don't use iTunes. Navigate to your music folder and click Open. Then cick the Scan for Music button.

 

3) Once you have a library established, use Add to Library button to add additional tracks or music folders to your library.

 

I hope that helps.

 

Best

Ralph

 

Hi Ralph,

 

One of my issues is that while the Add works, Amarra hangs when trying to Quit and the additions are not saved through a "Force Quit", necessitating a full re-scan to get them included in the library.

 

I'm hoping that this is one of the issues addressed in the next release.

 

Greg

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2) Use Choose Folder button to start a new library if you don't use iTunes. Navigate to your music folder and click Open. Then cick the Scan for Music button.

Is it possible to add Play button also for use payback and navigation by folders?

dCS Bartók > ATC SCA2 > ATC SCM 50ASLT

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If I understand correctly, people who have switched from A3 Symphony with iRC say A4 without iRC sounds better, not? As a firm believer and 100% daily user of the former, I find that very hard to believe...

 

I will probably upgrade to A4 with iRC (I presume no premium has to be payed for the continued use of iRC with A4 after A3) after my old iMac gets the extra 4GB RAM as suggested.

 

I have never sonically compared Amarra to anything but iTunes as at the time in 2010, Amarra was recommended here to be the best in sound. My good old Weiss DAC2 is still holding strong too.

 

The user interface has of course never been the best. When my wife wants to hear music in my absence, she turns on the radio instead. I mean: start iTunes AND Amarra, select album in iTunes, add album in Amarra, wait, wait more, then hit play... Awful really. But I am used to it I suppose.

 

I do maintain another playlist. Just one. Every month I pick the newest bestest music and then synchronize it to the iPod from my car. That's one time hassle when with Amarra it's every album. But let's hope the new version deals with that (after some debugging)...

Fully Balanced Differential Stereo: Jamo R909 < Emotiva XPA-1 < XLR < Emotiva XSP-1 < Weiss DAC2 < Oyaide d+ FW400/800 < iMac < Synology DS1815+ NAS

Software: Amarra Symphony iRC, XLD, iTunes.

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Hi All,

Thanks for your patience, we're going to have a build available shortly that you're all welcome to use. It's got many of the fixes I've mentioned earlier, however there are still some items we are working through.

 

If you'd like to get a copy of this build, please send me a note at ralph at sonicstudio dot com. This build is not for public consumption yet so I need all of your cooperation in keeping the download links sent out to yourselves, please do not post publicly.

 

Not sure of exact time, but likely available later on tonite.

 

best

Ralph

 

Hi All,

Thanks for your interest in the new build for testing. We got it out to a few people and identified a couple of issues we need to resolve and then can send out a new build. Everyone who sent me a message, i have your email addy and will send out a new link just as soon as it's available. We really appreciate everyone's time and we really don't want to waste any of it.

 

best

Ralph

If you have any other questions or need assistance, please don't hesitate to contact us.

 

Best regards,

 

__________________________________________________

 

Sonic Studio Customer Support .:.

Sonic Studio, LLC .:. Trust the transparency

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Ralph, it would be very nice if the console window of Play, forward and rewind etc can be moved to upper side of Amarra window by setting. As Mac has a Dock in the lower side of the screen and I auto-hide it, and when I point the play button the Dock appears and it sucks much. If it is technically OK to give a choice to users to move it to upper side of Amarra window, I think many users will be happy. Please consider. Koji

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Computer Audiophile

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Ralph, it would be very nice if the console window of Play, forward and rewind etc can be moved to upper side of Amarra window by setting. As Mac has a Dock in the lower side of the screen and I auto-hide it, and when I point the play button the Dock appears and it sucks much. If it is technically OK to give a choice to users to move it to upper side of Amarra window, I think many users will be happy. Please consider. Koji

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Computer Audiophile

I concur with this, it is a bit annoying if accidentally dragging cursor too low on Mac and the Dock pops up and gets in the way

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Hi All,

Thanks for your interest in the new build for testing. We got it out to a few people and identified a couple of issues we need to resolve and then can send out a new build. Everyone who sent me a message, i have your email addy and will send out a new link just as soon as it's available. We really appreciate everyone's time and we really don't want to waste any of it.

 

best

Ralph

 

Thanks Ralph, looking forward to it greatly.

 

playlists are so annoying :-(

can't create a specific time length playlist

cant play tracks in the order I selected, playlists just play alphabetically for artist.

can't move tracks into new playlist order because they just duplicate then go back to original position, but there's no point at the moment anyway because playlists just play alphabetically for artist.

shuffle only seems to work if I play a playlist from the playlist tab, but not if I open the playlist, but even then songs get occasionally repeated.

apart from that a few inexplicable metadata issues others have mentioned.

 

To answer Erwin S, Amarra4 in my opinion is a much nicer and more comfortable sound than Symphony. Closest analogue sound from a computer I've personally ever heard and even Oasis' noisily remastered first album doesn't sound as tonally harsh as before, and feels like I'm closer to the music.

I would analogous it to when I started using SpeakON speaker cable connectors, like the stage has moved closer to you.

IRC in Symphony if done properly sounds clearer as you'd expect and I'm very excited to get Amarra Luxe and hear what the above sound qualities sound like when IRC is added.

But id say its worth getting Amarra4 until Luxe is released, its sound is quite contagious.

Hopefully Sonic Studio will sort out all the annoying bugs very soon, when they do do it's going to destroy everything else.

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If I understand correctly, people who have switched from A3 Symphony with iRC say A4 without iRC sounds better, not? As a firm believer and 100% daily user of the former, I find that very hard to believe...

 

 

In response to Erwin S I believe it is much better than A3 Symphony with IRC which i use. A4 has an elegance, composure and clarity I have not heard from computer audio before. It will be even better with IRC I have not doubt unless you have a perfect audio environment - as for probably 99% of audiophiles I don't.

 

The glitches are annoying but I have been on the Amarra road since 'dongle' day 1, I see no point in getting hot under the collar about it as they usually get fixed....Bring on A4 Lux!

Trying to make sense of all the bits...MacMini/Amarra -> WavIO USB to I2S -> DDDAC 1794 NOS DAC -> Active XO ->Bass Amp Avondale NCC200s, Mid/Treble Amp Sugden Masterclass -> My Own Speakers

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