Audirvana Plus 3 (official thread)

[mdelrossi]

I recently started having a problem with Audirvana 3.06.

Mac mini(2009, El captain 10.11.6), usb, Schitt Bifrost multibit uber.

When i change from CD to masters the bifrost relay doesn't click and the sound goes all distorted and scratchy, until I manually change the inputs on the Bifrost.

 

Also listening through the Tidal app sounds better and fuller than on Audirvana.

Any help would be appreciated.

thanks

mdr

 

[Brahmsian]

7 hours ago, mdelrossi said:

I recently started having a problem with Audirvana 3.06.

Mac mini(2009, El captain 10.11.6), usb, Schitt Bifrost multibit uber.

When i change from CD to masters the bifrost relay doesn't click and the sound goes all distorted and scratchy, until I manually change the inputs on the Bifrost.

 

Also listening through the Tidal app sounds better and fuller than on Audirvana.

Any help would be appreciated.

thanks

mdr

 

Same here but different problems. Gain changes by itself. Goes to a deafening level between tracks without warning. When that happens, I lose control of the volume (both in Audirvana software and on my computer) and have to stop the track to kill the sound. There are weird things going on with the sampling rate. It will play Tidal Red Book quality FLAC at 24/96 but MQA it will not play beyond either 44.1 or 48, and it won't let me change it manually in Audio MIDI. And as mdelrossi notes, I think Tidal app now sounds fuller, although I'm not 100% sure about the latter. Audirvana has become a buggy mess on my MacBook.

[Brahmsian]

On 5/25/2017 at 5:44 PM, mevdinc said:

Despite the usb/audio update in 10.12.5 I'm still having problems with MacMini recognising my Lindemann DAC sometimes. It works OK for days and then doesn't, I couldn't track it down to any thing specific.
I have to restart both the DAC and MacMini to make it work.

I'm having DAC problems too. In fact, my Audirvana and Meridian Explorer2 problems started at the same time. My MacBook stopped recognizing the ME2. 

[mevdinc]

I don't think the problem is caused by Audirvana, it looks like the USB/Audio fix by Apple on their latest OS 10.12.5 hasn't fixed the problem for some DACs.
 

I suggest turning your DAC off completely for 10 seconds or so, and then turning it on. Make sure your DAC is fully on, my DAC takes a few seconds to reinitialise itself and then goes onto standby mode. Yours may just turn on and stay on.
Once your DAC is fully on and ready then Restart your computer to hopefully properly recognise your DAC.

Before starting Audirvana make sure that your DAC is fully recognised by your computer by checking the Audio Midi settings.
Set your DAC as default Output device, and also select/set the highest sample/bit rate your DAC is capable of.
Then start Audirvana + and check that A+ is displaying your DAC with all the sample rates it supports. If so you should be good to go.

This is the sequence I had to execute to get my system to work whenever my DAC wasn't recognised properly by OS/Audirvana+ after switching my DAC on from standby.

For the time being I'm using my DAC in its streamer mode until Apple fixes this problem, soon I hope!
I think if you keep your DAC on (ie don't switch it off or put it into standby) then you may not experience this problem. You may also have to keep the computer on too!
I believe the current OS fails to recognise some DACs properly when they are switched back on from standby.

Hope this helps.

Mev

 

[miguelito]

4 minutes ago, mevdinc said:

I don't think the problem is caused by Audirvana, it looks like the USB/Audio fix by Apple on their latest OS 10.12.5 hasn't fixed the problem for some DACs.
 

I suggest turning your DAC off completely for 10 seconds or so, and then turning it on. Make sure your DAC is fully on, my DAC takes a few seconds to reinitialise itself and then goes onto standby mode. Yours may just turn on and stay on.
Once your DAC is fully on and ready then Restart your computer to hopefully properly recognise your DAC.

Before starting Audirvana make sure that your DAC is fully recognised by your computer by checking the Audio Midi settings.
Set your DAC as default Output device, and also select/set the highest sample/bit rate your DAC is capable of.
Then start Audirvana + and check that A+ is displaying your DAC with all the sample rates it supports. If so you should be good to go.

Suggest you shut down the computer (ie powered off completely) as opposed to a hot restart. If the hardware is in a bad state, only a cold restart will bring everything to a clean state. 

[mevdinc]

6 minutes ago, miguelito said:

Suggest you shut down the computer (ie powered off completely) as opposed to a hot restart. If the hardware is in a bad state, only a cold restart will bring everything to a clean state. 

Thanks for the additional clarification.
That's correct and exactly what I meant by turning it off and leaving it off for 10 seconds.

[mdelrossi]

4 hours ago, mevdinc said:

I don't think the problem is caused by Audirvana, it looks like the USB/Audio fix by Apple on their latest OS 10.12.5 hasn't fixed the problem for some DACs.
 

I suggest turning your DAC off completely for 10 seconds or so, and then turning it on. Make sure your DAC is fully on, my DAC takes a few seconds to reinitialise itself and then goes onto standby mode. Yours may just turn on and stay on.
Once your DAC is fully on and ready then Restart your computer to hopefully properly recognise your DAC.

Before starting Audirvana make sure that your DAC is fully recognised by your computer by checking the Audio Midi settings.
Set your DAC as default Output device, and also select/set the highest sample/bit rate your DAC is capable of.
Then start Audirvana + and check that A+ is displaying your DAC with all the sample rates it supports. If so you should be good to go.

This is the sequence I had to execute to get my system to work whenever my DAC wasn't recognised properly by OS/Audirvana+ after switching my DAC on from standby.

For the time being I'm using my DAC in its streamer mode until Apple fixes this problem, soon I hope!
I think if you keep your DAC on (ie don't switch it off or put it into standby) then you may not experience this problem. You may also have to keep the computer on too!
I believe the current OS fails to recognise some DACs properly when they are switched back on from standby.

Hope this helps.

Mev

 

Nope.

Same problem.

keeping audio midi open the output device changes from the Bifrost to Built-in and never changes, and can't be changed manually.

I even uninstalled all of the A+ files in the users library, reinstalled A+, went through the setup, shut down the computer and restarted. nadda

 

Short of reinstalling the system software, which I can't do because I don't have a monitor for the headless mac mini. I'm at a loss. Good thing the 3 month trial of Tidal is offsetting the cost of A+.

 

mdr

 

[mdelrossi]

If I just listen to one particular bitrate then I'm fine, but if it goes from masters to cd scratchy distorted sound. That and the hanging up at the end of some tracks(intermittent)  that causes buzzing. Is making  me put this software on the shelf till it's fixed. Too bad since I was enjoying it and the A+ remote. 

[jas]

First post here.  Just added A+ 3.0.6 with no issues. I left my 2.8 in place, didn't touch the music file.  In my simple system relative to those I read about here, the increase in SQ is distinct and definitely worth the ticket price.  It's more punchy and dynamic, voices have a higher real factor (more voice tremor and grit, I'd say) and the presentation of sound stage is fuller.  I do experience some increase in bass as other reported but a greater increase in the higher mid range and especially the very top end, but not enough to shift the sonic balance upward.  Short take: its pulling me away from this posting to listen to the whole collection again.

 

As a first poster, I'm appreciative. I learned a lot from this forum--yet the corollary is I am a real noob when it comes to next level computer audio and needed the help big time.  As a result of this forum, I bought a Topaz ISO transformer (fantastic addition), vibration damping (rollerballs, equally fantastic), and, bought a Schiit Bifrost and updated to a Bimby soon to upgrade again to Gumby or Yggy due to the writings and reviews here. 

[mdelrossi]

Well, local files play properly. The issue seems to be with tidal and A+

[steveoat]

How to handle box sets.

 

Using audirvana, what is the best way to tag box sets.  I find that each individual disk is shown and I prefer to group all the discs into one box set.

[pl_svn]

"Disc #" "Of..."

 

not just in Audirvana: in any player that makes proper use of tags

[Krutsch]

On 5/29/2017 at 6:47 AM, steveoat said:

How to handle box sets.

 

Using audirvana, what is the best way to tag box sets.  I find that each individual disk is shown and I prefer to group all the discs into one box set.

 

The "Grouping" tag is your friend.

 

Make the Album name the same, across all discs, and set the Grouping tag to the unique disc name name within the box set. I did this, as one example, with the Simple Minds New Gold Dream box set.

 

The album for all 5 discs was "New Gold Dream [Super Deluxe]" and for each disc within the set, I set the Grouping tag for those tracks to the unique disc name (e.g. for disc #2: "Extended Versions"). I even set unique cover art for each of the sleeves within the box set.

 

A+ handles this really well and creates a bold out-dented line for each grouping; I do the same thing for classical "Works". Try it... you will be pleased with the results in A+.

[Brahmsian]

On 5/28/2017 at 7:53 PM, mdelrossi said:

Well, local files play properly. The issue seems to be with tidal and A+

Same here. Local files play at the correct sample rate. Problem is with Tidal and A+

[mevdinc]

8 hours ago, Brahmsian said:

Same here. Local files play at the correct sample rate. Problem is with Tidal and A+

Are you making sure A+ volume is set to Max? I remember reading sometime ago that it goes wrong if the volume is not set to MAX in A+ with hires and or DSD playback.
And also you could try checking/unchecking "Auto detect MQA devices" to see if that makes a difference.
You may have tried the above and more but just a thought.

[mdelrossi]

3 hours ago, mevdinc said:

Are you making sure A+ volume is set to Max? I remember reading sometime ago that it goes wrong if the volume is not set to MAX in A+ with hires and or DSD playback.
And also you could try checking/unchecking "Auto detect MQA devices" to see if that makes a difference.
You may have tried the above and more but just a thought.

Thanks,

Did all of that. 

Ended up wiping the hard drive, reinstalling os, Tidal, A+.

Nadda no difference. 

The problem must be with Tidal, they must have changed the way they are tagging the bitrate. It just happened a week or so ago.

 

Like I said earlier all local files play perfectly and change bitrate properly. 

 

Also sometimes the end of the song will stop short and there will be a loud buzzing. 

 

I've been in touch with Tidal, but nothing has been resolved. 

 

Upside, I'm listening to my record,collection again

 

[mdelrossi]

Well, Tidal is pointing fingers at A+

"

TIDAL Support [DanielON] (TIDAL) May 31, 8:30 AM EDT  Hello Michael Thank you for the additional information. After further research, there currently seems to be a problem with the way Audirvana processes MQA files. Please reach out to Audirvana for further directions how to correct the issue. Best Regards, Daniel - Technical Support Specialist TIDAL Member Support"   I'll have to recheck, but I think I was having the same problem in native Tidal app. But playing songs through Tidal app sounded "fuller" regardless.

[mdelrossi]

Happens in native Tidal App.

Unless A+ put a problematic audio ktext or other such file in the system, it seems to be a problem with Tidal.

 

In the Tidal app (mac ) when I start in Exclusive mode ,force volume, it plays CD quality well, however when I select a Masters file it distorts. 

No other app is running. Machine was shut down and restarted.

The only time it doesn’t sound distorted is when I have Exclusive mode turned off.
However the DAC doesn’t change bitrates.
In AudioMidi setup I’ve set it to 192/32, 44/16 etc nothing helps

All local files play properly and switch bitrate.

[mevdinc]

Unfortunately, Apple's latest OS update also caused problems with USB/Audio devices although they seem to have put things right with the current release it's likely that there are still problems with some Software/Hardware combinations.

I haven't tried the Tidal app myself, I'll report my findings when I do later in the day.
 

[mdelrossi]

4 minutes ago, mevdinc said:

Unfortunately, Apple's latest OS update also caused problems with USB/Audio devices although they seem to have put things right with the current release it's likely that there are still problems with some Software/Hardware combinations.

I haven't tried the Tidal app myself, I'll report my findings when I do later in the day.
 

El Capitan.

problems started out of the blue.

 

[mevdinc]

5 hours ago, mdelrossi said:

El Capitan.

problems started out of the blue.

 

Just tested the TIDAL desktop app with my DAC and the playback seems fine for both CD and MQA files.
TIDAL device settings: Both Exclusive and Force Volume checked.
 

[mdelrossi]

Thanks. It's puzzling. 

 

[Brahmsian]

11 hours ago, mdelrossi said:

Also sometimes the end of the song will stop short and there will be a loud buzzing. 

 

I get the sudden stop and buzz, but only on A+. My Tidal app so far is running fine, just as it always did. All my problems are in A+ (except for the fact that my MacBook recognized my new ME2 DAC only for one day and then suddenly stopped recognizing it). 

[Simondo]

Hi brand new to the forums. I shall jump in and say. I think it's a problem with Tidal app and mac, not audirvana. If I play a hifi file in tidal then a masters file it's all fine but when I choose a hifi file again it just makes a loud hiss sound. Also in sound preferences it switches to internal speaker and not my benchmark dac 3. If I play tidal  through audirvna it all works fine?. Welcome to computer audio!!

[matthias]

On 11.5.2017 at 8:23 AM, damien78 said:

Audirvana Plus 3.1 is bringing playback to UPnP/DLNA media renderer devices. I've not planned to implement any closed proprietary protocols in 3.1.

I'm currently progressing in the development of it, with good results on the microRendu and on a Marantz A/V receiver.

I don't want to make promises  but I'm targeting to launch a public beta in the coming weeks. Due to the variety of media renderer implementations, this beta phase will be quite important to validate the release.

 

Damien,

will a set-up with Audirvana 3.1 via UPnP and microRendu sound better than a direct USB connection of the same DAC to a Mac?

Thanks

 

Matt