Audirvana Plus 3 (official thread)

[pl_svn]

Damien found the problem and it wasn't related to A+. I told A+ to scan my music by adding the top folder on my NAS share. I totally forgot that I had RoonDB backups in that location as well. This caused some very strange display issues that we all self inflicted.

Carry on ...

 

though... an option to exclude sub-directories would be a godsend

[pl_svn]

do I have to backup v2 library (... and preferences?), in case I want to go back, or v3 and v2 libraries are compatible?

[pl_svn]

... and even when I set "Limit bitdepth to 24 bit" A+, in the upper left corner, shows 32 as what it is sending to the DAC

[pl_svn]

@damien... mind telling us...

 

- which "network renderers" is A+ 3.x going to support?

- plans about an UI "overall rethinking"?

 

thank you

[pl_svn]

Streaming to µRendu and others is coming with next release 3.1

... which "others"?

 

[pl_svn]

Doesn't quit clean, have to Force Quit, then with some persistence.

something similar is happening on my Mac mini too since 2.6: takes a "pretty long" time to quit, staying on an "all white" UI until it finally does. v3 shuts down *a little* faster and without the all white UI while shutting down

[pl_svn]

Perhaps A+ is trying to flush memory or waits for the DAC to disengage but cannot.

I also tried, to no avail, disengaging the DAC first ("square button" in A+)

 

:-|

[pl_svn]

To me that sounds like normal behavior if the licensing scheme has changed to only allow one Install per license. I do know that previously you could install it on multiple computers.

*two* computers max!

I always had A+ installed on my dedicated Mac mini, at home, and on my MBP for when I'm away

 

 

if this has changed to just one... that's one more reason, for me, to stick with v2

(btw... still waiting an answer about which "other" devices, apart the microRendu, v3.1 will support :-| )

[pl_svn]

Maybe you're lucky enough to have perfect metadata. Some of us have less than perfect metadata, typically a mixture of little of no metadata (old ripped LPs) and at best inconsistent metadata

 

it's not a matter of "being lucky": it's about working on your file's metadata

 

I hang on in hope, though I've stopped recommending to others.

hope that A+ will magically fix missing/bad/poor/wrong metadata? :-0

 

good luck with that

[pl_svn]

I have put a ton of effort into my metadata and A+ starting with the upgrade to 2.6.6 screwed it all up... It is perfect everywhere else in every other player...

 

oh... ok, that's a whole different matter and I've been complaining about A+ "funny" metadata handling since v2.0

(btw... not even "that other app" is perfect. if/when you start looking at fine details you'll find plenty to complain about/disagree with. though, at least, all relevant stuff is and looks just great and the database is rock solid indeed! )

 

 

I certainly don't expect A+ to magically fix the metadata, but what would be very simple would be to facilitate browsing by file structure rather than only by metadata, as do other players.

 

I started ripping my CDs and listening to digital music in the '90s using SoundJam (acquired, later on, by Apple which used it as the foundation to build iTunes upon)

 

SoundJam did use metadata (albeit just basic ones) and honestly... I was astonished the day I saw my friends, those using PCs, had to use filepaths to have their music "properly" handled by their players

 

as others already suggested here above, there are excellent Mac apps (eg. Yate) for handling metadata and much of the work can be automated

nothing against A+ using filepaths too. but only as far as users can be in control of what and how those are taken into account: when in v 2.6 something of that was introduced... my library became a mess and I had to 1) wait for a fix, 2) start fresh *once more*

[pl_svn]

the hierachical process of genre/artist/album (and any additional categories desired)

see? "genre" comes first among your filing criteria

most of what I listen to is so "borderline across different genres" that genre is, in my collection, the least relevant criterion

 

but once all that is in specific file tags... everyone can sort his library according to whatever he values the most (and re-arrange it with a single click any time he changes his mind)

[pl_svn]

iFi Audio DAC's have a BitPerfect setting where they do not upsample. It is even the best sounding setting!

 

all sigma-delta dac chips (Wolfson, Burr Brown & Co.) do upsample internally

there's been , in the past, a lot of misleading claims by DAC manufacturers about their "non upsampling" DACs

truth is they do not upsample *before* the DAC chip itself which then.. *does*

[pl_svn]

It seems that with A+3 licensing I can only install A+3 in two computers?

It already was two computers max in 2.0

(and I believe in 1.5 too)

[pl_svn]

ok guys, so... after all the whining going on since yesterday... just purchased v3 upgrade

 

even though:

- I don't give a dam' about MQA

- I've been using almost just Roon in these last six months

- still do not agree with how A+ is using some file tags

 

[pl_svn]

Any personal thoughts on sound?

can only use A+ on my "secondary" system: Mac mini > USB Regen > Metrum Hex > Teac HA-501 > headphones

so can't compare it with Roon at its best (ethernet to Aries > USB Regen > Audiophilleo > 2Qute > pre > amplifier)

 

but...

- 3.0 far better than 2.6.6

- 3.0 "Integer mode 2" slightly better than Roon (via USB)

- 3.0 "Integer mode 1" *way* better than Roon (via USB)

 

[pl_svn]

Integer mode 1, huh? I always found that too harsh, clinical and bright compared to Mode 2 which seems warmer. This is using 2.5 which I think is the same as 2.6.6 (confirm). Does 3.0 reverse this trend?

 

always used Mode 2 with my (main) tube system as I agree with you on Mode 1 being too bright

 

but this headphones amp and headphones (Beyerdynamic DT-880) are way too warm for my taste so I moved to Mode 1. weird, isn't it?

[pl_svn]

Can someone explain what these integer modes are, what they do, and how they improved the SQ?

just try

 

[pl_svn]

ok, just given this MQA thing a try

 

three tracks only Crosby, Nash & Young's "Suite Judy Blue Eyes", Duke Ellington's "Afro Bossa" and Madonna's "Lucky Star"

compared local files against Tidal- A+ MQA software unfolding to 24/96 (no MQA dac). local files are 16/44. only Duke Ellington's is 24/192 (so this one was totally unfair )

 

no way: local 16/44 tracks do sound much better

not a surprise since in my "wow sounding" playlist (local files only) 9 out of 10 are 16/44

bit/sample rate don't mean much

 

as all the above are digital remasterings of old to "ancient" analogue materials, I then tried Kaleo's "Vor í Vaglaskógi"

no way once more: local 16/44 is better

 

then... Rhiannon Gidden's "Moonshiner's Daughter". 24/96 MQA vs local 24/96

no contest at all: local wins by far indeed!

MQA... bye-bye!

[pl_svn]

I see your settings. Is it best to tick the 24 bit box as opposed to 32 bit? My Mac is 24 bit in Audio Midi so may be better for me. And idea?

 

that's a screenshot from my MBP where A+ is just sitting, no DAC connected nor music loaded into library

[pl_svn]

A+ will send your DAC what it can process as an input

 

still don't get why A+ always shows 32/something even when "Limit to 24" is set :-|

[pl_svn]

ok, then... "Limit to 24" unchecked right now

 

thanks, Jud

[pl_svn]

@damien, please... a nasty glitch I'm having since 2.6 and still there in 3.0.2

 

1) Album view scrolled to the top

2) open (click) an album to see content

3) close by clicking on "black" and... view scrolls dow quite a lot (first row is now showing "D" artists)

 

1.

 

2.

 

3.

 

Mac mini is running 10.11.6, should this matter

[pl_svn]

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A+ 3.02 is not showing the volume bar !!!

:-0

 

[pl_svn]

31 minutes ago, MemoryPlayer said:

what lovely rounded sound!

... does it still have that "what those who have never heard a tube system think a tube system sounds like" sound?

[pl_svn]

26 minutes ago, MemoryPlayer said:

Real sound of instruments is rounded and never harsh!

try listeninig to a baroque violin, a flute, an harpsichord or... the solo trumpet, 1mt away from your ear, in a gipsy big brass band