Audirvana Plus 3 (official thread)

[dahlberg]

Just downloaded 3.0.1 without a hitch. All settings, smart folders etc intact. I am noticing a significant improvement in sound quality (listening to my usual test recordings). Was expecting an improvement but this seems substantial. Others coming to a similar conclusion? Very happy so far - Damien, thank you very much! Well worth the upgrade fee!

 

I agree, only thing taken from memory (2.6.6) is that now the last (lowest) octave seems a bit shy. Stage presentation is fenomenal and "release from speakers" is the best so far on my system. :-)

[dahlberg]

"Release from speakers" (term not familiar with) might be a good description of the sound improvement; I was thinking along the lines of a removal of a veil. The low end seems tighter and more accurate on my system. I'm still blown away by the degree of improvement.

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Computer Audiophile

 

"Release from speakers" is a term I invented today missing a better phrase

for when you no longer can say that sound is actually coming from the

speakers. I have a slight allergy for when it's the other way around.

Dynamics seems to have improved as well, makes it more fun to listen :-)

What I belive is missing a bit is what's below ~30hz, the part that makes

the floor and the couch you are sitting on to move.

[dahlberg]

That sounds negative to me, because I rather do like to feel the bottom end when it is supposed to be there, and spent a lot of money on speakers capable of going low enough uncurtailed. It is a pity if apparent improvements in some respects are accompanied by deterioration elsewhere. Could be a deal breaker - some time I will have to try (only I will have to be certain I can revert if I don't like), but no hurry as MQA is of nominterest and I'm hoping Damien will fix the library issues soon.

 

I will absolutely not go back to an earlier version, this one is great. My library works just fine by the way :-)

[dahlberg]

It isn't negative. All the lower end is there, controlled. Many versions gave the feeling to have more low end extension, but in fact had something like "boomy" basses. One version: 2.6b16 (2.5.9.16) had very controlled low end (probably too controlled BTW). Version 2.6.6 gives the impression to have more bass but not as well mastered as 3.0. Not speaking of the other sound improvement of 3.0.

 

Strange thing, I was trying to do some more comparisons. So I listened to a track that I'm very familiar with at the same level I usually listen to it. The very low end is just as powerfull and a bit cleaner then before (2.6.6) so you might just as well disregard the earlier comments on that aspect. The strange thing then, when I was ment to go back to listen to 2.6.6 the library was empty and a scan for the library had started. Didn't have the time to wait for it so I cancelled it. So all impresions are still from memory but I will most likely not even try the earlier versions any more.

 

Thanks Damien, this was a great update.

[dahlberg]

I also use custom settings @ 96khz, it resets itself to 192khz.

[dahlberg]

I'm using the SW volume control but not DSD

[dahlberg]

Is there a convolver plugin that will work with Audirvana ?

[dahlberg]

3 hours ago, Bob Stern said:

 

Are you asking because you want to use a room EQ program other than Dirac, such as Room EQ Wizard or Uli Brueggemann's Acourate?

 

If so, any AU type convolver plugin should work, but most of them haven’t been updated in years, so you should ask their developers if they are compatible with your version of OS X.

 

SIR2 Reverb is $145 (after their 25% discount) and updated this year, but the website has no reference to OS 10.11 (El Capitan) or 10.12 (Sierra).

 

Liquid Sonic Reverberate Core is $40 but was last updated 9/2015.

 

MellowMuse IR1A is $50 but was last updated 12/2014.

I'm not quite sure what system to try yet, for now I'm just figuring out what's possible. I have a dsp-xo solution today that handles iir filters just fine but for fir filters there are just not enough taps. So to be able to handle impulse and phase response I need to find another solution. All of them you mentioned are interesting, for now at least.

[dahlberg]

43 minutes ago, astrostar59 said:

Are you sure you need something this complex? It may be more effective to apply physical room corrections such as sound panels, speaker placement etc. Rugs and such work as well. And if you need more LF extension add a decent sub.

 

I was using a very good EQ only plugin till recently called DMG Audio EQ. They make various models and with more features. I did tend to find the simpler effect you apply, the less smearing or flattening of the soundstage will occur. This is my point, if you go with more correction IMO you will loose something in the original data along the way, there is no free lunch.

 

I already have the eq functions in the dsp-xo, what I'm after is impulse and phase response compensation. The frequency response in this room is actually quite good without any eq directed at the room response. I'm only using these functions for dipole roll of compensation. If I'm reading it right Dirac would work right away or ? Only thing missing would be the measuring microphone. I'm running a Mac mini and AU 3.0

[dahlberg]

Thanks for the input. To stay on topic I will ask more Dirac etc questions in the proper forum.

On topic would be a question for Damien though.

Is there any plan to add a convolver engine to the software ?

[dahlberg]

11 minutes ago, HardrockInMiniMac said:

If you use a Power DAC with a room correction software embedded then you can use any of the software players out of the box and due the tweaking through the Amp. 

 No, I'm not so....

 

Edit: I'm trying to get rid of the dual avatars, done :-)

[dahlberg]

10 minutes ago, HardrockInMiniMac said:

What's that?

It's a 6 foot neodymium ribbon driver 300-20khz :-)

[dahlberg]

1 hour ago, astrostar59 said:

A+ V3 sub bass response

Can I ask if anyone has noticed a slight drop in low bass frequencies after V2.6.6? I am not sure if I am imagining it, but it does seem to have slightly less foundation than before. 

 

I run A+ straight, no EQ or up sampling.

That was my first impression but I have changed it some. A reference for me comes from "Yello-touch", the track "Petro Oleum" has a vibrating decay eminating from the bass drum, it feels like a wave of low frequency on (or under) the floorboards starting at the speakers and settling under the sofa I'm sitting in. Quite spectacular when it works. I haven't a-b compared it but for me the amplitude is there and it's as I hear it a bit "cleaner" then before. Someone with more time to spare might try it out though. The album is a lot of fun anyhow.