Audirvana Plus 3 (official thread)

[speavler]

Are you signed up for Tidal Premium? That's a Tidal thing, not A+. If/when you are (and have linked your Tidal account in A+ streaming prefs), in both the app and remote, under Tidal/New you can select Masters as a subcategory.

 

 

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Maybe try uninstalling and reinstalling the remote app?

 

 

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Jud, that worked. Many thanks

[alcarp]

I've been running 2.6.6 and installed the trial version 3.0.1.

 

To my surprise, and contrary to most people's feedback, sound quality was definitely worse compared with 2.6.6. Also, I noticed that going back to 2.6.6 while 3.0 was still installed seemed to corrupt the album view which came up with a blank.

 

I'm wondering if 2.6 needs to be completely uninstalled before installing 3.0? Also, if using both versions together how does one keep the two libraries separate?

[Jud]

To your last question, designate separate locations for the database files in the preferences.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Computer Audiophile

[audiocanyon]

I've been running 2.6.6 and installed the trial version 3.0.1.

To my surprise, and contrary to most people's feedback, sound quality was definitely worse compared with 2.6.6. Also, I noticed that going back to 2.6.6 while 3.0 was still installed seemed to corrupt the album view which came up with a blank.

 

I'm wondering if 2.6 needs to be completely uninstalled before installing 3.0? Also, if using both versions together how does one keep the two libraries separate?

 

Just curious, can you describe what you mean by "worse"?

[mevdinc]

The compression is lossy, so what is unfolded has less information than what was folded. MQA claims the process is *audibly* lossless.

 

 

Anyway we've already had thousands of comments on the forum about MQA....

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Computer Audiophile

 

Hi Jud,

 

Sorry to reignite the MQA discussion but I think quite a number of us upgraded to Audirvana 3.0 partly because of the MQA support.

Personally, I thought having lossless 88.2/96 res streaming was very attractive.

 

But it seems you and others are absolutely right about MQA not being a lossless format!

Here's an interesting article on the MQA format.

 

HIGHRESAUDIO to stop offering MQA | Hi-Fi+

 

See what the MQA people will say/do about all this.

 

Best.

Mev

[Jud]

Hi Jud,

 

Sorry to reignite the MQA discussion but I think quite a number of us upgraded to Audirvana 3.0 partly because of the MQA support.

Personally, I thought having lossless 88.2/96 res streaming was very attractive.

 

But it seems you and others are absolutely right about MQA not being a lossless format!

Here's an interesting article on the MQA format.

 

HIGHRESAUDIO to stop offering MQA | Hi-Fi+

 

See what the MQA people will say/do about all this.

 

Best.

Mev

 

Sometimes people try to make things more complicated, but it is really very simple: Where the MQA version is from a better mastering, it will sound better, regardless of resolution, "lossy/lossless," etc. Where it isn't from a better mastering, my own subjective impression is that the sound is slightly less good than from the files I own, but just slightly.

[jhwalker]

Hi Jud,

 

Sorry to reignite the MQA discussion but I think quite a number of us upgraded to Audirvana 3.0 partly because of the MQA support.

Personally, I thought having lossless 88.2/96 res streaming was very attractive.

 

But it seems you and others are absolutely right about MQA not being a lossless format!

Here's an interesting article on the MQA format.

 

HIGHRESAUDIO to stop offering MQA | Hi-Fi+

 

See what the MQA people will say/do about all this.

 

Best.

Mev

 

It's really not as simple as lossy vs. lossless, except in the dogmatic sense.

 

MQA is a lossy compression process, no quibble about that; however, it's not *nearly* so lossy as (say) MP3 or AAC. In fact, every audible sound up to 22.05 kHz (for 44.1k MQA files) or 24 kHz (for 48k MQA files) is captured (for all intents and purposes) losslessly. So right away, that encompasses 99% (made up number, but somewhere in that vicinity) of actual audio content. Above that, what content there is (typically, not a lot) is encoded quite a bit more loosely and we're told there is also the benefit of filtering that enhances timing response across the entire spectrum.

 

Personally, I think it sounds great (I've been listening to both streaming and local sources) through my Meridian Explorer 2 DAC (full decoder) as well as via software decoding to my other DACs.

[OneHandWaving]

MQA isn't just about providing output with higher than 24/44.1. I've noticed excellent sound staging with the MQA albums I've listened to.

[RunHomeSlow]

Anyone having problems with the system optimizer in A+ 3.x.x.x? When I enable it, regardless of the options selected, the program never finishes setting up the optimizer. Heck, I don't even know if it starts. All I know is that I have to turn the option off to play music.

 

Damien answered that on A+ forums...

 

[h=3]Re: A+ 3.0.x and System Optimizer[/h]by damien » Mon Mar 13, 2017 2:53 pm

 

There is a caching issue in Sierra that causes the inability to reinstall SysOptimizer after having deleted its file manually. I've added a check for this and I've sent to Scott this patched build. This fix will find its way in the 3.0.2

[Speed Racer]

Damien answered that on A+ forums...

Re: A+ 3.0.x and System Optimizer

 

by damien » Mon Mar 13, 2017 2:53 pm

There is a caching issue in Sierra that causes the inability to reinstall SysOptimizer after having deleted its file manually. I've added a check for this and I've sent to Scott this patched build. This fix will find its way in the 3.0.2

 

Thanks. I got the patched version and all is well!

[miguelito]

Can someone clarify whether it is possible in A+3 to upsample a decoded MQA stream? Ie say it decodes to 24/96: Can I upsample this further to 24/192 using iZotope?

[jhwalker]

Can someone clarify whether it is possible in A+3 to upsample a decoded MQA stream? Ie say it decodes to 24/96: Can I upsample this further to 24/192 using iZotope?

 

Yes, if you're using a non-MQA DAC. If you're using an MQA DAC, it simply passes through the bits and you are unable to do any processing.

 

I'd like Damien to give us the *option* to treat an MQA DAC as a non-MQA DAC (if desired), and so use Audirvana's AU, resampling, etc., facilities if we so choose.

[57gold]

Initial observations on DSD up conversion sonics V2 vs v3:

 

V2 offered a cool directness and enhanced bass energy versus pre- DSD version and HQPlayer.

 

V3 seems to add high frequency extension, listened to a couple of tracks with Jack Dejohnette (a busy, high energy player) and hear increased definition of cymbals...bass seems more controlled than v2.

 

Kind of amazing how much range in sonics exists player to player and version to version.

 

Play from i7 Mini FW to Mytek DSD192 at DSD128.

[tipunch]

Initial observations on DSD up conversion sonics V2 vs v3:

 

V2 offered a cool directness and enhanced bass energy versus pre- DSD version and HQPlayer.

 

V3 seems to add high frequency extension, listened to a couple of tracks with Jack Dejohnette (a busy, high energy player) and hear increased definition of cymbals...bass seems more controlled than v2.

 

Kind of amazing how much range in sonics exists player to player and version to version.

 

Play from i7 Mini FW to Mytek DSD192 at DSD128.

 

Hello,

Thank you but what are your settings?

Steepness - Filter Max Length - Cutoff freq. - Anti-Aliasing - Pre-Ringing

Best regards

[sebassie]

@Damien

Despite emails, which were not answered, and a post (#240) I still get no response on the problem I encounter.

I have installed Audirvana 3.0 on my iMac and my MBPR.

Each time I start Audirvana I get the message ’Too many installs’. After restarting I can choose ’Trial mode’. When in ‘Trial mode’ I can enter the key which is accepted as long as do not reboot my iMac or MBRP.

Please solve this problem!!!

[RunHomeSlow]

@Damien

Despite emails, which were not answered, and a post (#240) I still get no response on the problem I encounter.

I have installed Audirvana 3.0 on my iMac and my MBPR.

Each time I start Audirvana I get the message ’Too many installs’. After restarting I can choose ’Trial mode’. When in ‘Trial mode’ I can enter the key which is accepted as long as do not reboot my iMac or MBRP.

Please solve this problem!!!

 

A* is copied in your applications folder. ?

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Computer Audiophile

[57gold]

Hello,

Thank you but what are your settings?

Steepness - Filter Max Length - Cutoff freq. - Anti-Aliasing - Pre-Ringing

Best regards

 

18

921,000

1.03

200

.56

 

But, these values result from a hunt and peck process with V2. Have not messed with them with V3. No magic in these.

 

Swiss friend - Seems like you have spent some considerable effort fine tuning/tweaking your Mytek DSD 192 based system. I have an aftermarket power cord on mine and its stands on Mapleshade cones and stand that I used with the Wadia 861 it replaced. It goes balanced straight into McCormack DNA500 which powers Aerial 10Ts with some power and control.

 

Think about replacing the Mytek with a Brooklyn or Manhattan or something else, but I like the music I'm getting. You know the saying, "If it ain't broke, don't fix it"...but then I read this site!

[sebassie]

Yes, I did a clean install on both iMac and MBPR. I don't run both simultaneously, so it should work according to 3.3 Licence grant.

[audiocanyon]

That file is only for the preferences of the software, it means when you make your choices in the Preferences Menu of A+... your dac, memory... volume... library...

 

See mine... every software that you have in your mac have that file there... Since now it is working, it should be there. If not, i don't know, strange. Your A+ application is copied in your Applications folder?

[ATTACH=CONFIG]33983[/ATTACH]

Mystery solved. My com.audirvana.Audirvana-Plus.plist was in the LaunchDaemons folder instead of the Preferences folder.

[Sonic77]

What a weird way to upgrade a product. You have to use the Buy button to do a FREE upgrade, thank goodness someone clued me in, otherwise I would've never figured it out. That's something they need to fix, and communication, I asked at the web site and here to Damien, no one bothered to answer me. That all leaves a horrible view about how Audirvana does business.

[rruffin]

I found the same. 3.0 is hotter at the high end with hissing of sibilant sounds. I had been tweaking my system based on version 2.6.6 and finally got it "just right". I am not inclined to mess with hardware now and will enjoy 2.6.6 for a while. (Have not upgraded to 3.0.1 yet.)

 

Also, I am having difficulty adding a folder using 1st method (Adding folders to synchronize). Shows up in the Preference window, but not in the library. Does not show up in 3.0 either. I have successfully added folders this way previously, so...

I've been running 2.6.6 and installed the trial version 3.0.1.

 

To my surprise, and contrary to most people's feedback, sound quality was definitely worse compared with 2.6.6. Also, I noticed that going back to 2.6.6 while 3.0 was still installed seemed to corrupt the album view which came up with a blank.

 

I'm wondering if 2.6 needs to be completely uninstalled before installing 3.0? Also, if using both versions together how does one keep the two libraries separate?

[57gold]

What a weird way to upgrade a product. You have to use the Buy button to do a FREE upgrade, thank goodness someone clued me in, otherwise I would've never figured it out. That's something they need to fix, and communication, I asked at the web site and here to Damien, no one bothered to answer me. That all leaves a horrible view about how Audirvana does business.

 

I had a question about upgrading, posted above and to be sure that Damien saw it private mailed him. PM response received in 24 hours from Damien...a guy, who I believe has a day job in addition to A+ (could be wrong). Great view on how a guy does business, to me.

 

Some of the CA businesses are small, start up, tech guys operating at low overhead and offering pretty astoundingly good sounding stuff at very low cost...$75 for software that makes an entire library of CD rips sound like high definition files versus playing them on a CD player, pretty fair.

 

If these businesses had to add full time customer service teams, the product costs to consumers would multiply...by a significant multiple.

[RunHomeSlow]

Mystery solved. My com.audirvana.Audirvana-Plus.plist was in the LaunchDaemons folder instead of the Preferences folder.

 

If i was you, i'll make a copy of it while dragging them out with ALT key on and put them back where they belong... in prefs folder. Quit A+ and trash the one in LauchDaemons folder. Restart MAC just to be sure. Open A+ to see if all is good, then close it and see back in prefs folder if the file has the date modified and time that you just close A+.

[Sonic77]

I had a question about upgrading, posted above and to be sure that Damien saw it private mailed him. PM response received in 24 hours from Damien...a guy, who I believe has a day job in addition to A+ (could be wrong). Great view on how a guy does business, to me.

 

Some of the CA businesses are small, start up, tech guys operating at low overhead and offering pretty astoundingly good sounding stuff at very low cost...$75 for software that makes an entire library of CD rips sound like high definition files versus playing them on a CD player, pretty fair.

 

If these businesses had to add full time customer service teams, the product costs to consumers would multiply...by a significant multiple.

 

 

 

I’m not asking a lot and a few other people are having

problems with upgrading their software too. A full time customer service team

is not needed, if he knew his business he could answer right here in this

forum. I’m glad he responded to you he never responded to me at all even though

I emailed him at two places.

 

[alcarp]

Just curious, can you describe what you mean by "worse"?

 

In my system, 3.0 sounded a bit harsh and sibilant. 2.6.6 is the best 2.0 version I tried.

 

That was a bit disappointing as I was looking forward to all the other features of 3.0.

 

Also, a question to @Jud. You suggested I changed the location of the library file. Is this to be done to the 2.0 version prior to installing 3.0?