Audirvana Plus 3 (official thread)

[wwaldmanfan]

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.

Some people will find something to complain about, no matter what.

[Sonic77]

Some people will find something to complain about, no matter what.

Something? You mean poor customer service?

[sebassie]

Something? You mean poor customer service?

 

+1

 

Indeed. After sales customer service is bad. Wrote emails and posted here. No response so far

[arglebargle]

Yeah I'm pretty soured by the customer service myself. Having missed the cutoff for an upgrade by less than SIX HOURS, being told "Well, if I gave it to you I'd have to give it to everyone else" ... as if it costs anything to give some discretionary leeway to the handful of people who might say, "Hey, this kinda sucks." Sure, I guess "No" is even cheaper, and my bad feelings about it from now until the heat death of the universe are 100% free.

[fbczar]

Yeah I'm pretty soured by the customer service myself. Having missed the cutoff for an upgrade by less than SIX HOURS, being told "Well, if I gave it to you I'd have to give it to everyone else" ... as if it costs anything to give some discretionary leeway to the handful of people who might say, "Hey, this kinda sucks." Sure, I guess "No" is even cheaper, and my bad feelings about it from now until the heat death of the universe are 100% free.

 

And exactly how much has anyone ever paid for an Audirvana upgrade? What did anyone originally pay? $75.00 or less? From 2.0 thru 2.6.6 the upgrade cost has been $0.00! And now we get MQA functionality plus a few improvements for $39.00. Perspective would be nice. A permanent Roon license is $500.00. Maybe one day it will sound as good as Audirvana. What about HQPlayer? $140.00, great sound, but it has the most minimal of interfaces and no iPad app. Given what other companies charge for their music players it is difficult to understand how Damien stays in business. Audirvana may be the Best Buy in all of audio. Bad feelings, really?

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Computer Audiophile

[audiocanyon]

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?

 

Thanks alcarp. Interesting. My ears may not be hearing the sibilance (if that's a word) due to my ears being bludgeoned by numerous jet flights over many years.

[arglebargle]

And exactly how much has anyone ever paid for an Audirvana upgrade? What did anyone originally pay? $75.00 or less? From 2.0 thru 2.6.6 the upgrade cost has been $0.00! And now we get MQA functionality plus a few improvements for $39.00. Perspective would be nice. A permanent Roon license is $500.00. Maybe one day it will sound as good as Audirvana. What about HQPlayer? $140.00, great sound, but it has the most minimal of interfaces and no iPad app. Given what other companies charge for their music players it is difficult to understand how Damien stays in business. Audirvana may be the Best Buy in all of audio. Bad feelings, really?

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Computer Audiophile

 

I can say I've paid $0 for an Audirvana upgrade because I purchased it for the first time on December 24, 2016, 8PM CET. I likely will never pay for an Audirvana upgrade, and will instead continue to enjoy HQPlayer, Roon, Jriver and Audirvana 2.6. People often talk about how software is the biggest bargain in audio, and I agree, but my sourness is not related to the price. If I had decided to go to the pub before ordering, I would not be here writing this comment and I would not have these bad feelings. I mean, If I purchased a Roon license for $500 and then it was another $125 the next day when 1.3 came out, I would also have bad feelings about this. I think a few hours warrants a bit of wiggle room. I understand a line has to be drawn, or whatever, but I'm surprised Damien was determined for it to be such a bright line, and I'm sour about that.

[ForumDawg]

And exactly how much has anyone ever paid for an Audirvana upgrade? What did anyone originally pay? $75.00 or less? From 2.0 thru 2.6.6 the upgrade cost has been $0.00! And now we get MQA functionality plus a few improvements for $39.00. Perspective would be nice. A permanent Roon license is $500.00. Maybe one day it will sound as good as Audirvana. What about HQPlayer? $140.00, great sound, but it has the most minimal of interfaces and no iPad app. Given what other companies charge for their music players it is difficult to understand how Damien stays in business. Audirvana may be the Best Buy in all of audio. Bad feelings, really?

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Computer Audiophile

 

So, your point to this guy is "you should pay be happy to pay more"? I had almost the exact same experience. I also purchased on the 24th of December, and feel totally shafted. If Damien is at all concerned about "staying in business", maybe pursuing customer loyalty instead of customer alienation would be a good strategy? Instead of being happy to buy the remote, buy subsequent upgrades that aren't announced immediately after I purchase, and so on, I am so annoyed with the so called 'customer service' that I am more likely to spite-purchase a 500$ Roon licence than ever buy another Audirvana product ever again. It's isn't the 39$, it' the principle.

[wwaldmanfan]

So, your point to this guy is "you should pay be happy to pay more"? I had almost the exact same experience. I also purchased on the 24th of December, and feel totally shafted. If Damien is at all concerned about "staying in business", maybe pursuing customer loyalty instead of customer alienation would be a good strategy? Instead of being happy to buy the remote, buy subsequent upgrades that aren't announced immediately after I purchase, and so on, I am so annoyed with the so called 'customer service' that I am more likely to spite-purchase a 500$ Roon licence than ever buy another Audirvana product ever again. It's isn't the 39$, it' the principle.

 

Great first post. Just what we need here, another petulant whiner.

[junker]

vs. $120 every year?? No comparison. J River is even more irritating with their upgrade cycle.

[Speed Racer]

So, your point to this guy is "you should pay be happy to pay more"? I had almost the exact same experience. I also purchased on the 24th of December, and feel totally shafted. If Damien is at all concerned about "staying in business", maybe pursuing customer loyalty instead of customer alienation would be a good strategy? Instead of being happy to buy the remote, buy subsequent upgrades that aren't announced immediately after I purchase, and so on, I am so annoyed with the so called 'customer service' that I am more likely to spite-purchase a 500$ Roon licence than ever buy another Audirvana product ever again. It's isn't the 39$, it' the principle.

Do you want to know how stupid this? What date would you have had to make the purchase to not feel shafted? Let's say Damien moves the date to December 24. Now the folks that bought on December 23 are pissed. So now he moves to December 23. What happens with the December 22 folks? The December 21 folks? Do you see where this is going? Pretty soon everyone gets a free upgrade.

 

Hard cutoff dates are reality in the real world. Grow up and deal with it. You weren't shafted. You were on the wrong side of a cutoff date. You don't have to like it but to say that Damien did you wrong in crazy.

[arglebargle]

I guess the difference is JRiver is just that, a cycle. I wasn't aware of the development cycle of Audirvana when I bought my license. Wish I had been. One week later, 3.0 was announced, so no doubt A+ knew it was impending when I purchased the license.

 

Anyway, I don't want to harp on this, just airing my frustration. Lesson learned: when I am fixing to buy a piece of software now, I email the developer to confirm there is no impending major version bump.

 

To be clear, I think it is great software. It's not about the amount that sticks in my craw. Heck, I'dve bought bought a license at twice the price.

[Gonzbull]

Two computers is allowed, but it does not work with me!

 

3.3. License Grant

Texception of the installation on a second computer owned by you for your exclusive use with the express condition that this second copy is not used simultaneously with the main one.

 

2 computers?

[Speed Racer]

Lesson learned: when I am fixing to buy a piece of software now, I email the developer to confirm there is no impending major version bump.

To be clear, I think it is great software. It's not about the amount that sticks in my craw. Heck, I'dve bought bought a license at twice the price.

How do you think the developer should answer your email question? The answer is "We don't comment on unannounced products."

 

You are being quite unrealistic. The reality is that this kind of thing happens and there really isn't a good way around it. Sending an email and asking about it doesn't work either. It's naive.

[arglebargle]

Well, If I happen to email you, I know how you would answer. It's naive to think you know the mind of every person who might receive such an email. Software development is a vast and varied field. Things happen, things don't happen, it's life... As is my griping about it. If it's deleted for being inappropriate to the topic at hand, that's fine too.

 

And maybe I am naive but I still say that the good will engendered by "hey sure, that's funny, off by four hours!" is preferable to the alternative. In the scenario posited above (what about the 23rd , the 22nd!) ... I wonder how many people that would really be?

 

Maybe I'll email and ask

[sebassie]

2 computers?

 

Yes. It is allowed to install Audirvana on 2 computers you own, but you may not use the program on both simultaneously.

I tried if deauthorization followed by complete deinstall and reinstall might help to get rid of this nasty start-up screen. After deauthorization one has to wait 24 hours. Another customer friendly approach.

Because I get no after sales response from Damien I will ask for reverse payment and continue using HQPlayer

[sebassie]

Correction on the above post:

 

Damien just contacted me. It seemed as if Audirvana 3.0 was registered on 3 computers. Damien solved the problem. I'm running Audirvana 3.0 now on 2 computers without any problem.

 

Thanks to Damien :-)

[greentrumpet]

I like Audirvana, I bought Audirvana. If I stayed with the version that I bought I'd have had all the updates up to 1.15. whatever for no extra charge, and it would still work just as well as it did during the best version of v1.

[miguelito]

License question: I use Audirvana on three computers: my desktop (Mac Pro), laptop (MacBook Pro), and my music server (Mac mini). It seems that with A+3 licensing I can only install A+3 in two computers?

[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)

[miguelito]

It already was two computers max in 2.0

(and I believe in 1.5 too)

I see... I used to not have a laptop... Ok thx, guess I will have to buy a second license.

[fourstrings1891]

@damien:

 

Would it be possible to sort multiple artists manually, rather than in alphabetical order?If I have a track/album with multiple artists, I sometimes want the artists to appear in a specific order, ie:

Artist B, Artist A, Artist C

[Jud]

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?

 

 

Nope, not what I suggested.

 

 

I suggested that you change the location of the database file in the A+ preferences. Probably the quickest way to do this is to (1) with A+ off, rename the 2.x database file, so the 3.x database file does not overwrite it; (2) using A+ preferences, designate separate locations for the 2.x and 3.x database files; (3) again with A+ off, replace the new 2.x database file with your renamed one (changing the name back to the original after you've done so).

[OldBigEars]

Well, If I happen to email you, I know how you would answer. It's naive to think you know the mind of every person who might receive such an email. Software development is a vast and varied field. Things happen, things don't happen, it's life... As is my griping about it. If it's deleted for being inappropriate to the topic at hand, that's fine too.

 

And maybe I am naive but I still say that the good will engendered by "hey sure, that's funny, off by four hours!" is preferable to the alternative. In the scenario posited above (what about the 23rd , the 22nd!) ... I wonder how many people that would really be?

 

Maybe I'll email and ask

I'm with you on that. Software is just another consumer (or B2B) product. You wanna stay in business? Word to the wise, don't piss off your customers - especially over 40 bucks. It's just stupid business. Damien's a fantastically talented programmer and seems like a great guy. But this kind of thing won't serve him well. I've been in consumer products my entire career and I can tell you, at times like this, you suck it up and help your customers. It all comes around.

[fheller]

I think bad feelings should be avoided in context with Audirvana.

And I cant use any version because of that NAS mounting mumbo jumbo.

I just have it here as an option. And I think its a very good option.

And a few $$ spent not on beer dont do any damage.