Audirvana Plus 3 for Windows (Official Thread)

[One and a half]

Today, was curious to see if A+ could be downloaded and a license purchased, yes on both counts. Eventually I know Damien will 'get it right', so am not anticipating a stroll in the park, so took the plunge and bought the license and the downloaded. As to which version, can't quite tell as yet, the synchronising is yet to materialise and provide a stable screen that responsive enough to find out a few settings.

Once the settings for the library are complete, the responsiveness goes rapidly downhill, and the library indexer takes over, and the response to do any basic navigation just tanks.

 

Jriver can actually play music, while cataloging music data, A+ is not so friendly. Even basic operations like minimising the application, causes A+ to see a ghost, and goes pale and doesn't respond. After several crashed restarts, the library indexer was let to run, and left for several hours to index the whole library, some 50,000 tracks. On return, there was only a small amount left to be synched, but saw more ghosts and crashed (not responding).

 

Now in the process of backing up the library database, two files, AudirvanaPlusDatabaseV2.sqlite (11.5GB) & AudirvanaPlusDatabaseV2.sqlite-journal (0 bytes), then deleting these and trying again. 11.5GB is a LOT of data, when indexing, A+ uses 30% CPU load. Finally see the version is 1.0.0 (1021). 

 

With an empty library list, A+ at least responds. There's no drag and drop from Explorer into playlist or the main library field. Major problem this. Imported one artist of two albums, and that's quick! Well let's see how another attempt to index the whole library works or fails, which the latter I think will prevail.

 

So far not good at all, but it's expected, since results with Mac are similar and not unusual behaviour. PC is a HP Envy i7 16GB RAM Win10 x64.

[One and a half]

Further to observe Audirvana +, the new database file took about 2 hours to create. The audio output set to be the computer's sound card, rather than the USB Sony PHA-3 DAC. The new AudirvanaPlusDatabaseV2.sqlite file is now 5.2GB. 

The process of opening, and selecting any album is very sluggish. From opening the program, 20s to see the album covers, there are two types, circles for artists, square covers for albums. Then another 10s to open an album on locally attached USB portable drive. Haven't played anything yet. By default, A+ takes up the whole screen, if the 'restore' view button is clicked, we see ghosts again. I've lost patience now, and the program does close.

The desktop shortcut to Audirvana + is a shortcut to an application reference (.appref-ms) rather than the usual .LNK shortcut which links to an EXE. The .LNK shortcut has facilities to allow for different screen resolutions, which could account for the sluggishness, so had a look in the shortcut, there's nothing to set.

Program Files or Program filesx64 doesn't list any Audirvana folders, nor does AppData local/low or roaming. Fine, done enough looking, let's start a ticket. The site has the same disease as the app, dead slow to open. 

 

I know what Audirvana sound quality is capable of, and it is worthwhile pursuing, but if the app has obvious basic navigation and usability flaws....what's there to say. Wait. For a long time. At least the license is perpetual.

[One and a half]

Oh, had to change Windows display manually from 3840 x 2160 to 1920 x 1080, and the navigation smartened up considerably. There are less ghosts, but still takes a while to open an album. I dare not use the search, so for the moment have to scroll through to the album of choice. 

 

 

[Screwdriver]

Anyone have an idea if Audirvana + will support VST plugins?

 

 

Hopefully they can get the problems ironed out soon, I would then buy a license.

[damien78]

3 hours ago, Screwdriver said:

Anyone have an idea if Audirvana + will support VST plugins?

 

 

Hopefully they can get the problems ironed out soon, I would then buy a license.

This is on the 1.x roadmap

 

Damien

[Geoffrey Armstrong]

1 hour ago, damien78 said:

This is on the 1.x roadmap

 

Damien

What about this marvelous attenuator Damien:

 

http://6moons.com/industryfeatures/munich2018/9.html

 

…? Also on the roadmap?

 

thanks

 

Geoff

[Evo-No-Revo]

I have no need for Audirvana Plus 3 for Windows but decided for the fun of it to download and see how it sounds.  I put it on a new Dell XPS15 2 in 1 laptop.  It is an 8th Generation Intel Core i7-8705G Processor (8M Cache, up to 4.1 GHz, 4 cores) with 16GB of RAM.

 

Like "one and a half", I wanted to see how it would do with a large library.....not good.

 

I have basically two folder one has about 23,000 file of flac mostly.  I have another folder with about 72,000 files.  I didn't even get to my DSD folders.

 

When I originally loaded the 23k file folder it completely stopped any interaction with A+3. It would freeze almost every time I attempted to click on anything.   I got it to load after about an hour and fiddling with it.  I found that leaving it alone is definitely best.  After they all loaded then A+3 become somewhat usable.  But there was a lot of waiting for the program to catch up to my clicks.  It was not a pleasant experience. 

 

Then I tried to load the other folder with 72K files.  That was a total failure.  It would load about half way and then just stop doing anything for long periods of time.  If I tried to click I just got the ghost screen and waiting for program windows.  I fiddled with this for a couple of hours.  

 

After I gave up on getting the second folder loaded I uninstalled the A+3 and reinstalled.  This time I did nothing but go straight to the 23K folder and loaded it without clicking anything else.  It loaded in about 30 minutes or so.  I then did nothing else but load the second folder with 72K files.  I am not sure how long that took as I went out to do some yard work.  When I got back it was all loaded.  

 

But now the drag part.  So I had about 97K files in A+3.  I click on the Library button.  The computer started with the spinning wheel and proceeded to be completely unusable.  It literally would not do anything.  After a full afternoon having Windows 10 Pro close A+3 over and over and over and over and over and over................... I give up.

 

I had my audio files on a USB 3.1 Startech HDD enclosure with two 6TB WD Red HDDs. 

 

I will say that when I had only 23K files and was able to play music I was impressed with the sound.  I think it sounds better than Roon without any real critical listening.  I had it connected to my Lumin D1 and Kii Three speakers and it sounded really nice and I really want to play with this software but......

 

Until the library issues can be sorted I don't see this as a viable option for me.  If you have a smaller library that might be a different story.  I didn't take the time to use it with less files loaded  as I don't feel like restricting  my music access because of a software limitation.

 

I hope they get this working better with Windows than JRiver has done with OSX..

 

 

 

 

[damien78]

Don't worry for this large libraries performance being fixed  

[mevdinc]

On 7/8/2018 at 12:36 PM, Geoffrey Armstrong said:

What about this marvelous attenuator Damien:

 

http://6moons.com/industryfeatures/munich2018/9.html

 

…? Also on the roadmap?

 

thanks

 

Geoff

I'm also awaiting @damien78's answer on this wonderful thing!

[Evo-No-Revo]

8 hours ago, damien78 said:

Don't worry for this large libraries performance being fixed  

Good to hear! 

 

I really liked the sound from the first moments A+3 started playing.  Unfortunately not much actual listening time. 

 

I prefer the vertical album and artist scroll as opposed to the horizontal scrolling of Roon. 

 

I will keep an eye out for updates.

 

Thanks

[doors.sl]

8 hours ago, mevdinc said:

I'm also awaiting @damien78's answer on this wonderful thing!

+ 1!

?

[Screwdriver]

Another question...

 

Is Audirvana for Windows a stripped down version of the Mac one? I ask because there is the absolute bare minimum in config settings compared to other well known media players.

 

 

[Supperconductor]

Just downloaded the Windows version. I experienced some stability issues and due to the new UI, it took a few minutes to find where all the options are. With everything at default non-oversampling and compared to the native Windows Tidal player, A+ is CLEARLY superior. I haven't tried playing any files but since getting a Tidal subscription, I pretty much stream only. So far so good, I'll probably pull the trigger and buy a license at the end of the trial.

 

My existing license on my Mac Mini may get moved to my main stereo for Tidal playback there. Gotta love having options.

[Supperconductor]

Well that was a short-lived evaluation, current version stalls playback quite a bit. Guess I'll go back to my Mac Mini.

[damien78]

I've completed the rewrite of the Tracks, Albums & Artists views for getting a huge navigation speed improvement.

You can get the insider build at: https://audirvana.com/delivery/apluswinTest/publish.htm
You may need to uninstall the current Audirvana Plus before installing it.

[damien78]

Thanks to the feedbacks enjoying the new speed of the UI interface, I've now made it an official release!

So no more need to download the test build. Just relaunch Audirvana Plus to get the update proposal, click on update, and enjoy the smooth, fluid navigation in even a huge library!

 

Damien

[wolft]

Hello,

still very bad (no) Asio support for T+A DAC 8 DSD. With the build 1024 the asio  is worse al build 1021.

BR

Wolft

 

[damien78]

17 minutes ago, wolft said:

Hello,

still very bad (no) Asio support for T+A DAC 8 DSD. With the build 1024 the asio  is worse al build 1021.

BR

Wolft

 

 

FYI, I'm currently working with T+A R&D to solve this compatibility issue.

 

Damien

[Jud]

On 7/9/2018 at 1:36 PM, Screwdriver said:

Another question...

 

Is Audirvana for Windows a stripped down version of the Mac one? I ask because there is the absolute bare minimum in config settings compared to other well known media players.

 

I didn't see if anyone answered this.  What sort of settings are you looking for?

[One and a half]

Well, it IS Friday the 13th. True to form, the latest build from memory 1.0.1.x (sorry couldn't remember all the dots) had this to say.

 

Is 140GB not enough space? Who wrote this merde?

 

 

1RAZCHPI.log

[damien78]

Looks like the wrong error message from Windows...

Have you tried again after rebooting?

 

BTW, when you'll restart Audirvana Plus, you'll get the latest update I've just released, that brings:

• Fix in UI when setting a track or album favorite
• Fix when playing in ASIO tracks of different DSD rate

Damien

[bmoura]

5 minutes ago, damien78 said:

Looks like the wrong error message from Windows...

Have you tried again after rebooting?

 

BTW, when you'll restart Audirvana Plus, you'll get the latest update I've just released, that brings:

• Fix in UI when setting a track or album favorite
• Fix when playing in ASIO tracks of different DSD rate

Damien

 

Which version fixes the ASIO problem with different DSD bit rates? 

I'm still seeing that issue with version 1024

 

Have you talked with the team at Merging Technologies? 

Still issues with playback there with PCM and DSD files in 1024. 

[damien78]

Build 1025 I've released this evening.

[bmoura]

21 minutes ago, damien78 said:

Build 1025 I've released this evening.

 

Hmm, opening 1024 does not update the software to 1025.

Is 1025 available at https://audirvana.com/delivery/apluswinTest/publish.htm ?

[damien78]

Sorry, missed that you need to switch back to the official branch. And not the test one.