AyreWave- A New OSX Audio Player Released AT RMAF

[AB835]

Regarding the clicking issue, I replaced the QB-9 with my Benchmark DAC 1 usb this morning and must report that the clicking when exclusive mode is enabled is present in both. I noticed that the clicking starts approximately 5 seconds into the track. I also checked the Activity Monitor while AW and PM were being used to play the same file and notice that CPU usage while playing AW was about 50% of PM usage with both playing from memory. It was good to compare the two DACs again and the BM goes back to the office in the morning.

 

[wgscott]

I have that as of beta 2 also

 

[bottlerocket]

The problem goes away if you turn off hog mode. If I have hog mode on and I open AW before even adding tracks or opening a playlist, it locks Audio mini to 16 bit. If you try to change Audio mini with AW running, it is not possible. The choice for 24 bit is there, but if you select from the drop down it just flips back to 16 bit. I am using a CA DacMagic with toslink.

 

 

 

[wgscott]

The common thread here seems to be to slink. Fscking iPad

 

[CG]

What version of OS X are you using? You probably need to look in System Profiler for this. For example, I'm using Mac OS X 10.6.4 (10F569).

 

This is really strange. I wish I could tell you that I see something at all similar, but I don't.

 

BTW, once AyreWave or any other application has grabbed control through hog mode, you can't change settings in Audio MIDI Setup.

 

One other question: Are you setting your output device in System Preferences or in AyreWave Preferences for playback with AyreWave?

 

UPDATE: I lied. I was able to duplicate the problem you're seeing when I had the right combination of AyreWave and System Preferences set, but only on the internal sound system. I think that probably includes the SPDIF output, too. The sample rate changes properly, but the bit depth does set itself to 16 bits. I'd guess that this is an actual AyreWave bug.

 

[wgscott]

Latest everything for me. We regularly toggle back and forth between hdmi (for video) and built-in (for audio optical out). But in my case at least, unplugging hdmi makes no difference. I have a command line utility to switch between hdmi and built-in. If I start out with built-in and then start ayrewave in hog mode, it takes over built-in and switches the default audio out to hdmi. Is that intentional? Strikes me as potentially problematic, and is a bit of an irritation.

 

[bottlerocket]

Now that is can be duplicated, it can be fixed. That's a good thing. I am on OSX 10.6.4 too.

 

 

 

 

 

 

[CG]

"Strikes me as potentially problematic, and is a bit of an irritation."

 

That's the way hog mode works, as best I can tell. There's comments to that effect on Google. I can make the same thing happen by taking hog mode from within HALLab with no audio application running.

 

In general Apple tries to discourage the use of hog mode since it can be confusing to users, especially if they use multiple applications simultaneously that output audio.

 

The solution is easy if you find it to be a problem: Don't use hog mode. Choice is good.

 

[DanRubin]

Sorry if this has already been discussed - this is one long thread!

 

With AW (memory mode, hog mode or not), tracks often start abruptly, with the first note or two clipped. This is when I am letting a playlist run, so not specifically related to me initiating play. Anyone else having this issue (I've sometimes had it with Amarra also)? In addition, I sometimes hear a drop-out during playback of long tracks (20 minutes plus). Is this related to the way AW brings the track into memory, or is it something else?

 

Dan

Mac Mini -> MH LIO-8

 

[driven -- by sound]

Could someone please help me evaluate AyreWave in both 64-bit & 32-bit mode? I'm interested in knowing if 64-bit mode yields higher sound quality during playback, no matter how slight or great the difference.

 

My DAC only boots in 32-bit mode. I can play AW without my DAC in 64-bit mode but rather use my DAC. Am I missing any quality playing AW in 32-bit mode?

 

If the difference is good to great, I may kick my DAC to the curb for one that can play in 64-bit mode. Thanks for your help!

 

[wgscott]

I should have also added I am booting into the 64-bit kernel. I haven't tried with 32-bit.

 

As for the above question, you can coerce an application to run in 32-bit mode by selecting the application and going into the "get info" window and checking the checkbox as shown below:

 

 

[wgscott]

I should have also added I am booting into the 64-bit kernel. I haven't tried with 32-bit.

 

As for the above question, I am not certain, but I had the impression it would not run on a 32-bit only machine. You can coerce an application to run in 32-bit mode by selecting the application and going into the "get info" window and checking the checkbox as shown below:

 

 

[CG]

"My DAC only boots in 32-bit mode."

 

Can you explain what that means?

 

I know I don't get around much, but I've never heard of an external DAC that cared about or even knew how many bits the operating system kernel was operating at.

 

[driven -- by sound]

Already using AyreWave in 32-bit mode. And can play AyreWave in native 64-bit mode. It is my "DAC" that plays in 32-bit mode only.

 

Since I want to use a DAC with AyreWave, before I run out and buy one, I'd like to know how different sound quality is on playback between the two.

 

Why? If playback sound quality is comparable, I'll continue to use AyreWave with my DAC in 32-bit mode. If there's a noticeable difference between the two, off with the head...er... DAC!

 

[driven -- by sound]

DAC has 64-bit driver support for Windows; 32-bit support for Mac.

 

[driven -- by sound]

wgscott~

 

When you've the chance, could you listen to a favorite, familiar track and then sample the same track/passage in 32-bit mode for me please? Were you able to hear a difference?

 

Thanks.

 

[CG]

What kind of DAC is this?

 

For what it's worth, I've run AyreWave with Snow Leopard in both 32 and 64 bit kernel mode and couldn't hear a lot of difference. To put that in perspective, I could hear a greater difference when I changed the process priorities in the operating system. More memory and a solid state drive was a greater difference. Adding the right (right for my system, that is) AC power filtering had more of an effect than 64 bit operation, optimized process priorities, memory size, and the SSD combined. By a large amount.

 

But, if you're looking for good reason to change your DAC, I'll swear that the difference was night and day. :8^)

 

 

 

[4est]

It might help if you indicate what DAC you are using.

 

[driven -- by sound]

EMU-0404 USB 2.0 Interface. Is your SSD internal or external? I could stand to optimize process priorities, can you direct me?

 

[driven -- by sound]

4est~

 

EMU-0404 USB 2.0 Interface

 

[4est]

Isn't that more than just a DAC? This may be a specific situation.

 

[driven -- by sound]

Yes. However, the unit works fine with AyreWave booted in 32-bit mode. I was simply curious about the player itself, is there a sound difference between the two kernels?

 

CG weighed in and said there was little difference in sound quality during playback.

 

 

 

[CG]

This doesn't have a lot to do with the application. Presumably you'd get similar results with other playback applications.

 

32 bit applications run fine on a 64 bit OS X kernel and vice versa. So, why use 64 bits? There's some kernel functions that do work faster when using the processor system at 64 bits due to efficiency.

 

To me, this is way down the list of things to worry about for the best sound from computer audio. There are bigger fish to fry.

 

[driven -- by sound]

I have a pool of things I'd like to resolve, audio related. In this case, I simply wanted to get the bottom of things with what I got and how I want to use it.

 

By all means, addressing the player and DAC will not hold me up in other areas; like to get info/knowledge when I can. Thanks for the assist.

 

 

 

[wgscott]

I'm probably the worst person on the BB for hearing subtle differences. I cannot hear a difference between 64-bit and 32-bit kernels, and I cannot hear a difference between AyreWare running as 32 vs. 64-bit. I also cannot reliably tell the difference between it and iTunes. Either my ears, my bad attitude toward life, or my equipment is too limiting.

 

I assume you mean that your DAC has a kernel extension that is only 32-bit compatible. Why not just nag them into providing one compiled for 64-bit?