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New OSX Opensource audiophile player : Audirvana


damien78

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Has anyone compared this to Ayrewave, Amarra or Pure Music? I am curious, but cannot try the program yet as I need to update to 10.6 on my present system. Off to Amazon it is...

 

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Finally got 10.6 installed and gave it a whirl. Very natural with what I feel has better micro dynamics than Ayrewave which I prefer over PureMusic.

 

I wish I has the skills to contribute to this!

 

It would be nice to have a "Prune" feature like Ayrewave where you can continue to listen to a track while removing all others with just a click. A small inconvenience.

 

Good show! Methinks Amarra and Pure Music are going to need to readdress their business models.

 

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  • 2 weeks later...

I think that you are confused about what others have pointed out. Although your analog equipment may not be SOTA, your digital connection is what they were mostly pointing at if I understand it. I really wished for Audirvana to be the best player. I love the idea of open source where changes can be quickly implemented vs the draconian model of Amarra. Sadly, I must agree with Lars and others about AyreWave. At least Amarra isn't on top- I'd be really bummed if I'd spent a grand on it.

 

As per your R.F. quote, you may want to take a look at the structure of your digital connections. There is some real cutting edge talent around here. Don't mistake their politeness for insecurity or stupidity. If there is anything I have learned about digital, it is that the bits need to be dealt with as carefully(albeit differently) as one might an analog signal.

 

No offense Damien, I applaud your efforts! Thank you...

 

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  • 4 weeks later...

People keep mentioning AyreWave as free, when in actuality it is not. It is a beta, with price to be announced.

 

Audirvana on the other hand is, and Damien deserves a pat on the back, if not some cash. If you like this program, one might consider a donation to help him continue developing it. IIRC, he mentioned needing a new DAC to work on Integer Mode. At this moment, I feel it is the best sounding FREE player out there...

 

While I am here, Damien:Thanks for the "prune" feature! I must say though, that I hate the CD player window. It is bad enough to have to click in and out of windows to make things play, let alone leaving the 'Player" window open in so that you can click "play". It would be much simpler if they were all in one window that was less wide. That way when using Itunes to add tracks both windows can be fully visible. As an alternative, being able to double click the added tracks to begin playback. If this has already been addressed, please forgive my ignorance.

 

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DSD>Pavel's DSC2.6>Bent Audio TAP>

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Depending upon how you add tracks, you should be able to shuffle in Itunes, and then add the tracks. It just worked for me.

 

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I can understand your reluctance. If you are using .wav files, I assume that you are already used to some hassle due to the lack of meta data support. How about using the free player "Play". I think that it has a shuffle feature. Then drag/drop them into the playlist. Damien has mentioned some features he will be adding shortly. This may ameliorate this issue for you.

 

I love my TAP(x). It is the original (matching Music First version), with the same transformers as yours. Maybe I have the designation wrong. I bought it used long ago, and never got any paper work for it. All I have ever seen on it comes from their website.

 

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Parasound JC1>"Naked" Quad ESL63/Tannoy PS350B subs<100Hz

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Yes, Play is by SBooth, but it is free. AW is his new baby. Play has a shuffle feature if I recall. There is no need to re rip. You can batch convert them all using either Max or XLD. In fact, I prefer .wav sonically to all others back when I experimented. I never wanted to deal with the lack of meta data, and left all my files as AIFF.

 

FWIW, I like Itunes for the library features. Especially the smart playlists. I would never have thought that, but after years of Itunes I was having an issue. I tossed my library file, only to realize how much I used some of the tracking features (play counts, recently added, most recently played ect...). In this last year, I spent most of my time with other players, and the counts aren't the same. The sad part was that it was net necessary for me to toss the library. Ignorance on my part.

 

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I'll try to look into it yet this weekend, I'd be curious about others as well. IIRC, I was using memory play on PM at the time.

 

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I couldn't understand Max as it had too many options, and chose XLD. I am sure it was ignorance on my part.

 

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Happy Holidays!

 

I think that you may be running a older version of the program as the volume control no longer appears on mine. I am on version 0.5a. I do not think it ever really did anything for me...

 

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Previously posted by Damien:

 

Maggio: I will not completely remove volume control ability. That's just the big rotating knob along with dithered digital control is no more in short/mid term plans.

That is the current implementation will remain: standard small slider for DACS that expose their volume control to CoreAudio.

If your DAC does so you should already have this slider.

 

My guess is that you possibly have you ULN8 set that way somewhere, or that it is like Pure Music where it has some sort of digital gain.

 

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No doubt the gain will effect things. The gain in PM is awful. I do not understand why either program would have it at all. Dithered attenuation is one thing, gain is not fit for audiophile players from what I heard in PM. Because it is core audio based, you may be able to just check it in Audio Midi and then be careful not to touch it...

 

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He has already stated that he does not intend to, and possibly cannot support streaming. None of the other audiophile players for Mac do either. Just use Itunes.

 

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Damien:

 

As per your request, I did a brief test comparing these file types. This is using a 2009 Mac mini w/ 3gb allocated to Audirvana for memory play. Over the weekend I made a .wav copy of an acoustic track and compared it to the AIFF original. As before, the .wav file had a little more ease. By which I mean that it was less forward with better micro dynamics and decay. In thinking that it may have been my file conversion, I just made an AIFF from the converted .wav (reversed it) and the same holds true. The .wav is noticeably better than the AIFF. I may even be able to pick it out ABX. When I compare the two AIFF files I cannot distinguish a discernible difference.

 

FWIW, I do not consider myself to be a golden ear, and I did not want this outcome. Frankly it sort of bums and peeves me. I cannot imagine my library in the .wav format due to the lack of proper tagging. Furthermore, my system is not stable/typical as I am working on my Soundlabs, and have injected a pair of stock Magnepan 1.6qr for the time being.

 

I do not know what to make of it, but I tried it on two separate days a day apart to be sure before posting this. Granted it was on only one track, but mirrors my previous experience. I intentionally chose a simple acoustic track (The Waifs, "Lest We Forget") in so that I would not get confused in the "mix". It is a straight forward, somewhat sparse acoustic guitar and vocal cut with minimal backing vocals. Just a little pick me up here and there. Oddly, there are artifacts in the beginning in the left channel that are easier to pick out with the .wav. Prior to this I thought that it may have been fret buzz or someone talking. Now I am fairly sure that it is a mixing/processing foul up of sorts. Granted, I have never listened to this cut that many times repeatedly as it would have been part of an album play through.

 

 

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I too was wondering about this, but did not really know how to ask. In essence, what is in memory. The file, or the bits about to be played?

 

Damien,

 

Sorry to muddy the waters. I'd love for someone to check my work on their own files/system. Of if they care to, I'll send the files I used. I would love to be proven wrong FWIW. I really do not want to have to open up the .wav can of worms as I fear it to be a library nightmare. Tag n Play, when it comes out, is supposed to support it better than iTunes. I am less concerned with how the player sees the file, than how my library manager does. Once it is in the cue, it is all about the sound.

 

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Hence your confusion as to why .wav would sound better. I am stumped too, then again, I am a nit wit. What is it going to take for you to work on integer mode. I remember your comment about needing a DAC. I am not sure what DACs even deal with it and such.

 

Feel free to PM me, and I might be able to help.

 

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No offense taken...

 

Typically I do not really abide by ABX on subtle differences. With my guest however, it was sort of done ABX. Furthermore, there was a hiccup due to memory play issues. On the second play through I shook my head, wondering what had happened. When I got up and looked, I saw that it had started on the wrong track. I remember my anti computer analog friend laughing at me. Furthermore, I really did/do not want to switch over.

 

Bias is always a potential issue, however I make my living noticing differences and am not easily fooled. I can hear differences in cables and player programs too. Many would and do laugh. I wish I could too as it is no "fun" being different. Acceptance is always more pleasurable, and it would saveme a lot of money. Outside of audio I am fairly conservative. I live in a regular house and drive a VW worth less than my stereo.

 

As I stated, I would love some others to do this sort of thing. It only takes 5 minutes to do the conversions. The differences really were readily apparent, although one might prefer either end product depending upon taste and what type of track. If I was in to hard rock/metal I may have preferred the AIFF. The slight compression may have brought up some of the really fast notes. I imagine that may be one of the reasons it is often compressed in the first place.

 

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DSD>Pavel's DSC2.6>Bent Audio TAP>

Parasound JC1>"Naked" Quad ESL63/Tannoy PS350B subs<100Hz

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IMO, if science has learned anything through quantum mechanics, it is that the observer does indeed effect the test.

 

I welcome more observations. I also intend to drop this train of thought as I did last summer as I just cannot stomach making the change, nor dwelling on it. For all I know, it is just my system, not the files.

 

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DSD>Pavel's DSC2.6>Bent Audio TAP>

Parasound JC1>"Naked" Quad ESL63/Tannoy PS350B subs<100Hz

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Blu to the rescue!

 

I have to wonder if our DACs could play a part in this for some strange reason. At the risk of yet again pissing others off, possibly the resolution afforded by the buss mastering Firewire interface (I dare not call it async).

 

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DSD>Pavel's DSC2.6>Bent Audio TAP>

Parasound JC1>"Naked" Quad ESL63/Tannoy PS350B subs<100Hz

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  • 3 weeks later...

Implied, but not stated by Damien is to upsample to 176.4k and save a ton of CPU load. It may sound better as well.

 

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The Weiss manual states that it is 24 bit only. I am hoping that is a driver issue and that Weiss will code for Integer mode now that there is a player program for it.

 

Thanks for the good work Damien!

 

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DSD>Pavel's DSC2.6>Bent Audio TAP>

Parasound JC1>"Naked" Quad ESL63/Tannoy PS350B subs<100Hz

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"This is what I heard with the early beta versions of AyreWave that were true integer. "

 

Was that way back in beta, or a beta of a forthcoming release in Decibel. Not that it will do me any good just yet...

 

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DSD>Pavel's DSC2.6>Bent Audio TAP>

Parasound JC1>"Naked" Quad ESL63/Tannoy PS350B subs<100Hz

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  • 2 weeks later...

"I'm not really a fan of the fake CD look all together."

 

I agree, and would much prefer a single window with the controls at the top. Especially because when you add tracks, you have then hit the player window in order for it to become active before it will accept a "play" click. Even if they were tied together as one window it would save a lot of needless clicking and activating of windows.

 

Forrest:

Win10 i9 9900KS/GTX1060 HQPlayer4>Win10 NAA

DSD>Pavel's DSC2.6>Bent Audio TAP>

Parasound JC1>"Naked" Quad ESL63/Tannoy PS350B subs<100Hz

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