New OSX Opensource audiophile player : Audirvana

[damien78]

@bulmanxxi: Can you send me by PM the Debug Info, both upon Audirvana start, and while playing ? I've not encountered this issue... But there is a feasible solution I have in mind.

 

@mugsy: There is no SRC processing when the native file samplerate and the target one is the same. You should notice that the loading time is much faster for your 24/96 files, as there is no SRC needed.

 

Damien

 

[mugsy]

Oh that's fantastic Damien - many thanks for making that clear. At last I can set to 24/96 and now just forget about getting paranoid over the settings! Heaven

 

- John

 

[RG79]

I can't play 44.100 tracks with SRC LibSampleRate at "4x or 2x oversampling only" regime (176400) with Motu Ultralite Mk3, because buffering is too slow (is not in time with playback). "Max buffer size" is on.

 

Audirvana 7.2, 8Gb RAM, 8 core 2,33Ghz MP.

 

[57gold]

Memory play, Integer Mode checked with @6GB or 8 allocated to memory preload.

 

Would like to upsample CD to 88.2 or 96 to play through WaveLink into Wadia 861i...not sure what to check? Audirvana seems to want to upsample to max capability of WaveLink or 192.

 

Liked idea of upsampling file into memory. Any suggestions on way to get there?

 

Have late 2010 Mini with 120 GB SSD and 8 GB RAM. Got red CPU warning when I treid other settings and clicking or no sound?

 

[elcorso]

@57gold,

 

With WaveLink Uncheck Integer Mode, then restart Audirvana.

 

Happy listening,

 

Roch

 

[57gold]

Not sure what Integer Mode is, other than hearing some on CA speak about it as a good thing? Anyone care to explain to the less technical?

 

How about the steps to upsample to a targeted rate, from 44.1 to 88.2 or 96?

 

Tried to wade through previous posts....and none addresses my questions. Any help on integer mode and upsampling 44.1 to 88.2 or 96???

 

[mjb]

From above....

 

Hog Mode & Integer Mode:

- Hog Mode enables the player to lock the DAC for its exclusive access. The main advantage is that the driver (if implemented correctly) will use a shorter path for handling the audio stream as it knows it doesn't have to mix several streams. Thus improves SQ.

- Integer Mode goes a step further (Comes on top of Hog Mode) by hacing the player talk to the driver in the DAC native data format (e.g. 24bit signed Integer) instead of using the CoreAudio intermediary standard 32bit float format.

 

[Brian D]

I'm also using a hiFace (J.Kenny modded MKII version) and no problems at all.

 

[TS0711]

@Brian D

 

Do you up sample and what frequency can your DAC handle. I'ld love to hear that my issue is user error.

 

Thanks

 

 

[Brian D]

I don't upsample and my DAC can only handle 24/96. Sample rate is indicated on the DAC (Lavry DA10) and appears correct.

 

[57gold]

But what you showed copied from above is still greek to me.

 

Not sure what integer is doing related to sound quality, which dacs will prefer that presentation...is this approach to playing a file dac dependent...is it another flavor like changing an algorithm on my Wadia???

 

Still would like to know how to limit upsample to 88.2 or 96, a level that can be processed by the inputs of the Wadia that uses a couple of Burr-Brown 1704 dac chips?

 

 

 

[4est]

I do not think that the program will do what you want. A friend has the same issue. His Evo will do 192k, but his DAC is only good to 96k. I think the program senses the M2Tech device, and assumes that the DAC can handle it.

 

Damien, it would be a helpful feature to have separate controls in so that a user could set the frequency themselves as well. For instance, one button for 2x, another for 4x or something like that.

 

[TS0711]

@Brian D,

 

I can run at 16/44.1 without a problem... can I ask you to try up sampling to 24/96 (via software) and let me know what happens.

 

The software seams to over ride the Midi settings, even at 2x over.

 

Thanks.

 

[57gold]

Damien, some of us would dig a user choice of upsample rate for NOS dac limited to 24/96...WaveLink will do higher rez than the Wadia so SRC upsamples beyond dacs abilities.

 

At 44.1, files played on Audirvana have a visceral and immediate midrange...acoustic bass growls, snare drums pop...PM seems to highlight higher frequency range. Much of the important stuff like violins, piano, voice, guitars, sax....inhabit the midrange and Audirvana seems to get them more right.

 

Cool stuff!

 

Now have PM, Decibel and Audirvana on my mini and it is amazing to hear how they differ. All bit perfect???

 

[khollister]

A few other annoyances ...

 

1) Double clicking on the first track of a playlist will not start playback - you have to use the play button. Works fine on any other track in the playlist

 

2) Clicking on a track to select it and pressing Play always starts from the first track, regardless of what was selected.

 

3) Really need a menu command to erase all tracks (with a keyboard shortcut). Doing Select All and then Delete (which has no keyboard shortcut - delete key doesn't work) is a pain.

 

4) Need track number in the playlist window

 

5) Need the Playlist window to remember the column setup - I resize the track title column so I can see what the hell I'm playing, but on restart it always goes back to the default.

 

6) Ability to reorder the columns (and remember them)

 

[Ajax]

 

 

Hi khollister,

 

Can I suggest that you have a reread of your last blog and see if you can't find space for the words 'please" and "thank you".

 

I understand all the points you raise and they are valid, however, they read like a list of demands.

 

It is really important that we all remember when someone like Damien has the technical ability and courage to "have a go" at such an enormous (and important) task that they feel their work is appreciated and respected by others.

 

If you find the software "annoying to use" then maybe it would be best for you to wait until the development process is finished, however, as we all know in the real world that will never happen.

 

[khollister]

My comments were not intended as demands, I have certainly expressed my gratitude previously and most importantly, I have said thank you with my wallet (and will again).

 

Have you?

 

Ajax, I realize you probably mean well, but I don't need to be lectured by you as to what you think is appropriate standards of conduct. If you feel I was rude, that is your opinion, but in the future kindly mind your own business.

 

And Damien, in case you took my comments as demands - thanks, you're doing a great job.

 

Some people have way too much free time ...

 

[Ajax]

 

Hi khollister,

 

Thanks for your reply. Glad to hear you have supported Damien financially, as have I. Audirvana has provided me with an immense amount of musical enjoyment.

 

Please understand that I am simply concerned with the constant demands that are put on Damien for Audirvana to do this and that, and that he doesn't get the sh..ts or burnt out... He does also have a real job and a family.

 

That's it... not trying to be a dick or judgemental but as a financial contributor, user of Audirvana, and friend of Damien, I will make it my business to support him.

 

On another note this thread has been an incredible source of information for me and I am also very appreciative of those that contribute to it.

 

[seta]

3) Really need a menu command to erase all tracks (with a keyboard shortcut). Doing Select All and then Delete (which has no keyboard shortcut - delete key doesn't work) is a pain.

 

I press "command+A", then "delete" key. Works on mine.

 

[khollister]

Ah - the "other" Delete key. I was trying the Delete key above the cursor keys on the extended keyboard. You're right, it works fine using the Backspace key (which Apple also labels as "Delete").

 

Never mind ... :-)

 

[khollister]

This might have been mentioned somewhere earlier in this thread (yeah I know - "try and keep up"), but I just discovered it and wanted to make sure it was passed along.

 

I just realized OS X has media filters in the sidebar at the bottom (only been using OS X for 9 years - idiot) . When you go to add tracks from the Finder through the File Open dialog in OS X (using the plus sign button in the playlist window for instance), scroll down to the bottom of the pane. You will see a MEDIA section in the sidebar with a Music category. If you click on that, it will display your iTunes playlists at the top and a list of tracks with artist name (no album or composer) from your iTunes library. The Spotlight search field in the upper right of the pane lets you search the library on all metadata, not just the displayed track/title.

 

Not as handy as browsing directly in iTunes, but it's pretty effective if you know what you are looking for. The huge advantage is it displays the tags, not the folder & filenames, and is searchable across all of the tags on the music library.

 

Also eliminates the need to create playlists in Audirvana - you can use what you have already set up in iTunes (inc Smart Playlists).

 

This makes Audirvana (and similar programs like Decibel and even Amarra in playlist mode) much easier to deal with for me.

 

[sidssp]

@khollister. I didn't know that either. I just tried it. It works really well.

 

Thanks for sharing.

 

 

[khollister]

No problem, although I feel really stupid for just realizing this considering I have used OS X for almost 10 years. I think it makes a huge difference in the usability of apps like Audirvana to the point of not being too concerned if Damien doesn't add direct iTunes library uptake similar to Fidelia.

 

Yo, Damien - are you interested in adding a "how to" type of thing to the Audirvana distribution along these lines? I think a lot of people struggle with managing the playlist aspect. I would be happy to assist (or even just write it myself) if you want to include it. I would probably do it in Pages and export as a PDF. Your call

 

[damien78]

@khollister: Writing user doc is something I feel needed but I procrastinate, preferring to improve the app itself. So if you feel writing it, feel free!

PDF, or html is fine.

 

For adding files from iTunes, if you want to take advantage of the larger window of iTunes, you can drag and drop any element from iTunes into Audirvana playlist.

 

BTW, I'm nearing a release that'll include all your latest wishes, among others

 

[khollister]

Damien,

 

OK. - I'll work on some documentation and try to get something ready for review in a couple weeks. I'll start a new thread to collect user's tips to include and I'll post a link to the doc so users here can peer review it.

 

Keith