Amarra 2.1 Released!

[Amarra_Support]

The MINI link is now fixed, many thanks!

 

[mpaulson2001]

Thank you

 

[bottlerocket]

The email newsletter link is bad too. Come on guys...

 

 

 

 

[volante]

Dietrick,

 

Thanks for the update.

 

Your update of the Amarra 2.1.1 mentions some enhancements including:

 

"Enhancements:

 

• DroboFS Support (currently only non-compressed files are supported)"

 

I have been trying to use Amarra 2.1 (on trial)on a mac mini (4Gb version and used only for music purposes) connected through an ethernet network to a Drobo FS (which only has an ethernet port - no usb port) and couldn't even get Amarra to put together a playlist whereas iTunes was able to find the files on the Drobo to add to the playlist without any problem.

 

Does Amarra 2.1.1 now work with a Drobo FS connected to a mac mini by ethernet network? When I have raised this question in the past I have been told to connect the Drobo via a USB port on the mac mini but I haven't been able to do this as the Drobo only has an ethernet (not USB) port and also in my case (and probably the same with many other Drobo users) I don't want the Drobo in the same room as the hifi system so an ethernet connection is preferable. If I were to try to use a USB cable (via a USB/ethernet adapter which I beleive exists but have not tried)I would probably be exceeding the recommended maximum length for USB cable any way so that would not be a viable option.

 

It would be good to get closure on this issue as I have been trying to solve this for the last three months and all attempts to contact Sonic Studio support by email have been met with silence which is hardly encouraging.

 

To be fair to Sonic Studio I beleieve others on here have been able to use Drobo FS with mac mini and Amarra, although I am not clear if they are using a USB or ethernet connection, so I think there is a way forward but I would like to know specifically if an ethernet network connected Drobo FS (rather than USB connected) now works with the new Amarra 2.1.1!

 

Thanks

 

[ianmacc]

 

Hi

 

I've posted my initial findings of V2.11 on a separate thread. I hope this is OK with Forum rules.

 

Regards, Ian

 

[Amarra_Support]

 

Hi Volante;

 

We now have support in for the way the Drobo mounts drives via WiFi, etc. We had discovered that it did not mount it in the way one would expect with a Mac volume, and had to accommodate their special handling. I wouldn't expect you to have any problem in 2.1.1 with ethernet.

 

Let us know at support @ sonicstudio.com if you encounter any issue, we are happy to assist.

 

Happy New Year!

 

[volante]

Dietrick,

 

I will try out the 2.1.1 version and let you know.

 

Thanks for taking the time to reply to my posting,

 

neil

 

[bottlerocket]

To me 2.1 sounded better than the others (other Amarra versions and competitors too), but the navigation and "out of sync" bugs annoyed the heck out of me as did the crashes when loading from Finder.

 

So with the 2.1.1 update, I tried to break it in both Itunes mode and Playlist mode, cache on and cache off. I found it rock solid. It stuck with me jumping around in playlists whether via Itunes navigation or using the playlist drop down. The track listing output and time meter always stays in sync. No mysterious sound drop outs. Loading from Finder works. Drag and drop continues to work either from Finder or Itunes.

 

Thanks for defaulting the Cache button on too. I noticed the EQ also defaults to on. Question: Is EQ on and set to Flat, the same as EQ off in terms of SQ? (these defaults should be preferences)

 

I've got the big cahuna playlist with multiple sample rates going now with no problems. This particular playlist always seemed to fell lesser players and versions.

 

For me, having the option of having Itunes up, with Cache on, and Apple Remote working OR keeping Itunes off completely and playing in Playlist mode covers the bases well.

 

Good on you Sonic.

 

 

 

 

 

[housteau]

I have yet to read an explanation of why version 2.1 does not have Gapless Play in Playlist mode as version 2.0 did. Now 2.0 was not perfect in this regard, but at least it was a step in the right direction to correct this issue. Has 2.1.1 now addressed this?

 

I had been told at the RMAF that this was no longer an issue and 2.1 had delt with it.

 

[Lars]

I agree with bottlerocket that 2.1.1 is working very well in Playlist mode with Cache enabled and iTunes off for me. Gapless is working also. Be sure to turn off screen sharing, print sharing, etc. to avoid ticks in the sound. Also be sure to set your memory allocation to what your computer will support.

 

[HiFiInsider]

Does Apple Remote app work when Amarra Playlist and Cache mode is playing?

 

[Purite Audio]

Rowmote does, I believe Remote controls ITunes only, but I could easily be wrong, Chris suggested the Itap VNC , which is super!

Keith.

 

[HiFiInsider]

Rowmote requires a screen to navigate. Apple Remote app does not so I was hoping for good integration with Amarra and iTunes since iTunes has to stay on anyways.

 

[bottlerocket]

the Apple app Remote does not work when Amarra is in Playlist mode. If Amarra has Playlist off and Cache on, it does work as you are playing in tandem with Itunes in this mode.

 

There is one caveat to the first sentence above. When Amarra is in Playlist mode and Itunes is open, the start and stop buttons work in Remote. You can't navigate tracks, but you can start and stop Amarra playback. I'm sure this part is more coincidence than design.

 

I have not played with Rowmote.

 

[Amarra_Support]

Hello All;

 

I wanted to thank you all for your tremendous enthusiasm and great feedback & discussion here. It is very insightful and we at Sonic Studio really appreciate hearing your views and and enjoy the opportunity to improve our products to help you get the most out of your audio experience.

 

Keep the feedback coming, and feel free to write us anytime on support AT sonicstudio.com with any questions or needs for assistance.

 

We hope 2011 is a banner year for you all!

 

Here is a chuckle for you to help kick of the New Year:

 

http://xkcd.com/841/

 

 

 

[woodcans]

I have Amarra full and have been enjoying the software since 10/09. Since 2.1 I have been experiencing the pops/skips no matter if using iTunes or playlist w/o iTunes. Cache has been on. Has anyone else successfully alleviated this problem? I am using 2009 MBP w/ 8gb ram and external usb hdd for audio files and separate usb dac. Btw, having paid full price for the software in 2009, I am a little disheartened to see that I can only get bottom tier support from Sonic Studio via a web form.

 

[Amarra_Support]

Hi woodcans;

 

We investigated reports of popping and skipping thoroughly, and most or all of the users and our reproduced test scenarios were resolved by following the Basic Mac setup guidelines set forth in the Support->FAQ section of our website and also by disabling any VPN, CPU or network intensive processes. You can check this in the Applications->Utilities->Acivity Monitor. Some users here had found a Screenshare app to apparently be inducing the click anomalies.

 

In any case, we are happy to assist in getting this tracked down and resolved for you. You are certainly welcome to contact support via email at support AT sonicstudio.com

 

 

 

[wavac]

There is something going wrong with Amarra 2.1.

 

Compared it with pure music. Both at their optimum preferences (memory play, hog mode etc.).

 

In my system pure music is actually way better than amarra in every single category. better layering, more body, more 3d, more real.

 

Amarra sounds very THIN sounding in comparison.

 

The differences are NOT subtle.

 

Mike

 

[rom661]

Agree completely.

 

[SteveS1]

I wonder what could be different, if anything Amarra 2.1.1 is the very slightly fuller sounding player for me at the moment. As I say, both sound very good.

 

Did you get rid of any previous preferences etc. Is it worth a clean install?

 

Steve

 

[iamoneagain]

I just tried Pure Music again after their 1.7 upgrade. Not sure if they improved their sound but now it sounds much better than latest version of Amarra. Precise soundstage and much more dynamic. I used to think Amarra had more texture but it's more of a fuzzy sound. I'm going to give Pure Music the full 15 day trial before I decide, but I think I'm going to switch.

 

Besides the sound improvement, Pure Music performance is much better than Amarra, which I still get stutters every so often. Sometimes a second or two of track is missing. Have to manually load into playlist to get gapless. Pure Music automatically loads up full album if gapless in selected within album info on iTunes. I can completely use Pure Music in the background and never think about it.

 

[stevebythebay]

I've recently broken in my DAC and have tried all the various alternatives to iTunes, and I'm currently sold on Amarra in my system. Sonically it is more closely consistent with what I've heard in the studio, and concert hall, and other venues. The harmonics, dynamics, hall sounds (spacial info), resolution, etc. are better than the other top two candidates (PM and AyreWave) with others farther behind. Vocalists and instruments are fuller and more nuanced with Amarra, and more of the problems of many recordings are in more evidence. As a result, clarity is pronounced, with that blackness surrounding voices and instruments the way I'd expect. Variations in gain are far more apparent, as is the quality of mikes in the various venues.

 

All of this may well be system dependent, especially as I've lived with my setup for many, many years. The only thing new here is the Ayre QB-9 and associated Mac feeding. Given that I've got tube preamplification as well as big tube amps there's a tendency for the sound to be sweeter, rounding off the typical edginess of transistors, so I really expected to have a harder time hearing some differences among players. What Amarra does is to bring more information, top to bottom, front to back -- at all levels to my system for delivery.

 

I'm quite pleased with what I'm hearing. Just as an fyi, I'm loading everything into memory via playlists using Finder, to avoid iTunes (though I'm doubtful that either method of obtaining the source matters once everything's loaded into Amarra's cache). And I've set memory in Amarra at 512mb (though I'm not yet clear on how changing this parameter would affect sonics). The music library is via a FireWire 800 attached drive from OWS. The rest is in my signature.

 

[SteveS1]

I have not been able to pick between iTunes feeding the cache while linked, or taking the same tracks directly from Finder. I've stopped trying as it's handy being able to use 'Remote' with iTunes while benefiting from the Amarra playback.

 

I wonder what it is in people's set-ups that produces such a variation in results. I couldn't get Amarra 2.0 to sound as good as PM or AyreWave/Audirvana, but 2.1.1 sounds as you describe to me.

 

Steve

 

[iamoneagain]

My results were using Amarra with cache enabled, playing directly from iTunes. I haven't really tested using playlist without iTunes active but that ruins the whole interation. I might as well use Ayrewave if I want a separate player. PM seems the better intergrated player but I'll still do more testing. Even though PM sounds better upon short listening, it may prove not to be as natural sounding with extended sessions.

 

[elcorso]

I completely disagree with Mike & rom611.

 

In my system Amarra 2.1.1 (cache on, playlist direct from the finder, 64bits on the Mac Mini (8GB-SSD HD), etc.) is to me a clear winner over Pure Music: Real deep bass, excellent midrange, grain free treble, wider and deeper soundstage, better focus, and then less listening fatigue.

 

I find Pure Music very good, but compared to Amarra: Thinner, too flat in dynamics, with a little fog between music and listener. But a real champ for his perfect iTunes integration, then more "graphical" pleasure.

 

But, this is only an opinion, and could be system dependent? I really don't know!

 

Roch