Puremusic upsampling software of iTunes

flez007

Member Sponsor
Aug 31, 2010
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I have not been lucky enough to find a word about this software (or Almarra for the matter) and wanted to learn more from other users.

My Digital Server is set at a higher level now with this piece as part of the chain, t is so close that I will conduct a blind session to compare it with my oppo/Nuforce/PC transport this same week. (thread can be found at the General Discussion section here).

Is anybody out there using this add-on software piece for digital playback thru a Mac?
 

flez007

Member Sponsor
Aug 31, 2010
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Mexico City
Sorry for the typo that says "fof" and needs to say "for" - but I could not find the way to fix it...
 

Bruce B

WBF Founding Member, Pro Audio Production Member
Apr 25, 2010
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www.pugetsoundstudios.com
All things being equal... upsampling does nothing to the sound!

Some converters have a "sweet-spot" or a "native rate" that has a synergy with the system.
 

Phelonious Ponk

New Member
Jun 30, 2010
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As far as I know, Amarra does not up sampling. It does, however, play hi-rez files at their native rates automatically. iTunes does not, it must be manually reset or it will up/down sample to whatever the setting is.

I've had Amarra's demo in house and auditioned extensively. As far as I can tell, this is what it does. Playing Redbook files, it is indistinguishable from iTunes to my ears. Others, though, hear other things.

P
 

flez007

Member Sponsor
Aug 31, 2010
2,915
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435
Mexico City
I played numerous times tracks with and without Puremusic, the differences are pretty obvious, particulary in low level resolution, I have not heard Amarra but some say the effect is similar.
 

slowGEEZR

Member Sponsor
Sep 20, 2010
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I use Amarra software with a Mac mini and an Ayre QB-9 DAC. At first, I couldn't identify any difference in sound quality between i-tunes and the Amarra software with redbook digital and found myself wondering if I had misspent. After living with it for a while and then going back to just i-tunes I finally could identify differences in sound between the two audio engines. With the Amarra software, well recorded redbook just has a more finished sound, the music's timing seems more spot on, more ready for prime time, as when a band is tight rather than loose, if you will. It is a subtle thing, but once you catch on you won't want to go back. It's not that i-tunes sounded bad, far from it, it's just that whenever I bypass the Amarra software, the music sounds more like a demo, not yet polished. Have I psycho-fooled myself? I don't think so, as I don't buy into a lot of the snake oil passed off as better sound. Regardless, I'm keeping the Amarra software and will update it with the free updates Amarra offers.
 

Phelonious Ponk

New Member
Jun 30, 2010
8,677
23
0
I use Amarra software with a Mac mini and an Ayre QB-9 DAC. At first, I couldn't identify any difference in sound quality between i-tunes and the Amarra software with redbook digital and found myself wondering if I had misspent. After living with it for a while and then going back to just i-tunes I finally could identify differences in sound between the two audio engines. With the Amarra software, well recorded redbook just has a more finished sound, the music's timing seems more spot on, more ready for prime time, as when a band is tight rather than loose, if you will. It is a subtle thing, but once you catch on you won't want to go back. It's not that i-tunes sounded bad, far from it, it's just that whenever I bypass the Amarra software, the music sounds more like a demo, not yet polished. Have I psycho-fooled myself? I don't think so, as I don't buy into a lot of the snake oil passed off as better sound. Regardless, I'm keeping the Amarra software and will update it with the free updates Amarra offers.

I don't know if you've given yourself enough time to hear what you've been told you would hear, or enough time to hear what is actually there. I didn't give it that much time. I had the demo here for about a week. It really doesn't matter. If you hear it, enjoy it.

P
 

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