Amarra Software or other comps

brianherlihy · Nov 2, 2010

I am using Amarra's 2.0 software to run my Mac Mini Server into a dCS stack. I went this route for two reasons: 1) i thought the sound (codec? process) of ITunes was not very good; and 2) I had invested so much time into loading all my music into ITunes that i wanted a software that works with ITunes.

I do think driving the output through Amarra creates a noticeable difference in sound quality. i would be interested to know other people's experience with Amarra. I think the software usability is less than desirable. I get frustrated with the loading system from ITunes to Amarra and see the GUI as being OK at best.

Secondly, i would like suggestions for other software (i am non-technical so please explain how the software works in relation to ITunes and an outboard USB connection to a DAC or if it is a different solution all together). 1) Sound quality is most important, 2) Must be compatible with my outboard USB DAC and 2) is easy integration with ITunes

thanks,
brian

Bruce B · Nov 2, 2010

From a consumer standpoint, you have the best set up for Mac already. The problem with "server" software can be summed up in 2 questions. Do you want a great sound? or a great GUI. You can't have both. Amarra gives you a great sound with not so great GUI.

brianherlihy · Nov 2, 2010

Thanks Bruce, i suspect you are right. i also suspect that Amarra will improve the GUI over time; the greatest improvement will be the ability to load a much larger library for longer listening enjoyment (in line with the whole ease of use principle of computer front ends); second will be a shuffle structure. i often use the autopilot feature, but i then get 20 alphabetical songs (one reality i have to deal with is duplicates of songs in the import process); granted i can engineer a play list or do a shuffle at the ITune level but it is adding a layer of 'work' which I have become accustomed to not doing with computer sources.

Vincent Kars · Nov 2, 2010

You might check Pure Music: http://www.channld.com/puremusic/index.html

flez007 · Nov 2, 2010

I am using Puremusic with very good results, my files are all WAV stored and convert fromUSB to coax via a Stello spdf and to my Reimyo DAC. This software keeps iTunes as GUI so no problem there, but after my blind test experiment against the oppo I am unfortunatly listening less to my Digital server and more from CDs.

Bruce B · Nov 2, 2010

Vincent Kars said:
You might check Pure Music: http://www.channld.com/puremusic/index.html

At least Pure goes up to 384kHz where Amarra is stuck at 192.

slowGEEZR · Nov 3, 2010

brianherlihy said:
Thanks Bruce, i suspect you are right. i also suspect that Amarra will improve the GUI over time; the greatest improvement will be the ability to load a much larger library for longer listening enjoyment (in line with the whole ease of use principle of computer front ends); second will be a shuffle structure. i often use the autopilot feature, but i then get 20 alphabetical songs (one reality i have to deal with is duplicates of songs in the import process); granted i can engineer a play list or do a shuffle at the ITune level but it is adding a layer of 'work' which I have become accustomed to not doing with computer sources.

Hello. I use the itunes as the GUI, with Amarra, the plug-in, just processing the sound and automatically selecting correct playback mode. How does that add a layer of 'work'?

Phelonious Ponk · Nov 3, 2010

To answer the original question, I've tried both Amarra and Pure Music. Personally, I only heard a difference when playing hi-rez files, probably because both play native resolution, iTunes requires that you manually change it to match the file, or it upconverts/downconverts to whatever it is set to. So the result is not bit perfect.

I heard no difference between Amarra/Pure Music/iTunes playing redbook files at native rates. YMMV. If I had enough hi-rez to care, I'd use Pure Music. I don't.

Tim

rhopkins · Dec 12, 2010

brianherlihy said:
I am using Amarra's 2.0 software to run my Mac Mini Server into a dCS stack. I went this route for two reasons: 1) i thought the sound (codec? process) of ITunes was not very good

Hi Brian,

It's actually not iTunes that processes the sound. It simply passes on the bit perfect audio file to the Apples CoreAudio process which, as I understand it, is where the sonic issues are. There is something like this in Windows also however, I don't know what it's called.

Regardless, what Amarra does is bi-pass the CoreAudio process and gives you some other options with regard to sound, eq and playback.

I use it on my Weiss DAC 1 mkII FW and the difference is noticeable to me and I personally think it's a fair improvement. I think anything that can improve digital is a great thing and I'm pleased with this solution.

I agree about the GUI however, most of the time I only use the software to play iTunes files and automatically switch the resolution. If it's gapless play I need then I load a list into Amarra but even that's not too problematic.

Mike Gillespie · Jan 21, 2011

Two questions: 1) If you're only listening to 16/44, will Amarra or any other playback software be noticeably better than Itunes? 2) Can any of these other software programs handle over 100,000 files without a glitch? I'm running Itunes 64 bit on a PC with a fast I7 chip and solid state drives and Itunes still takes a very long time to process all that many files (all AIFF)?

brianherlihy · Jan 21, 2011

Question: I heard that ITunes will shortly be able to play hirez files; has anyone else heard this. second, in line with RHopkins input above, is there any noise that Itunes/Apple will resolve the Apple Core Audio issue?

Mike: i do hear a difference on 16/44 redbook. on Amarre, i believe the playback is more full. this may be something to do with me wanting to hear that, my DAC/Upsampling or some other technical reason. But the difference is noticeable enough that i take the effort to load through Amarre. My wife, who could care less about this stuff, does the same as she too can hear the difference

Steve Williams · Jan 21, 2011

the soon to be released iTunes 11 will support hirez files

amirm · Jan 21, 2011

Mike Gillespie said:
Two questions: 1) If you're only listening to 16/44, will Amarra or any other playback software be noticeably better than Itunes? 2) Can any of these other software programs handle over 100,000 files without a glitch? I'm running Itunes 64 bit on a PC with a fast I7 chip and solid state drives and Itunes still takes a very long time to process all that many files (all AIFF)?

I don't know the specifics of these programs on the Mac. But "audiophile" players do things like read the entire track into memory and then play from there as to not cause potential timing errors with extra disc accesses in the middle. Whether such techniques make an audible difference is impossible to say. Any difference may be so small as make the placebo effect extremely potent in making one think there is a difference when there is not

.

That said, sample rate conversion causes far bigger difference so being able to do away with that is goodness.

Jay_S · Jan 21, 2011

Bruce B said:
At least Pure goes up to 384kHz where Amarra is stuck at 192.

Bruce, is there anything to listen to at 384 (outside of the studio)?

amirm · Jan 21, 2011

This place has some DXD files at 352.8 Khz for download: http://www.2l.no/hires/index.html

MarinJim · Feb 2, 2011

what has the most impact on the quality of sound, more kHz, or perhaps the quality of the hardware?

Bruce B · Feb 2, 2011

MarinJim said:
what has the most impact on the quality of sound, more kHz, or perhaps the quality of the hardware?

the source, the bit-depth and the quality of the converters

RBFC · Feb 2, 2011

amirm said:
This place has some DXD files at 352.8 Khz for download: http://www.2l.no/hires/index.html

Are there any consumer DACs that do over 192 kHz?

Lee

amirm · Feb 2, 2011

RBFC said:
Are there any consumer DACs that do over 192 kHz?

Lee

Yes, I have heard of a few. MSB makes one and so does M2Tech. Here is the MSB: http://www.msbtech.com/products/dac4.php?Page=platinumHome

And M2Tech Young: http://www.m2tech.biz/young.asp

Bruce B · Feb 2, 2011

RBFC said:
Are there any consumer DACs that do over 192 kHz?

Lee

As Amir said... MSB makes a great DAC. The others are Playback Designs, Mytek, DAD and Naim

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