Per request, I'll offer up my miniscule experience and knowledge of this software.
Audirvana is a free software music player for MacIntosh computers being used as music servers. It is available as a download here:
http://code.google.com/p/audirvana/
The latest free release is version 0.9f.
Audirvana Plus is now available, but is not free:
http://audirvana.com/
As I haven't experimented with Audirvana Plus, it would be inappropriate for me to comment upon the upgrades contained in this version.
The free Audirvana player works completely independent from iTunes. When opening the player, you see a player window and a playlist window.
The player window contains the usual play/pause, etc. controls. It also lists the bit depth and sampling rate of the current file being played. The album artwork (if you have it with the file) and the album/song names are displayed. If you have chosen "integer mode" (more later), there is also an indicator that it is active.
The playlist window has the typical add/delete functions. Clicking the "+" button opens up the listings from my hard drive and allows me to select any songs or albums I wish to play. As far as I can tell, there is no provision for you to create and save custom playlists with this software. I would suspect that you can "drag" playlists from iTunes into the player window if you wish, but I don't use it this way.
The addition of "integer" mode (also called "hog mode") bypasses the 32-bit floating HAL audio processor of the Core Audio section of the Mac. This step allows a more direct connection between the player software and your DAC, with less processing by the audio stages of your computer. That's the limit of my current understanding of the software's functions. I notice a bit cleaner presentation when "integer mode" is selected. NOTE: apparently not all DACs are compatible with the integer mode function, but many have been added through updates. The Audirvana software will check for updates whenever you open the program and take care of that quickly with the click of the "Yes" box.
You may also choose to use "memory play", which plays the file from RAM rather than the hard drive. This choice eliminates the mechanical operation of the hard drive and its electrical effects upon the signal during playback.
I'd recommend that anyone interested in Audirvana simply download the free version and check it out for themselves. I'd also ask that anyone more knowledgeable on the topics I mentioned above offer both more information and/or corrections to what I posted.
Lee
Audirvana is a free software music player for MacIntosh computers being used as music servers. It is available as a download here:
http://code.google.com/p/audirvana/
The latest free release is version 0.9f.
Audirvana Plus is now available, but is not free:
http://audirvana.com/
As I haven't experimented with Audirvana Plus, it would be inappropriate for me to comment upon the upgrades contained in this version.
The free Audirvana player works completely independent from iTunes. When opening the player, you see a player window and a playlist window.
The player window contains the usual play/pause, etc. controls. It also lists the bit depth and sampling rate of the current file being played. The album artwork (if you have it with the file) and the album/song names are displayed. If you have chosen "integer mode" (more later), there is also an indicator that it is active.
The playlist window has the typical add/delete functions. Clicking the "+" button opens up the listings from my hard drive and allows me to select any songs or albums I wish to play. As far as I can tell, there is no provision for you to create and save custom playlists with this software. I would suspect that you can "drag" playlists from iTunes into the player window if you wish, but I don't use it this way.
The addition of "integer" mode (also called "hog mode") bypasses the 32-bit floating HAL audio processor of the Core Audio section of the Mac. This step allows a more direct connection between the player software and your DAC, with less processing by the audio stages of your computer. That's the limit of my current understanding of the software's functions. I notice a bit cleaner presentation when "integer mode" is selected. NOTE: apparently not all DACs are compatible with the integer mode function, but many have been added through updates. The Audirvana software will check for updates whenever you open the program and take care of that quickly with the click of the "Yes" box.
You may also choose to use "memory play", which plays the file from RAM rather than the hard drive. This choice eliminates the mechanical operation of the hard drive and its electrical effects upon the signal during playback.
I'd recommend that anyone interested in Audirvana simply download the free version and check it out for themselves. I'd also ask that anyone more knowledgeable on the topics I mentioned above offer both more information and/or corrections to what I posted.
Lee