Amarra - anyone using it? - Page 34

I tried this and still get a micro-second gap.  Not sure what I'm doing wrong.  Also takes quite awhile if you set it to preload the album.  I believe this is the same way Pure Music handles gapless, except for that you need to have it check in iTunes.  I would rather have it done like BitPerfect or Audirvana, where it only preloads the next track, so it doesn't eat all you memory and the tracks start right away.  So for now, I have the preload feature turned off.

As far as the sound, I didn't test against the old version, but seems to sound better than before.  I know I like it better than the other two programs I mentioned.  I has the most realistic drums, with better impact and the mids seem a little sweeter.

Edit: Just tried some Pink Floyd and gapless seemed to work, so might have been a glitch with another album.  But it still takes awhile to get the whole album loaded.  It is nice to finally have Amarra run completely in the background.  I just have it set to hide on launch and use iTunes in fullscreen.

Quote:

Originally Posted by iamoneagain 

I tried this and still get a micro-second gap.  Not sure what I'm doing wrong.  Also takes quite awhile if you set it to preload the album.  I believe this is the same way Pure Music handles gapless, except for that you need to have it check in iTunes.  I would rather have it done like BitPerfect or Audirvana, where it only preloads the next track, so it doesn't eat all you memory and the tracks start right away.  So for now, I have the preload feature turned off.

 

As far as the sound, I didn't test against the old version, but seems to sound better than before.  I know I like it better than the other two programs I mentioned.  I has the most realistic drums, with better impact and the mids seem a little sweeter.

 

Edit: Just tried some Pink Floyd and gapless seemed to work, so might have been a glitch with another album.  But it still takes awhile to get the whole album loaded.  It is nice to finally have Amarra run completely in the background.  I just have it set to hide on launch and use iTunes in fullscreen.

You can vary the number of tracks Amarra preloads via the preferences menu.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Windsor 

 

You can vary the number of tracks Amarra preloads via the preferences menu.

I just tried this and it's terrible the way they implemented it.  On other players, it preloads in background, on this, it plays number of preloaded tracks, stops and then loads up again.  I might as well just do the initial wait for the whole album.

Amarra is getting better but still wish other players sounded as good since still prefer their faster performance.

I am finally enjoying the app.  I have the Hi-Fi and Mini version.

I've just mindlessly upgraded Amarra to 2.4.1 and its completely broken playlist function in my system. I'll think twice next time, for sure.

I think it might be time for Sonic Studio to bring in some outside help - consulting or contractor. Their playback engine is of quality. It's the chassis and integration that's troubling.

So I gave up on Amarra again.  I couldn't get gapless to work right.  Think it has to do with my tracks ripped using XLD into ALAC.  Amarra seems to chop off a millisecond of the beginning of my tracks so they don't seem flawlessly into the next track.  Also don't like waiting for a minute or so for the whole album to load. Even if I don't use Amarra's preload option, I noticed individual tracks have beginning chopped off.   I've tried to rerip tracks back in AIFF in iTunes and then back in ALAC and it didn't fix the problem.  This bug is minor compared to the problems I've had in the past, but it still effects my enjoyment of the music.  Not too much to expect flawless playback.

So I've played around with the setting on BitPerfection (their beta) and think I got their sound quality on par.  It's just so much quicker by not preloading the whole album but still providing perfect gapless playback.

Quote:

Originally Posted by iamoneagain 

So I've played around with the setting on BitPerfection (their beta) and think I got their sound quality on par.  It's just so much quicker by not preloading the whole album but still providing perfect gapless playback.

Could you give more specific details/comparisons between Bitperfection (Even though it's in beta), Bitperfect and Amarra. Thanks.

Quote:

Originally Posted by paradoxper 

Could you give more specific details/comparisons between Bitperfection (Even though it's in beta), Bitperfect and Amarra. Thanks.

Well both Bitperfection and Audirvana Plus have some new direct play that's supposed to improve sound quality.  Both in beta mode.  I find Bitperfection has a little bit richer sound than Audirvana and I can control the bit depth.  As far as sound quality, they have a few different settings and sliders play around with. I have the SRC setting at Intermediate, Minimized iTunes Interaction, and Timing Precision at better.  I also have it set at 16bit to match the tracks since that sounds best with my DAC.

The playback of the beta is the same as BitPerfect on the App store.  Runs in the background with just an icon at the top.  No playlists needed or anything check in iTunes to get gapless.  I believe it loads one or two tracks up and the preloads the next track in background when ready.  So don't take long to load and doesn't need as much memory either.  Also no pauses like how Amarra does if you set it to only load 2 tracks.

Edit: After testing more tracks, I still find Amarra does sound little better.  Now it's a matter of how much better to deal with it's issues.

Quote:

Originally Posted by iamoneagain 

 

 

Well both Bitperfection and Audirvana Plus have some new direct play that's supposed to improve sound quality.  Both in beta mode.  I find Bitperfection has a little bit richer sound than Audirvana and I can control the bit depth.  As far as sound quality, they have a few different settings and sliders play around with. I have the SRC setting at Intermediate, Minimized iTunes Interaction, and Timing Precision at better.  I also have it set at 16bit to match the tracks since that sounds best with my DAC.

 

The playback of the beta is the same as BitPerfect on the App store.  Runs in the background with just an icon at the top.  No playlists needed or anything check in iTunes to get gapless.  I believe it loads one or two tracks up and the preloads the next track in background when ready.  So don't take long to load and doesn't need as much memory either.  Also no pauses like how Amarra does if you set it to only load 2 tracks.

While I do like Amarra(when it properly works) I may try out Audirvana Plus after beta. Was never really impressed with it when I previously tried it out.

Is Bitperfection the same exact thing as Bitperfect then? I am assuming Bitperfection is gaged to give Lion users Integer mode which is already

available with Bitperfect for SL. I was really more interested in if Bitperfection gave an audible upgrade in the sound department compared to Bitperfect.

Quote:

Originally Posted by paradoxper 

While I do like Amarra(when it properly works) I may try out Audirvana Plus after beta. Was never really impressed with it when I previously tried it out.

 

Is Bitperfection the same exact thing as Bitperfect then? I am assuming Bitperfection is gaged to give Lion users Integer mode which is already

available with Bitperfect for SL. I was really more interested in if Bitperfection gave an audible upgrade in the sound department compared to Bitperfect.

Gotcha, I haven't tested the two against each other.  Yes, Bitperfection is exactly what you say it is.  I'm not sure my system with even show the benefits since I'm just using a toslink cable. Think he's made some other revisions over Bitfperfect as well.  I was part of the original beta program, so I'm still get the latest test builds.  I'll test the two programs against each other and see if can tell a difference.

Think you can get Audirvana Plus beta here but if you already used up your preview time, you might have to see if you can get reset to try this.  I bought the program, so I'm free to try the betas as well: http://audirvana.com/?p=304 

As far as why Amarra still wins in sound quality, it has the best bass impact and seems to go deeper.  Also mids seems just little bit richer than the rest.

Quote:

Originally Posted by iamoneagain 

So I gave up on Amarra again.  I couldn't get gapless to work right.  Think it has to do with my tracks ripped using XLD into ALAC.  

I ripped with XLD, and if i really listen closely i could make out the gap when i was using the preload, but I am too impatient to preload most of the time anyway and end up half way thru a concert tape going to something different anyway.

Quote:

Originally Posted by iamoneagain 

 

 

Gotcha, I haven't tested the two against each other.  Yes, Bitperfection is exactly what you say it is.  I'm not sure my system with even show the benefits since I'm just using a toslink cable. Think he's made some other revisions over Bitfperfect as well.  I was part of the original beta program, so I'm still get the latest test builds.  I'll test the two programs against each other and see if can tell a difference.

 

Think you can get Audirvana Plus beta here but if you already used up your preview time, you might have to see if you can get reset to try this.  I bought the program, so I'm free to try the betas as well: http://audirvana.com/?p=304 

 

As far as why Amarra still wins in sound quality, it has the best bass impact and seems to go deeper.  Also mids seems just little bit richer than the rest.

I've still been reluctant to switch over to Lion (It screwed me over when first released)

I'd really appreciate if you would compare the two. If it offers anything new I would be willing to try it out. Bitperfect has been really great so far.

Just so simple and pretty flawless. but perhaps limited in function. Hope to see these things improved more.

But looking at the headache Amarra poses, I think I should just be grateful. haha

I bought Audirvana a while back not sure it's plus or whatever standard then. Might have to look for the key or just buy it again.

But yea, I've found Amarra to offer the best fidelity just all around. I'm honestly looking for something better though (something that works)

I've contemplated moving over to Windows with Foobar + wasapi, but being that I haven't used Windows in years don't know if it would 

offer anything better or comparable...or even be worse.

If you buy Audirvana Plus can you enter the beta free?

Quote:

Originally Posted by dallan 

I ripped with XLD, and if i really listen closely i could make out the gap when i was using the preload, but I am too impatient to preload most of the time anyway and end up half way thru a concert tape going to something different anyway.

Oh good, so issue is not just me.  It's not a huge issue but it's there and other players don't have it.  Gapless isn't needed just on live concert albums, I have plenty of other albums where 2 or more tracks run seamlessly into each other.  So was getting frustrated trying to figure out the fix for this in Amarra when I decided to check out the other players again.  But of course, Amarra always wins in sound quality, which I wish it didn't

Oh, on quick listen Bitperfect and Bitperfection both sound the same in my setup.