Anyone know the best bass boost EQ settings for Amarra and the Audeze LCD-3 (non-fazor) headphones? I want a good bass boost but without distortion. With the built in bass boost EQ setting, I sometimes hear a bit of distortion.
Amarra 3.0
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Zoom25
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Amarra SQ and SQ+ have a dedicated EQ setting for the LCD-2 and LCD-3. You might want to play around with those settings. In Amarra SQ, I can change it graphically. In Amarra SQ+, you can do it graphically or physically select the type of slope and rate of cut off you want. Try playing with the stock presets first and see which one you like the most. Next, try to make 1-2 db changes to areas where you need further refinement. I can easily notice 0.5 to 1.0 db EQ changes on my HD 800.
(Assumption: Under system preferences: your mac built in volume is maxed out, sonicstream is maxed out, volume to DAC is maxed out.) ->
This is the setting I run my system at. I run it on flat SQ almost all of the times. So, with most music, especially on Spotify (whose volume is also maxed out), I run Amarra SQ at -2 dbs on the slider. In Amarra 3.0, I knock it down -1.0 dbs on my FLAC stuff as it's less compressed and I know that no levelling or normalization is taking place. With bass boost settings, I knock it down to -4 to -6 db because at 0dbs or even at -2bs sometimes, you will get clipping or nearly max out.
Unlike the old Audirvana players, digital volume reduction in these players are very good and I don't feel any differences. So you shouldn't feel insecure about digital reductions or not being so called bit perfect.
With Amarra SQ, I can easily monitor and see if there is clipping. If it goes into the red zone, it's okay as long as it doesn't keep slamming the top of the bar. That's when you're clipping. I monitor my tracks once a while to make sure they are in orange/yellow red zone for me but not maxing. I wouldn't advise running any music besides classical at 0db in the digital slider of either Amarra programs because of the source compression.
Even JDS Labs recommends setting digital volume to just a bit below 0db. By knocking it down even 0.5 db, the distortion gets reduced a lot, even if it is audible or not. I know we have been told in the past to run all digital domains at 0 db (or line out), but it apparently isn't the best from a theoretical standpoint. After a lot of experimentation, I have found that maxing all digital domain, except for the final player's audio, results in the best sound. Another reason to use Amarra's volume adjustments, instead of Mac's own is because it doesn't result in audible sound quality loss like the latter. This has held true in all of the OS X so far. Apple has improved their handling of digital audio since Mountain Lion and Mavericks (same as Yosemite), but it's still not Amarra level.
At first when I did this it felt as if the sound was softer, but had more details. Now that I got used to it, it's far easier on my ears and sounds a lot better with a proper punch. Before, the bass would sometimes feel flat and one noted, or as if it was running out of headroom.
Note, this applies to both Amarra 3.0 and SQ/SQ+
Speaking of Amarra SQ, I've been enjoying using that with Apple Music. Makes it sound a lot better. Not sure I'll subscribe to Apple Music or not however.
Zoom25
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I've been holding off on trying Apple Music to save my trial for when it gets more dedicated equipment. Yesterday, there was some confirmation of a newer Apple TV coming out which will include Apple Music among other things.
Yep, Vox does that, as does iTunes when used with BitPerfect.
sahmen
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Newbie here: I am a user of Audirvana plus, and wanted to try Amarra, because I just got Tidal, and it seems Tidal supports some form of Amarra... The issue I am having is that there seem to be so many different versions of Amarra, that I'm already feeling confused and a little dizzy trying to figure out which version or versions to buy:
1. Amarra hifi, 2, Amarra, 3. Amarra Symphony
4. Amara Sq, and 5. Amarra Sq +
I already know that Amara Symphony is overkill for me, and I had simply decided to get the Amara, when I noticed the references to Amarra Sq and Amarra Sq+
I know I would like to use Amarra (2.) to handle my i-tunes music files, but If I get Amarra (2), do I also have to get Amarra Sq or Sq + in order to be able to use the software with Tidal?
Can Amarra sq or sq + also process i-tunes music files? Is there any way one can use both Amarra (2), and Amarra Sq or Sq + without finding oneself with redundant duplicate features one might not need?
In short, I want to find out the simplest way to approach these purchases without compromising on quality... Again, I know Amarra Symphony is out... I already have Dirac Room correction on my main Pre pro, and I do not think I would need another version in Amarra.
Any helpful clarifications and suggestions would be highly appreciated.
Oh, one more thing: what is Vox, and what advantages does it have over Amarra... One thing I know is : Tidal does not seem to support Vox.
1. Amarra hifi, 2, Amarra, 3. Amarra Symphony
4. Amara Sq, and 5. Amarra Sq +
I already know that Amara Symphony is overkill for me, and I had simply decided to get the Amara, when I noticed the references to Amarra Sq and Amarra Sq+
I know I would like to use Amarra (2.) to handle my i-tunes music files, but If I get Amarra (2), do I also have to get Amarra Sq or Sq + in order to be able to use the software with Tidal?
Can Amarra sq or sq + also process i-tunes music files? Is there any way one can use both Amarra (2), and Amarra Sq or Sq + without finding oneself with redundant duplicate features one might not need?
In short, I want to find out the simplest way to approach these purchases without compromising on quality... Again, I know Amarra Symphony is out... I already have Dirac Room correction on my main Pre pro, and I do not think I would need another version in Amarra.
Any helpful clarifications and suggestions would be highly appreciated.
Oh, one more thing: what is Vox, and what advantages does it have over Amarra... One thing I know is : Tidal does not seem to support Vox.
Vox is a free player that sounds very close to Amarra. I have both (regular Amarra) and can't tell them apart. And IMHO both sound better than Audirvana Plus which I have actually been happily using before I tried Amarra and Vox.
Although to be fair to Audirvana their UI is better than both Vox and Amarra. Also let me add that I don't use itunes with any of these players and only listen to HD files purchased from places like HDTracks (I don't do any streaming either).
I also don't like how Amarra doesn't do gapless playback automatically, from iTunes. You have to go through a lot of hassle to get it to do that. I wish it just did it automatically.
sahmen
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Well I downloaded Vox, which I understood to be a free software, but it has put me on 14-day trial run, and is ready to charge me either $4.99 a month, or $49.95 a year, if I opt to jump on board. I have no idea what that means. since I understood from all the postings in this forum that the software was free. Have I got the wrong software, or is VOX no longer free?
By the way this is the version of VOX I got, in case there is some doubt:
http://coppertino.com/vox/mac
sahmen
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Could someone explain the advantages of getting the Amarra Symphony version? I already have Amarra, but they're offering me the opportunity to upgrade to Symphony (with a complimentary copy of SQ+) at a significant discount. I understand that the Symphony has Dirac room correction, which i could use to correct room acoustics on the mac minis in my bedroom and study, however, in order to benefit from the room correction, does every content on those macs have to be played through Amarra? Can I benefit from the Dirac room correction settings when playing Kodi/XBMC content from my mac mini/htpcs for example?
Here's a second question: I installed one of the copies of my original Amarra purchase on my Macbook pro, since I use my headphones a lot. Now because I mainly use headphones for any serious listening on the Macbook pro, and given that it is never stationary, I think it would be a waste to install Symphony and its room correction software on it (the MBP)... I would rather have the Amarra Symphony Upgrade installed (if I should get it) on the Mac minis in my bedroom and study where any application of room correction might be most useful. But if I install the two copies of my Symphony upgrade on those two Mac minis, would I be allowed to keep and use my original Amarra software on my Macbook pro (which will not get the Symphony upgrade)?
These are questions I might need to sort out with SonicStudio before making the purchase, but if anyone can help me to understand the terms better, I'd be very grateful.
Right now, I am particularly interested in owners' impressions about the performance of Symphony's room correction software, and the versatility of its applications, before deciding to jump on board or not.
Thanks.
Here's a second question: I installed one of the copies of my original Amarra purchase on my Macbook pro, since I use my headphones a lot. Now because I mainly use headphones for any serious listening on the Macbook pro, and given that it is never stationary, I think it would be a waste to install Symphony and its room correction software on it (the MBP)... I would rather have the Amarra Symphony Upgrade installed (if I should get it) on the Mac minis in my bedroom and study where any application of room correction might be most useful. But if I install the two copies of my Symphony upgrade on those two Mac minis, would I be allowed to keep and use my original Amarra software on my Macbook pro (which will not get the Symphony upgrade)?
These are questions I might need to sort out with SonicStudio before making the purchase, but if anyone can help me to understand the terms better, I'd be very grateful.
Right now, I am particularly interested in owners' impressions about the performance of Symphony's room correction software, and the versatility of its applications, before deciding to jump on board or not.
Thanks.
I downloaded Vox from Apple app store. Currently installed version of Vox is 2.5.4 and the nice thing is that when updates are available you get notified - same as when Apple's own apps need updates.
As far as I remember the app was free but there are in-app purchases if you want - I think the $49.95 is to purchase Vox LOOP which supposedly lets you store your files in some type of cloud and access them from all your devices (I have ignored this and so far have not been charged anything and the app is also not nagging me to sign up).
As far as I remember the app was free but there are in-app purchases if you want - I think the $49.95 is to purchase Vox LOOP which supposedly lets you store your files in some type of cloud and access them from all your devices (I have ignored this and so far have not been charged anything and the app is also not nagging me to sign up).
I didn't buy the Symphony version b/c I feel like Sonic (makers of Amarra) are nickel and diming us to death.
Amarra can't even do DSD so I think when some new upgraded version comes out, I'm jumping ship over to Audiovana or whatever it's called.
Amarra can't even do DSD so I think when some new upgraded version comes out, I'm jumping ship over to Audiovana or whatever it's called.
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