Amarra - anyone using it?

[spahn_ranch]

At sea 3 months and been playing amarra mini, happliy so since vinyl is slightly impractical atm. Rough comparison from memory, the 2.1.1 update with cache enabled, on most accounts beats the mid-level vinyl setp I had; whereas the 2.0 with spinning disk was really nice - for digital - but not quite there. More like halfway between straight itunes and the vinyl. I knew some people have sworn by SSD with amarra, and maybe cache mode entails the great equalizer for us still spinning the disk. A quite appreciable gain in depth, space, openness, texture; individual and unique body to each note and that analogue non mechanical flow and natural undeniable authority to the beat. x2 on liquid.
 
It's the first software of any kind that I've spent used RS1 kind of money on and while quite worth 400€ for the 1.x-2.0, the ROI with 2.1.1./cache is superlicious. /IMO

 

[dallan]

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I guess I am lucky, I didn't upgrade this time to the new version but I have no bugs that I see. I have gapless if I don't us itunes, and the only time I have any bug is maybe once or twice a month, if I let it sit for a while or sleep the computer it may need to be closed and restarted but that's it.

Still think you need to give the upgrade a try just for cache mode.  Just creates a liquidity smooth sound.  This is about the only thing I've been testing and won't use it without this setting.  You can always go back to old version but curious if other's are as impressed with cache mode as I am. 
 
For Ayrewave, I've always had memory mode enabled, so I don't know how it sounds without.  And Pure Music I've never tried with it on, so that could be why I wasn't impressed.  I guess if these players are all about improving timing, memory mode improves this enough where it's audibly noticeable.

Still haven't upgraded.  I don't really know how i guess.  Last time i tried i needed to call and get assistance because it didn't take.  Seems like it is a complicated process or i have old versions in there and then i end up going with out it for a while, which sucks.  If i knew i could just go ahead and do it with out an issue i would.

 

[spahn_ranch]

Just four clicks and you're set up to launch and use the updated version: applications >> amarra >> extras >> delete amarra preferences.
 
Re cache, I definitely use it without memory mode (cache and playlist) which in my opinion is the big news with 2.1. I'm currently running the Decibel (former AyreWave) beta most of the time though, which also plays memory mode. That's not due to Amarra's lingering bugs but because of Decibel 1.0b's sound which I find even more appealing. A tight presentation with a more liquid midrange and smoother, sweeter highs.

 

[spahn_ranch]

OK,
 
<vent mode>
 
I've had it with this bugware.
 
Been using Decibel for a while and now what. Amarra won't play, work work. I have to force quit it. Giving the retailer Audio Concept a feedback call tomorrow. Few softwares have I payed this kind of money for or more. On the Mac, none has giving me any trouble except this one. I have had it with Sonic Studios.
 
Had.
 
It.
 
</vent>

 

[iamoneagain]

Yeah, Amarra can be frustrating.  Sometimes it works with no issues but usually I'll get a sound delay glitch or the last few seconds of the tracks will loop.  Sonic Studios promises another update mid-February to fix these problems.  I'm not holding my breathe.  I really like Decibel except for the fact it is not fully intergrated with iTunes.  The script you can download does make things pretty easy, it's just you can't use the iPhone remote app with it.  I also think Amarra sounds just a touch better.  It's close enough that I could switch if there's more intergration. 
 
Pure Music really works well as far as intergration but their sound doesn't seem as organic in my system.  Both Decibel and Amarra have this non-fatiguing sound.  Pure Music is more dynamic but I don't think it's as natural.

 

[santacore]

I've been using 2.1 since it first came out. It sounds fantastic, but is definitely buggy. I don't know if it's my system or not, but Amarra hasn't run smoothly for 6 months. Each version has had it's own quirks. If this software didn't sound so good, and work so well with iTunes, I would have given up by now.  Hopefully the alleged update this month will get things back on track.

 

[AVU]

Really like Decibel - hasn't hit a bug yet, and seems a lot less demanding on my system than Amarra.  Still, I find Amarra's SQ to be superior by a hair most of the time, esp bc of the EQ.  (Amarra's the only EQ I've ever used, bc it seems so transparent.) I use Amarra 2.1 in memory mode with the playlist run from an external firewire 800 drive - ie, everything exactly like they tell you to do - AND STILL it has bugs galore.  If I so much as surf the web, it hiccups.  If I open another application it hiccups.  And it often loops the ends of tracks in the most annoying way.  So, I keep going back to Decibel despite everything else.

 

[Currawong]

I've given up on Amarra. Buggy, despite numerous emails to support. They still are using some weird codebase with a non-standard interface.  I gather it came from some music software for UNIX from way back.  That Steven Booth could pull something from scratch that blows Amarra away sonically and give it away for free really says it all -- I don't know what the hell SonicStudio are doing going on as they are with Amarra. Last I looked, Pure Music being full-featured for a fraction of the price and Decibel sounding better and being considerably less buggy for free has really sent them into a panic.

 

[spahn_ranch]

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 Decibel sounding better

 
+1. Honestly. No sour grapes on account of vapour money; simply my preferences.

 

[iamoneagain]

By the way, Decibel is not really free.  It is still in Beta and will eventually be released as a paid program.  It's set to expire at some point.  Originally expired on 1/1/11 but then release another beta to test.  So unless something changed when the named changed, it was always meant to be paid software.
 
Yeah, I find Amarra a hair better but could be just as happy with Decibel's sound.  I was only using Amarra because of it's integration with iTunes but it's so buggy, it's usefulness is limited.  It sounds better in playlist mode but that breaks the seamless integration. And even in playlist mode it now how this weird looping effect at the end of certain tracks.  It also has a millisecond gap for gapless albums.
 
I've tried to switch to Pure Music because of it's integration and bug free operation but over time, it's missing something in it's sound. So I guess I could just switch to Decibel since it's actually easier to use than Amarra (when using in playlist). I'm still holding out hope for Amarra's next update.  If there are still issues, I'll just use Decibel.  Might still hang on to the iLok in case they ever get their act together. 

 

[dallan]

Really like Decibel - hasn't hit a bug yet, and seems a lot less demanding on my system than Amarra.  Still, I find Amarra's SQ to be superior by a hair most of the time, esp bc of the EQ.  (Amarra's the only EQ I've ever used, bc it seems so transparent.) I use Amarra 2.1 in memory mode with the playlist run from an external firewire 800 drive - ie, everything exactly like they tell you to do - AND STILL it has bugs galore.  If I so much as surf the web, it hiccups.  If I open another application it hiccups.  And it often loops the ends of tracks in the most annoying way.  So, I keep going back to Decibel despite everything else.

Ii

I have that hiccup problem with one of my dacs bit the other two never have that problem. Amarra seems to be very dac specific and I am aware of instances that problems have been solved by changing dacs although that is not always reasonable. I can tell u the xdax with optical is a problem and that other one Santicore had was a problem. I have not upgraded my software since sept/oct and am basically bug free. Occasionally if I let it sit all day I have to close and reppen it though. I can't see using my computer for music without it actually.

 

[omasciarotte]

 
Dallan said:

Amarra seems to be very dac specific and I am aware of instances that problems have been solved by changing dacs although that is not always reasonable

 
Nor should it be. If anyone’s having DAC issues, first thing to check is System Profiler > Hardware > USB to see on what bus your DAC is hanging. It should be on its own "USB High-Speed Bus." Put all the HUI stuff, like keyboards and mice, along with other slow stuff, on their own “USB Bus.”
 
If problems persist, give Sonic Studio a shout as they'd really like to know if a particular make of DAC is misbehaving.

 

[dallan]

Sure wish i could figure out how to download the new version.  I am still on 2.0.  I emailed last week with no response, just tried again.  You used to be able to download new versions but now all that is there is to buy or demo sending an email.  But i sent one to the tech and no go...........

   Expensive software, you would think they would just let you download the new version if you have an ilok.

 

[iamoneagain]

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Sure wish i could figure out how to download the new version.  I am still on 2.0.  I emailed last week with no response, just tried again.  You used to be able to download new versions but now all that is there is to buy or demo sending an email.  But i sent one to the tech and no go...........

   Expensive software, you would think they would just let you download the new version if you have an ilok.

You should be able to just download from their site and then use your iLok number on the sign in screen.  After you get in once, you don't have to sign in again.  I had so much trouble getting past this screen but it there was a bug in their first release.  Should work now.  Think you be really happy with the sound.  Beats all the others I've tried.
 
Pretty satisfied with current version.  There are still some bugs but much more stable.  No more stuttering.  I still get that weird looping bug on some stuff but if I re-encode using XLD, seems to fix it.  Still wish they'd fix this from their end.  I've now seen others complain about this as well.
 
http://www.sonicstudio.com/amarra/amarrasupport.html#DOWNLOAD
 
Here's how to activate:
 
http://www.sonicstudio.com/pdf/amarra/AuthGeneric.pdf

 

[dallan]

Yeah i got it.  Didn't know i had to request the demo, then it would let me put in my serial number that was kind of a weird one that they had problems with because it was a demo ilok key.  But it worked and my G-D!  It is way improved.  I am blown away at the sound quality improvement from 2.0.  This is my first mac so sometimes i still fight with it so changing stuff around is the last thing i want to do usually.
 
Thanks for the response.