[ISeeDesignHer]

   
The Road Not Taken indeed. I disagree with you on your second point, but not specifically with iTunes files, but when it comes to less than "super high resolution digital audio files." Lately my favourite listening has been done with music such NPR Tiny Desk concerts on Youtube. A well-made recording beats all in my experience, even if it is played back from an AAC file.
 
Lately, for something different, I have been using Vox for playback. It seems to have come quite a long way for a simple player.

Yes, I would indeed agree that the production quality trumps all; perhaps I should be more careful to properly narrow the context of my opinions.
 
My main point was that I was trying to lower anxieties over 'which' DAC to purchase. There are many that are quite good, so waiting around for the 'best' DAC to appear is just delaying catching the wave of accelerating 'audiophile' enjoyment. What that is, Beats me? (Hey, those blinking blue lights have made it Kool to be geek for the Millennia & CupCake Gens).
 
To validate your point, however, have you ever listened to acoustician Evelyne Glennie's performance on ted-dot-com over YouTube? I would be fascinated listening to that through a rubber garden hose standing in the rain during a T-storm. Check it out!
 
I am thrilled that you are enjoying such a multi-input auditory experience. "There is more magic in sound than sight, when done right," to risk self-quoting. 

 

[Silent One]

   
Yes, I would indeed agree that the production quality trumps all; perhaps I should be more careful to properly narrow the context of my opinions.
 
My main point was that I was trying to lower anxieties over 'which' DAC to purchase. There are many that are quite good, so waiting around for the 'best' DAC to appear is just delaying catching the wave of accelerating 'audiophile' enjoyment. What that is, Beats me? (Hey, those blinking blue lights have made it Kool to be geek for the Millennia & CupCake Gens).
 
To validate your point, however, have you ever listened to acoustician Evelyne Glennie's performance on ted-dot-com over YouTube? I would be fascinated listening to that through a rubber garden hose standing in the rain during a T-storm. Check it out!
 
I am thrilled that you are enjoying such a multi-input auditory experience. "There is more magic in sound than sight, when done right," to risk self-quoting. 

A BIG salute to Evelyne Glennie...

I've been diggin' her for some years now. Seems not many are aware of her music or backstory.

 

[ISeeDesignHer]

  A BIG salute to Evelyne Glennie...

I've been diggin' her for some years now. Seems not many are aware of her music or backstory.

Silent One, YEA 2U!
 
Honor to you for honoring her.
 
I think maybe there are 18 different ways that she amazes me, the least important of which is the realization that she has uniquely raised diction to the level of mastery, and musicality, of her performance art; and those of us with ears Golden, or at least 'normal' ones couldn't imagine speaking as shockingly perfect, and perfectly effective, as she effortlessly, sinuously, ingenuously does.
 
I mean, do you even know ANYONE around you that does maybe 18 things far better than you at your very best could ever imagine doing?
 
Yet, the only takeaway E.G. would 'value' in my praise for her and another of her fans would be, "You heard just a wee bit more of what I tried to convey through my music, acoustically, and I am proud of you for listening better today than you could yesterday!"
 
She wouldn't like my having to use so many words to say it though; that's for sure. 

 

 

[Silent One]

She wouldn't like my having to use so many words to say it though; that's for sure. 

 

 She'd be hard pressed to stop grinning! 

 

[mr.khali]

   
The Road Not Taken indeed. I disagree with you on your second point, but not specifically with iTunes files, but when it comes to less than "super high resolution digital audio files." Lately my favourite listening has been done with music such NPR Tiny Desk concerts on Youtube. A well-made recording beats all in my experience, even if it is played back from an AAC file.
 
Lately, for something different, I have been using Vox for playback. It seems to have come quite a long way for a simple player.

I too just downloaded VOX and it sound pretty good to these ears.  Better than most of the lower costs players from what I can recall from memory.  I would love to hear what others think.

 

[georgelai57]

When using Auditvana+ to play DSD, wouldn't I need a DSD-capable DAC amp if I intend to use headphones?

 

[ISeeDesignHer]

Audirvana Plus will convert DSD into PCM and adjust its output rate to what the DAC capabilities are automatically. If you have an external DAC connected, you can choose between internal and external by launching Audio Midi Setup located in the Utilities ƒolder (which is itself found in the Applications ƒolder.
 
I just tried this on one of my two setups and it worked without a hitch.
 
Remember, when you do use an external DAC, you should launch Midi Setup to select the correct DAC, AND, then click on the 'Output' button, click on the twisty to the right of Format: to select the max data rate desired and then click on the twisty just to the right of that one to  select one of the data formats.
 
For using the native internal DAC, you should (be able to) end up with "96000.0 Hz" and "2ch-24bit Integer" showing in the Midi Setup App before closing it. When down-converting DSD64 to 24b, 96 kHz PCM (for the Mac's internal DAC), A+ will actually resample it downward by 32X and you will end up with an 88.2 kHz data rate.
 
Enjoy!

 

[georgelai57]

Hey thanks for the very detailed explanation. I shall keep this as a reference. I intend to use a Geek with A+ for my DSD files and use a different DAC without A+ for non DSD files. That will then make it easy for me.

 

[Grodecki]

Just downloaded Swinsian because of this thread; dear god is it faster for library and iPod sync. It is getting my money asap!
 
I tend to use vox for actual playback, mind. I miss foobar2000 dreadfully.

 

[Red Jacket Mike]

I saw some screen shots of the upcoming Audirvana Plus 2.0 over at Computer Audiophile; I'm looking forward to trying it.  Supposedly it will have a companion app like Apple's Remote for iPhone and iPad, which will allow remote control while still allowing operation in the native Audirvana mode, rather than the iTunes integrated mode.  

 

[edwardsean]

Hi Mike, 
 
Could you post a link to the A+ 2.0 information. I'm pretty intrigued but can't seem to find it. Thanks!

 

[Red Jacket Mike]

  Hi Mike, 
 
Could you post a link to the A+ 2.0 information. I'm pretty intrigued but can't seem to find it. Thanks!

Yes--you can see it here.

 

[Zoom25]

Upgraded my Audirvana Plus today. Going back and forth and comparing between 1.5.10 and 1.5.12 - it's a tough choice. There is indeed a difference in sound quality. They both have something appealing about them. Hopefully a future model will take the best out of them both and combine it. Maybe 2.0

 

[littletree76]

  I saw some screen shots of the upcoming Audirvana Plus 2.0 over at Computer Audiophile; I'm looking forward to trying it.  Supposedly it will have a companion app like Apple's Remote for iPhone and iPad, which will allow remote control while still allowing operation in the native Audirvana mode, rather than the iTunes integrated mode.  

 
Accroding to developer damien78 replies in Computer Audiophile website, the new Audirvana Plus 2.0 will have its own music file management feature and remote control app on iOS device just like iTunes. So you can do away with iTunes completely and iTunes integrated mode will not be needed in Audirvana Plus anymore. That is what I wanted for long time to have my Mac as audio source feeding audio chain comprises of DAC + class D amplifier + passive speakers. Time to start shopping for decent DAC, amplifier and desktop speaker again (I have sold all of them and has been relying on Sonos system).
 
I suppose the developer has enough of tweaking Audirvana player for good sound reproduction, so it is the right time now to vastly enhance the user interface for better user experience.

 

[georgelai57]

Accroding to developer damien78 replies in Computer Audiophile website, the new Audirvana Plus 2.0 will have its own music file management feature and remote control app on iOS device just like iTunes. So you can do away with iTunes completely and iTunes integrated mode will not be needed in Audirvana Plus anymore. That is what I wanted for long time to have my Mac as audio source feeding audio chain comprises of DAC + class D amplifier + passive speakers. Time to start shopping for decent DAC, amplifier and desktop speaker again (I have sold all of them and has been relying on Sonos system).

I suppose the developer has enough of tweaking Audirvana player for good sound reproduction, so it is the right time now to vastly enhance the user interface for better user experience.

This file management feature, is it what I'm looking for?

I'm a new user and got Audirvana+ to play FLAC and DSD files on a separate HDD, leaving the normal MP3 files on my iMac to be handled by iTunes. I do not intend to use A+ to play my iTunes music.