[BirdManOfCT]

Nice thread. Subscribed.

 

[b0bb]

   
I'm thinking of getting a Mac Mini as a music server. I am using my MacBook Air at the moment (which I then unplug and take to work) but I'm not sure it is ideal. A dedicated machine I could where I can install an SSD and disable absolutely everything unnecessary I'm thinking might be a better option.

That would work well.
 
Audirvana can load the entire track into memory if you have enough RAM, the effectively isolates the latency on the network. 
 
I use a 2011 MacMini with 16GB ram, the box connects to a NAS running AFP, the volumes show up as a regular Mac disk.
I use iTunes as front end for Audirvana and the volume is auto mounted when required.
 
If you have a UNIX box (Linux, Solaris,BSD) checkout Netatalk http://netatalk.sourceforge.net/ , that is what I use and the actual tracks reside on a SSD volume on my server.

 

[BirdManOfCT]

With the same file (say 192/24) into a 192/24 DAC, is Audirvana different from iTunes?
 
I just want flat, unequalized sound into DAC, not sure can get from Audirvana, iTunes, or others, and still be easy to use.

 

[b0bb]

With the same file (say 192/24) into a 192/24 DAC, is Audirvana different from iTunes?

I just want flat, unequalized sound into DAC, not sure can get from Audirvana, iTunes, or others, and still be easy to use.

Audirvana will send the unaltered data straight to the DAC if you use integer and/or direct mode. Direct mode not required for 10.6 and 10.9 and up. Integer mode may not be available if you use the Mac's built in SPDiF.

 

[georgelai57]

I'm always confused how much memory to use for A+.

 

[Jmstrmbn]

 
I'm always confused how much memory to use for A+.

I was too until i realized the numbers under the memory allocation bar indicate the length of content that can be loaded in either 16/44.1 or 24/192.  For example, I have mine set to 2Gb and it will load 50min of 16/44 and 11min of 24/192

 

[miceblue]

I was too until i realized the numbers under the memory allocation bar indicate the length of content that can be loaded in either 16/44.1 or 24/192.  For example, I have mine set to 2Gb and it will load 50min of 16/44 and 11min of 24/192

Actually I'm confused by the memory allocation too.
http://audirvana.com/delivery/Audirvana%20Plus%20User%20Manual.pdf

• Currently playing track in red
• Next track to play, loaded in memory, in green

...
Audio buffers memory allocation
Set the maximum amount of memory Audirvana Plus can use for loading the audio tracks in memory. Increasing this value will reduce further the disk accesses and the associated interferences.
But a too high value can lead to memory exhaustion (especially if other memory hungry app lications such as Safari are running), and cause RAM swapping to disk that’ll be audible as audio drop outs. As a rule of thumb it is best to leave at least 2.5GB RAM to the OS.

But even if you set the memory allocation to 3.0 GB, only one track is green in the playlist, so the whole memory allocation thing makes zero sense to me. Why allocate 3.0 GB of memory when A+ only loads the next track into memory?

Here I allocated 5 GB for the memory buffer, which A+ claims to be 126 minutes of playback. Clearly only 6:16 minutes of audio are loaded in the buffer for playback as indicated by the one red track and the one green track.

 

[georgelai57]

Thanks for chipping in guys. Too little and it's not good. Too much also no good. It's damned if you do damned if you don't. That's why I love my iTunes. Unfortunately I can't play DSD on it hence my A+ purchase.

 

[Jmstrmbn]

Miceblue
 
Audirvana loads the current and next track yes but it also keeps previous tracks in memory (I think the last two) you can verify this by loading a track up ( you can see it load in the song progress bar) then skip ahead a few and then go back past the original.  You should notice that the progress bar is not there when you go to previous tracks but will load for the tracks previous to the original.
 
Also for some classical hi res files 3gb could be filled.  I have a 24/192 copy of Mahler's 5th Symphony, its about 1.5 hours long and entire movements are almost 1Gb.  I realize this is an extreme case but if you have a lamborghini why limit it with cheap gas.

 

[miceblue]

Miceblue

Audirvana loads the current and next track yes but it also keeps previous tracks in memory (I think the last two) you can verify this by loading a track up ( you can see it load in the song progress bar) then skip ahead a few and then go back past the original.  You should notice that the progress bar is not there when you go to previous tracks but will load for the tracks previous to the original.

Also for some classical hi res files 3gb could be filled.  I have a 24/192 copy of Mahler's 5th Symphony, its about 1.5 hours long and entire movements are almost 1Gb.  I realize this is an extreme case but if you have a lamborghini why limit it with cheap gas.

Interesting. Maybe it doesn't work for me?
*video doesn't have audio*

[video]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nW6K0KH7fjw[/video]

 

[Jmstrmbn]

huh mine definitely keeps the previous tracks loaded.  On a separate note my computer was really showing its age.  I have that album too and it takes it much longer to load into the ram.  

 

[Jmstrmbn]

Latest Audirvana + update (2.0.4) contains enhancements to the "Audio Engine".  Anyone hear any difference?  I haven't had time to listen as often as I usually do and I'm not sure I hear a difference.

 

[miceblue]

I wish Audirvana Plus's website had a list of changes between the different versions...
http://www.computeraudiophile.com/f11-software/audirvana-2-0-a-21673/index38.html#post359446

Just released 2.0.3 that includes the Yosemite startup crash fix and:

• Add file location (relative to volume root path: e.g. /Users/damien/Downloads in volume / is handled as Users/damien/Downloads) in smart playlist citeria => this is also meant to ease transition to library based music management for those used to command line (or Finder only)
• Play queue: set text color to selectedTextColor for selected row, for better visibility
• Add a splash window to let user know library is being moved
• Other bug fixes:
  • Enable to remove folder from sync list, even when it has been deleted from the file system
  • Fix for iTunes sync potential crash under 10.6
  • Fix potential crash when reloading playqueue at start
  • Fix Disc Number issue in smart playlist criteria

Regarding 2.0.4:
http://www.computeraudiophile.com/f11-software/audirvana-2-0-a-21673/index38.html#post359446

Here is the change log:

• Audio Engine optimizations
• Change title of library change in preferences to state clearly it is only the database file that is to be moved
• Add Bit Rate, last modified date columns in tracks list view
• Remember metadata panel open/close status when re-opening Audirvana Plus
• Yosemite dark mode better compatibility
• Add Library settings to Debug Info
• Bug fixes:
  • Fix About Box not showing in French and German locales
  • Fix play count, skip count = 0 criteria not working in smart playlist
  • Fix albums wrongly imported split
  • Fix album tracks list view not updated upon track metadata update (in album view mode)

Note that if you want to make comparisons with 2.0.3, you'll have to make a copy of your library database file as it is updated by 2.0.4 to new version.

Damien

This is the library database file:
http://www.computeraudiophile.com/f11-software/audirvana-2-0-a-21673/index42.html#post360764

AudirvanaPlusLibrary.sqlite

Since it looks like you've upgraded to 2.0.4 already, here's the file for 2.0.3 and you can update your library, backup the database file, and upgrade back to 2.0.4:
http://audirvana.com/delivery/AudirvanaPlus_2.0.3.dmg



Can you drag-n-drop files from Finder into A+ 2 yet? That's the biggest reason why I haven't upgraded.

 

[Lohb]

Great, a reason to upgrade now to 2.0.x A+

 

[reiserFS]

Can you drag-n-drop files from Finder into A+ 2 yet? That's the biggest reason why I haven't upgraded.

Sort of want to know that as well. Still on 1.5 because of this.