[linuxworks]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sherwood /img/forum/go_quote.gif F All that "Bit Perfect" implies is that the digital signal generated by a piece of software is passed in its entirety, without modifications, through the digital output of that system. Amarra modifies the signal before it is outputted.

amarra is said to modify the timing between pulses (I reckon).

what else COULD they be doing? they can't mess with amplitude or value of each sample. they won't resample (no one wants that).

the only thing LEFT is the microtiming between pulses.

I suppose its possible to change that, but from software?? sounds very unlikely to me. timing between pulses is part of the *transmitter* chip in spdif. you can't change that on the fly. and if you did, you'd be over-riding the local oscillator clock. sounds like a thing you would Not Want(tm) in any way shape or form.

I have not seen a satisfactory explanation of what amarra does. until I see something that makes real sense, I have conclude its also snake oil.

 

[tosehee]

I haven't read the reasonable explanation either. I was on the same fence until I auditioned myself. I do hear a difference and I prefer this sound over raw(?) iTune sound.

Whatever it is doing, it's helping out with edge/harsh sounds from iTune.

 

[Sherwood]

Quote:

Originally Posted by linuxworks /img/forum/go_quote.gif I have not seen a satisfactory explanation of what amarra does.

I believe that's by design.

That being said, they do have a free trial. They're not willing to tell you what it is, but you can try it for free.

I wasn't willing to convert files to AIFF to test it properly, but you might be.

 

[linuxworks]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sherwood /img/forum/go_quote.gif I believe that's by design.

first sign of 'stuff' that I don't quite agree with, from a company.

that's the software equiv of scratching off chip numbers or painting over them. blech.

Quote:

I wasn't willing to convert files to AIFF to test it properly, but you might be.

first, I'm not a mac guy. 2nd, I don't believe that 'fixing' spdif via magic is useful (or even a good idea). I'm pretty convinced that you can 'mess up' spdif quite quite badly and as long as whole samples don't slip (they never ever do!) then reclocking fixes all.

one amarra dealer I spoke with (briefly) said that the amarra engineers can 'tune' their driver to specific cables. I had to try my best to avoid laughing right then and there. if they think they can 'tune' cables, there seems to be a lack of actual understanding going on. spdif cables do not, ever, need 'tuning' or 'fixing' via software methods!

 

[Sherwood]

Quote:

Originally Posted by linuxworks /img/forum/go_quote.gif first sign of 'stuff' that I don't quite agree with, from a company. that's the software equiv of scratching off chip numbers or painting over them. blech.

For an alternate perspective, my father works for a company that does something like this. They chemically remove ICs and remount them in ceramic for high-temp mining operations. The company is 4 guys, and while they could technically patent the procedure, it might destroy them. Someone else could duplicate the process, undercut them, tie them up in litigation and remove their revenue stream for years.

There are valid, ethical reasons to engage in professional subterfuge, in certain situations. Not knowing what Amarra is, I can't attest to whether or not this situation is one of those, but of course neither can anyone else.

Quote:

Originally Posted by linuxworks /img/forum/go_quote.gif first, I'm not a mac guy. 2nd, I don't believe that 'fixing' spdif via magic is useful (or even a good idea). I'm pretty convinced that you can 'mess up' spdif quite quite badly and as long as whole samples don't slip (they never ever do!) then reclocking fixes all.

I get that, and agree with you, but there's nothing to say this is actually what they are doing. I understood Amarra to be a form of DSP, not microtiming SPDIF. Again, of course, I could be mistaken, but none of us really know. You do rather seem to have your mind made up.

 

[robm321]

If it's simply a matter of transferring 1s and 0s to the DAC, why is it so important to have a high end digital cable? (that's actually a question. I'm not implying anything).

I've always wondered this. Or do you think any ol cheap $2 digital cable will suffice and it makes no difference? Most audiophiles say the digital cable is everything when it comes to a PC set up.

 

[Phelonious Ponk]

Quote:

I don't think bit perfect is the only thing that makes up the sound here.

No, bit perfect is not the only thing that makes up sound here, but it's the only thing a player does. A media player doesn't actually play anything. It moves digital data from one place to another. It either moves it without altering it, or not. Without processing the file, and changing the data, the player has no opportunity to change the sound. There is no sound; there is only data. The only other variable is timing -- jitter. A long conversation that ends, again, with software "players" not being in play in any significant way. I don't know what Amarra is doing, but I know it isn't performing magic tricks.

P

 

[joe_cool]

Quote:

Originally Posted by markw51 /img/forum/go_quote.gif Here's what I've just learned since getting more into computer and headphone audio. Use some king of vibration damping under your pc. Mapleshade Audio Products - Maple Isobase Cradle for Laptops & Other Portables Use a good quality USB cable like Monster between the PC and the DAC. Put vibation damping devices like tip toes under the DAC. Sound ridiculous but makes a significant difference, even for streaming audio.

My PC sits on the carpet. I got a Belden Gold usb cable cause I heard read they were good. My DAC has little silicone bumper feet casually glued on the bottom corners. It all sounds good.

 

[grawk]

I've closed this thread to give people a chance to cool down. I'll be sending warning PMs as well.