Audirvana Plus 3 - Released

Discussion in 'Computer Audiophile: Software, Configs, Tools' started by Torq, Mar 8, 2017.

  1. Torq

    Torq MOT: Headphone.com

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    The new version of Audirvana Plus is finally available.

    $74 for new customers, and $39 as an upgrade (if you purchased Audirvana Plus 2 after 12/25/16 then the upgrade is free).

    I'll post feature additions/changes for the new version once I can find a proper list (or change log), though one of the major features is MQA software decoding (the first unfold). Not that MQA is necessarily something people here will desire, but that's the only new feature I'm sure about at present!

    I'll be sticking this on the new laptop later this afternoon to see how it behaves.
     
  2. gbeast

    gbeast Mighty Moral Power Ranger

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    Nice. looking forward to your posts. I rock Audirvana Plus since I use mac. It has had tons of issues but the latest updates fixed a lot of them.
     
  3. jowls

    jowls Never shitposts (please) - Friend

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    Audirvana > everything else. At least for OSX.
     
  4. jexby

    jexby Posole Prince

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    truth. except Apple has still borked the "Direct Mode" feature (for security implications) and A+v3.0 still requires a kext hack to restore "Direct Mode" DAC access.
     
  5. Madra

    Madra Acquaintance

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    Downloaded A+ 1.3 and have been listening for a couple of hours.
    So far, glitch free operation.
     
  6. Merrick

    Merrick A lidless ear

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    Audirvana is what I use as well, but if the only benefit of the new version is MQA then I will save my money.
     
  7. Orkney

    Orkney Acquaintance

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    I've been using Audirvana since the get-go but am likely to skip this version unless it's earthshatteringly great -- or, at least functional. I've had tons of problems with v2x and essentially abandoned it for daily use.
     
  8. Torq

    Torq MOT: Headphone.com

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    So far, other than the MQA stuff, and the claimed improvements to the audio-engine, the only changes I've really found have been some squashed bugs and some basic (if overdue) enhancements to library/playlist management and handling of metadata.

    I never really had problems with 2.x ... other than the "Direct Mode" problem (which is handled without issue in some other products, so I'm not sure what Damien is doing differently there), however I will say that at it's worst Audirvana has been vastly more usable and stable than Amarra has ever managed at it's best. Amarra 4.x does not seem to be doing much to change that trend.
     
  9. drfindley

    drfindley Secretly lives in the Analog Room - Friend

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    I've been using it for a day and I haven't see many improvements myself aside from the ones you mentioned. I need to file a bug as the tidal playlist reordering is terrible.
     
  10. Torq

    Torq MOT: Headphone.com

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    After listening with Audirvana 3.x extensively over the weekend, I cannot say I hear any difference between it and the 2.6.x releases.

    General playback of TIDAL raw PCM content sounds better via Audirvana than with the native macOS Tidal client, but it's entirely possible (even likely) that that's down to expectation bias. This is not a change from 2.6.x.

    MQA playback from either client sounds identical ... and is subject to the same, f'ing annoying, several-second pause before MQA files will actually start to play.

    I like Audirvana as a simple, self-contained, fast, and flexible (AU support, OTF resampling and DSD conversion if I want it), local player - which is useful on extended trips where I have the space for a laptop. In home-use, I don't find any SQ benefit to it compared to Roon.
     
  11. iDesign

    iDesign Almost "Made"

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    I have been comparing 2.6.5 and 3.0.1 there is a small discernible difference in sound quality with lossless files in my library. I also believe there is a distinct difference between Audirvana and Roon-- in comparison to Audirvana, I have found Roon has more bass which has the effect of slightly masking the treble and clarity. I also find that Audirvana is more dynamic, enveloping, and clearer in its presentation which is especially noticeable in old symphony recordings. Audirvana is my preferred music player because it supports Audio Unit plugins and it has better customer support.

    I also should mention that I took the time to fix the kernel extension in Sierra to enable Direct Mode but I still hear the benefits of Audirvana with it switched off.
     
    Last edited: Mar 13, 2017
  12. jexby

    jexby Posole Prince

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    FWIW:
    found this "Direct Mode tip/hack" on the Audirvana Board:

    "There's a hack which will help circumvent the Direct Mode problem (which is an Apple issue, so out of Damien's control).
    What you need to do is: Select some music (any music) to play and when it starts check the direct mode box (this will also enable you to alter the integer setting if you wish), then select the music you really want to listen to, activate play and the Direct Mode remains checked. You have to repeat this each time and I'm not sure if it actually impacts on the music, but it might."

    haven't heard a clear improvement yet tho and need to do more comparisons.
    it's possible the Direct Mode checkbox stays on, yet Direct Mode is not truly enabled to the DAC.
     
  13. iDesign

    iDesign Almost "Made"

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    This does not work because the setting is not saved while a track is playing. You will notice that tracks will fail to play after the the song is stoped or If you quit and reopen Audirvana. The only way to enable Direct Mode is to fix the kernel extension in Sierra which is not a simple process unless you're very experienced with macOS Terminal.
     
    Last edited: Mar 15, 2017
  14. jexby

    jexby Posole Prince

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    not in my case. once i get song #2 playing (with Direct check box on) all songs continue to play fine.
    of course quitting the app entirely disables the Direct work around.

    I'm not sure Direct mode is really enabled for song #2, can't hear a bit of difference.
     
  15. iDesign

    iDesign Almost "Made"

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    Im afraid it does nothing because the setting is not saved while a track is playing.
     
  16. jexby

    jexby Posole Prince

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    suspect you are right, and the checkbox staying checked is an artifact.
    I will do the real kext replacement at OS level this week, enable real Direct mode and re-listen closely.
     
  17. Tobes

    Tobes Acquaintance

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    Very surprised you don't find the SQ change substantial compared to 2.66. I actually wonder what Damien tweaked to make it so different.
    To me 3.02 has substantially more transparency and transient clarity. This can also mean it's less forgiving of poor quality recordings - I note some users are complaining 3.XX sounds too bright.
    FWIW I find 3.02 superior in SQ to Roons player or Roon/HQPlayer or HQPlayer alone (when comparing players without up sampling or filter options engaged).
     
  18. Torq

    Torq MOT: Headphone.com

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    "Substantial" is a rather ambiguous term. In most cases the differences between major hardware components are rarely what would fit my expectations for a "substantial" difference. Excepting an allowance for the effective exaggeration of differences in prose when reviewing something in order to illustrate any difference at all.

    Assuming he's not fiddling with the bit level data (which I do not believe he would do), it's unlikely to be something either a) deterministic (any change is more likely down to chance than intent and b) the same between any two systems.

    ...

    While I will, at some point, write up something on the high-degree of improbability that any code changes running on any reasonably modern general purpose computer (that's running more than one task/thread) can yield any specific or intended effect on sound quality within a bit-perfect digital system, in the interim I do my best when comparing things to eliminate as much potential for expectation bias as I can. And when I do that, in this case, Audirvana, Roon and various other players all show up as being indiscernibly different.

    Now, I will not claim that my methodology is a pure and true DBT, but it's a lot closer than any sighted test is going to be. Nor am I saying that software players cannot sound different. I am saying that you cannot write code in anything above assembly language, for modern CPU architectures, that has enough control over what actually executes when that, even on a dedicated machine (i.e. no OS running random code at random times), you can design for or achieve any specific or consistent effect on sound quality.

    Even coding in assembly language, what instructions you provide and what the CPU actually executes are, except in very specific cases, not predictable. Between the CPU actually re-compiling/interpreting your instructions in it's own internal microcode (hint: X86 CPUs haven't actually executed X8 op-codes directly in at least 20 years) and things like OOE, the actual activity of your CPU is only marginally predictable. 99.999% of programmers are not even aware of these issues, let alone have to deal with the consequences of them.

    And what this means is that while different code can result in different sound (through a very limited set of rather theoretical circumstances), it's almost impossible to code in a way that will deterministically improve things (vs. just having a random effect) and even less likely that such effects would be consistent between any two computers that were not absolutely identical in spec/build (which effectively never happens).

    All that said ...

    If you prefer one over the other sonically, there's no reason not to use it. After all, the point is, well for me at least, all about enjoying music - and anything that helps there (real, imagined or of a "mood changing" nature) works for me.

    Personally, I shall remain happy in either their being no discernible differences and/or that I just can't detect them in a the closest to a DBT I can muster, so I don't have to worry about such things and can spend more time simply enjoying music.
     
  19. Tobes

    Tobes Acquaintance

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    @Torq, thanks for the considered reply.
    Let me say upfront I'm not happy that I hear distinctive differences between supposedly bit perfect players and I too wonder how this could be the case. Nonetheless I am quite satisfied that these SQ differences exist, consistently across different recorded material and listening sessions.
    I would certainly hope that Damien is not dabbling in some bit level manipulation in order to differentiate his product - but something is definitely different about A+3.

    I have purchased both Roon and Audirvana products. I previously found Roon to be superior in SQ but only when I used it in conjunction HQPlayer - a combo many times the cost of Audirvana. I'd spent the money on Roon/HQP so I suppose you could say I had a vested interest in it sounding better. To me that wasn't the case.
    I found Audirvana 3 to sound more transparent (in the sense of hearing into the soundstage and hearing room/ambient sounds and presence of the musicians), it also has more focus and transient clarity. At first I thought it sounded leaner and perhaps brighter - and wasn't sure I liked this - but on good quality material this wasn't the case. Whether more listening will reveal some flaw, time will tell.

    Perhaps you are fortunate that you hear no difference between the players, I think my listening would be less complicated if that were the case.
     
  20. monacelli

    monacelli Friend

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    After comparing the sound quality of the macOS Tidal app with lossless files played back locally via Bitperfect, it became apparent pretty quickly that the Tidal app was a notch or 2 behind in terms of performance. I found that redbook content played back via Tidal somehow still sounds compressed, and ever so slightly muffled (even in exclusive mode). I was expecting *not* to hear any differences, and was pretty surprised that it only took a minute or two to establish a clear preference.

    So I got curious if there was a way to reproduce the same sonic gains I heard via Bitperfect with streamed content. I don’t have a big baller setup, so the $75 price tag of Audirvana had me skeptical. (More expensive than some of my components...) I decided to download the free trial and give it a whirl. My initial impression of the Audirvana interface was underwhelming. The UI feels a little clunky and dated. But once I got it set up and synced with my library, I got used to it pretty quickly. It’s pretty discoverable and I would describe it as adequate.

    But sound quality is where Audirvana shines. I can’t hear any difference between Audirvana and Bitperfect for songs played back locally, but Bitperfect doesn’t support Tidal integration. To my surprise, Audirvana significantly closes the gap between streamed content and local playback. In fact, if there is a difference between Tidal content streamed via Audirvana and like masters played back locally, I can’t hear it in my system. It’s close enough that I don’t feel the need to assemble a big locally stored lossless library. My listening comparisons were done with Chris Stapleton’s Traveller and the Buena Vista Social Club’s eponymous release.

    I’m not claiming that Tidal via Audirvana is as good as digital gets. But for redbook content, you probably need a good cd transport to beat it, at least by any significant margin. Like Torq, I could not discern any meaningful differences between MQA content played back via Audirvana or the Tidal app.

    Obligatory description of audio chain:
    MacBook Air > OL DAC USB edition > Vali 2 > HD 600. I haven’t felt the need to use audiophile USB cables or any kind of defuckifier.

    In summary, I found Audirvana to be totally worth the $75 price tag (damn it). The main benefits for me are integration of my local library and streaming service, and significantly improved streaming quality. I also had fun experimenting with the upsampling feature. Audirvana will be a fixture for me.
     

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