Thread: Amarra/iTunes question

Welcome to the MadHouse!

Did you check to be sure your AVR digital input can accept 96kbs input? Most can, but some - well some cannot.

Open up the Audio Midi Setup application (found under Applications -> Utilities) and example the output device you are using. There should be a "format" drop down box with a range of sample rates. Make sure that it goes up at least to 96K.

iTunes will playback music up to 384k sample rates, but will resample the music down to whatever you have set in the Audio Midi Setup for the device. Amarra will catch that device and set the device sample rates to match the music file sample rate. Or rather, it does when it is working correctly.


-Paul

(grin)

Well, Amarra is my reference sound, as I like it the most. On the other paw, I find that on the Macs I use iTunes straight for most redbook (16/44.1K) material. There are many other players to audition too.

Pure Music ($129) - top competition IMO for Amarra. Sounds just as good, if a little different, has far more options to customize it just the way you like, and does some really advanced things. Have to use it to believe it.

Bitperfect (Apple App Store) $5 - great sound, great support here from teh developer and if nothing else, it will auto switch the sample rate and bit depths for you in iTunes. It is a good investment.

Audirvana (~$45) - well regarded by most here, a lot of people think it sounds like Amarra.

Decibel (~$40) - also well regarded here by many. I like the way it sounds, but miss the iTunes interface too much to use it as a primary player.

Fidelia (~$40 to ~$80, depending upon options) - some here prefer it above all others. I actually like the pacing from this software very much. There are some user interface issues, and who knows when or if they will ever update it?

Take your time and try them all. They all have free trials I think, except for BitPerfect, and at $5, it is a pretty safe investment.

-Paul

Hello Marc,

The issue that you are running into is the optical out on your Mac is limited to 96k sample rates. Anything above that (176k, 192k, 352k, 384k) will be handed off to iTunes for processing as Amarra does not do any real time up or down sampling. Our feeling is that real time sample rate conversion results in non bit-perfect, inconsistent output and recommend doing any sample rate conversion offline through the use of Amarra's Background Manager or other such utility.

Once you down sample your 192k files to 96k, you should have no problem playing them through Amarra and you will not need to manually set your DAC to any sample rate, Amarra will do that for you.

Once you get a DAC that supports 192k via either USB or Firewire, you should have no issue playing your 192k files.

If you have any other questions, please direct them to support@sonicstudio.com

neildm, the response from Sonic Studios in furtherance of helping you sort out your inquiries might be enough to explain the present results. For me, as someone who owns all of the players, which is not a distinction other than I own all of the players, my player of choice is Amarra. If you find that Amarra is not delivering the SQ you desire that is another criteria. I am also one to appreciate what Tim, Damien and Rob have developed that for many answer their preferences. Isn't that a good outcome?
Full Disclosure: I am a beta tester for both Amarra and BitPerfect, and I appreciate all the players. My player of choice is Amarra. No incentive to do so, other than my own subjective discernment. You probably can find any of the other truly fine software players satisfactory. I rate Amarra number 1 with all its thises and thates. I do so not blindly as some fanboy, but as someone who values the pursuit of excellence and while all the other players fit that description, the nuances for me favor Amarra. That conclusion must always be yours to determine.
Best,
Richard