Thread: Audirvana Plus: Direct Mode

Question, New user here ... two hours in.
I've flagged direct and integer mode but from what I understand the toslink out of a mac cannot do integer (ordered my Alpha USB and will us USB/SPIF balanced when it arrives,) so is why would the program allow this box to be checked if not capable of the mode?
WDW

Originally Posted by wdw

Have just downloaded the beta for a trail and am convinced it is a sonic improvement to Pure Music...have been using PM exclusively but there is a clarity and delicacy to this beta program that is wonderful.

(currently using 1.3.5 but have just downloaded 1.3.9..assume the upgrade addresses bug fixes but not an improvement to the sound)

Will certainly purcase.
WDW

Maybe you are aware of this but in case you are not Integer mode is not active in 1.3.5 version. Even if you have the box checked. In the A+ interface screen on the lower right hand side a small “INT’ in green should be lit if integer mode is active. I originally thought the same thing when I first downloaded A+ until this was pointed out to me. However, unlike you, I did not here any improvement for my system with A+ over PM with 1.3.5. Rembember also that your DAC must be capable of supporting integer mode also so even if you have 1.3.9.3 and direct mode and integer mode selected it is possible the ‘magic’ “INT” will not light.

Originally Posted by mwheelerk

Maybe you are aware of this but in case you are not Integer mode is not active in 1.3.5 version. Even if you have the box checked. In the A+ interface screen on the lower right hand side a small “INT’ in green should be lit if integer mode is active. I originally thought the same thing when I first downloaded A+ until this was pointed out to me. However, unlike you, I did not here any improvement for my system with A+ over PM with 1.3.5. Rembember also that your DAC must be capable of supporting integer mode also so even if you have 1.3.9.3 and direct mode and integer mode selected it is possible the ‘magic’ “INT” will not light.

Jud and mwheelerk, Thanks for your comments...I'm assuming my dac is capable of integer mode but only after bypassing the Toslink out...I'm a couple of weeks away from my Alpha USB so must be patient. Any berkeley owner with Audirvana having success with integer mode?

Originally Posted by wdw

Jud and mwheelerk, Thanks for your comments...I'm assuming my dac is capable of integer mode but only after bypassing the Toslink out...I'm a couple of weeks away from my Alpha USB so must be patient. Any berkeley owner with Audirvana having success with integer mode?

Page 3 of the Alpha USB User Guide says the Alpha USB does integer mode, so I presume it will do integer mode on Snow Leopard with Audirvana+, and direct/integer mode on Lion and Mountain Lion.

Will be very interested to hear from you how everything sounds when you've got it all working. :-)

The Berkeley USB uses The Wavelength Streamlength USB code so it most definately will support integer in SL and Direct Mode/Integer ins Lion.

Originally Posted by Cherrington

I'm loving the sound of direct mode and integer mode, but I'm getting clicking, stuttering, and kernel panics, usually in that order. I know Damien is working on fixing this; I only want to indicate that at least for my system, it's still a problem. I'm running a 2009 MacBook Pro, Lion, into a Burson 160D.

Originally Posted by BobP63

Your not alone regarding this, I'm hoping Damien can a least tame the kernel panic issue in the next update.

I've made as many system changes as I can to reduce but not eliminate the issue.

I am just curious. How much RAM are you both running? Is your Mac dedicated as a music server? When these things are happening are you running Safari or any other programs or is it only A+ running at the time? It is hard to figure how some are struggling and when others (knock on wood, myself) are not. I actually use to have an occassional kernel panic with PM but none so far with A+.

Originally Posted by mwheelerk

..are you running Safari or any other programs or is it only A+ running at the time?

If I can't use my computer as normal the thing is useless to me.

I guess I shouldn't have opened my mouth. I just now had a panic. What is weird is when I turned things on there was a pop up message that 'System Optimizer' needed to be installed. I thought it was an A+ update. I did that. At first nothing would play. I open PM and it played. I closed everything, restarted the Mac Mini and reopened A+ and iTunes. When I hit play I got the panic.

Thanks a lot for this kind feedback!

I'm making progress, though I had little time to work on it recently for personal (happy) reasons.

Anyway, I have made a fix for the bit depth switching issue for some devices (e.g. Audiophilleo2). I'm looking for an owner of such a device for testing and validating the fix before I release it.

Damien

Hi Damien,
I'm using an Audiophilleo 2 along with a WS4 DAC 2, I've been having issues with kernel panics so I'm not sure that makes me a good candidate to test the latest version or not. If you need someone to test this version let me know.

Originally Posted by damien78

Thanks a lot for this kind feedback!

I'm making progress, though I had little time to work on it recently for personal (happy) reasons.

Anyway, I have made a fix for the bit depth switching issue for some devices (e.g. Audiophilleo2). I'm looking for an owner of such a device for testing and validating the fix before I release it.

Damien

I can volunteer

Hi Damien,

My only issue with A+ 1.3.9.3 is that sometimes playback do not start after selecting a track and then pressing the play button. I'm not using the iTunes integration.
The issue reminds me a bit of the "CPU - overload" in the very early versions of Audirvana free. Also it seems that the tracks are loaded fine into the memory, but no playback.
Sometimes I can just save the play list, quit A+ and launch it again and then it plays. Now and then it's more stubborn and requires a selection of other tracks with a different bit dept and resolution to get started. Once A+ is playing I can listen for as long as I like and add new songs to the play list, no dropout etc.
I think the sound quality from this beta more than justify this small inconvenience, but of course it will be nice to get rid of it. Hope the next version addresses this bug also.

Damien,

Thanks for the update. Would love to test the beta as I have an audiophilleo2 but.......just got my system up and running after 6 days of no power due to a storm only to find out I do not have cable or Internet service - so no way to download

Thanks for your hard work,

Chuck

Originally Posted by damien78

I had little time to work on it recently for personal (happy) reasons.

Damien

Good. :-) (Not that you had little time, but that there are good things going on in your life.)

Originally Posted by Jud

Good. :-) (Not that you had little time, but that there are good things going on in your life.)

Thanks!

I've found the time to make a 1.3.9.4 beta update:

• Audiophilleo2 compatiblity, fixing both bitrate & sample rate change when changing track
• Update play count and last played date in iTunes, even when play position in iTunes is deactivated
• Fix for potential crash when hot-unplugging the playing audio device
• Fix issue when loading a proxy file with broken link to the original file

And now back to the quest for complete stability

Damien

Originally Posted by damien78

And now back to the quest for complete stability

Damien

Without the upsampling is the Audirvana Free sonically the same as the Plus?

I had occasional kernel panics with version 1.3.9.3. It always happened in iTunes Mode, never in stand alone mode. Now with version 1.3.9.4 they seem to have gone away. I'd say there is a good chance that version 1.3.9.4 will work completely flawless for me.

Antelope Zodiac Gold DAC with Direct Mode and Integer Mode enabled.