Amarra: So, what's all the fuss about?

[AmDismal]

So, err, is it anything but a sticking plaster for a presumably broken iTunes volume control?

op: :minikiev:

 

[Purite Audio]

I could bring it tomorrow and we could compare against your sbox?

Keith.

 

[browellm]

Please do Keith.

 

[opusover21]

AmDismal wrote:

So, err, is it anything but a sticking plaster for a presumably broken iTunes volume control? op: :minikiev:

lol! I think the volume control is just a side issue thats of interest to me

 

[Lawrie]

Hi Opus,

I didn't get to try it but can Amarra be enabled/disabled from the iPhone/iTouch remote?

Enjoy the musicâ„¢

Lawrie

 

[opusover21]

Lawrie wrote:

Hi Opus,I didn't get to try it but can Amarra be enabled/disabled from the iPhone/iTouch remote?

Enjoy the musicâ„¢

Lawrie

No its the little white £15 Apple plastic one that in Amarra preferences theres an option for another little programme that can be turned on or off....it allows the use of the remote...even with a pre its quite useful as we all know some of the recording levels can differ by some margin

 

[Tune]

This does raise the question for all you PC audio boys - what is this software doing to improve your bit perfect audio replay systems by making the signal non bit perfect?

 

[Jobbo]

Interesting that the Tascam appeared to sound the same as iTunes without Amarra.

Exactly what DSP is Amarra doing? It clearly sounds pleasant, but it's also not true to the original.

 

[Purite Audio]

It is bit perfect, Amarra doesn't perform any DSP read Jon Reichbachs post above, it does use an awful lot of RAM when it is working however.

Keith.

 

[Jobbo]

I beg to differ; Jon Reichbach's definition of DSP must be different to mine, but it is a digital signal and it is processed. It might not be doing phase shifting etc but it's still DSP!

 

[Purite Audio]

Quote,

'The 16 bit data is converted to a float - then with no processing it is converted back to a PCM sample in the Core Audio Driver for the DAC.

The conversion from 16 bit to float and back is not DSP'

Jon Reichbach

Sonic Studio

Expect to see other products like Amarra soon.

Keith.

 

[Tune]

What's the point of conversion if there's no processing Keith? Why not just play it straight?

 

[Purite Audio]

T , Amarra piggy backs on Itunes it uses the itunes interface, but the actual 'sound' software is Sonic Studios own, I asked Jon outright in Munich if he did 'something' to the data and he answered that he does not, just good maths and caching data into ram .

As I mentioned there are already rival products ready to launch which use the very same procedures.

Keith.

 

[Tune]

OK.

So it's the same as my Pure Vinyl 3.0. That costs $229 and I'm very happy with it - particularly the editing facilities and RIAA EQ.

 

[Purite Audio]

Pure vinyl is meant to be very good,Sonic are bringing out a similar package for recording vinyl based on their 'soundblade' software, digital riaa and recording in 24/192.

As an aside Sonic aren't a 'foo' company they have spent the last three years archiving Sony and Universals entire back catalogue on to hard disk.

Very best Keith.

 

[Paul55]

It's Apple Magic.

Paul

 

[Lawrie]

Jobbo wrote:

Interesting that the Tascam appeared to sound the same as iTunes without Amarra.Exactly what DSP is Amarra doing? It clearly sounds pleasant, but it's also not true to the original.

Hi Jobbo,

That's an interesting comment! However, without having been in the studio when the original music was being recorded/mastered, how would any of us know what the original music actually sounded like in the studio?

So, during my listening sessions, were the Tascam unit & iTunes giving a true representation of that original recording or was it Amarra? I personally do not know the answer to that one and to be honest, it's not something I ever think about when I am listening to music. For me, the question always is: "does it sound good"? That's all I care about.

Enjoy the musicâ„¢

Lawrie

 

[ncdrawl]

AmDismal wrote:

So, err, is it anything but a sticking plaster for a presumably broken iTunes volume control? op: :minikiev:

nope.

its a music player. bit perfect. weve been there for several years already, meh.

that being said..it is nice audiophile jewelry.

 

[AmDismal]

Purite Audio wrote:

I could bring it tomorrow and we could compare against your sbox?Keith.

:^ Please do. Feel free to bring a posh DAC too - with an SB+, Transporter and Amarra we could have some interesting times with digital front ends.

 

[Purite Audio]

Ok Adam will do, looking forward to it, see you all later,Keith.