Puremusic upsampling software of iTunes

[flez007]

I have not been lucky enough to find a word about this software (or Almarra for the matter) and wanted to learn more from other users.

My Digital Server is set at a higher level now with this piece as part of the chain, t is so close that I will conduct a blind session to compare it with my oppo/Nuforce/PC transport this same week. (thread can be found at the General Discussion section here).

Is anybody out there using this add-on software piece for digital playback thru a Mac?

 

[flez007]

Sorry for the typo that says "fof" and needs to say "for" - but I could not find the way to fix it...

 

[amirm]

I fixed it for you .

I am not a fan of upsampling so no feedback on your question.

 

[Bruce B]

All things being equal... upsampling does nothing to the sound!

Some converters have a "sweet-spot" or a "native rate" that has a synergy with the system.

 

[Phelonious Ponk]

As far as I know, Amarra does not up sampling. It does, however, play hi-rez files at their native rates automatically. iTunes does not, it must be manually reset or it will up/down sample to whatever the setting is.

I've had Amarra's demo in house and auditioned extensively. As far as I can tell, this is what it does. Playing Redbook files, it is indistinguishable from iTunes to my ears. Others, though, hear other things.

P

 

[flez007]

I played numerous times tracks with and without Puremusic, the differences are pretty obvious, particulary in low level resolution, I have not heard Amarra but some say the effect is similar.

 

[slowGEEZR]

I use Amarra software with a Mac mini and an Ayre QB-9 DAC. At first, I couldn't identify any difference in sound quality between i-tunes and the Amarra software with redbook digital and found myself wondering if I had misspent. After living with it for a while and then going back to just i-tunes I finally could identify differences in sound between the two audio engines. With the Amarra software, well recorded redbook just has a more finished sound, the music's timing seems more spot on, more ready for prime time, as when a band is tight rather than loose, if you will. It is a subtle thing, but once you catch on you won't want to go back. It's not that i-tunes sounded bad, far from it, it's just that whenever I bypass the Amarra software, the music sounds more like a demo, not yet polished. Have I psycho-fooled myself? I don't think so, as I don't buy into a lot of the snake oil passed off as better sound. Regardless, I'm keeping the Amarra software and will update it with the free updates Amarra offers.

 

[Phelonious Ponk]

I use Amarra software with a Mac mini and an Ayre QB-9 DAC. At first, I couldn't identify any difference in sound quality between i-tunes and the Amarra software with redbook digital and found myself wondering if I had misspent. After living with it for a while and then going back to just i-tunes I finally could identify differences in sound between the two audio engines. With the Amarra software, well recorded redbook just has a more finished sound, the music's timing seems more spot on, more ready for prime time, as when a band is tight rather than loose, if you will. It is a subtle thing, but once you catch on you won't want to go back. It's not that i-tunes sounded bad, far from it, it's just that whenever I bypass the Amarra software, the music sounds more like a demo, not yet polished. Have I psycho-fooled myself? I don't think so, as I don't buy into a lot of the snake oil passed off as better sound. Regardless, I'm keeping the Amarra software and will update it with the free updates Amarra offers.

I don't know if you've given yourself enough time to hear what you've been told you would hear, or enough time to hear what is actually there. I didn't give it that much time. I had the demo here for about a week. It really doesn't matter. If you hear it, enjoy it.

P