Has anyone had any experience with Amarra?

[YNWaN]

I had Amarra demonstrated to me in Munich last year - it made a pretty clear improvement at the time I thought.

[twelvebears]

Cheers Lee, that's helpful.

So as I understand it, setting the digital output at 24/96 and just leaving it is a bad thing because it means the Mac is upsampling anything played which is 16/44 (i.e. the vast majority of my music) and therefore is not outputting 'bit perfect' data?

S.

[twelvebears]

I had Amarra demonstrated to me in Munich last year - it made a pretty clear improvement at the time I thought.

Can I just say, that having rummaged around on Sonic Studio's own website and various others, I can actully find ANYTHING which clearly explains WHY Amarra should sound better an iTunes. More specifically, there's nothing about what iTunes is getting wrong (apparantely).

OK, yes I get the fact that it automatically switches between 16/44 and 24/96 (or whatever rate the file is), so that you're getting the right output without any resampling happening in the PC, but assuming the files are standard 16/44 and the audio/midi output settings are at 16/44, that what is Amarra doing (or not that iTunes is) to inprove things?

Unfortunately, the a bit of software costing £180, it doesn't really explain itself at all well.....

[twelvebears]

For the amount of hi-res files I have and play at the moment, I'm going with the little Applescript to switch output settings....

Thanks Lee.

[webby]

No worries, glad to be of help

[YNWaN]

Can I just say, that having rummaged around on Sonic Studio's own website and various others, I can actully find ANYTHING which clearly explains WHY Amarra should sound better an iTunes. More specifically, there's nothing about what iTunes is getting wrong (apparantely).

OK, yes I get the fact that it automatically switches between 16/44 and 24/96 (or whatever rate the file is), so that you're getting the right output without any resampling happening in the PC, but assuming the files are standard 16/44 and the audio/midi output settings are at 16/44, that what is Amarra doing (or not that iTunes is) to inprove things?

Unfortunately, the a bit of software costing £180, it doesn't really explain itself at all well.....

Perhaps I should make my position clear with regard to Amarra. Personally I have absolutely no interest in digital playback at all. I am familiar with the quality available with digital but remain firmly in the 'records sound best - full stop' camp. As a result I had absolutely no expectation bias with regard to Amarra and have (nor had) no interest in how it may (or may not) work.

At the time it was demonstrated to me (which was at the Munich hi-fi show) I was with an interested colleague. We had been told that it was being used as part of a system at the spin-off show. As it turned out the people using it were most reluctant to demonstrate it at all as Amarra was not one of the parties paying for the room. However, after some polite pleading (and a significant wait) it was demonstrated (they just turned it on and off) a few times. The soundstage definitely sounded more three dimensional and vocalists projected better (better texture to the voice too), when Amarra was turned on; I was asked my opinion and that is what I said - I was completely free to say it made no difference or that it sounded worse.

I don't really care how it works but it certainly seemed to. Anyway, as I said, I have absolutely no 'axe to grind' with regard to Amarra as digital playback of all kinds is only a fringe (and a distant one at that) interest of mine.

(in the system I heard it in £180 wouldn't even have bought an interconnect)

[Themis]

D Hi, there is a French distributor, 'Hamy' , very best,Keith.
btw do you ever find yourself at the Munich Hi-end show? Be pleasant to meet,

Hi Keith, thanks for the info.

No Muncih this year I'm afraid... my son has some exams so I guess I won't be able to move much. But next year, it'll be possible. It'll be nice to meet you, too.