Anyone use Audirvana software?
- Thread starter Artie
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I've used Audirvana on a Mac for years now, though the Pro version recently switched to a subscription basis, which is a bit annoying but understandable. The Studio version offers only playback and cataloging of local files, while the Pro version incorporates Tidal, Qobuz, radio and other streaming services. I don't use the cataloging feature because I have other ways of managing that. But what I like about it is:
1) The sound quality. Audirvana preloads the music files into memory and converts them to PCM, so that conversion is not done on the fly. It bypasses much of the system software in both Windows and Mac. It also has sophisticated upsampling algorithms if you choose to use them.
2) Qobuz sounds great through Audirvana.
3) Audirvana can play directly to a UPnP streamer/renderer, and I have a rather expensive one that connects directly to my DAC via I2S.
4) Audirvana supports drag-and-drop, so regardless of where the music is stored, I can simply drag the folder into Audirvana for playback.
5) It handles virtually any type of sound files, and will even play the audio portion of a video file by just dropping it into the playback window.
6) It has a dedicated remote app which works nicely without any fuss.
But mostly I prefer the sound over other players I've tried over the years.
You'll probably get a lot of responses saying it doesn't matter. That's fine. It does to me, but you can demo it yourself and see if you hear a difference.
Artie
Super Member
Thanks Zack. Good info. I might just try the demo version. I'll have to read up on the website some more. If the "trial" version lacks features, and/or quality, it will defeat the purpose of the demo. But I'll check it out.
I don't stream much, if at all. Most of my music is a local library used on only two computers.
Thanks again for the feedback.
I don't stream much, if at all. Most of my music is a local library used on only two computers.
Thanks again for the feedback.
Schmidlapper
Super Member
I own, and did use Audirvana on a mac mini for many years. The subscription model they would eventually switch to didn't appeal to me and I avoided it. Eventually they offered a new version you could buy, but it takes away key functionality of the original that I like and want. In the mean time I discoverd the WiiM products which resolved the whole issue for me.
cpt_paranoia
Addicted Member
The supposed benefits of bypassing the OS audio chain have been moot ever since alternative OS features, like WASAPI became available, that provide direct audio output, bypassing the system audio mixer, etc. On the fly rendering really isn't a problem for even low performance PCs, provided you're just using it for music playback, and not running molecular modelling tasks or bit coin mining at the same time.
Try it. Decide for yourself if you think it's worth the money.
Try it. Decide for yourself if you think it's worth the money.
Artie
Super Member
I downloaded it. The interface is odd at best. But that might be because it's the "demo" version. I hear no difference between it and MediaMonkey. Then again, I'm almost 70. My ears still work decent, but I think I'll make like Marty Robbins, and El Paso on this one.
I will check out JRiver. I keep seeing people talk about it.
I will check out JRiver. I keep seeing people talk about it.
I never buy any software if I can avoid it, JRiver OTOH I have purchased for at least a decade, every update and a master license in case I ever get real about Linux...or someone gives me a Mac....
Artie
Super Member
"Google'ing" it as we speak.
Wow! $90. So I have to ask again . . . does JRiver do something that MediaMonkey/MusicBee doesn't?
Actually $69.98, and updates are half price....
I used to use MM and Winamp before that, I've tried newer versions of them and have MM on my GF's Pixel7XL, but JRiver just works well for me.
Artie
Super Member
Yup. I saw that after I spoke. But I'm still not sure what it offers above free stuff. Like MediaMonkey. I haven't given up. I'm still looking.
cpt_paranoia
Addicted Member
Me too. I used to use MediaMonkey, but it struggled on a small tablet. MusicBee ran with no problems, starts quicker, does all I want (and more), and reportedly copes with libraries greater than a million tracks.
I have a portable installation on a 1TB USB drive. Today I plugged that in to a router at my parents', added that as a network drive on the tablet, and ran the MB instance without problems. I installed the UPnP plugin, and can stream to a cheap DLNA renderer. I plugged the tablet into a TV via HDMI, and MB will happily play to the TV's audio.
cpt_paranoia
Addicted Member
Just looked at the minimum spec for Audirvana; Win10, 64-bit, 4GB RAM.
The reason I switched to MB is because I bought a cheap tablet, secondhand, for £25; one of the Wintel designs when they were trying to compete with Android tablets. It has 1GB of RAM. MM struggled to run in that footprint. MB runs no problem. I got to like MB more than MM, so I ended up installing it on all my PCs. The tablet and a Lenovo all-in-one are Win8. The other four PCs are Win7. Some are x86, some x64. Some are 32-bit OS, some 64-bit. The tablet is x64, with a 32-bit OS... MB runs fine on all of those; I updated to MB 3.5 only yesterday; seamless, though I don't see any major changes.
The reason I switched to MB is because I bought a cheap tablet, secondhand, for £25; one of the Wintel designs when they were trying to compete with Android tablets. It has 1GB of RAM. MM struggled to run in that footprint. MB runs no problem. I got to like MB more than MM, so I ended up installing it on all my PCs. The tablet and a Lenovo all-in-one are Win8. The other four PCs are Win7. Some are x86, some x64. Some are 32-bit OS, some 64-bit. The tablet is x64, with a 32-bit OS... MB runs fine on all of those; I updated to MB 3.5 only yesterday; seamless, though I don't see any major changes.
I’ve been running Audirvana on macs for about 6 years. One of them is an old mini running El Capitan as a dedicated headless server in my bedroom. Having Tidal and Qobuz embedded in Audirvana is a huge bonus running headlessly. I just got an Audirvana update that was El Cap friendly just yesterday. I’ve never paid for updates. They could easily move me (us) to either new product or elsewhere, but they just support it. A good value so far. Besides do any of these free players do what I do with Audirvana headlessly on a Mac?
cpt_paranoia
Addicted Member
It's good that they continue to support the product you bought, and not try to bump you to their latest subscription model.
MB doesn't operate headless (though there is a remote control that I tried once without much success). Neither does it integrate with streaming services.
If I want headless, with integrated streaming services, I use my Logitech Media Server, with the Material Skin UI, running on an old Win7 Atom N270 SBC, or HP ProBook 3305 motherboard under DietPi_x64, or piCorePlayer on an old RPi.
All my music players access the same media files on my NAS. Apart from the portable, compressed version on the 1TB USB HDD...
MB doesn't operate headless (though there is a remote control that I tried once without much success). Neither does it integrate with streaming services.
If I want headless, with integrated streaming services, I use my Logitech Media Server, with the Material Skin UI, running on an old Win7 Atom N270 SBC, or HP ProBook 3305 motherboard under DietPi_x64, or piCorePlayer on an old RPi.
All my music players access the same media files on my NAS. Apart from the portable, compressed version on the 1TB USB HDD...
Your headless approach sounds too complicated for me as I’m not of the computer tinkering persuasion. I tried Daphile and Volumino but couldn’t get either to work reliably headlessly on the old mini. Still others like Vox don’t manage or playback local libraries so require cloud storage fees for your own music.
Audirvāna Origin lacks streaming, so only Studio (subscription) offers an upgrade for long time users such as I. Adding internet radio is an attractive upgrade since it delivers all forms of digital music I enjoy everyday via only the Audirvāna Remote app. If only it wasn’t for those darn recurring fees.