Yes many of us were very disappointed withe subs model and the lack of tangible product. I could understand the subs model if they curated the database back end like roon. It was a good product with too few updates for me. I bought 2 licenses but will move to something else now.
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Ultimately, it is for each user to consider if this “new world” is for them.
Long ago, I stumbled upon Audirvana because I was looking for a software able to play various formats, to HiRes standards on a MacOs platform.
It is telling that the content of the forum at the time was focused on sound quality, each release bringing its heavily discussed and argued incremental enhancement.
Nowadays, the forum is a debilitating array of bug reports highlighting the difficulties the developper has met when trying to evolve from a splendid tweak to a fully fleshed business.
Maybe, all I want these days, is an Audirvana Plugin bringing Audirvana’s unique sound quality to various online streaming services (Tidal, Qobuz, etc…), rather than the other way round, a feeble and unconvincing attempt at a music management software.
Damien may ponder in the future if his funding will be sufficient to eke Audirvana’s way in a growingly busy landscape of big names streaming services, or if it would be a better idea to “take the money and run” by licencing Audirvana’s fantastic core playing software to one or several of those streaming services.
If the newer OS versions are not compatible with Audirvana 3.5, I will switch to a streamer or network player.
I’ve been surprised by the blueOS products. Decent bit of kit the node 2i with external dac
Well, it depends on the subscription price. If you calculate that a new version comes about every 2 years, with the announced subscription price it’s about a 50% price increase.
For those who have a dedicated music playing computer, it may be preferable not to upgrade to any newer OS version that cannot run Audirvana 3.5.
Audirvana 3.5 would thus live up to its “lifetime” licence commitment, warts and all…
I have hundreds of vinyls, audio cassettes and CDs stored in boxes.
I have now thousands of uncompressed audio files stored on HDs.
A subscription for listening this stored music means :
- perpetual cost for listening my own old files
- perpetual system/app update problems
I want to relax with music, not to face problems with bugs, DAC, uPnP, storage (and HD noise !), back-up.
Because of this subscription, this time I give up with local music.
For me it’s time to move on with Qobuz : a family licence will suit all my needs.
Hi @clear. Intriguing. Can you tell more about your set up? Do you have a link to setting up. Sounds good!
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Frankly speaking, may we expect the Audirvana people to deliver audio playing software with top notch SQ to deliver new versions every so often without us users paying for it? In my view the answer to that question is ‘no’. Would you do your job if you would not be paid, how would you then pay for your rent or mortgage?
And I find the proposed annual licensing price reasonable compared both to purchases of music and to the price of high end audio gear, as said in the presentation. I think a lot of high end audio aficionados end up spending more on ‘snake oil’ cables and devices than on this Audirvana subscription.
Though I have my worries too.
About the ‘effortless’ activation of the subscription between computers. The software license now allows for use on both my computer solely used for audio playback and on the other one on which I prepare all the music (tagging etc), I just hope I do not end up needing two subscriptions.
And I hope the Remote-app solves the issues that appeared the last year.
That being said I am really looking forward to the new version and I hope Damien and his team will continue all their hard work on Audirvana
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It was a real pleasure to buy an Audirvana licence, despite the tag price.
I liked to support a good product, a passionate developper, an alternative player.
It’s only a charge when paying every month… and again just to read our own local audio files !
I already gave this point on view elsewhere on this forum, and won’t flood it with just my opinion.
But just an other hint : Look at Adobe Lightroom Classic or Microsoft Office subscriptions. There are more installations authorized. And we can always read our files when there is a connexion or licence problem. So good luck for Audirvana Studio renting users.
If there’s one day an other licensing option (v4.0 with only 1 year free updates for instance), please contact your old users with a newsletter.
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Hello everyone, I’ve purchased the “lifetime” licence code just under 2 months ago, when they no doubts knew that it was not going to last for a lifetime, just about 50 days as a matter of fact.
Question 1: whose or which life they were referring to with the term “lifetime”? At this point I think they were just fooling, but you don’t fool with your costumers credit cards…or do you?
Question 2: why are they still accepting “lifetime” subscription payments right at this moment, even after announcing that the version 3.5 is going to be euthanised next Sunday.
Is there something I missed or didn’t understand?
Anyhow I’m just going to wait until they release more informations next week and then I’ll see what to do, if fight back or go along with this change.
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It’s lifetime of Audirvana as a company for that specific version. You will be able to use the 3.5 version as long as Audirvana is in business and it’s technically viable to run the version 3.5. If you keep using supported OS, you’ll be able to continue using the 3.5 for the foreseeable future.
If you don’t like subscription model and you still don’t have the license for the current version, now is the moment to purchase it.
@bitracer
thanks for trying to kindly answer my questions, but, after reading the official press release, things are as you say.
Here it is for everyone:
OFFICIAL PRESS RELEASE
WORLDWIDE LAUNCH OF AUDIRVĀNA STUDIO
For its 10th anniversary, Audirvāna will benefit from a total makeover and launch Audirvāna Studio on 16 May 2021: a major evolution of its HD audio playback software now offered as a subscription.
Information under embargo until Sunday 9 May 18:00 CET
Paris, May 9 2021
Today at 6pm Paris time, during a Facebook Live Audirvāna founder and CEO Damien Plisson will unveil the new Audirvāna Studio, a complete overhaul of his HD audio playback software, enriched with numerous new features. It will be available on May 16 only as a subscription service for US$69.99 per year, or US$6.99 per month(1), and will be constantly evolving and improving. The previous version 3.5 of the software will no longer be available.
Founded in Paris in 2011, Audirvāna is a French company that publishes and markets a software of the same name: “the best way to play music from a computer”. It has developed and improved a unique technology over time, forging the ultimate digital audio playback software for all music professionals and enthusiasts, and a solution to manage and organize one’s music whether it comes from a local music library or an HD streaming service (such as Tidal or Qobuz). Its software is available for MacOS and Windows 10 and comes with a free mobile Remote app compatible with iOS and Android devices.
A MAJOR EVOLUTION OF THE AUDIRVĀNA SOFTWARE
Always at the forefront of audio performance on a computer, Audirvāna Studio exclusively offers Kernel streaming mode on Windows 10: an incredibly transparent playback mode, as close as possible to the machine language. This avoids all intermediate software layers. Mac users are not left out as Audirvāna Studio is already natively compatible with Apple Silicon and makes the most of Apple’s latest generation of processors in terms of audio performance. An additional oversampling algorithm, “R8Brain”, has also been added to allow users more options in optimizing the interaction with their system and converter.
The user experience and interface have also been thoroughly redesigned, taking into account the numerous suggestions received by customers during a major survey conducted last year.
(1)69,99 € or 6,99 € per month 64,99 £ or 6,49 £ per month 8.990¥ or 899¥ per month.
BACK IN BLACK
Many new features have been added, including:
• Mixed favorites and playlists, combining local music and music from streaming services • An access to more than 120,000 Internet radio stations and podcasts
• An enhanced metadata editor including an online metadata recovery function
• A unique playlist editor for easier navigation
• Faster and more intuitive smart search in all sources
• A playback console giving an overview and access to all advanced audio settings • In-app assistance explaining all possible settings
• An HD track profile checker to evaluate files of presumed high-resolution quality • A new version of the Remote application for mobile devices (iOS and Android)
A SERVICE NOW ONLY OFFERED BY SUBSCRIPTION
Audirvāna Studio will now only be offered as a subscription service at a price of for US$69.99 per year, or US$6.99 per month(1), and with no commitment. This will significantly lower the access price to the software. This choice, which breaks with the perpetual license model of previous versions, marks a strong desire to provide a constantly improving service to all its customers – with no need to pay for updates every 2 or 3 years -, in line with the increasingly rapid changes in computer environments and quality support.
Current users of versions 2 and 3.5 will be able to test the new software and receive a preferred rate to adopt Audirvāna Studio before the end of July 2021 while most recent license purchasers will be offered a no-cost conversion of their purchase to a subscription.
A NEW BRAND IDENTITY
To mark the opening of a new chapter in the brand’s history, its visual identity is also evolving: Audirvāna is now spelled with a “long A,” like Nirvāna in Sanskrit, emphasizing the original meaning of the name and the quest for perfection and absoluteness that it embodies. The new logo, simpler and more readable, is accompanied by a symbol that is both technical and spiritual, freely inspired by the “ajna” and its mantra “Om”: the original sound.
ABOUT AUDIRVĀNA
Audirvāna was founded by Damien Plisson, a very talented French developer, trained at Ecole Centrale and UCLA, acknowledged as an expert among the audiophile community. Since its launch, Audirvāna has become “THE reference in audiophile playback software on Mac” (WHAT HIFI -2017). It is also available on Windows 10 since mid 2018. Its sound quality and reliability have also won over sound engineers. Audirvāna has received many awards, such as the “Audio Excellence Award 2016” from the Japanese magazine Audio Accessory, the “Exceptional Product – 5 Stars Award” from iCreate magazine in September 2017 as well as the “Remarkable” price of the VUmètre journal in 2018.
Feel free to draw your own conclusions now.
I can’t stand recurring subscription models, particularly when no licensed content is involved. In other words, I only accept to pay for the subscription of services such as streaming of music and movies. If I cannot pay a one-time fee to use a software solution, I simply do not purchase it. Software companies have survived for decades without subscriptions; as long as you innovate, people DO support paying for full, new releases from time to time.
So it is a pity that Audirvana has decided for a subscription-only model and won’t even offer lifetime options (as is the case even with Roon); in my view, its added value is greatly diminished, particularly when we compare the annual fee with the original amount charged for version 3.5. And content still cannot be served locally (as, again, is the case with Roon) - so I have no idea what Studio brings to the table that can remotely justify that new, annually-repeating price tag.
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How many installations on different PC are aloude on one subscription?
Is that also 2 installations as it is aloude now?
I sent you a PM.
…
That’s the last drop. I am off for a dedicated streamer/server and goodbye to computer software for audio reproduction.
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I’m really disappointed by the decision of Audirvana to move to a subscription. I accept to pay subscription for streaming services but not for listening my own music. I’m afraid I will have to stop using Audirvana and look for an alternative solution.
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i believe subscription model will turn out to be a mistake for you.
i use audirvana because i dont like subscription models
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I agree, however in every mistake there is a lesson and an opportunity.
The lesson is theirs to learn and the opportunity is ours to seek.
Everything works out in the end.
