Sound quality Studio vs 3.5?

Studio
72

VoyagerDude,

I all the tests, with the three players, I played the same files from the same USB-Key.

The spinning ball and the crackles were not due to the fact that the files were on the USB-Key.

First, because I played these tracks already from the USB-Key with the previous versions of AS, and just like you, there were no crackles.
Second, AS loads the track that it plays in RAM, so the drive on which the track is stored has no importance.
Third, I upsamled some tracks with A+ 2.5, in iZotope mode, just to see if the player plays them, and there were no crackles.

EDIT
In addition, as I said earlier, there were no crackles when AS upsampled PCM tracks to DSD256.

73

Ok cool. Thanks for clarifying.

74

With my iFi micro iDSD BL, it’s difficult to say if there’s a difference between Bit perfect and the upsampling of most players, except for HQPlayer.
If a new version of AS is released without these crackles, I’ll test the new r8brain upsampling mode also with an older DAC that I have and that I don’t use anymore. Thos DAC provides a much better SQ with an upsampling player. It’s the iFi micro iDAC. It does not support DSD and is limited to PCM 24/192.

75

2 cents, and 2 cents, will make 4 cents… or so…
Installed and tested AS 1.3 yesterday once again against 3.5.
Did it because I love the new interface better than the 3.5 one, and I keep telling myself : that’s not possible… why did they get it so wrong ?… they must realize it at some point…
But alas, no. Same thing.
AS deprives the sound of all its liveliness. Surgically.
Maybe some listeners will like it better this way, but I definitively tell myself that the direction taken is not for me.

I’ve spent a lot of time tuning my system according to the music I listen (choosing and testing each component, each cable etc…), and the way I want it to sound : analog, warm, without losing holographic imaging and a coherent amount of details.
I mostly listen to 50/60 jazz, classic rock and classical baroque, so for this type of music, to me, these criteria are paramount, and AS deprives the sound of its “analog” feeling and presence.

Library scan (4.5TB) takes forever, and to be honest, I don’t want any software to scan my library, and I don’t want it to mess with my tags.
We should be able to completely disable this privacy intrusion.
How is it possible that this option is not given to us, while we are being ask for a subscription ? If it’s free, you’re the product, but here, even if you pay, your data is scanned, for rather strange and unclear reasons, and your data is collected and send only God’s know where.
Can’t developpers imagine how long a 4.5 TB librarie to scan can take ?
Furthermore, because I think this is the real goal of this scanning, I don’t want to be offered tracks or album suggestions based on what I’m usually listening to. Thank you, I’m a big boy. I don’t stream. The real aim of this scan is marketting, and neither do I need it, neither do I want it. Audirvana should be transparent on this subject, and they aren’t. I don’t want my experience to be enhanced, I don’t want any of this marketting story telling.
I don’t do Tidal, Qobuz. I don’t do MQA, because MQA is pure marketting and a lossy format. I just want a good player for my music. And as I have to sadly admit, that’s what Audirvana was giving to me until this AS mayhem ! But that’s no longer the case.

On a side note, I still would like to know how 2 “alleged” bitperfect streams (Im running MacOs, so it should be bitperfect) with no treatment whatsover, no upsampling, no volume control etc…, can sound so different on a system where nothnig else has been changed between the listening experience ?
Stil scratching my head…
Maybe I’ll get an answer someday. But the silence of the developper on this subject is overwhelming, while maybe it’s the more important thing to consider when dealing with a community of passionate people for whom each aspect of their listening experience is important.
I dreamt of a company were programmers and developpers who address audiophile as they say, are kind of transparent with what they are really doing behind the scene, and why their software is scanning your data. And to what use ?

Anyway, in fact, one can consider himself lucky, sticking to 3.5 for the sake of the sound will spare me some money… even better, some montly money, that I’ll be able to use to buy music. ah ! :slight_smile:

7 Likes
76

Just downloaded the 1.3 update and compared to 3.5.46. No upsampling or processing.

Same difference as previous: AS has very flat soundstage, instruments lose fine texture. 3.5 sounds more natural, especially voices.

Really scratching my head on how they can be soooo different.

1 Like
83

Whatever their ages, some will never grow up and tolerate gracefully other points of view.
We do suffer the culprit for a very little time in our lives, He lives with himself all of the time.
Please let’s show him mercy.

2 Likes
88

Checking your 12 posts in this thread, I can confirm that a minority of them were “On topic”

90

I’m confusing nothing.
I was merely pointing out the fact that users have problems, whilst you do not. Yet you seem to take enjoyment in telling those of us that may be unhappy with the performance of Studio how well it works for you.
Fine. Fair play. But if it works so well for you, why take the time in having a go at those of us who aren’t quite as lucky as you appear to be?
And before you defend yourself, do you regard this as a satisfactory response?

2 Likes
92

That was an interesting contribution, thank you for it.
Such contributions always move me to stay at 3.5 because they have been addressed in a factual and expert manner.
Your description of the sound also seems objective and shows that you know your music.

Since there is another update, the current situation actually shows that it is not worth it at the moment, at least for me to test it at all.

Thanks again

93

I’ve no problem whatsoever with you attempting to sell Studio to the masses.
But let me get this straight. You think it’s acceptable of accusing a user of crying ( a deregetory term where I come from) for posting a grievance about a piece of software that you apparently adore and works for you, whilst a fair few of us are having problems with, is acceptable?

I’ll give odds of 5:1 of this post being flagged.
Any takers?

2 Likes
94

The pavlovian flagger has excelled himself :rofl:

3 Likes
95

Christ on a bike.
2 posts flagged. No profanity.
I’d suggest only people who agree with a certain poster bother.
Beyond a joke now.
This forum is losing all credibilty if you don’t sing the praises of Studio.

2 Likes
96

Shall I invite you therefore to mention your buffering issues in the “buffering issues” thread?
You can even create a whole new one if there is none.

98

Now now.
We ALL know Audirvana works perfectly, don’t we :rofl:

4 Likes
100

To the 'mystery post flagger".
A suggestion, if I may.
Even though you may not like the response given, it’s a little chirlish to flag the reponses given, no?
Or is debate an alien concept?

2:1 on this one :rofl:

4 Likes
101

Would you tell me please with which settings you use AS to make it sound greater than A3.5?
Thank you.

103

An honest question, but who exactly has attacked you Jim? If you have been, then that’s out of order. I haven’t read all the threads on here.
However not agreeing with you, believe it or not, is not an attack, merely a disagreement.
Getting posts deleted, I would suggest, does you (or whoever is getting these post flagged) no favours on a ‘limited’ forum, especially where we, the users, are supposed to be helping one another.

1 Like
105

Yep. My posts where flagged again. No profanity, not breaking any forum rules. Just disagreeing with a point of view and that person takes it personal. Go figure. Someone thinks he can dictate what posters may or may not post on this forum. Last time I checked this ‘someone’ was not a moderator.

2 Likes
106

My question stands (assuming your last response was aimed at me).
Who has attacked you? And I don’t mean disagreed with you.
Honest question.

Evens

107

Thanks for this interesting feedback. I would like to know if the level was deliberately reduced on A 3.5 or if the level was increased on AS to give a better quality feeling with the risk of clipping.