[JLM]

After 40+ years at this, 2015 has been my year to upgrade source, starting with a MacBook Air last December (that I can use from my near-field chair), a new DAC/pre in May (didn't have USB input that the MacBook Air forced), and USB cable in June (ended up auditioning 6 cables).

I'm looking for sound quality improvement over iTunes with built-in 31 band EQ that is super easy to install and use.  Music only.  Have a iPhone 4S but don't need to use it.  All Redbook ALAC format on a 2012 iMac via long optical cable and 2014 MacBook Air via longish USB both feeding "the" system.

Must be one of the very popular ones (Amarra, Audivana+, JRiver, or Pure Music) so that there is a better chance for support into the future.  It's super hard for me to cut through the technical jargon and couldn't find a simple comparisons between them.   

My library isn't huge, so navigation isn't a priority.  But if it ain't really simple, it ain't gonna fly.   

TIA, you guys have been great with the DAC/pre and USB cables.   

[Mike Nomad]

I don't know of something more simple (or better sounding) than Decibel:

http://sbooth.org/Decibel/

And yes, better sounding than iTunes.

[JLM]

Does Decibel have built-in 31 band EQ?  (I run single driver speakers and have removed the baffle step circuit to have a direct connection between my mono-blocks and the drivers, so EQ provides baffle step correction.)

[Mike Nomad]

Yes, it was added with the latest version. Toggle is at bottom right of the main window, creating a pop up window when activated.

[JLM]

Thanks Mike, sounds perfect.

Any other opinions out there?

[Quiet Earth]

Hi JLM,

I have an opinion but I don't think that you will agree with it. Here it goes anyway with a friendly smile and good intentions  .

First of all I think you should buy better inductors for your baffle step and stop worrying about the theoretical superiority of having the amp mate directly to the loudspeaker coil. You are unnecessarily over-complicating your front end when you don't have to.

Have you tried either of these brands of inductors yet?  :
http://www.erseaudio.com/Products/Coils
http://www.northcreekmusic.com/COILS.html

If you have tried them and they weren't good enough, I'll bet you can get better inductors than those if you search around a bit. Of course you will have to open your wallet up a little more, but hey, if you really love those speakers as much as I think you do, then it will be money well spent. Not to mention after 40 years, what are you waiting for? 


Second but just as important, I can't get past a few key things that you said in your first post :

-you have a small library (understandable)
-music is ripped to ALAC (not sure why you did that, but whatever)
-if it ain't simple it ain't gonna cut it (totally agree)
-it's hard for you to weed through the technical computer jargon (me too)

Why on earth did you pick computer audio as an upgrade for your source? Computer Audio is in a constant state of reinvention of itself, sometimes only for the sake of "we do this because it is possible". Wouldn't you rather just sit down and listen to an album or two on a mature format rather than have a month's worth of music at your finger tips? I think you should keep the MacBook Air to surf the net and then go buy a really nice CD player or an average quality turntable. (Or both.) Not only will it be simpler, but it will sound better too.

Remember that I'm still smiling, and that is my honest opinion with the best of intentions. 

[brother love]

I also really like Decibel (used with my dedicated Mac Mini).  I've employed Decibel for several years now & haven't had the urge to change.

Adirvana+ is also a good option (was my 2nd choice).  BitPerfect is another possibility to consider.

Most of these music player apps offer free trials, so really you should take them all for test drives & choose what best suits you.

It is great to have your complete music library at your fingertips, & with a few clicks from your listening position have "skies the limit" options.  I enjoy it far more than CD's & will never go back.  Vinyl I do miss though, but the convenience of computer audio makes vinyl less appealing.

[JLM]

QE:

Thanks so much for your heart felt advice.

Bob Brines, the designer/builder of my speaker recommended the EQ approach versus the baffle step circuit he provides.  I just didn't like the looks of the build and the totally crummy leads of the components compared to my chosen speaker cables (not a question of component sound quality).  The added advantage of using EQ is to account for room anomalies.  Player software with built-in EQ is actually less complicated than the baffle step circuit.

In case you haven't noticed the age of the physical disk is all but over, so why invest in a nice CDP?  And what player would you have recommended anyway (I'm totally out that stuff now)?  I take advantage of that to buy CD's cheap.  I have no problem getting off my fat old butt to swap CD's and keeping them in my listening room, but when my really nice CDP died two years ago I made the jump (at roughly the same cost).  I do agree that simpler is better (a KISS fan) and definitely was not the first kid on the block to jump on the computer audio bandwagon (to allow the technology to mature).  JohnR recommends ALAC in his tutorial (loselessly compressed, handles metadata, and I'm committed to Apple).  I put vinyl behind me 30+ years ago after I literally dropped my nice turntable while moving equipment around.  BTW thanks to local networking I can access my ripped library from my Logitech UE smart radio in the upstairs living room.

[JLM]

brother love,

Does Audirvana+ have built-in 31 band EQ (I just can't confirm)?  Most of my audio club uses Audirvana, so that'd be a big plus.  And from the only comparative review I could find the sound quality of Audirvana was rated better than Decibel (but Decibel was rated better than BitPerfect).  And again, can't confirm if BitPerfect has built-in 31 band EQ.

[Quiet Earth]

Player software with built-in EQ is actually less complicated than the baffle step

Baffle step is typically a single inductor with parallel resistor in series with the voice coil. How many parts are in a computer?

In case you haven't noticed the age of the physical disk is all but over, so why invest in a nice CDP?

Yes, I have noticed. Here is why I recommended it to you :

-Because rather than constantly fiddling around with a computer you could be listening to music instead.
-Because you have a bunch of CDs that are never going to wear out (or crash), and it is so easy to place one in the player and press the play button.
-Because right now you can get better sound with a CD player than you can with a computer, and you can do that all in one box rather than a whole bunch of boxes and cables and add-ons and updates.
-Because you don't have to make any special effort for your CD player to function correctly, it works for you the same every time.

I don't expect to change your mind really. I just thought it would be easier for you to enjoy music without a computer.

[jarcher]

 I tried a lot of different player software for the Mac, and ultimately settled on J river because it was the most responsive  and stable of all the software I tried. I control it with my iPad with the $10 application J remote.

 Ultimately though I think the $400 Aires mini which is coming out in the fall is going to make using most home computers mute for a large segment of music lovers. At that low price a purpose built digital Device with custom software running on a smart phone or tablet makes a lot more  sense than dealing with a general computer and all the hassles and maintenance that requires. I think only the hard-core  audiophile tinkerers will want to deal with that anymore. The general public has shown a clear preference for Sonos, and now we poorer audiophiles will have the Auralic Aries mini.

[JLM]

QE:

Your position that CDP sound better than computers, especially in light of hi-res formats, is highly debatable.  Again what CDP(s) do you believe sound better than computers and what do they cost?

Computer versus CDP convenience is in the eye of the beholder.  After ripping, I've not had "glitches" to contend with (my biggest anxiety of the move).  Other than loading album art, the EQ is really the only fiddling I've thought about, thus the thrust of this thread.

You're right, now that I've ripped (and automatically backed up to 3 different hard drives, one being off site) I'll never wear out my CDs. 

I agree that CDP's are simpler, but being non-audio dedicated, they're almost free (just add cable, possible software, and maybe backup hard drives) to own and use.  BTW my system now consists of a choice of computers connected to a DAC/pre, mono-blocks, and single driver speakers.  If I were to go back, I'd need to add components, cables, and expense.

My friend, I'm a retired engineer but own a copy of a small book, "Minutes from the Lead Pencil Club" that is a collection of essays that berate the mindless proliferation of technology.  So I understand your position, but IMO the intelligent question is to find the best solution for the job.  The computers have proven to be easy to use, hassle free, and nearly free with sound quality at least on par with my CDPs.

[JLM]

jarcher:

Thanks for the plug for JRiver.  Is it super easy to install/use?

I agree that the Aires type pieces will be the future of higher-end audio sources.  But for now I don't need to invest in another box, just an affordable/easy to use player software.

[bladesmith]

I tried Jriver and it is just too complex for me. More options than you can comprehend. I think it's for the more advanced user. I bought it and then ended up going back to iTunes.

I am looking at decibel now and think it is probably more for me. More simple. And plays well, so far. But, maybe there are some drawbacks to it I am not aware of.

v..

(modified: the Decibel is very basic, it does have a 31/10 band eq, although I think it is pricey, $33.00.. I'm using it right now, And keeping my music on another separate drive and not moving it to my MAC, but it does have that option to move it all over to your main drive. Not sure why you would want that. But, it's there.)

[JohnR]

I also think that JRiver will probably not fall into the "super easy to install/use" category

I'm inclined to suggest Audirvana+, although I have not spent much time with the current version 2. Like all of these things, it has a free trial. It doesn't have inbuilt EQ but does support plugins, so something like FabFilter Pro-Q is easy to add. If that's not suitable, then perhaps Decibel as mentioned above is the way to go. (Or at least try.)

[jarcher]

jarcher:

Thanks for the plug for JRiver.  Is it super easy to install/use?

I agree that the Aires type pieces will be the future of higher-end audio sources.  But for now I don't need to invest in another box, just an affordable/easy to use player software.

I didn't find it particularly hard to install or use. Yes, it has many bells and whistles, but it's not like you have to use them if you don't want to. After indexing my library, which was lightning fast, I haven't much tinkered with anything else. As previously mentioned, I use Jremote on the iPad to control it, so it's not like I am exposed to  all of the bells and whistles in daily operation.

[yioryos]

Hi.
I tried most of the music players fir mac,both paid versions a day freebies.
Vox is free, has EQ and plays nice, it's also small and installs and runs super.
Of the paid software, I ended up with JRiver,but Decibel sounded very good also,but lacks key features that JRiver provides,notably the crossfade function,the best in business in my opinion.
Yes its is a little hard to navigate,because it offers so many features,that you can choose not to use.
If only want to play music,just click on on the library on the left,it rolls down open,pick and drag a file on the window space to the right and you got music instantly.
I am one of the worst people to use computers,perhaps most users in here are more knowledgeable than me,BUT I just don't get it WHY some say computers need tweaking,blah blah,if I could do it,then trust me it's not that hard.
It's up to you to make it simple or hard.
George

[JLM]

I've noticed that easy/simple is very much "in the eye of the beholder" when it comes to computer related stuff.

Over the years my "computer intuition" seems to have largely diverted from the mainstream.  Seems to be a generational matter (before and after cell phones/internet) and how reality is defined.  When we get together with our kids for holiday or overnight visits, inevitably the laptops will come out and they're all surfing in the same room with occasional comments to each other.  It's zombie spooky.  Is this the modern version of social interaction?  How much of our time is spent communicating versus living in the physical world?  Has anyone been tempted to shut off the wireless hub, at least temporally?

[bladesmith]

Maybe "jarcher" is right, JRiver might be the right choice.

I have tried decibel it is is really too simple. Just move your music over into it and it play them, but, thats about all you can do.

If you want to even make a simple play list of your favorites. You got to go back into your drive and make a separate file, build your play list and then send it back to Decibel.  There are no short cuts. They make you do all of you work.

It just simply plays your files. And for $33.00, it should have more optioned for the audiophile.

V...

VOX music player is interesting, plays all the formats and you can easily make a collection, for preferred songs. it also has a simple 12 slide EQ. it's free...