We are the primary dealers for Amarra. Amarra does not claim to make mp3s or lossy audio formats better. Amarra only works with lossless formats Aiff and Wav.
Amarra the software runs with iTunes. When you play a lossless AIFF or Wav file in iTunes, Amarra will playback the file outside of iTunes with it's own playback engine. When you play any other file like an MP3 or streaming audio in iTunes, it will just be routed through iTunes as normal. So with lossless files, Amarra uses iTunes like a remote control, allowing you to use iTunes but get the better playback when a lossless file is played. Amarra uses the Sonic Studio SS3 sound engine for playback. It does not EQ or have any additive filters to try to improve sound quality by default. Instead it uses a playback engine that was used to master about 70% of the CDs you own. This software uses much more complex and accurate math to handle the file and has less manipulation than iTunes, and the result is better sound than any consumer playback software available. Amarra does include a software version of Of Sonic EQ which is legendary for it's quality. But you don't have to use it if you don't want it. It's great to EQ certain albums or to correct for speaker EQ etc. The Amarra hardware works with Amarra and does a number of unique things. IT has a custom FireWire interface that bypasses Mac Core Audio and delivers audio directly to the DAC. It also has 8 channels in and out of AD/DA. It has 80 bit processing power and can do 64 bit DSP, resampling, and EQ. Working with the hardware, some of the processing that usually happens in software is handles by this 80 bit system, so the resulting playback is extremely resolving. We are free to answer any questions about Amarra you may have. -- tuckers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ tuckers's Profile: http://forums.slimdevices.com/member.php?userid=20151 View this thread: http://forums.slimdevices.com/showthread.php?t=62958 _______________________________________________ audiophiles mailing list audiophiles@lists.slimdevices.com http://lists.slimdevices.com/mailman/listinfo/audiophiles