Important Information for Amarra and MINI 2.3 Users

Amarra Software Version 2.4 is now available. Current Amarra 2.3 users are encouraged to upgrade to this latest version as soon as possible as it features a number of feature and stability enhancements, not the mention we feel this is the best sounding version of Amarra ever.

Amarra owners who purchased their software before version 2.3 will continue to have access to Sonic Mastering EQ, signal meters and two installs of Amarra with version 2.4. To activate Amarra 2.4, simply use your current Amarra 2.3 serial number or activation code. For all of our current Amarra MINI license holders, your MINI license will activate the new Amarra 2.4. With this update, you now have access to the independent Playlist Window and support for files up to 384kHz sample rate.

Amarra MINI owners

Amarra MINI owners should download Amarra 2.4. Your MINI license will activate Amarra 2.4.

Amarra Junior owners

Amarra Hifi is Not an upgrade for Junior. Current Amarra Junior License can take advantage of a special upgrade to Amarra 2.4 for just $99. Gain access to Amarra Playlists, Cache playback and more!

If you haven't used your license for a while, we urge you to give Amarra 2.4 a try, it's our best sounding, most stable version yet.

Need another evaluation?

Please contact sales@sonicstudio.com with any questions. We look forward to hearing from you.

Q: Does Amarra run on Windows / PC?

A: Amarra / MINI / Junior are only available for Apple Macintosh based computers.

Q: Using Amarra and Lion (OS X 10.7)

A: Amarra has been tested using the development builds of 10.7 with success. Some of our users report that they have found a sweet spot with Apple's Snow Leopard OS v10.6.8(v1.1); of course for users who purchase a new Mac, 10.7 works great as well. We completely support and recommend the latest version of OSX 10.7.3 along with iTunes 10.5.3

 

Q: When launching iTunes, an Alert stating 32-bit mode is required to launch Amarra is seen. How can I eliminate that message?

A: You have 2 choices to eliminate this issue. You can either a) launch iTunes in 32-bit mode or b) you can remove the Amarra iTunes Plugin.

a) Launching iTunes in 32-bit mode: Please follow the instructions below and Using the Info Command in Finder change the preference for iTunes to 32-bit.

• Quit the iTunes Application
• Open the Applications Folder and locate the iTunes Application
• Select the iTunes Application Icon
• Select the Finder => Get Info command
• Check the box "Open in 32-bit mode"
• Close the window and relaunch iTunes

b) Removing the Amarra iTunes Plugin: An alternative is to locate and remove the Amarra iTunes Plugin. This file can be found at: "Macintosh HD/Library/iTunes/iTunes Plug-ins/AmarraPlugin.bundle.

Q: What is an iLok and a License Request File?

A: Amarra VINYL uses an iLok which is a USB dongle. All other Amarra products use software based authorization described above.

iLok License Authorization:

• 14 Day Full Trial license available
• Your license is resident on the iLok Smart Key
• Requires iLok Smart Key to be plugged into USB port of computer
• iLok can easily be moved from one computer to another
• Not impacted by new computers
• Can be transferred to a new user

Q: Does Amarra support upsampling? Why does Amarra switch to iTunes?

A: Amarra does not support upsampling.

Amarra will attempt to set the Sample Rate of your Audio Hardware to match the song. If your DAC does not support the required sample rate than Amarra will switch to iTunes to play the file. Listed below are some cases where Amarra will switch to iTunes to play the song.

• Built-in Audio only supports up to 96 kHZ.
• Older Macintoshes do not support 88.2 kHZ.
• Many older DACs only support 44.1 and 48 kHZ sample rates.

You can use the Background Manager (or another third party application) to convert your songs from one sample rate to another.

Q: What are the differences between Amarra and Amarra Hifi?

A: See the Amarra product line comparison chart below:

Click here for the Comparison Chart

Q: Is there a sound quality difference between Amarra and Amarra Hifi?

A: The same Sonic Studio Engine which produces the great sound of Amarra is found in all products. All products will produce the same great sound if you are playing back up to 192k tracks found in your iTunes iibrary. When you move up to Amarra, we introduce Amarra Playlists and CACHE mode which when used properly, can improve the overall sound further. Lastly, Amarra EQ is an advanced 3-band parametric equalizer - with presets.

Q: How do I try Amarra and Amarra Hifi out

A: Amarra and Amarra Hifi provide an easy to use Full 15-day evaluation.

SoftWorkz Web Based License Authorization:

• Download the appropriate new release of Amarra and Amarra Hifi
• Install and Launch your Amarra product
• Enter your Email Address in the space provided
• Leave the Activation Code and Password fields blank
• Click EVALUATE to begin your 15-day trial period.

Software Authorization Window

For more information please read the Amarra Authorization Guide.

Q: What is an iLok and a License Request File?

A: Amarra VINYL uses an iLok which is a USB dongle. All other Amarra products use software based authorization described above.

iLok License Authorization:

• 14 Day Full Trial license available
• Your license is resident on the iLok Smart Key
• Requires iLok Smart Key to be plugged into USB port of computer
• iLok can easily be moved from one computer to another
• Not impacted by new computers
• Can be transferred to a new user

Q: What are the System Requirements for Amarra and Amarra Hifi?

A: As for choice of computers, Intel based machines are great. Install 4Gig RAM (or more) if you can, at least install 3Gig RAM. For the computer, in order of preference we can recommend the following:

• Intel Mac Tower
• Intel Mac Mini
• Intel MacBook, MacBook Pro
• Intel iMac

Recommended Software

• Intel: 10.6 Snow Leopard, 10.7 Lion is supported ( although there are reports of issues with sound quality)
• iTunes: 10.0, and later

Q: What audio interfaces work with Amarra?

A: Amarra works with almost all Core Audio Interfaces. This includes USB and FireWire based audio interfaces as well as the built-in optical (and analog).

Please visit the Amarra Hardware page for more information on hardware.

Q: How can I trial the Amarra products prior to purchasing?

A: All of our Amarra products are free to download from our website and have a free demo capability included in the software.

• All Amarra products except Amarra VINYL (soundBlade LR/FX) provide a free Full 15 day Evaluation.
• If you have your own iLok please register for a demo of soundBlade LE/FX. We will deposit a full function 14 day trial license into your account. Please register for your demo here.

A 15% fee will be charged on all returns. Products using software licenses or challenge/response codes for authorization are non-refundable.

Q: Playing CDs using Amarra?

A: Amarra will play CDs that are inserted into your Macintosh CD drive. Insert a CD and after it is mounted use Play - Amarra will follow.

Q: How do I use a Remote Volume control?

A: Using the supplied Amarra Remote application you can use your Apple Remote (the small white one) to control the Master Volume. Set the Amarra Preference and the Amarra Remote will launch automatically.

You can also use your iPad, iTouch and iPhone with the Rowmote application available from the iPhone App Store. Please note that the Amarra Remote will have exclusive access to the Apple Remote (other applications cannot use the Remote).

Q: How do I use the Sonic EQ?

A: The Sonic EQ provides a set of presets that can be used to tailor the sound. The presets are based on an analysis of iTunes EQ Presets. The Sonic EQ is used to process the audio and provide the selected effect.

None	User Setting
Acoustic	Acoustic EQ Graph
Bass Booster	Bass Booster EQ Graph
Bass Reducer	Bass Reducer EQ Graph
Classical	Classical EQ Graph
Jazz	Jazz EQ Graph
Pop	Pop EQ Graph
R & B	R & B EQ Graph
Rock	Rock EQ Graph

Q: How do I use use an Airport Express with Amarra?

A: Using the Roque Amoeba software AirFoil application you can route Amarra to your Airport Express.

Q: How do I control the Analog Volume with my Model Four?

A: WIth a Model Four connected you can use the Amarra Master Volume to control the Analog Volume. This bypasses all digital gain processing and provides a closer integration with your Model Four. This also allows the Apple Remote to control the volume on the Model Four.

The Amarra Preferences will display Model Four preferences for launching the Sonic Console, controlling the Analog Volume, and a setting for maximum output level.

Basic Macintosh Tips for Best Performance

iTunes Preferences:

• Disable the Crossfade Songs preference in iTunes
• Disable the Sound Enhancer preference in iTunes
• Disable the Sound Check preference in iTunes

Energy Preferences:

• Disable Sleep and other Energy saving Preferences.

Spotlight:

• Disable Spotlight

Time Machine:

• Disable TimeMachine on your media drives.

Other Tips

• We recommend a fresh install of the operating system on a clean disc.
• We recommend that your computer be used exclusively for music playback. Email, web browsers, screen sharing and applications can effect performance.
• Do not use FAT 32 formatted volumes.
• Use an SSD drive for the Operating System.
• Use an internal or external drive for media, NAS drives may effect sound quality.
• Turn off FileVault.

Q: How do I setup my Macintosh for the best sound?

A: Please visit How To Setup A Macintosh Audio Server for information.

Q: How do I configure Audio Midi Setup?

• 10.5 Leopard : Audio MIDI Setup

• 10.6 Snow Leopard : Audio MIDI Setup

TroubleShooting

If an issue with Amarra arises, sometimes the quickest way to get back to listening is to quit Amarra and iTunes then restart Amarra.

Issue:
•Amarra VINYL can not find iLok.
If this dialog box appears:


Amarra VINYL does not find an iLok, or finds an iLok without a valid Amarra license.

Solution:
• Insert an iLok with a valid Amarra license on it.
• Make sure the iLok extensions for Amarra VINYL are installed. See the How To Install Amarra Software section for information about iLok extensions.

---

Issue:
Amarra does not play audio
Solution:
• Quit Amarra and iTunes and restart.
• Recheck your installation.
• Check iTunes Preferences.
       Disable Sound check, EQ and Crossfade Song preferences.

Issue:
Sample Rate Does Not Change With Soundfile.
Solution:
• Check Audio Midi Setup for proper device.

Issue:
Songs skip or dropout on playback
Solution:
• Ensure all media drives are listed under Privacy Tab in Spotlight System Preference.
• Wireless access and certain RAID drives may causes delays on playback.

Why do my 192 kHz files not play ?

The most commmon problems are the DAC and the connection used.

• Does your DAC support 192 kHz?

Some DACs only support 48/96K and upsample to 192 kHz.

• Are you using the Optical output on the Macintosh Computer?

The digital outputs on the Macintosh are limiited to 96 kHz.
Use a quality USB or FireWire based DAC for optimal performance.

My DAC supports 88.2k, why does my 88.2 kHz file not play ?

Many pre and early 2010 Macs did not support 88.2k natively.

• Check the format pulldown menu in Audio Midi Setup to verify whether your Mac supports 88.2k. This will effect playback using Built In Audio and the Optical output on your Mac. If 88200 is not listed as a supported sample rate on your Mac, 88.2k files will be handed to iTunes for playback as they need to be upsampled in real-time. We recommend using the Background Manager (or other 3rd party application) to convert the file to 96k offline and then Amarra will be able to play the new file back at the new native sample rate.

After updating, i receive an error message saying 'No Device found, open the Audio IO Setup dialog box and press the 'Re-scan I/O' button.

The re-scan I/O issue is typically another device in Audio Midi Setup interfering with the device you are trying to talk to. These devices typically support only low sample rates and are usually webcams, headsets or other similar devices. Please try deleting any devices not being used and see if that resolves the issue.

My song does not play…

If your are having problems playing files the following tips should be followed:

• Network playback requires mounting the remote volume on the desktop and importing the tracks.
• Volume Names can not contain non-Ascii characters.
  
  For Example, rename "AudioVolumè" to "AudioVolume"


• Volume Names should be less than 30 characters.
• Folder names may need to be less than 30 characters.
• Using a wireless to access sounds is not recommended.
• Do not use FileVault.

How do I play FLAC Files?

How to play gapless files

Permissions and Issues Activation :

An issue with Permissions may cause problems when activating the software.
Please follow the instructions below to change permissions.

• a) In your Applications folder, select the Amarra (or Amarra Hifi) folder and choose File > Get Info.
  In the Get Info window, if the Sharing & Permissions pane is not visible, click the disclosure triangle to show it.


• b) Click the lock icon, and enter your Mac User Name and Password.
  NOTE: An Administrator name and password is required to add or delete users and groups, change owners, or apply permissions to enclosed items.
  
  
• c) Make sure that all of the items in the Privilege column are set to Read & Write.


• d) Apply the permissions to all files in the Application folder by opening the action button/popup and choose “Apply to enclosed items.”


• e) Click on the lock to save the changes and re-launch Amarra, you should be all set from there.


• 2) If you are still having issues, your license may be temporarily locked out at the license or the IP level.
  If you are locked out, please send a message to support (at) sonicstudio.com and please include your serial number and we will assist you.

Tips on Artwork

Amarra 2.3 uses the following rules for managing Artwork. In general Artwork is not consistently handled by many Music Files.

☞ Artwork is stored in "/Library/Application Support/Sonic Studio/Artwork"
☞ When in "Amarra" mode, Amarra will ask iTunes for the Artwork for the currently playing Track.
    Amarra will then create the artwork file and store it in the Artwork Folder.
    The artwork file is named using the Artist and Album names
☞ When in "Playlist" mode, Amarra attempts to read the Artwork from the Metadata in the file.
    Many FLAC files have artwork, most AIFF files do not have the artwork in the metadata, WAVE files do not support artwork.
☞ Amarra currently does not look in the folder where the file resides.
☞ To ensure the artwork is created you can play the file using Amarra mode.

File Vault

Known Issues

• Some clicks may be heard when playing back certain MP3 files. This will be improved in a future release of Amarra.
• FLAC to AIFF conversion does not handle artwork. Other metadata fields are copied but not the artwork. This will be addressed in a future release of Amarra.
• Convert FLAC Folder to AIFF command in the File menu works correctly on first use . At this time, subsequent uses of this feature require a reboot of Amarra. This will be addressed in a future release of Amarra.
• Rowmote and Transport
• rowmote does not operate with Junior at this time.
• Apple Lossless
• Not supported on G5 (PPC) computers or OS 10.4.11 at this time
• Earlier versions of Apple Lossless files may not play
• Apple Lossless created in Max and xld may not play correctly

Note: Converting to AIFF and back to ALAC using iTunes is a work around.

• Sample Rate Conversion
• The Sample Rate Conversion has limitations on how files are named.
• Names must contain only ASCII characters and be less than 22 characters
• Wireless and RAID Drives
• Amarra may not operate with wireless drives and certain RAID drives. Audio Drives should be directly connected to a network for best results. Certain RAID drives may also not work or cause delays in playback.
• Large iTunes Libraries
• Amarra may have issues on playback with very large iTunes libraries (> 30,000 tracks). Using smaller playlists may address this.
• The Names field in the Playlist will not display non-latin characters.
• Some MP3 files may display an incorrect rate in a Playlist.
• There are still some issues with long file names not playing as expected.
• Some network drives may not work well with Amarra. The DroboShare is one example. This will be addressed in a future release of Amarra.
• 32 bit float format is not supported.
• There is a small issue in Amarra that may require the application be rebooted when left running for few days.

Supported Audio Formats

NOTE: Amarra supports uncompressed PCM files (AIFF, WAV, BWF), Apple Lossless (ALAC) and FLAC.

Support for converting FLAC files to AIFF conversion is provided. In addition, Amarra allows you to play FLAC files directly.

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