To further explain, most multipurpose computers running operating systems like macOS, Windows, and Ubuntu (a full version of Linux with a GUI) are designed to almost anything within the limits of the hardware. So, adding an application on top of that to further process the sound or bypass the OS is inherently antithetical to the minimalist design of such devices and, yes, even inferior to the excellent music-processing algorithms built into distributed music-serving software like Roon. That doesn’t mean they don’t exist or that they can make a music server based on a multipurpose computer sound better, but bridge devices, streaming DAC’s, and everything made by Aurender actually are stripped down computers with an operating system already optimized for playing music. Now that many people use NAS’s with bridge devices or streaming DAC’s, or all-in-one music servers like the Aurender N10, you don’t hear so much about Amarra, Audirvana Plus, and Pure Music anymore. They all worked a little bit differently generally relying on proprietary or semi-proprietary music-processing algorithms, generally but not always running on top of iTunes, and frequently bypassing macOS’s Core Audio functions, which had its own set of sonic limitations. Not long ago, when most home music servers used MacBook Pros or Mac minis, third-party applications like Amarra, Audirvana Plus, and Pure Music (or JRiver Media Player for Windows) helped to bring out the best in your collection of music downloads and, in some cases, offered integration of streaming services like Spotify or TIDAL. Twitter Facebook Email Print LinkedIn Pinterest SMS WhatsApp

Amarra player