Amarra for iTunes at RMAF...


As my listening habits are split about 70% from iTunes and 30% vinyl I was pretty excited to see Stereomojo report on the new Amarra software for iTunes that can increase the sound quality of your digital music.

http://www.stereomojo.com/Rocky%20Mountain%20Audio%20Fest%202009%20Show%20Report%20/RockyMountainAudioFest2009ShowReport.htm

I was somewhat less excited to see that the price tag on this software add-on is almost $1k. Has anyone heard the Amarra software and have thoughts on if it's worth this price? Are there any similar products out there for a more reasonable price?

Happy listening!
jmleonard400
Yes they do offer a demo/trial version:
http://www.sonicstudio.com/amarra/index.html
Interesting. I am heading towards iTunes eventually. (Time to dump the 5 CD Megachangers) If I eventually go this route then I will need room modal correction for the bass signals - so I anticipate I will need a pro quality digital Paremetric EQ plug-in for iTunes (I like to be able to set frequency and Q as well as depth of notch filters precisely). Does one exist? Or is Amarra it?

FWIW: I ran tests recently with serving lossless from a wireless NAS 1 TB HDD to iTunes and played wirelessly via an Airport express with Toslink to a Benchmark DAC1. Extensive testing (flicking between optical sources with a remote from listening chair) has convinced me that there is no audible sound difference (to me) between a CD Toslink to DAC1 and the same CD burned (with error correction set to on) into iTunes and played lossless via a Airport Express toslink to DAC1.

Of course, I did not try a magic green marker on the CD's and my toslink cables were different in both type and length too - so my tests are probably invalidated for most folks with golden ears.