What's your favorite Apple-based music program?

Perhaps this is the news we have all been waiting for.

http://www.audiostream.com/content/jriver-apple

If true, it would be another good choice.

I just downloaded J River Media Center 18 for the 30 day trial. Has anyone switched over to JRiver MC 18 on a Mac based system. I just started the free trial ,so it is too early to make any comments yet.

I have but like you, just downloaded this week. I paid for mine since they offer license for the upcoming Mac version 19 which offers even better performance with improved memory play. I'm aware of this only because a beta tester for J River is a friend and keeps me informed.

I had Amarra and Channel D and to me the JRiver is more dynamic but I am not thrilled with the high frequencies. That being said, I'm using the lowly Oppo BDP-105 USB input so it serves as the primary DAC.

The same CD on the Oppo sounds better than ripped track played back via my Mac Mini. I've got several interface cables including those that came with my Oyen Digital plus Purist and Audioquest Diamond. The FireWire 800 cable from Audioquest is excellent and at this time the only aftermarket (audiophile) option I have for FireWire. For USB I have generic, a couple from Purist and the Audioquest Diamond.

Regardless of which I choose the tonal balance is unpleasant compared to spinning the CD. My files are Flac, ripped with no compression and include HD Tracks and other high quality sources as well.

I want this to work and hope a better DAC plus upcoming JRiver 19 bring this up to where I'm excited about the sound. Too much material on digital (only) to not have a way to listen and enjoy.

Albert, I still have to do more listening,but so far there is some good things going on with the J-River 18 and some not so good, that i have not put my finger on yet.The leading edges seem livelier than that of Audirvana,

Exactly, the leading edge is killing me. I'm getting more sibilance too compared to Channel D.

I love the JRiver interface and the fact it plays all files without need or permission from iTunes.

I hope release 19 improves things.

Clio09

Just for reference I am currently using an Oyen Digital 1TB HD connected via FW800 to a MacMini with a WyWires USB cable going to an Audiophilleo AP1 with Pure Power and then using a BNC to RCA adapter to connect directly to my Lessloss DAC bypassing the SPDIF digital cable. I did some upgrades to the MacMini as well.

I have MacMini with Audioquest Diamond USB and Purist Ultimate USB and also use Firewire 800. My FireWire is Audioquest Diamond and generic Oyen digital.

I have Oyen Digital twin bay with Oxford chip set and run two Hitachi Desk Star 4TB drives striped as single 8TB on desktop. I have 6.2TB currently including most of the HD Tracks and lots of CD rips.

Clio09

Albert, that is quite a bit of space. For me digital has never been my primary media, vinyl and now reel tape are. I know that you have both of those at your disposal as well.

Yes, I border on being totally anti digital. I want it to work because music exists on CD or download that's not available on LP or tape.

I don't think I have come close yet to maxing out my 1TB drive. Probably never will as I am not buying any new CDs.

The reason for so much space on my rig is there is zero compression. Think of FLAC with meta data but file size like WAV. I also have HD downloads that require more space than ripped CDs.

Sorry to hear about the issues with the leading edge. I was listening a bit last night and couldn't hear that in my setup. I am awaiting MC 19 for Mac so we will see how that goes.

I'm already invested in JRiver and if you look back a year in this thread you can see my excitement about it becoming available in Mac format.

I'm not trying to knock JRiver, I'm just being honest and don't know if this issue is due to interface with Oppo BDP USB input as my primary DAC or software rip or software playback (JRiver).

The fact Raytheprinter mentioned hardness or brightness triggered my response since that was my impression. It could easily be that you do not have this issue. Perhaps your DAC or cables or even the rips you use.

Digital is supposed to be easy but I swear it's more difficult for me than analog. I always get analog to work and sound superb but I've only had digital in my system work near perfect one time. Unfortunately cost caused me to dismiss it.

Raytheprinter
Thanks Albert,Im looking forward to doing plenty of listening to JRiver next 24 days,heard many good things concerning the Windows version.

JRiver is working on making the new Mac version 19 the equal of Windows version in every way, at least as far as music playback goes.

JRiver board posted the following about the upcoming revision:

MC18 Mac uses the Posix regular expression engine, which has limitations.

Our hope is for MC19 Mac to use the Boost regular expression engine, the same as Windows.

Perhaps this is why the Mac version works well but perhaps not 100% on sonics? We shall soon see, the new version is due in the next few weeks and I've already paid for mine.

Clio09
Albert, I have uncompressed files and HD hirez files as well. I never had more than a few hundred CDs to begin with so 1TB should last a while.

Understood.

In general I am happy with Jriver bugs and all. Being in the software business most of my life I am used to bugs and bad UIs. At least Jriver has a nice UI. I suspect the Mac version will never be as good as the PC version though.

I have absolutely no gripe about JRiver software, everything they promised it would do, is working on my rig.

Even the iPad application that replaces Apple Remote works perfect. In fact it's superior to the genuine Apple Remote. While listening you can access artist info and technical data by pressing a button.

This does not have to be entered by the user, It's done via internet and avoids searching for the CD jacket for info.

Last, If the Windows version is an absolutely must have, then I'll add a partition to my HD and buy a copy of Windows.

Macs also run Linux so whatever works, but I plan on leaving well enough alone until JRiver updates are complete before final judgement.

My only objection is the high frequencies, perhaps that will be resolved with implementation and coding for the new Boost regular expression engine.

Funny the JRemote app is where I encounter many issues I have had with JRiver. Sometimes the album art is screwed up and sometimes I can't switch songs.

Interesting, my JRiver remote app works well, even better than Apple Remote (now uninstalled).

Apple Remote and Channel D were always crashing or stalling when I switched tracks or else "handshaking" had to be revisited to get it to play.

I HATED having to drag FLAC and WAV into Channel D so iTunes would play it. I choked Channel D a couple of times, dragging too many albums in for tagging at one time. Results were songs and art out of order and sometimes a completely different album would begin playing for no apparent reason.

I think album cover images load faster on JRiver via iPad too. For instance when you open the iPad and press the letter "S' it jumps to that page and all the albums that match load.

With Apple Remote there was a delay, almost as if the program was trying to fill in all the data between "A" and "S" before reaching that page.

I uninstalled Amarra, Channel D and cleaned out iTunes library and preferences before installing JRiver. I have all that backed up on a drive but I don't think I want to go back, unless the brightness thing cannot be resolved.

My 8TB drive is at a friends home for backup. When I get it back I'll go through the features again. I just started exploring this a week ago but spent nearly two years with Amarra and Channel D before JRiver.