Pure music audio software for mac users
Posted by: Trylobyte on 11 July 2010
What is the general consensus of opinion on this software? I am currently trying it out on their free 15 day trial. Apart from the odd operational glitch, it appears to improve the sound in terms naturalness, detail, bass depth and control and helps with itunes upper-mid glare, a characteristic of the stock itunes sound. With my Nait 5i, Russ Andrews DAC and Dynaudio Focus 110's the difference is clearly audible. I'm tempted by what I've heard so far!
Posted on: 11 July 2010 by scottyhammer
I have been using PM for some time now and was using its big brother Pure vinyl before that and can highly recommend it.
The stripped down Pure music version is excellent value for money and lifts performance of i-tunes up quite a bit IMHO.
Posted on: 11 July 2010 by james n
Its good - makes sure you are running in memory play mode - that really nails it. At its current price its a no brainer - you may want to give Amarra a try too - both sound different.
James
Posted on: 11 July 2010 by scottyhammer
Dont forget to give "hog mode" a try too
Posted on: 11 July 2010 by garyi
What you are basically describing is a Graphic Equaliser, oh how the worm turns in this game eh?
Posted on: 11 July 2010 by scottyhammer
No its not actually Garyi....have you tried it ?
Posted on: 12 July 2010 by u6213129461734706
I have both, hear a slight improvement over iTunes, it's definitely not an equalizer.
Dave
Posted on: 12 July 2010 by manicatel
Just started dabbling with PM at the moment, using the free trial version. There are a few things I still have to get my head around, eg Hog mode, Memory playback, Less is more etc, & whether PM works in Front Row or not.
Doing an A-B comparison between PM & i-tunes doesn't seem particularly simple.
I think PM makes things sound better, but not quite sure as to how or why yet!
Like I said, its VERY early days for me with all this computer set-up.
Dave...
Expect an invite up to mine shortly. The music room no longer looks like Beirut!!!
Matt.
Posted on: 12 July 2010 by scottyhammer
Matt,
Looking forward to it and doing a bit of tweaking for you
All the best, Dave
p.s. You should update your profile.
Posted on: 12 July 2010 by manicatel
Dave
Good point, well taken.
Profile now up-to-date.
See you soon.
Matt.
Posted on: 12 July 2010 by garyi
With the correct settings itunes delivers a bit perfect audio. So if these products are improving the sound and its not a graphic equaliser, but its changing the sound (Dealing with mid bloom?? for instance) what is it exactly?
Posted on: 13 July 2010 by james n
So do players like Amarra & PM Gary - it's easily verifiable with the latest Weiss Firmware playing test files. 2 years or so ago when i started to use a computer as a source, the fact that iTunes produced a 'bit perfect' output was enough for me and recovery of the SPDIF data was more of an issue. With the Weiss, the SPDIF issues are gone as its requesting data from the host computer and so controlling data flow. It's still sensitive to what the computer is doing and whether this is just down to what the code does, or (as i suspect is more likely) the subsequent change in the spectrum of noise produced by the computer itself as the processor loading varies.
One other thing i've found is the Weiss prefers a 4 wire Firewire cable instead of a full 6 wire cable (data only, no power). Firewire normally has two twisted pair data connections and an additional power and ground to allow the source device to power devices on the Firewire bus.
The Weiss doesn't need the power connections and just removing them at the computer end by using a 6-4 pin adapter stops a lot of crap from the power rails being coupled onto the data lines.
This may be why some find that software players don't make as much as a difference with a galvanically isolated connection (such as toslink) compared to USB / Firewire / Coax.
As with all of these - try it for yourself. You may well be suprised.
James
Posted on: 13 July 2010 by bigfella
I've been using Pure Music 1.45 on my headless Mac Mini serving my SuperNait.
It does sound better to me, fuller sound, wider soundstage, and the Hi Def playback w/o having to restart iTunes is a real plus.
BUT it isn't all pluses I'm afraid. It has virtually always crashed if I don't play any music for >24hours, meaning I have to get the laptop out and reconnect to the Mini. It doesn't sync very well with the Remote app on my iPhone or Touch (in terms of keeping up with which track is playing at any time), and you can't use remote speakers if needed as the software puts a delay in the playback. This last one isn't too much of an issue as I just play from one of my Apple TVs if I want multiple speakers at parties etc., bypassing the Pure Music.
To be honest I've binned it at the moment, will try it again next update.
John
Posted on: 13 July 2010 by js
quote:
Originally posted by james n:
So do players like Amarra & PM Gary - it's easily verifiable with the latest Weiss Firmware playing test files. 2 years or so ago when i started to use a computer as a source, the fact that iTunes produced a 'bit perfect' output was enough for me and recovery of the SPDIF data was more of an issue. With the Weiss, the SPDIF issues are gone as its requesting data from the host computer and so controlling data flow. It's still sensitive to what the computer is doing and whether this is just down to what the code does, or (as i suspect is more likely) the subsequent change in the spectrum of noise produced by the computer itself as the processor loading varies.
One other thing i've found is the Weiss prefers a 4 wire Firewire cable instead of a full 6 wire cable (data only, no power). Firewire normally has two twisted pair data connections and an additional power and ground to allow the source device to power devices on the Firewire bus.
The Weiss doesn't need the power connections and just removing them at the computer end by using a 6-4 pin adapter stops a lot of crap from the power rails being coupled onto the data lines.
This may be why some find that software players don't make as much as a difference with a galvanically isolated connection (such as toslink) compared to USB / Firewire / Coax.
As with all of these - try it for yourself. You may well be suprised.
James
Well said. It's surprising how much we don't know as to why these differences exist. I think you have the best possible arrangement to hear diffs with a MAC so I suspect tos may just do a bit of minor masking. We've always used 4p at the source with external ps.
Rips, sound of drives etc. is even more surprising and not something I can explain.
Posted on: 13 July 2010 by CharlieP
I am using Pure Vinyl with iTunes on a macbook, occasionally controlled from my iPhone with Remote. It is well worth the cost IMO. I enable memory play.
I wass hesitant to even try upsampling. But, to my surprise, I have made 88.2K my default sample rate, and it sounds "more analog" "less digital" with no compromise in pace or coherence to my ears. I am a happy camper!
There are occasional software glitch's (which cause PV to exit), but I restart PV and all is well. I am using the v3 pre-release of PV. I think the only functionality I have lost when using PV is to simultaneously send musiv to an airport express in another room in the house.
I have not yet used the vinyl ripping features in PV, but hope to start that soon. There are other "interesting" features which may be useful to some. They can utilize a number of the Apple Audio Units, such as equalizers, and crossovers, and can support multi-output DAC's for subwoofers or active systems. The crossover filter selection is rather limiting, however. I can not comment on how these sound or function.
Posted on: 13 July 2010 by u6213129461734706
I like PV quite a bit, MacBook to USB M-Audio and on to the Nait. Haven't had any glitches. Using Hybrid memory, sounds great. Interesting review of it in the latest Stereophile, with Mr. Fremer and company. Channel D is the creator of PV, and offers an interesting response to the review, in the same issue.
Dave
Posted on: 15 July 2010 by Geoff P
Thinking of Pure Vinyl to archive my LPs aswell.
Do you need a MAC desktop with a swish sound card to do this well or can you get a good result with a MAC portable's built in sound procesing?... and what conection ( eg USB) should be used on a Mac?
Asked by a PC slave who thinks this maybe THE REASON at last for swapping to MAC and deoasn't really understand their subtlties yet.
Posted on: 15 July 2010 by pcstockton
While I am sure it is possible to use standard inputs and something like Garage Band, I would guess a PC (or Mac Desktop) with a decent PCI card for the ADC process would be advisable.
Posted on: 15 July 2010 by Eloise
quote:
Originally posted by Geoff P:
Do you need a MAC desktop with a swish sound card to do this well or can you get a good result with a MAC portable's built in sound procesing?... and what conection ( eg USB) should be used on a Mac?
Pure Vinyl (in fact most Mac based recording systems) will work using any Core Audio supported audio hardware - so yes you can use the built in sound card, but for best results an external FireWire device is usually preferable.
Eloise
Posted on: 15 July 2010 by Geoff P
THks Guys
Sorry for posting the same question on two different threads. Excellent info
regards
Geoff
