Audirvana Plus 2.0

I've been using Audirvana for years now (since 2009 when it was a free application) and recently upgraded to Audirvana Plus 2.0 paying upgrade fee for USD 39.00.
You can check it at  http://audirvana.com/ for full details.
I think it's worth to do that since this version is equipped with full visual interface to control and maintain all music files (include iTunes music if you want), especially for flac files.

Following is the screen shots of Preference and some setting arguments are extended with this upgrade.

You can choose converter as Apple core audio as well.

Interesting point is that disable functions are added to prevent stable playback if desired, NICE!

You can add folders to and delete to sync music file  with visual interface, SO NICE!

You can choose the order appearance as well.

This maybe the most convenient upgrade feature to maintain metadata visually!

iTunes Integrated Mode is still valid and you can see the old interface when you take it.

iFI Audio micro iDSD

I purchased this with reservation and got it when it was released.

Specification of this headphone amp is so powerful and I have no way to utilize full functionally active at this moment.

I use this one simply as a DAC for iPhone and macbook pro with micro iUSB and iTUBE.

I also use AirPlay with Airport via toslink cable since it's too easy for streaming music data with iPhone and macbook pro.

It comes with lots of cables and attachments.

and manual is so simple and this isn't enough for advanced users, so I refer the following page (in Japanese).

This is the decent review of this meaty monster, but written in Japanese, so you can use google translate to the language you'd like to read.

Purchased ifi-audio nano iDSD & iPurifier

I purchased ifi-audio nano iDSD to work with iPhone 5s and I found it's a perfect pair for listening Hi-res files (include DSD and DXD files) in mobile environment since it's a super versatile equipment.

This is the package I received. Looks like very resemble that of iPhone's (but bigger anyway). RCA cable, 2 rubber bands, USB cable (50cm), rubber shield, pouch is included in a box.

Other things you need to purchase is the followings;

1. Lightning to USB Camera Adapter, this is mandatory to enable USB connection with iPhone 5s.

2. ONKYO HF Player to extract and send music data to iDSD digitally. 

3. USB cable or USB A male to B male adaptor.

I purchased very short length USB cables which are as a sampler of Japanese audio magazine (HIVI), but they're still too long for mobile environment, so I recommend adaptor.

SUPRA USB 2.0

Zonotone 6N-USB

Setting with iPhone 5s is like the following;

Looks not so smart, but I believe this is the best setting currently available.

I use Etymotic research hf3 and it's quite good (although I used ER-4S before it's broken, hf3 got more bass and better for popular music and it's better for me anyway).

iDSD is equipped with lithium-polymer battery (1400mAh) and said it works more than 10 hours.

Note: Use in battery power mode, you need to power iDSD on first and if power it on later after USB connection, it worked in USB power mode.
According to ifi-audio it takes around 3 hours to charge full of the battery, but blue LED is still on after that and it maybe a issue. 

One thing I have to complain is that USB female port is so loose and I have to stabilize with damping stickers when to use with iPurifier.

In my audio set, I still use Apogee Mini-DAC  and I tried to compare the sound of 2 DACs and found the sound of nano iDSD is reflecting very current favour of the sound, which means rather thin but edgy, speedy and higher resolution compare to Mini-DAC (thick and very studio monitor like sound, used to be the standard of the recording studio i the world) . As I've been accustomed with the sound of Mini-DAC for 3 more years, it might get sometime to get used to it, but I think I will and iDSD can be worked as DDC!

Anyway, the sound via iPhone with nano iDSD is superb (without nano iDSD,  I feel something missing..), especially Hi-res files, but also much better with 16/44.1 files of mp3 (320kbps) or AAC (256kbps) files to playback.

Below is the preference of Audirvana Plus of MacBook Pro for your reference.

I purchased iPurifier as well for indoor listening and not quite sure it works fine since the difference of the sound is so subtle (in case the source is iPhone), but seems something effective in case the source is Mac (or PC) via USB port to reduce the noise floor but I'm not for sure it's cost effective anyway.

Note: I encountered iDSD can't work with iPurifier with my iPad (3rd gen) since when to playback a high resolution file which is higher than 24/88.2, frequent pop noise is on. So I forced to reinstall Onkyo HF Player (Flac Player as well) to resolve this issue. iOS apps are sometimes behaved like this and the only solution to address this kind of issue is to reinstall, it's totally a waist of time since reinstall apps means all uploaded hi-res files are needed to be upload again:(

So at this moment, I don't recommend to use iPurifier with iPad 3.

male B to mini male B exchange adaptor is included! 

green light is on

    

This is the very brief of the current setting and impressions so far and I'll continue to report some later.

Paul McCartney Kisses On The Bottom HiRes 96/24

Another Macca's release from topspin. I'm not sure but they always release tracks in WAV, not flac.
I would really like to hear this album @ iPhone, but it's not possible to transfer hires tracks via iTunes.
I recently purchased FLAC Player and it can play hires tracks (probably enable down sampling somehow) in excellent sound.
Naturally it can't play WAV, so I think it's a pity we have no choice  (not exactly true since HDTracks also released Hires version, but unfortunately, no bonus tracks provided!
Another Topspin's advantage is that they provide (just only 4 tracks of) Kisses On The Bottom: Live From Capitol Studios in Hires, they're taken from iTunes live broadcast.
Regarding tracks, I much prefer Macca's original songs not cover tunes, just because Paul sings in a falsetto in most cover tunes. 
Eric Clapton played guitar on "My Valentine" and Stevie Wonder played harmonica on "Only Our Hearts". Both songs are Paul's composition and highlight of this album.
You can see more details from the booklet.

Tracklist:

01. "I'm Gonna Sit Right Down and Write Myself a Letter" (Fred E. Ahlert, Joe Youn) 2:36
02. "Home (When Shadows Fall)" (Peter van Steeden, Jeff Clarkson, Harry Clarkson) 4:04
03. "It's Only a Paper Moon" (Harold Arlen, E. Y. Harburg, Billy Rose) 2:35
04. "More I Cannot Wish You" (Frank Loesser) 3:04
05. "The Glory of Love" (Billy Hill) 3:46
06. "We Three (My Echo, My Shadow and Me)" (Sammy Mysels, Dick Robertson, Nelson Cogane) 3:22
07. "Ac-Cent-Tchu-Ate the Positive" (Arlen, Johnny Mercer) 2:32
08. "My Valentine" (Paul McCartney) 3:14
09. "Always" (Irving Berlin) 3:50
10. "My Very Good Friend the Milkman" (Harold Spina, Johnny Burke) 3:04
11. "Bye Bye Blackbird" (Ray Henderson, Mort Dixon) 4:26
12. "Get Yourself Another Fool" (Haywood Henry, Monroe Tucker) 4:42
13. "The Inch Worm" (Loesser) 3:43
14. "Only Our Hearts" (McCartney) 4:21
 

Bonus tracks 

15. "Baby's Request" (McCartney) 3:30
16. "My One and Only Love" (Guy Wood, Robert Mellin) 3:50

Layla and Other Assorted Love Songs HiRes 96kHz/24bit

"...a rare thing in supergroups, a marquee combo with true superpowers: modern-blues virtuosity charged with the exultant lust and anguish of Southern R&B." -David Fricke, Rolling Stone, March 2011.



I purchased 40th anniversary box and hesitated to purchase Hires, but did it since HDTracks offered 15% off for 2 days.

Disc 1: Original LP (originally released as Polydor 2625 005 (U.K.)/Atco SD 2-704 (U.S.), 1970)

1. I Looked Away
2. Bell Bottom Blues
3. Keep on Growing
4. Nobody Knows You When You’re Down and Out
5. I Am Yours
6. Anyday
7. Key to the Highway
8. Tell the Truth
9. Why Does Love Got to Be So Sad?
10. Have You Ever Loved a Woman
11. Little Wing
12. It’s Too Late
13. Layla
14. Thorn Tree in the Garden

Disc 2: Bonus material (deluxe and super-deluxe editions only)

1. Mean Old World
2. Roll It Over
3. Tell the Truth
4. It’s Too Late (Live on “The Johnny Cash Show” – 11/5/1970) *
5. Got to Get Better in a Little While (Live on “The Johnny Cash Show” – 11/5/1970) *
6. Matchbox (with Johnny Cash & Carl Perkins) (Live on “The Johnny Cash Show” – 11/5/1970) *
7. Blues Power (Live on “The Johnny Cash Show” – 11/5/1970) *
8. Snake Lake Blues (New Mix) **
9. Evil (New Mix) **
10. Mean Old Frisco (New Mix) **
11. One More Chance (New Mix) **
12. Got to Get Better in a Little While (Jam) *
13. Got to Get Better in a Little While (New Mix) **

* previously unreleased recording ** newly remixed recording
Disc 2, Track 1 from The Layla Sessions (Polydor 847 083-2, 1990)
Disc 2, Tracks 2-3 from Atco single 45-6780 (U.K.), 1970
Disc 2, Tracks 8-11 and 13 originally released on Crossroads (Polydor 835 261-1, 1988)

Interview With Bill Levenson by Where's Eric

I think the difference between remastered CD & this HiRes edition is subtle, I can say slightly more natural and analog like sound, but the substance of the difference from previous release is tighter midrange, especially bass guitar sound is much clearer than before and auditory lateralization is also much much stable.
Recommended if you haven't got remastered CD album.

Stan Getz - Getz/Gilberto featuring Antonio Carlos Jobim (96kHz/24bit)

Getz/Gilberto won Album of the Year, Best Jazz Instrumental and Best Engineered Album, Non-Classical at the 1965 Grammy Awards. The single “The Girl from Ipanema” (featuring vocals from João’s wife Astrud) also won for Best Record of the Year. Released in 1964, Getz/Gilberto brought together American saxophonist Stan Getz and Brazilian guitarist João Gilberto, and also features Antonio Carlos Jobim on piano. The album spent 96 weeks on the charts and remains one of the best selling jazz albums of all time.

Yes, this is the definitive edition, recommended if you don't own this CD!