Setting up your music library

Amarra provides several options for setting up your music library.

ENABLING ITUNES MODE (MAC Only)

Use the Apple Music/iTunes interface for library management and track selection while taking advantage of the powerful Amarra engine for superior playback quality.

Use the Amarra Luxe->Windows pulldown menu and select Enable iTunes Mode

Select Minimize Amarra to display just the Amarra transport window and attach to the bottom of iTunes.

IMPORTING LOCAL MUSIC

For better sonic quality, you can import your music into your Amarra library. There are 2 methods of adding your local music to your Amarra Luxe Library. Note that no copies are made of any music tracks, only track information is stored so the track can be retrieved for playback.

1. Scan For Music
   • Best for loading your entire library including tracks not supported by iTunes such as FLAC, MQA and files
2. Scan iTunes
   • Best if using Apple Music/iTunes Playlists and all of your music is supported by iTunes.

From the Settings->General Window

1. SCAN FOR MUSIC - Scan For Music allows you to scan and import your entire music library into Amarra Luxe by selecting your music folders.
   • Click the SCAN FOR MUSIC button
   • Navigate to desired music folder and click Open
   • Your music library will be saved when scan completes
2. ADD TO LIBRARY - Once you have a library established, use the ADD TO LIBRARY button to add additional tracks or music folders to your library
   • Use the Amarra Luxe → Window → Save menu command when completed to save your changes. Note that changes will be saved automatically when you quit Amarra Luxe.
3. SCAN ITUNES - Scan your Apple Music/iTunes library for Tracks, Artwork, Artists and Playlists and import them into Amarra Luxe
   • Click the SCAN iTUNES button
   • At the Finder or Explorer window, navigate to and select your iTunes Library.xml or Library.xml file
   • (NOTE: If using Apple Music, select File → Library → Export Library from the Music toolbar to create your Library.xml file. If using iTunes, ensure iTunes Preferences → Advanced tab, 'Share iTunes Library XML with other applications' is selected to create an iTunes Library.xml file.)
   • Your .xml file will be scanned, imported and saved as part of the process
4. CLEAR SONGS - Use CLEAR SONGS to remove Songs, Albums, and Artists from your current library
   • Playlists are not removed
   • TIDAL and Qobuz tracks are not removed, log out of your TIDAL or Qobuz account to remove associated tracks from your library.

ACCESSING YOUR TIDAL, QOBUZ and nugs.net (coming soon) EXTERNAL ACCOUNTS

Amarra Luxe uniquely provides access to your TIDAL, QOBUZ or nugs.net account (coming soon).

Your Local, TIDAL and Qobuz tracks can be displayed all together or independently by using the Triangular icon in the upper right corner of the Amarra Luxe window.

ACCESSING YOUR TIDAL or Qobuz Account

From the Settings->Accounts window:

• Enter your credentials for each account in the spaces provided
• Click the Login button to log into your account.
• Content and Local Library content will be integrated in your Amarra Library. Your Local, TIDAL and Qobuz tracks can be displayed independently using the Triangular icon in the upper right corner of the Amarra Luxe window.
• De-select 'Show TIDAL Tabs' or 'Show Qobuz Tabs' to remove the associated links from the left hand column.
• If you don't have a TIDAL account or Qobuz account, free full function trials are available. Follow the links to each provider to sign up for a free trial.

Setting your Output Sound Device

On your first launch of Amarra Luxe or if you wish to change your output device or buffer size:

• On the Settings->General Window - Click the "Device Settings" button to bring up Device Settings Window
• Set your Output Device
• Set the Input Device to <<none>> (Windows Only)
• Select Buffer Size (512 or 1024 recommended) or use the default selected by your device
• Click on Reset Device to reset the connection between Amarra and your DAC
• Use Exclusive Mode to restrict access to Sound Output Device. Not recommended for built in ouptut.
• Use ‘Use Device Volume’ to enable remote volume control of your USB HID compliant DAC from Amarra Luxe.

Windows Device Setup

On Windows additional information is required. Refer to your Audio Hardware Device Manual for information on which Driver Type to select.

Audio Device Type
• Windows Audio / Windows Audio (Exclusive Mode)
• DirectSound
• ASIO

Input Device
• When using ASIO an Input Device needs to be selected

1. My Music Library

SCAN FOR MUSIC

• Choose a music folder and click Scan to import tracks into your library
• NOTE: The following file formats are NOT imported, see AmarraSkipFiles.txt, located in your Amarra Luxe application folder, for more details :
  *see support section on file conversion tips
  • Protected Files (DRM)
  • DSD/DFF Files, convert to DSD/DSF
  • Track sample rate < 44k
• NOTE: Use CANCEL to stop a scan in progress
  

SCAN ITUNES

• Click on the Scan iTunes Library button, navigate to and select your iTunes Library.xml file to scan your iTunes library for Tracks, Albums, Artwork, and Playlists and import them into Amarra Luxe
• NOTE: Your iTunes library needs to be shared with Amarra Luxe in order to be scanned
  • Go to iTunes Preferences → Advanced tab and select 'Share iTunes Library XML with other applications’
• NOTE: Use CANCEL to stop a scan in progress
  

ADD TO LIBRARY

• Choose the folder you wish to scan for additional tracks to add to your library
• Use the Amarra Luxe → Window → Save menu command when completed to save your changes
• NOTE: Use CANCEL to stop a scan in progress
  

CLEAR SONGS

• Clears all tracks and metadata
• Does not clear Playlists or TIDAL/Qobuz tracks/albums/...

2. Devices

• Use Device Volume
  • Unchecked: Uses Amarra Luxe digital volume control with our professional Noise Shaped Dither applied
  • Checked: If DAC supports software volume control (USB HID Compliant), then Amarra Luxe will not apply volume and instead inform DAC of volume changes
• Exclusive Access
  • Checked: Amarra Luxe will attempt to get Exclusive Access to the DAC
  • Unchecked: Amarra Luxe does not attempt Exclusive Access to the DAC (Recommend NOT checking when Built-In Output is used)

3. Processing Controls

Upsample

• Amarra Luxe can upsample your audio to a higher sample rate
  • Upsampling is based on the capabilities of your output device
  • The upsample is limited to a maximum of 176.4kHz/192kHz sample rates

DSD/PCM Filter Gain

• Adjusts gain of DSD->PCM Conversion filter curve

DSP Bypass

• Unchecked: Volume, EQ and all processing are enabled
• Checked: All processing is bypassed
  • Required for MQA playback with an MQA Enabled DAC otherwise the indicator on DAC may not show valid MQA
  • NOTE: Amarra Luxe reloads the current playlist when toggling DSP Bypass, the user may need to restart playback.

Passthrough MQA

• Unchecked: Amarra Luxe performs the MQA Software Decode
  • If you don't have an MQA DAC, then you should leave this unchecked to allow Amarra Luxe to perform the MQA Software Decode
  • If you have an MQA Renderer DAC, then you should leave this unchecked
• Checked: Disable MQA Software Decoder
  • If you have an MQA Decoder DAC you should check this to allow your DAC to do the Full Decode
  • NOTE: In Device Settings MQA Enabled DACs will show an MQA Icon. In addition, the MQA Passthrough will be set appropriately.

4. Updates

• Highly recommended to check for updates on launch
• Click Manage License to access Software Activation screen and Activate, Deactivate, or Refresh a License after Upgrade

5. Amarra Remote - now Amarra Play

Powerful iOS based app allows for Downloading to your mobile device for offline playack, Streaming playback to your mobile device when connected to Amarra Luxe and Remote Control of Amarra Luxe and Amarra sQ+. Visit our website for more information on Amarra Play.

The free version brings features like:

• Access local iOS Apple Music tracks or use iTunes to download FLAC files.
• Support up to 96 kHz
• Advertisement Free
• EQ with 6 presets

In-App Purchase brings advanced features:

• MQA decoding up to 96 kHz
• Upsampling
• Noise Reduction, Full Dither Control, and more (coming soon v1.8)
• Professional 4-Band Equalizer

Notes about Amarra Play

• Acceessed via the iOS app store
• Highly recommended to check enable remote
• Ensure both your computer and iDevice are on the same local area network via wi-fi
• Launch Amarra Luxe first, then launch Amarra Play. Your devices will pair automatically

MQA Indicator light

• No MQA Logo and indicator light: MQA stream is not detected
• MQA Logo and green indicator light: valid MQA stream detected
• MQA Logo and blue indicator light: fully authenticated MQA stream is detected (you can be sure you are hearing exactly what the artist approved in the studio)

The Transport Panel shows the current track information and album art

• Click on image to see larger version
• Click on Track / Album to go to Album page

Transport Panel shows the Position, Volume, and Playback Sample Rate. Also offers controls for Repeating or Shuffling. Current EQ,DSP, MQA, or Scan Progress might be shown in the message area.

NOTE: You can also access the transport commands using the Transport menu at the top of screen or using your Mac/Windows keyboard (See Application Menu Bar section below).

MQA Indicators:

• MQA Mode can be set to 'Decode' or 'Passthrough' in Settings (see above section for instructions)
• MQA Status will show green when valid MQA is detected and blue when the file is fully authenticated.
• Sample rates
  • Original Sample Rate is shown to the right of MQA Status
  • Output Sample Rate (the rate you hear) is shown beneath the Repeat and Shuffle buttons

My Music - Songs, Albums, Artists, and Playlists

Use navigation along the left sidebar or the overhead tabs to view your music library by:

• Songs
• Albums
• Artists
• Playlists
• Now Playing

TIDAL Tracks, Albums, Artists, and Playlists

Use TIDAL navigation along the left sidebar or the overhead tabs to view your TIDAL library by:

• TIDAL Tracks - New / Recommended / Top 20
• Albums - New / Recommended / Top 20 / Masters
• Genres
• Moods
• TIDAL Favorites (My Music) are displayed along with local files

Qobuz Discover, Purchased, Playlists and Library

Use Qobuz navigation along the left sidebar or the overhead tabs to view your Qobuz library by:

• Discover and Purchased independently accessible
• Downloaded music and Playlists integrated in Amarra Luxe library
• Can be displayed independently

Now Playing

The Now Playing View displays the currently playing tracklist

• This is the Playlist / Album / Song list from which play was started
• Currently this feature is not a play queue (as it is in Spotify)

Search

Search your local library, TIDAL library and Qobuz library for Tracks, Albums, Artists and Playlists.

1. Click the search icon in the upper, right corner
2. Start typing your query into the text field
3. Select the search parameters (Artists, Albums, Tracks, & Playlists) you wish to include in your results
4. Search TIDAL and Qobuz
    NOTE: Hit Return Key to initiate search
5. View and click your desired result
6. Close Search by clicking the right arrow at the bottom of the search window

Using Search

• Artists - Returns one entry for each unique musician combination containing search criteria. Click on entry to display all works by that Artist
• Albums - Returns Albums with search criteria in album name
• Tracks - Returns Tracks with search criteria in track name
• Playlists - Returns Playlists with search criteria in Playlist name

Using Playlists

From Playlists View

• Click 'Create Playlist' button
• Type name for your new playlist
• Click 'Create'

Adding Tracks from Songs, Albums, or Artists Views

• Click three vertical dots to the right of the track you wish to add to a playlist
• To create a new playlist:
  • Select 'Create playlist'
  • Click 'Create playlist'
  • Type name for your new playlist
  • Click 'Create'
• To add to an existing playlist:
  • Select 'Add to playlist'
  • Click dropdown arrow
  • Scroll to and select playlist form list
  • Click 'Add'

Advance and Reverse Navigation

Re-trace your steps as you navigate through Artists, Albums, Songs, and Playlists pages using the "<" and ">"

Card Size

Choose between small and large artwork card sizes

Local/TIDAL/Qobuz Filter

Choose between All, Local, TIDAL and Qobuz filters

Refresh

Click the Refresh icon to refresh your page view. Some instances in which you might want to refresh are:

• During a scan to view new music as it loads
• After you add Music to a previously loaded library

Application Menu Bar

There are three Application Menus giving you additional commands

1. Window
   • EQ - Access the EQ window
   • IRC - Access the iRC Filter Bank
   • Device Settings - Access the Device Settings window
   • License - Manage your trial or permanent Amarra Luxe license
   • Pairing - Display the pairing window for the Amarra Remote
   • Fit to Screen - fits the Amarra library window to full screen
   • Launch in Browser - launches Amarra in your default Browser. NOTE: CHROME is strongly recommended when using Browser Mode
   • Minimize Amarra - minimizes the Amarra library window and locks the Amarra transport window to your iTunes window
   • Enable iTunes Mode - provides use of iTunes UI to select tracks for playback in Amarra Luxe
   • Save - Saves any recent changes to your Library
   • Preferences - Access to the Settings window
2. Transport
   Control playback with these commands or learn their keyboard shortcuts
   • Play/Pause (Spacebar)
   • Stop (⌘.)
   • Next Track (⌘→)
   • Previous Track (⌘←)
   • Mute (⌘M)
   • Volume Up (⌘↑)
   • Volume Down (⌘↓)
3. Help
   • User Manual - access the Amarra Luxe online user manual
   • Amarra FAQ - access our Amarra FAQ and Knowledge Base
   • Amarra Setup - access the Amarra Setup page in the User Manual

EQ Presets include:

Amarra Luxe includes an advanced Mastering Equalizer allowing you to customze your own EQ settings.

EQ Presets

Following are the curves used for each of the available presets:

Flat	Dance	Alpha Dog	Etymotic
Acoustic	Jazz	Apple Earpods	Grado
Bass Booster	Mac Laptop	LCD-2	KEF
Classical	Rock	LCD-3	Bass Reducer