Audiophile music player for Windows/Mac and your opinion...

[jhaider]

Apple Music. It plays my library as well as offering streaming tracks in Atmos, across all of the systems on our network.

Apple Music also doesn’t waste UI elements or resources to implement parametric EQ. I consider that feature a demerit not a virtue in a player software. A source player is a very stupid place to put EQ to calibrate a system (as opposed to tone controls that adjust the spectral balance of a given musical selection to taste - that can make sense in a player) because if you have either multiple sources or multiple systems you’re likely to often be using the wrong EQ).

 

[stringham]

JRiver, for management of a large classical library and for built-in EQ. But I do dread trying to do anything new with it, and having to wade through the forum for answers.

I forgot JRiver's WDM, which allows me to send Deezer (and anything else) through JRiver.

 

[JeremyFife]

Currently choosing between Foobar and JRiver. Is it possible to get Foobar to display the same sort of Album View that JRiver gives - I like that (I'm shallow)

 

[rwortman]

Apple Music. It plays my library as well as offering streaming tracks in Atmos, across all of the systems on our network.

Apple Music also doesn’t waste UI elements or resources to implement parametric EQ. I consider that feature a demerit not a virtue in a player software. A source player is a very stupid place to put EQ to calibrate a system (as opposed to tone controls that adjust the spectral balance of a given musical selection to taste - that can make sense in a player) because if you have either multiple sources or multiple systems you’re likely to often be using the wrong EQ).

Roon EQ is attached to the player. Every stream to a player gets its own EQ.

 

[Berwhale]

Roon EQ is attached to the player. Every stream to a player gets its own EQ.

I use system wide EQ (eAPO on Windows 11) because I want to apply the same EQ for my speakers, headphones or IEMs no matter what player i'm using (MusicBee, PlexAmp, Spotify, Chrome browser, etc.).

I've moved to the same model for mobile listening, I EQ on my Qudelix 5K and it doesn't matter what player i'm using on my phone or tablet (the exception being my Samsung Buds Pro/Live which are EQ'd in PowerAmp)

For me, EQing in a player only makes sense if the whole device is dedicated to hosting the player.

 

[PaperBoat]

What DSP does it have that Roon doesn’t. What library management functions? Volume leveling? Youtube streaming is needed inside my music server to me. I do get that others listen to a lot of music this way.

Is Roon capable of VST plugins?

 

[PaperBoat]

Currently choosing between Foobar and JRiver. Is it possible to get Foobar to display the same sort of Album View that JRiver gives - I like that (I'm shallow)

If you are trying Foobar 64-bit then currently you're out of luck...

 

[Vacceo]

I use VLC out of pure convenience.

 

[PaperBoat]

I use system wide EQ (eAPO on Windows 11)

Using system wide EQ means compromising your audio quality...

 

[PaperBoat]

I use VLC out of pure convenience.

VLC is mainly for videos playback...

 

[Berwhale]

Using system wide EQ means compromising your audio quality...

Well that's debatable... https://www.audiosciencereview.com/...nding-the-windows-audio-quality-debate.19438/

 

[tuskenraider]

Old skool simple here.......Winamp with a WASAPI plug-in for output. Milkdrop visualization spinning on the 82" TV while sipping a beverage.

 

[PaperBoat]

Old skool simple here.......Winamp with a WASAPI plug-in for output. Milkdrop visualization spinning on the 82" TV while sipping a beverage.

Nice tool for meditation...

 

[AudioBoy]

Is it possible to get Foobar to display the same sort of Album View that JRiver gives - I like that (I'm shallow)

maybe you would like to try AIMP

 

[MAB]

I use JRiver. It seems to organize my tracks in a way that I find familiar. I'm not sure it is the best, but I like it.
I use external DSP.
My collection is mostly my CDs ripped to AIFF. With other stuff collected along the way. Quite a few titles.
I use Foobar occasionally.

 

[PaperBoat]

I use JRiver. It seems to organize my tracks in a way that I find familiar. I'm not sure it is the best, but I like it.
I use external DSP.
My collection is mostly my CDs ripped to AIFF. With other stuff collected along the way. Quite a few titles.
I use Foobar occasionally.

Why not trying VSTs?

 

[Vacceo]

VLC is mainly for videos playback...

It works quite well with CD´s.

 

[sarumbear]

I still wonder if "bit-perfect" is the last and only thing that any music player needs then why developers are bothering themselves to update/ upgrade their players? Why we are throwing our hard-earned money at them whenever they get updated? How could a music player deliver "better audio" when it's already doing "bit-perfect"? Why upgrade?

Bug eradication, OS compatibility, UI improvements, extra functionality… but not to increase data quality.

You are bothered with something you do not understand. Players do not affect sound quality. Codec and source does.

 

[sarumbear]

I use system wide EQ (eAPO on Windows 11) because I want to apply the same EQ for my speakers, headphones or IEMs no matter what player i'm using (MusicBee, PlexAmp, Spotify, Chrome browser, etc.).

I've moved to the same model for mobile listening, I EQ on my Qudelix 5K and it doesn't matter what player i'm using on my phone or tablet (the exception being my Samsung Buds Pro/Live which are EQ'd in PowerAmp)

For me, EQing in a player only makes sense if the whole device is dedicated to hosting the player.

That’s not EQ then, not even tone control, you want to alter what producers gave you. That’s not a player function, at all.

 

[sarumbear]

VLC is mainly for videos playback...

Why?