• Welcome to ASR. There are many reviews of audio hardware and expert members to help answer your questions. Click here to have your audio equipment measured for free!

Mac Music Library Software Advice

I use Apple Music for streaming but I also have a large collection of music files that I value for the specific masterings, or because they’re vinyl rips of pressings I like, or unique hi-res versions, or not available on Apple Music.

My solution for the Mac is to maintain two separate Apple Music libraries, one for streaming that also sync to iPhone and iPad, and a separate library containing my own music files with syncing and iCloud turned off. Experience has taught me to never give Apple access to my own files to upload or convert or otherwise mix in with the music in the streaming library in the cloud — they can’t be trusted not to mess things up.
 
For the first statement, I found Evermusic, but there are things I do not like about it. Does anyone use it?

Apple Music allows me to upload any files I want to, it just transcodes them to CD (lossless) quality.
Looking at Evermusic all is is doing is storing the files themselves in generic cloud storage. This gets expensive fast for example Apple’s prices in the UK are per month

50¬GB: £0.99
200¬GB: £2.99
2¬TB: £8.99
6¬TB: £26.99
12¬TB: £54.99
 
Ha, that’s not over the top. I have mine
- on my server
- synced to the cloud
- synced nightly to a “hot” external drive
- synched monthly to two “cold” external drives, one of which I keep at work.

Thank you for letting me know I’m not alone :)

I have a “cold” backup of my physical media too I guess.

IMG_8977.jpeg
 
they can’t be trusted not to mess things up.

I noticed some wonkiness right away when I upgraded to the .99 a month cloud/access to their library feature. I have a decent sized library and I know it back to front mostly. I started digital in 2005 and at first when I ripped CDs (A-F maybe of groups alphabetically) I didn’t know about lossless. I found out quickly and re ripped most everything. When I converted to their service my stuff mostly shows as lossless but I know it’s mine sometimes because of a skip or click during playback of a certain song in most cases. Some of my stuff I did not ever care to go back and re-rip lossless now shows up as lossless. I started keeping my purchases saved in a separate place as well after that.
 
I use Apple Music for streaming but I also have a large collection of music files that I value for the specific masterings, or because they’re vinyl rips of pressings I like, or unique hi-res versions, or not available on Apple Music.

My solution for the Mac is to maintain two separate Apple Music libraries, one for streaming that also sync to iPhone and iPad, and a separate library containing my own music files with syncing and iCloud turned off. Experience has taught me to never give Apple access to my own files to upload or convert or otherwise mix in with the music in the streaming library in the cloud — they can’t be trusted not to mess things up.
Are you running two different Macs, each with its own Apple Music library? Otherwise, how do you have two different Apple Music libraries on the same Mac?
 
Is there any good consensus on an Apple Music replacement for managing my own music files that would be stored on a cloud service...
Yes, create your own..... having a NAS gives you that and many other cool options. I use a Synology NAS, a Raid configuration increase security of your files, i can access my music, movies, books, computers back-ups from home and outside my home using any computer, laptop, tablet or cellphone. You have many options to stream your music, currently I am using "Music Assistant" which has integration to most important streaming services, including apple music, so you can chose if you want to listen your own stored music or theirs and you do not have to pay a cloud subscription.
 
it transcodes any higher resolution files to CD quality when you upload to the cloud

I also have a large collection of music files that I value for the specific masterings, or because they’re vinyl rips of pressings I like,
Years ago, somebody told me that if you upload your vinyl rips they will be replaced by Apple's library version and you'll get back a clean digital version with no "snap", "crackle", "pop", or hiss! I'm not an Apple guy and I never tried it.
 
Years ago, somebody told me that if you upload your vinyl rips they will be replaced by Apple's library version and you'll get back a clean digital version with no "snap", "crackle", "pop", or hiss! I'm not an Apple guy and I never tried it.
Nope, I started into ripping vinyl maybe 15 years ago and it plays back the same snaps crackles and pops now digitally. It wasn’t fun for me so I didn’t get far, not that ripping 200 some CDs was fun either but I could walk away from that in progress without worry. My cassettes have hiss digitally now still so no free lunch there either :)
 
Looking at Evermusic all is is doing is storing the files themselves in generic cloud storage. This gets expensive fast for example Apple’s prices in the UK are per month

50¬GB: £0.99
200¬GB: £2.99
2¬TB: £8.99
6¬TB: £26.99
12¬TB: £54.99
You made me look and I misspoke about my paying only .99/month. I knew I had more than 200GB of music I’m at $2.99/month with an almost full 200GB plan. My wife pays the bills so I never noticed. I’m about to get bumped again, it’s $9.99 here in the US for 2TB. Funny thing as well, my music isn’t on the cloud at all backup wise which I thought it was. I guess the Sync Music thing allows me access to my library from any device I use signed in as me with the music subscription service which makes sense on why I wouldn’t pay to have it there as well. Apple Music according to my wife is part of our cellular service plan so we don’t pay for it as a line item per se. My cloud is full of photos, I need to move some so I don’t get bumped.
 
Are you running two different Macs, each with its own Apple Music library? Otherwise, how do you have two different Apple Music libraries on the same Mac?
You can have multiple Apple Music libraries on the same Mac. To switch libraries, you quit Apple Music and then hold down the option key while reopening the app and you’re given the chance to pick which library file you want to open.
 
I have all my music on a Mac mini and was not happy with the streaming experience from the Mac directly. My solution was to just have the Mac be the source and use a streamer to playback the music. I also have my music backed up in three places as I have SACD, DVD-A, HDCD, and blu-ray audio rips I would rather not have to redo later.
 
Oh wow, I just learned that in many cases this is not true. I ripped a CD and added it to the Music app library, which synced it to the cloud. I then clicked Remove Download in the Music app, which deleted the local files I had ripped. I then played the album in the Music app. The album started playing in Dolby Atmos format as there is an Atmos format of this album in the Apple Music streaming service. So Apple Music did look for a copy of the album in its streaming service library and played that instead.

What confused me earlier was that uploading CD quality audio files on your machine does work if the album cannot be matched to one Apple Music has in its archive. It appears you can look at whether a supposedly uploaded file is truly uploaded in CD quality or just matched to an Apple Music file by right clicking on the file, selecting Get Info, and then clicking on the Files tab on the upper right.

There is a way to force Apple Music to upload your files. Apple Music does not attempt to match any file with a sample rate above 48 kHz. So here is the process - a little time consuming, but it will allow you to have lossless files of your own music alongside the streaming files on your Mac.

1. Convert your file (if it’s 44.1 or 48 kHz) to a sample rate of 88.2 kHz. Bit depth does not matter. I use dBpoweramp for the conversion.

2. Add the converted files to Apple Music and update library. It is also a good idea to use a different tag for the album, as this will ensure artwork is kept intact. The files will not be matched.

3. Once the files are uploaded, go into the folder containing the uploaded 88.2 kHz files; delete these and replace them with the correct sampling rate files. Also delete these files from trash, or the Music app will still look for them there. Make sure the correct files are named EXACTLY the same as what you uploaded. Obviously, if your file originally has an actual sampling rate of 88.2 kHz or higher and you want to keep it at that resolution, you can ignore step 3.

4. To test your files, go back into the Music app, using the Songs view with “Sampling Rate” displayed in the column heading. As you click on each song, you will see the sample rate change to the correct rate.

This has worked 100% of the time for me, with the app never attempting to change my file or match my music at a later date. I do still keep my files intact outside of Apple Music as a backup, just in case.

Hope this works for you!
 
Last edited:
Interesting technique. It doesn't get around the transcoding issue, though, if your files are of higher than CD quality?
 
Interesting technique. It doesn't get around the transcoding issue, though, if your files are of higher than CD quality?

You’re actually only having the cloud version of the file which is transcoded. You will have the original file available in your library, as long as you don’t delete the downloaded track from the Music app. Only on your phone will you need to use the AAC cloud file. The Mac itself will have the correct bit depth/sample rate for your file, and it will not be matched or altered. Once the cloud status says “Uploaded”, the app leaves the file alone.
 
I should add that I have been doing this since before Apple Music was even a subscription service, the old days when iTunes Match was needed. Never has the app touched or altered one of my files once it was uploaded. So I can’t guarantee this will work for everyone, but for myself, this process works. I spend a lot of time away from home, and I love having my own files (with my preferred mastering of an album) alongside the Apple Music streaming library.
 
You’re actually only having the cloud version of the file which is transcoded. You will have the original file available in your library, as long as you don’t delete the downloaded track from the Music app. Only on your phone will you need to use the AAC cloud file. The Mac itself will have the correct bit depth/sample rate for your file, and it will not be matched or altered. Once the cloud status says “Uploaded”, the app leaves the file alone.
Yes. But if you accidentally select "remove download", the original, high-res file is gone!
 
Yes. But if you accidentally select "remove download", the original, high-res file is gone!

This is true, which is why I mentioned that I always keep backups. I don’t use this technique as a storage option, for me I just like have a centralized player for both my own files and Apple Music streaming.
For your particular needs on a Mac, I would use VOX. This has a cloud option with unlimited storage for $4.99 per month. Here’s the link: https://vox.rocks/mac-music-player (not an advert, I have no affiliation)
 
This is true, which is why I mentioned that I always keep backups. I don’t use this technique as a storage option, for me I just like have a centralized player for both my own files and Apple Music streaming.
For your particular needs on a Mac, I would use VOX. This has a cloud option with unlimited storage for $4.99 per month. Here’s the link: https://vox.rocks/mac-music-player (not an advert, I have no affiliation)
If I go to download the Mac client, I get a website error. Not good news for a cloud provider!
 
If I go to download the Mac client, I get a website error. Not good news for a cloud provider!

I just tried myself and received the same error. I haven’t used the service in a while, but I do know they are based out of Ukraine, so they could be having intermittent issues.
 
Back
Top Bottom