Hi
I would be grateful for advice as to which Windows software is in favour for hi-fi playback. Still foobar?
In case it matters, the system I am wanting to run it on is; NAS (FLAC) > via ethernet > Windows desktop PC > via USB > Aune T1 Mk 2 tube usb DAC > AKG K550 cans.
Thanks
Oli
I would be grateful for advice as to which Windows software is in favour for hi-fi playback. Still foobar?
In case it matters, the system I am wanting to run it on is; NAS (FLAC) > via ethernet > Windows desktop PC > via USB > Aune T1 Mk 2 tube usb DAC > AKG K550 cans.
Thanks
Oli
I believe there are numerous posts and threads on this subject. Some digging should find you many answers.
Have a serious look at JRiver media player. It does an excellent job of library management, can be remotely controlled in ways, has zones and a darn good DSP if you need that. I've started using it about 10 years ago and have not found anything better.
Have a serious look at JRiver media player. It does an excellent job of library management, can be remotely controlled in ways, has zones and a darn good DSP if you need that. I've started using it about 10 years ago and have not found anything better.
I wrote my own playback software based around Windows functions.
Its basically a DJ type software for choosing and controlling tracks.
I choose the source directory then click on the tracks I want to play.
Windows then plays the chosen file. I can pause or eject the track as required.
Its basically a DJ type software for choosing and controlling tracks.
I choose the source directory then click on the tracks I want to play.
Windows then plays the chosen file. I can pause or eject the track as required.
Try Potplayer. It sounds better to my ears than Foobar.
It has some interesting features, it is created by the person that did MKPlayer.
It has some interesting features, it is created by the person that did MKPlayer.
If remote control is a need to have. Just use splashtop, and you can remote control all programs from all platforms. Depending on your internet upload/download speed it might lag. Well, it will always lag a bit, but for remote controlling player software it really good.
I will recommend MusicBee. Very nice UI, customizable, etc. The only weakness, IMO, is remote control capabilities.
Still using Foobar here, with Foobar2000PRO on the Android phone for remote control. I like that it can play any format I want, and it's extremely configurable. I use an older version of JRiver Media Center for video because it does the best-looking, most glitch-free video of anything I've tried without a lot of screwing around. Don't care for its fancy interface though; I just use the file explorer window.
I am using FooBar and JRiver Media Center with my iFi micro iDSD.
Both perfect quality. I also use my PC for upscaling because my DAC does not do that.
Both perfect quality. I also use my PC for upscaling because my DAC does not do that.
MusicBee: no drag and drop of single tracks from file explorer into active list? Found it useless...
I have not tried it myself, but v.3 suppose to support single track drag and drop from Explorer.
Nope. Still no d&d in v.3.
They prefer adding all sort of bells and whistles like cute images and lyrics... at the expense of basic functionality.
They prefer adding all sort of bells and whistles like cute images and lyrics... at the expense of basic functionality.
Yes, that's one thing I've always like about Foobar. Function first, then form can be whatever you've the time and patience to figure out. 🙂
I'm not sure what we are doing differently but I can drag and drop in MusicBee v. 3.0.6335. Open MusicBee, open windows explorer, select a music file and d&d it to Playing Tracks, double click it and it plays. Out of curiosity why don't you just set up a MusicBee library which points to your music and select your music directly from MusicBee?
Roon for best multizone, multiremote playback with dsp eq and convolution filters. (room correction). There is a two week trial. Just try for yourself.
Can be controlled with unlimited remotes, any smartphone, tablet, laptop etc will do, all at the same time. Really nice. Can playback over your network to lots of endpoints at the same time. Really a turnkey solution for multiroom audio. Sounds good too. Not cheap though, but still cheaper then a CD player.
For best library management, still MP3Toys, my own personal all time favourite. Much much nicer interface then J.river, foobar, mediamonlkey etc etc. Cheap too. Sounds good to, no ASIO but it is based on BASS audio library engine, wich simply sounds good right out of the box.
Personally I really dislike J.river and Musicbee, just terrible cluttered interfaces. Nice if you are a music archiver but otherwise just way too bloated.
Can be controlled with unlimited remotes, any smartphone, tablet, laptop etc will do, all at the same time. Really nice. Can playback over your network to lots of endpoints at the same time. Really a turnkey solution for multiroom audio. Sounds good too. Not cheap though, but still cheaper then a CD player.
For best library management, still MP3Toys, my own personal all time favourite. Much much nicer interface then J.river, foobar, mediamonlkey etc etc. Cheap too. Sounds good to, no ASIO but it is based on BASS audio library engine, wich simply sounds good right out of the box.
Personally I really dislike J.river and Musicbee, just terrible cluttered interfaces. Nice if you are a music archiver but otherwise just way too bloated.
I love JRiver, but do wish they had a sleeker interface for just us music lovers. You could make your own skin, but there ought to be an out of the box simple version.
Foobar is nice but as Jim says, it takes time and patience. 🙂
Foobar is nice but as Jim says, it takes time and patience. 🙂
Another vote for J River, these days I use it mainly for format conversions, and for serving music for parties, but for a long time it was my preferred digital music source going all the way back to 2005. (I have a Sony HAP-Z1ES now and have had for several years in a quest for simplistic digital playback, the fact that it sounds better than the multiple boxes of hardware it replaced is a big bonus)
Yup. And when both of those are in short supply, we get something like this (it ain't pretty, but it works):
