Mac users: What program do you use for music playback?

If iTunes ever supported FLAC directly I would use it more. I almost never use it now, only to buy something in MP3 for a project (I get hooked into helping with theatre stuff, tunes for shows, etc.). Especially if they brought back cover flow AND had support for FLAC (including rips), I might use it exclusively instead of VOX. I don't think I am alone in this sentiment, although it still runs abominably on my Windows PC versus my MAC, almost like it is intentional.

 

Good to know, thanks. I'm still "stuck" at 96k, possibly due to hardware limitations as I'm using older machines from 2007 and 2009. Might change once I get the outboard digital interface, though.

 

I have just tested Roon. They aren't there yet, but will be. They have a few issues to fix but it is very nice.

 

Can you use the Pono app without actually ever buying a Pono player? Seems weird that JRiver would be so pricey, yet they'd have a sort of 'secret' free version just sitting there for anyone who finds it.

 

I use Audirvana Plus when I have my laptop connected to my DAC. I've tried iTunes and BitPerfect in that setup, and I prefer Audirvana Plus.

For portable use and WiFi streaming, I use iTunes/Apple Music/iOS/Apple TV.

 

Yeah. Just download it from ponomusic.com. I find the interface very clunky, compared to Audirvana Plus, but that's just one man's opinion.

 

I think it depends on the problem you need to solve. If its just the FLAC part, bulk-convert your files to ALAC and enjoy - there's no sonic differences or artifacts of conversion, there's really nothing that supports FLAC but not ALAC, and if its really a problem one day, just bulk-convert them back to FLAC one day.

If it's high res FLAC, all of the above plus Audirvana/etc. My high-res library is and likely always will be small enough I don't really need complex library management (and like to keep them distinct regardless), but with a third party itunes plug in you can have them all in the same library if you wish.

If the problem is just the irrational hatred of iTunes some around here have, I'm not aware of any better solution though.

 

FYI, Audirvana Plus does library management as of a few revisions ago.

 

It probably is intentional! See also: how MS Office runs on Mac. You'd think the two companies could meet in Geneva and iron out a treaty.

 

It does, but it's so primitive its not for me. Well, being honest, the fact that my paid license for Audirvana 1.x didn't carry over to 2.x is mostly what's not for me, but I still prefer a little more polish.

 

I will confess that it took some finagling with tags and options to get it where I wanted it, but since then, it's fine.

 

I'm an OCD last.fm user, so I've never been able to switch over to Audirvana or Fidelia. It's really annoying. JRiver is kind of clunky anyway, as a straight Windows-over-to-Mac port, and froze on me constantly, so I never went through with a purchase after my trial ended, even though it's the only app I've found with all the features I need. I've stuck with Swinsian, which is lightweight, but also doesn't have any kind of iOS remote app with it, like JRiver did.

 

The answer for me is iTunes.

 

iTunes for 16bit
VOX or VLC for 24bit

 

From what I understand, JRiver is designed to handle any and all media, but the free Pono version only does audio.

You can download it here: https://www.ponomusic.com

Scroll down about 2/3 of the page and look for this on the left:

 

fidelia (if i go external) or itunes (using the mac's speakers). tried out audivarna but didn't get on with it. vlc is ok but plain. itunes is very good though - although a little bit too full of features.

 

You can upgrade Audirvana v.1 to v.2 for $39. You just need your original order confirmation number.
Open your v.1 license (.audlic) file in TextEdit. You will find your order reference number about 16 lines down. It looks something like this: <string>12345678</string>.

 

I'll check it out tonight, thanks for the heads up! I use VLC for video files anyways (and usually just end up watching Netflix anyway), so audio support is all I need.

 

I have reverted back to vinyl as I have missed spinning records, but for the last couple of years, I was using Audirvana Plus. For me it was easily the best sounding, easiest to setup, least likely to crash and so on. It is a personal preference though. I had bought several different music software programs and tried one that was free and Audirvana stuck. I have mostly high res stuff but do have stuff all the way down to 128 kbps up to double DSD. Audirvana played it without squawking.

Compared to some parts of this hobby, buying music software is cheap!

 

I use iTunes for 92,000 songs mostly all lossless . I play records at night and stream to my stereo from my mac when I am working or having friends over. Works just fine for me but my thing is only about listening to music, some playlists and so on. I don''t keep up with perfect tagging and all the minute details that most digital music folks here are into. It's simple and easy. Load in my CDs, adding to my digital music catalogue and that's pretty much it. I don't do higher rez as the loss files sound great in the way listen.

When I want that intense fix, sitting in the sweet spot, its all vinyl.

 

I agree, I have ripped everything to AIFF. Never had an issue.

 

Find an album, click on it, have it play. That's all I really care about. Itunes works.

 

iTunes here,no complaints....well a wish for a Coverflow function comeback.

 

itunes here. Rip everything to AIFF via XLD accurate rip and playback with itunes. No problems with it for me.
I have tried Amarra and Audivarna years ago but was just too lazy to figure them out.

 

The one problem using iTunes for higher resolution files is not that it does not play them it is that it will not automatically switch between rates. If you are playing an album an don't mind you have to go to Audio Midi and switch rates and then do so again when you go back to standard resolution. With the iTunes add on players like Audirvana, Pure Music etc they will switch sample rates automatically. That is very handy especially when using playlists that might content both 16 and 24 bit sampling rates