28 Free Hi Res Audiophile Music Players Windows Mac [What the best? 2019]

Read definitive guide by audio software developer Yuri Korzunov about free and commercial hi res audio player software apps on Windows, Mac, Linux, Android, iOS and other [computers, laptops, mobile phones, tablets], online for audiophiles, F.A.Q., what is the best music player app, supported formats and other.

High resolution audio player software

WARNING: This table can contain errors. It is not an offer or advertising. We are not affiliated with listed products. We guarantee nothing. If you found wrong information, contact us, please. To get exact information, contact with the software developers and/or vendors.
Supported sample rate and bit depth may depend on a file format.

Hi res music player software for audiophiles 2019
(Windows, Mac, Linux, Android, iOS, online)

Read more:

What is the best audio player

It is a personal choice always. Below how to make the choice is discussed.

Sound quality

Playback modes

An audio player may works in 2 base modes (depend on the software abilities):

1. bit-perfect (transmitting data from an audio file to DAC without altering);
2. processing mode (resampling, room correction and other).

In bit-perfect mode, the sound quality is defined by DAC and next audio devices.
This mode consumes minimal computing resources and is desirable for non-powerful computers.

Processing mode sound quality depends on the player and/or processing plug-in.
This mode may consume many computing resources (more quality = more resources), and, sometimes, can't work at lower-performance computers. Also, this mode consumes more electrical energy for calculations and cooling, than bit-perfect one.
When fans work in intensive mode, they cause more noise.

Gapless playback

Some albums (operas, live concerts, etc.) should be played back as a continuous stream.

Some players can begin the next song without DAC re-initialization.
This ability is called as Gapless playback.
It may be applied for as bit-perfect as processed modes (see "Playback modes").

Also played back audio files may be pre-converted in gapless mode too.
This mode has a sense when audio files are resampled or DSD files are processed.
Gapless conversion has a sense, when the audio player works in gapless mode.

Functionality

One of the widespread demands to players are:

• album artwork displaying;
• text metadata displaying;
• search in song database;
• web radio/streaming playback.

Audio player software F.A.Q.

Do audio players have different sound quality?

It depends on the mode of playback. In bit-perfect mode, music player app just transports audio data from a sound file to DAC without audio processing.

When audio player software process audio data (resample, alter bit depth, apply dithering, EQ, etc.), it causes different distortion level. If consider psychoacoustics, distortions may have a different character, that also impacts the final perception of the distortions. Also, the interaction of the distortions with a playback system (DAC, amplifier, speakers) is matter.

General recommendation:

• Do a sound check of different players in various modes and audio resolutions on your music equipment. Read details...

Does memory playback improve audio quality?

Memory playback doesn't improve "transparency". But the mode can get rid of pauses if file played from slow/overload network or album player in gapless mode.

Do gapless playback is helpful?

If audio player re-initialize DAC, it can cause quiet clicks.

When files played back without re-initializing, there is no kind of clicks.

Do computer digital hardware interface (HDMI, USB, SPDIF, etc.), its cables impact to sound quality?

Digital audio interfaces don't impact to sound quality, that may be defined as "sound transparency".

Also, digital interfaces have sample rate and bit depth limitations.

Operating system built-in driver can additionally process sound and impact to sound quality.

But pauses, clicks, serial interruptions are possible when audio interface doesn't work properly (poor cables, grounding, shielding; hardware issues, etc.).

General recommendations:

• Buy thick cables in the mid or higher price range. It is fairly for longer cables especially.
• Ferrite rings/barrels can give some advantages. But it's recommended, that measurement tools are used.

Do analog audio cables impact to sound quality?

Analog inter-module cables (linear inputs and outputs) can impact to the noise floor, crosstalk and frequency response.

General recommendation:

• If you hear hum at 50 Hz or multiple frequencies (power high voltage network), try to use other analog cables or use digital inter-module connection instead.

Is jitter a real issue for audio playback?

DAC clock source can impact to analog output jitter of digital-to-analog converter . But all other factors, including memory playback, cables and interfaces - no. Read details...

General recommendations:

• Don't bother about jitter, when DAC is clocked by its internal source.
• Don't use synchronization by SPDIF digital audio input.

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