Best windows software player

[bodiebill]

Nobody mentioned the Russian Album Player (aka APlayer)?

http://vv.uka.ru/aplayer_eng.html

Great sound, low footprint (especially the Mini version), does native DSD and many other things. Plus continuing support and development. The reason that it is not so popular outside Russia I guess, is that most information and the forum are in Russian.

[Nikhil]

Installed Upplay on recommendation from a friend and was surprised at the sound I was getting from my setup.

Searching AS brought me to this thread.  Would be happy to start a separate thread on this "UPnP Audio Control Point"

 

I am honestly shaking my head in disbelief at what I am hearing with this software. 

Anyone else on here have tried this software?

 

Link:  https://www.lesbonscomptes.com/upplay/index.html

 

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Upplay: a Qt-based UPnP audio Control Point

upplay is a desktop UPnP audio Control Point for Linux/Unix, MS Windows, and Mac OS. It began its existence as a companion to the Upmpdcli renderer, but it has become an ugly but nice, lightweight but capable, control point in its own right.

upplay does not play music, it controls a Media Renderer which may be running on the same host or anywhere else.

upplay was started with code from the Sayonara local player, which saved me a lot of time. There is not much in common between them any more, except for quite many lines of user interface code.

upplay is open-source, mostly free (I ask for a small contribution for the Windows installer), and licensed under the GPL. It is written in C++ and uses the libupnpp library.

Of course, Upplay lets you browse any UPnP Content Directory on the local network and add music from there (click titles, or use the right-click menu for directory adds). In addition, it has the following specific features:

• Plays gapless if the renderer supports it, using either the UPnP SetNextTransportURI action or the OpenHome Playlist service, as available.
• In AVT mode, remembers the last playlist.
• Can move your current playlist to another renderer.
• Supports multiple browsing tabs
• Lets you search the server, and the local listing.
• Can control the connections between multiple Songcast Senders and Receivers (multiroom synchronized playing).

[Cebolla]

  

23 hours ago, Nikhil said:

Installed Upplay on recommendation from a friend and was surprised at the sound I was getting from my setup.

Searching AS brought me to this thread.  Would be happy to start a separate thread on this "UPnP Audio Control Point"

 

I am honestly shaking my head in disbelief at what I am hearing with this software. 

Anyone else on here have tried this software?

 

Yes. It's a very basic but reliable UPnP and OpenHome supporting controller application that I use when I just quickly want get some UPnP/DLNA media server supplied audio file tracks played on a UPnP renderer or an OpenHome renderer, so without the fuss of messing about with a more complicated user interface.

 

However, given that its only function is that of a control point, I'm rather puzzled as to why you believe you are 'hearing' anything with this software. It's the media renderer that is being controlled by Upplay that actually handles the audio files and plays the music, not Upplay: 

23 hours ago, Nikhil said:

upplay does not play music, it controls a Media Renderer which may be running on the same host or anywhere else.

 

So, perhaps your 'disbelief' should be directed towards whatever media renderer you are controlling with Upplay and/or perhaps any transcoding that the UPnP/DLNA media server supplying the file tracks to the renderer may be configured to perform, rather than Upplay. 

 

 

BTW, exactly what media renderer and UPnP/DLNA media server (outlining any transcoding configuration settings) are you using in your setup?

[Nikhil]

14 hours ago, Cebolla said:

So, perhaps your 'disbelief' should be directed towards whatever media renderer you are controlling with Upplay and/or perhaps any transcoding that the UPnP/DLNA media server supplying the file tracks to the renderer may be configured to perform, rather than Upplay. 

 

I am aware that Upplay is a control point and whatever else that entails. 

The disbelief comes from the sound quality I am hearing. 

Open sound with superb transients. Clear as a whistle.  

 

I have a Windows 10 PC connected via USB to my DAC Integrated.

DLNA server is JRiver Media Server.

 

 

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[Cebolla]

1 hour ago, Nikhil said:

I have a Windows 10 PC connected via USB to my DAC Integrated.

DLNA server is JRiver Media Server.

 

You didn't actually mention what media renderer software you are using on the PC that is outputting to your USB DAC.

 

Are you are using JRiver Media Center's own DLNA renderer, given that you are using one of its DLNA servers?

It's not accurate to assume so, given that you are free to control any media renderer you choose with Upplay, as long as the renderer supports standard UPnP/DLNA or OpenHome.

 

 

Also, which of JRiver DLNA servers are you using and exactly what are its configuration settings?

Bear in mind using one of JRiver Media Center's default DLNA servers transcodes (alters in preparation for streaming) the audio files in some way, unless you've modified its (default) settings. Additionally, JRiver Media Center allows you to create and configure your own DLNA servers.  

 

 

 

1 hour ago, Nikhil said:

I am aware that Upplay is a control point and whatever else that entails. 

The disbelief comes from the sound quality I am hearing. 

Open sound with superb transients. Clear as a whistle.

 

It entails nothing else than instruct which audio file(s) the controlled media renderer should itself fetch from the selected UPnP/DLNA media server. I would understand the disbelief if using a different control point application gets the same media renderer (whatever that may be) to play, with a lower sound quality, the same audio file tracks obtained from the same  UPnP/DLNA  media server with the same settings.

 

Have you actually done that exact comparison?

If so, what was (were) the other control point application(s) you tried?

[Nikhil]

1 hour ago, Cebolla said:

Are you are using JRiver Media Center's own DLNA renderer, given that you are using one of its DLNA servers?

It's not accurate to assume so, given that you are free to control any media renderer you choose with Upplay, as long as the renderer supports standard UPnP/DLNA or OpenHome.

 

 

Also, which of JRiver DLNA servers are you using and exactly what are its configuration settings?

Bear in mind using one of JRiver Media Center's default DLNA servers transcodes (alters in preparation for streaming) the audio files in some way, unless you've modified its (default) settings. Additionally, JRiver Media Center allows you to create and configure your own DLNA servers.  

 

Yes JRiver DLNA Renderer is enabled.

JRiver DLNA Server Settings:  Audio Mode set to "Original" file i.e. no transcoding.

 

 

 

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[Nikhil]

49 minutes ago, Cebolla said:

You didn't actually mention what media renderer software you are using on the PC that is outputting to your USB DAC.

 

 

In Media Renderer I have selected my AudioPC which is connected via USB to my integrated which has a built in DAC.  

 

 

 

 

 

[Nikhil]

54 minutes ago, Cebolla said:

Have you actually done that exact comparison?

If so, what was (were) the other control point application(s) you tried?

 

Direct comparison with JRiver 27 which pulls media from the same DLNA server.

JRiver sounds muffled in comparison especially in instruments like Upright Bass.

Piano notes are much clearer on the leading edge,  Cymbals and hi hats are more distinct.

 

This is pretty noticeable.  Not a subtle change that is requires a discerning ear to listen to.

 

Upplayer is pretty much toe to toe with HQPlayer in my setup.

HQP reads the same files over a shared network drive.

 

 

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[Nikhil]

1 hour ago, Nikhil said:

In Media Renderer I have selected my AudioPC which is connected via USB to my integrated which has a built in DAC.  

 

 

Just verified that this connects to the JRiver DLNA Renderer on my AudioPC.

 

 

 

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