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What software has good sound quality?

I recently configured a pc to play music (cd rips) and movies (blu ray mkv files) from my pc. It is a dell optiplex micro using windows 10 send via usb to a usb to s/pdif converter to my dac (a monarchy audio M24). I am looking for recommendations for software for the best possible sound quality for music and movies. I have tried jriver (sounds warm), mpc hc (sounds punchier with more bass) and foobar (sounds more detailed - and only for music). Any thoughts would be very welcome and appreciated. Thank you.   

majorc
mikhailark
366 posts
 

Frankly, all of them reads file and send data down the USB. Unclear to my why would they sound any different. Unless it is measurable that data down the chain comes different. But if it differs from the file, the software has a huge bug.

mapman's avatar
mapman
22,609 posts
 

Guarandamteed streaming software can and may well in fact sound different. No two programs are exactly the same.

Add Roon to the list. Last time I compared a couple years back it was way better than Plex, even playing “vanilla” with no dsp. Add the right built in Roon dsp filters to season to personal taste.

Well executed DSP is a requirement for me now with any streaming. Roon does it very well.

mikhailark
366 posts
 

DSP, sure. But otherwise the process is no different from copying file to an external USB hard drive. You can write copying code any way you want, but the result of the transfer is going to be an identical file.

oberoniaomnia
152 posts
 

I compared Roon and Audirvana a while back, but could not make out any difference. Tried hard, but nothing. I am not surprised as either app just sends 0/1s to DAC, just wanted to not-hear it for myself. I like Roon's interface a bit better, so use that.

From MacMini with SSD drive as dedicated Roon server via USB to Holoaudio May L2 DAC. 

majorc OP
78 posts
 

Thank you and do understand that in theory all should sound identical - but the do not in my system. Jriver sounds warmer, foobar thinner and more detailed - I know that should not be the case, but it is.    

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