Foobar vs JRiver?

[GOS]

I started out using JR River years ago but had a problem with it adding gaps between all the tracks, very annoying. Foobar always worked fine. As for artwork I haven't had any problem with Foobar. I usually edit the tags so that the artwork is embedded in the id tag for each track, I don't know it that makes a difference or not, it seems as if I don't the artwork still shows up if it's in the same folder as the music tracks. The only thing is I can't seem to get Foobar to display custom track information such as label and comments.

As you know, Foobar can be customized quite a bit. Only, the 2 times I got adventuresome, it totally messed the whole view up and I had to delete Foobar and reload and start over. Which sucked. I use the Darkone Skin, which is what I'm talking about.

 

[marpow]

As you know, Foobar can be customized quite a bit. Only, the 2 times I got adventuresome, it totally messed the whole view up and I had to delete Foobar and reload and start over. Which sucked. I use the Darkone Skin, which is what I'm talking about.

I know what you mean, JRiver does so much stuff that I also am afraid to do a lot of it especially with layout. I use a skin called Aruba which is just kind of plain.
The one thing I like about Foobar and maybe it is the Darkone skin?, but I like the spectrum analyzer (wavelength?) that shows all the channels. JRiver only has a little 2 channel, and I don't think it is even accurate.
Can I use the Darkone skin on JRiver?

 

[marpow]

UMIK-1 is what I have been looking at as well. I am familiar with REW and have used it extensively to calibrate my subwoofer with a calibrated Galaxy CM-140 SPL meter. I would prefer to leave the calibration in the digital domain and don't want to go through multiple ADC/DAC conversions, hence thus far I am not too keen on using mini DSP blocks, which require analog in. The idea of doing room corrections on the media PC itself is appealing to me. Only downside is the corrections are only valid when playing through it and don't apply to other sources.

Would you agree with many things I have read or watched that when when dialing in a system you start with the subs and then go to the loud speakers? It seems that is what I gather.
Regarding the MiniDSP, I have heard that also. Mainly because feel that adding equipment in the chain can degrade the sound quality rather than enhance it?
If I did a DIRAC calibration on the PC would the JRiver player play into the DIRAC software on the same PC before going USB out to the DAC?

 

[bluelightning]

Would you agree with many things I have read or watched that when when dialing in a system you start with the subs and then go to the loud speakers? It seems that is what I gather.
Regarding the MiniDSP, I have heard that also. Mainly because feel that adding equipment in the chain can degrade the sound quality rather than enhance it?
If I did a DIRAC calibration on the PC would the JRiver player play into the DIRAC software on the same PC before going USB out to the DAC?

1) Yes. That is what I did. Being somewhat of a bass head I was most keen on dialing that in first anyway . I have generally found that I find flat frequency response curves, well just flat. I prefer my sub, which I have set to roll off at 60 Hz about 6-8 dB hotter. Fortunately my speakers were more or less flat with some off axis high frequency roll off past 10-15 KHz, which also I prefer.
2) Yes that is the main. Whether or not I will be able to hear the difference or not is a completely different story.
3) That is the idea at least, use the player to directly play into a Dirac plugin/Driver. The exact mechanics I am unsure of. I think @Kal Rubinson or someone else here would have a better idea. Most of these players allow selection of the appropriate output driver. I am assuming Dirac creates an output driver which takes direct control of the audio device/interface.

 

[marpow]

1) Yes. That is what I did. Being somewhat of a bass head I was most keen on dialing that in first anyway . I have generally found that I find flat frequency response curves, well just flat. I prefer my sub, which I have set to roll off at 60 Hz about 6-8 dB hotter. Fortunately my speakers were more or less flat with some off axis high frequency roll off past 10-15 KHz, which also I prefer.
2) Yes that is the main. Whether or not I will be able to hear the difference or not is a completely different story.
3) That is the idea at least, use the player to directly play into a Dirac plugin/Driver. The exact mechanics I am unsure of. I think @Kal Rubinson or someone else here would have a better idea. Most of these players allow selection of the appropriate output driver. I am assuming Dirac creates an output driver which takes direct control of the audio device/interface.

Great, thank you, we are thinking alike. I did talk to Kal and I asked should I purchase the MINIDSP with the DIRAC2Live and he agreed with you that eliminating the MINIDSP and just use the DIRAC software only is what he does.

 

[Kal Rubinson]

3) That is the idea at least, use the player to directly play into a Dirac plugin/Driver. The exact mechanics I am unsure of. I think @Kal Rubinson or someone else here would have a better idea. Most of these players allow selection of the appropriate output driver. I am assuming Dirac creates an output driver which takes direct control of the audio device/interface.

That was with the old DL. DL2 uses a VST plug-in which JRiver simply inserts into the signal path in DSP Studio.

 

[LuvMyQuad]

UMIK-1 is what I have been looking at as well. I am familiar with REW and have used it extensively to calibrate my subwoofer with a calibrated Galaxy CM-140 SPL meter. I would prefer to leave the calibration in the digital domain and don't want to go through multiple ADC/DAC conversions, hence thus far I am not too keen on using mini DSP blocks, which require analog in. The idea of doing room corrections on the media PC itself is appealing to me. Only downside is the corrections are only valid when playing through it and don't apply to other sources.

If you or any one else here is interested in a miniDSP nanoAVR HD, I have one i will be selling. Its brand new, never used, still in its packaging. It does switchable 2x HDMI in and outputs HDMI. Does PEQ and crossover, and works with REW. I also have the remote and cables. It is upgrade-able to Dirac as well. I ordered it with a UMIK-1... but i'm keeping that, I'll give you a great price. KAL favorably reviewed this unit in Stereophile.

 

[marpow]

If you or any one else here is interested in a miniDSP nanoAVR HD, I have one i will be selling. Its brand new, never used, still in its packaging. It does switchable 2x HDMI in and outputs HDMI. Does PEQ and crossover, and works with REW. I also have the remote and cables. It is upgrade-able to Dirac as well. I ordered it with a UMIK-1... but i'm keeping that, I'll give you a great price. KAL favorably reviewed this unit in Stereophile.

Let me read up on it. As you can imagine I am chomping at the bit getting ready to move the rig out of my livingroom to my designated audio room, but that is a couple months away, shelter in place screwed up my master bed/bath remodel which comes first as my wife and I are using the spare bedroom for now, then audio room next.
I promised my self I would not by any hardware/software until I am in the new room.

 

[kvsawilson]

I've used Foobar for all my listening for a few years now and love it. Can't speak to Jriver as I've never used it. But I've always had an issue with Foobar that I wish I could resolve and will ask here to see if any of you have any ideas. I have two separate listening rooms and I use FoobarCon on my phone and tablet so I can control playback from either room while my computer sits in a 3rd room and there is a splitter/switch so the hdmi output of my computer goes to both rooms. My problem is that whenever I change from one room to the other, Foobar loses the output setting and I have to go to the computer (or turn on the tv in the room I'm in and use a remote mouse) and change the setting to the device I'm using. I really wish FoobarCon had an output device setting on it the way VLCRemote does but it doesn't seem as though that will ever happen. Ultimately, I wish I could just choose a generic hdmi out as an option that would then connect to either device but that doesn't seem to be possible. Handshake issue, I presume. If anyone has any ideas I would greatly appreciate them. Maybe a different splitter/switch would solve it, but don't know which one would work like I want?
K

 

[marpow]

Hi Kvsawilson, I use Splashtop for remote access to my NUC and then can control the NUC with Windows and JRiver, works fantastic. JRiver also has a real good app for remote access in the event I am not using my PC, of course the NUC has to be on.
I know I am not answering your question. I only have one room, so I do not have your experience.
That said, being that you feel your problem is with the computer, "I have to go to the computer" I see that Splashtop has a mobile remote access and might be easier for you?
Here is the link, SPLASHTOP MOBILE

 

[Infomas]

I started out using JR River years ago but had a problem with it adding gaps between all the tracks, very annoying. Foobar always worked fine. As for artwork I haven't had any problem with Foobar. I usually edit the tags so that the artwork is embedded in the id tag for each track, I don't know it that makes a difference or not, it seems as if I don't the artwork still shows up if it's in the same folder as the music tracks. The only thing is I can't seem to get Foobar to display custom track information such as label and comments.

JRiver has solved the gapless audio issue. When demoing to friends I put on Dark Side of the moon. They can't hear they change in songs.

 

[kvsawilson]

Hi Kvsawilson, I see that Splashtop has a mobile remote access and might be easier for you?
Here is the link, SPLASHTOP MOBILE

Thanks for the suggestion. I don't know why I haven't thought of a pc remote access solution before. Had my mind stuck on the using the remote apps but this looks like it might be a good solution. And free for personal wifi use! I'll give it a try. Thanks again!

Update. I did load it and it will work to get the job done without having to trudge back upstairs or turn on the tv. Thanks Marpow !

K

 

[par4ken]

JRiver has solved the gapless audio issue. When demoing to friends I put on Dark Side of the moon. They can't hear they change in songs.

That's good to hear. That was the main reason I stopped using it.

 

[hobie1dog]

I'm ready to use something like Roon, JRiver, Foobar on my iMac computer. I want to be able to take my 4000 songs that I have on iTunes and put them into a new library..... any suggestions? I just had a new hard drive installed in my iMac since it was about 10 years old and was ready to crash so I should be good to go for the rest of my life. I'd like to get one that has some cool options like graphics with big blue Macintosh looking neters or spectrographs, and one that puts the lyrics up.

 

[LuvMyQuad]

I'm ready to use something like Roon, JRiver, Foobar on my iMac computer. I want to be able to take my 4000 songs that I have on iTunes and put them into a new library..... any suggestions? I just had a new hard drive installed in my iMac since it was about 10 years old and was ready to crash so I should be good to go for the rest of my life. I'd like to get one that has some cool options like graphics with big blue Macintosh looking neters or spectrographs, and one that puts the lyrics up.

No experience with Roon. I don't think you can get a Mac version of Foobar. Maybe that's changed. Kodi will do what you are looking for when configured properly, and it will run on a Mac.

 

[hobie1dog]

No experience with Roon. I don't think you can get a Mac version of Foobar. Maybe that's changed. Kodi will do what you are looking for when configured properly, and it will run on a Mac.

There's a link for the download for a Mac that I found, so it exists now.

 

[hobie1dog]

This is another one that came up: AMP Player

http://ampplayer.ml/

 

[LuvMyQuad]

There's a link for the download for a Mac that I found, so it exists now.

Yep. I stand corrected. It used to be exclusively a windows program. MusicBee is another one I like, but that is truly windows only.

 

[hobie1dog]

Are there any of them that are free? I saw that one of them had a lifetime subscription for $699

 

[LuvMyQuad]

Are there any of them that are free? I saw that one of them had a lifetime subscription for $699

Kodi, and Foobar are both freeware.