wtfplay

[Norton]

Hey @Norton, since you have also experimented with BugHead, what are your thoughts on BH compared to WTFPlay?

 

For me they are very different players. When BH is at its best it's in a different league from anything I've heard including WTF - a big 3D, detailed , tactile sound that's particularly evident with woodwind instruments. But (and this could be my inexperience) 90% of the time it doesn't work, stops working or works with just so so results.

 

WTFplay would be my #2 player, clean detailed sound that's just a little bass light and "2D"compared to BH at its best. But WTF just works with consistently good results every time, without waiting minutes for replay to start or needing a high spec PC, so for the majority of my use it's as good or better than BH, especially once you use the command line (tab key is your friend here) rather than the text ui.

 

The impression I'm left with is that WTFplay just provides clean sounding bit perfect replay, with lots of detail revealed by a low noise floor that comes from making the minimum demand on the hardware, whereas BH is using some very sophisticated and resource-hungry DSP for (at its best) an overwhelmingly convincing simulation of live music.

 

I should also say that I use them differently, WTFplay with my DAC's filter and upsampling options engaged and BH without. I also find both players' forte is with PCM and especially RBCD.

[frd__]

@robocop: wtfplay does not do the software volume control. It only utilizes the volume control that is offered by the hardware sound device. This is what alsamixer is for. It seems that in your case your sound device or DAC does not offer any hardware sound controls. Hence the message. To be absolutely sure of that I recommend running alsamixer for specific card, that is if your sound card is hw:0 then run alsamixer -c 0, if you card is hw:1 then run alsamixer -c 1 and so on...

[robocop]

WTFplay would be my #2 player, clean detailed sound that's just a little bass light and "2D"compared to BH at its best. But WTF just works with consistently good results every time, without waiting minutes for replay to start or needing a high spec PC, so for the majority of my use it's as good or better than BH, especially once you use the command line (tab key is your friend here) rather than the text ui.

 

Norton,

Whats your no1 player?

 

I agree with you on wtfplay it is so simple to operate and quick. So far no upsampling. I'm not sure about bass light, when I play a track with big bass it all seems to be there but in more detail. Its quite a change from running Ram OS xxhighend(upsamples to 24/192) which takes time to load into ram, then to play tracks in the best mode more time. I have ongoing problems playing back hires files which skip randomly mid track. To be frank I'm also over windows as an OS. I think its doomed going forward and we don't need all the stuff that comes with Windows for dedicated audio playback. The best sound I've heard is Linux based on the Antipodes servers New Zealand based product.

I find myself playing track after track with wtfplay. The only other Linux player I've compared it with is Daphile and I think wtfplay is better. I havn't returned to xxhighend yet for a final verdict.

 

 

Robert

[sig8]

Has anyone compared wtf Play to HySolid?

[Norton]

Norton,

Whats your no1 player?

 

Robert

 

I rank Infinity Blade as no 1 on SQ, based on the fact that when it works and works well, the results really are in a different league than anything else I've heard , but that's a big "when"...

[robocop]

I had a look at Infinity Blade and it looks similar to Xxhighend and a nightmare to get working with ongoing bugs, probably never solved as Windows is the PROBLEM. Windows is constantly upgrading and this changes the platform nearly everytime. This is why running XXhighend we use a specific W10 edition with no updates what so ever.

 

Gosh I have tons of bass with wtfplay and detailed. I've had to readjust speakers and settings in my HiFi as a result. Its so nice to be able to play whole albums from 16/44 to 24/196 with no clicks, skipping or sudden stops.

 

I just want to hear the music with little or no hassle.

 

Robert

[YashN]

For me they are very different players. When BH is at its best it's in a different league from anything I've heard including WTF - a big 3D, detailed , tactile sound that's particularly evident with woodwind instruments. But (and this could be my inexperience) 90% of the time it doesn't work, stops working or works with just so so results..

 

Thanks a lot for the comparative review!

 

Give BugHead Green a try: much less features and older but does the job as well - less features -> more stability a lot of times.

[bodiebill]

Give BugHead Green a try: much less features and older but does the job as well - less features -> more stability a lot of times.

Any idea where can I find BugHead Green?

[bodiebill]

Just tried wtfplay for the first time and I am impressed. Actually, it is the first time that a Linux system can compete (or is maybe even better) than my dual PC setup with JPLAY, AO, FP, PL and the likes of Hysolid, Upplay and BHE. The idea of a low-footprint Linux OS dedicated to audio already appealed to me, but the results with Daphile and Snakeoil OS were disappointing. But not with wtfplay!

 

I usually play DSD128 files that I first create (from DSD64 or flac) using Jriver MC. Reading about uwtfplay-dsd, I thought I'd try DSD256 files but alas these do not play: the white play window crashes immediately when i try.

 

Did anyone succeed in playing DSD256 with wtfplay?

[Norton]

Did anyone succeed in playing DSD256 with wtfplay?

 

Not me at least. My DAC supports dsd256 but only via native DSD, not DoP. The downside is that only a subset of native DSD-capable DACS are currently recognised as such in Linux. Hence why no dsd256 via Wtfplay for me. Maybe same applies? WTFPlay also reads the complete track into memory before play, presumably you have enough free RAM to hold what could be a large file?

I occasionally get problems with WTFplay if the DAC has been used with another player beforehand - sorting failure to play can sometimes be as simple as turning DAC off and starting afresh.

[YashN]

Any idea where can I find BugHead Green?

Haven't looked in a while but I found it through Yokota's home page.

[bodiebill]

Not me at least. My DAC supports dsd256 but only via native DSD, not DoP. The downside is that only a subset of native DSD-capable DACS are currently recognised as such in Linux. Hence why no dsd256 via Wtfplay for me. Maybe same applies? WTFPlay also reads the complete track into memory before play, presumably you have enough free RAM to hold what could be a large file?

I occasionally get problems with WTFplay if the DAC has been used with another player beforehand - sorting failure to play can sometimes be as simple as turning DAC off and starting afresh.

Thanks Norton!

 

My DAC (Lampi 7 Lite with Combo384 Amanero) is upgraded to DSD256. It does accept native DSD, as I verified with HQPlayer and Jriver. I also tried with a very short DSD256 track but to no avail, so I guess it is not a RAM issue. (This PC has 8GB RAM.) And restarting the DAC did not help.

[bodiebill]

Haven't looked in a while but I found it through Yokota's home page.

 

Thanks YashN; seems to be no longer available on his website.

[YashN]

Thanks YashN; seems to be no longer available on his website.

 

Bummer

[Norton]

Thanks Norton!

 

My DAC (Lampi 7 Lite with Combo384 Amanero) is upgraded to DSD256. It does accept native DSD, as I verified with HQPlayer and Jriver. I also tried with a very short DSD256 track but to no avail, so I guess it is not a RAM issue. (This PC has 8GB RAM.) And restarting the DAC did not help.

 

Unless you had DSD256 working with Linux versions of HQP and JRiver, issue is probably (lack of ) Linux support for your particular DAC with native DSD. Details here

[bodiebill]

Unless you had DSD256 working with Linux versions of HQP and JRiver, issue is probably (lack of ) Linux support for your particular DAC with native DSD. Details here

 

Yes, that could be it. Following the link you supply I did find an update from last March: "Updated patch for Amanero Combo384. Requires at least firmware 1099rc2". So maybe there is hope for future versions of wtfplay...

[robocop]

I found this download but don't know whether its any good. I have downloaded it in good order, but not activated yet, still playing with wtfplay.

 

http://ftp.vector.co.jp/68/13/3565/bughead_7_81_x64.zip

 

Not easy crossing languages. I will try this but I'm concerned with all the variables having come from one that has many and never got it right.

[lateboomer]

I have tried out wtfplay many months ago and I was very impressed. I am thinking why not the creator just implement the network feature and turns wtfplay into top NAA streamer. And then let Daphile doing all the nice fancy upsampling and GUI stuff. Wtfplay no need reinvent the wheels and its stripped down advantage remains intact and the creator can start make it mainstream and charge money for it. Does this make sense?

[bodiebill]

I found this download but don't know whether its any good. I have downloaded it in good order, but not activated yet, still playing with wtfplay.

 

VectorF ƒ_ƒEƒ“ƒ[ƒh‚𒆎~‚µ‚Ü‚µ‚½

 

Not easy crossing languages. I will try this but I'm concerned with all the variables having come from one that has many and never got it right.

Hmmm, the link does not work for me. However it looks like this is the last version of Bughead, 7.81, which can be downloaded here: Bug head

[sligolad]

Gosh I have tons of bass with wtfplay and detailed.Robert

Same here, lots of dense tight bass which I have never had with any other player.

[bodiebill]

Would it be possible to use a wireless keyboard (for instance using bluetooth) with wtfplay?

[frd__]

@lateboomer: Thank you for the suggestions. Before I commit to any bigger architectural work with wtfplay I would like to complete the current development stream. There are few features outstanding. Metaphorically: I would like to finish one chapter before I dive into the next one.

[frd__]

@bodiebill: a wireless keyboard with the USB dongle will work just fine.

[lateboomer]

@lateboomer: Thank you for the suggestions. Before I commit to any bigger architectural work with wtfplay I would like to complete the current development stream. There are few features outstanding. Metaphorically: I would like to finish one chapter before I dive into the next one.

I like your approach as I am baby-steps person and so called lateboomer. Anyway, if enable network protocol for wtfplay and make it as stripped-down no-holds-bar streamer, quite a lot of other features will be redundant. Anyway, whatever it is, I hope you could monetize your brilliant creation as you fully deserved it. Could you tell us what is your next todo list for wtfplayer?

[bodiebill]

@bodiebill: a wireless keyboard with the USB dongle will work just fine.

Thanks frd! I ordered this:

Mele F10 Deluxe fly-mouse review - AndroidPCReview