Article: JPLAY for iOS and iPadOS Review

[stefano_mbp]

@fredg_31 @Marcin_gps supposely ConversDigital network module is used in your Meitner MA3 then the same issue could rise with Mytek and Gold Note as they use the same module (and maybe others)

[Marcin_gps]

On 8/26/2023 at 10:58 PM, billg said:

I play local music using Jplay Femto output via usb to Matrix and Dac. I use Bubbleuppnp on an android tablet. This all sounds great. I'm interested to see whether the Jplay app on an ipad would sound better in my system. Both apps can be configured to minimize network traffic. 

 

@The Computer Audiophile can you please compare the sound of these two control points or do you only use an apple device? I see you use Minimserver. Have you tried the control points with Jplay Femto and how do they sound with that server/renderer?

 

 

I don't think Chris compared the sound. You can check the review to be sure. Some users do appreciate the improved SQ with JPLAY app, but best to check free trial if it works for you. 

 

4 hours ago, fredg_31 said:

Hi Chris,

 

Thanks for this article.

 

In my tests, I prefered Jplay sound compared to Roon, but an issue annoyed me, it takes 5 seconds or more between two tracks with Jplay on my meitner ma3 unit.

 

So I continue to use MConnect control, gapless playback is perfect and the sound is better compared to Roon for critical listening.

 

Even if the interface of Jplay is far far better, really Good job indeed, the delay between two songs is not an option for me.

 

Cheers,

 

Please check if you have 'Gapless' option ticked in the Settings screen of the app. I'm not sure if it will work with your renderer, but definitely worth trying.

 

4 hours ago, stefano_mbp said:

@fredg_31 @Marcin_gps supposely ConversDigital network module is used in your Meitner MA3 then the same issue could rise with Mytek and Gold Note as they use the same module (and maybe others)

 

Yes. I hear that there is an update coming that will enable SSL and Tidal should play on these renderers via JPLAY app regardless of location. Right now in some countries 'force HTTP' option does not work. 

 

Best regards,
Marcin
 

[fredg_31]

21 hours ago, Marcin_gps said:

 

Please check if you have 'Gapless' option ticked in the Settings screen of the app. I'm not sure if it will work with your renderer, but definitely worth trying.

 

Hi Marcin, 

 

No, it didn't help during my tests, it's more like if the app and the Meitner weren't synchronized.

JPLAY considers the song playing isn't complete, however, it is!

A few seconds remain on the JPLAY progression bar when the song stops playing on the Meitner.

When JPLAY considers the song played, the next song start without issue.

 

[jriver]

On 8/20/2023 at 11:44 AM, stefano_mbp said:

…

• JRiver and Audirvana are primarily standalone players but they can be used as servers when a UPNP endpoint/renderer is available on the network
• MConnect Player and JPlay for iOS are UPNP control point apps
• Minimserver is a UPNP mediaserver

that said, in a “pure” UPNP environment the followings components are needed:

• a UPNP mediaserver
• a UPNP endpoint/renderer (like SOtM sms200 or Sonore uRendu and other) that runs, in most of the cases, MPD/UPMPDCLI that is the actual player (UPMPDCLI is the MPD network interface)
• a UPNP control point app

 

For clarity, JRiver isn't just a UPnP / DLNA Server.  It can act in all three roles. 

 

It's best explained here on our wiki:

https://wiki.jriver.com/index.php/DLNA 

[stefano_mbp]

1 minute ago, jriver said:

For clarity, JRiver isn't just a UPnP / DLNA Server.  It can act in all three roles. 

 

It's best explained here on our wiki:

https://wiki.jriver.com/index.php/DLNA 

That’s exactly what I wrote … 

[Marcin_gps]

23 hours ago, stefano_mbp said:

That’s exactly what I wrote … 

And definitely not JPLAY Certified ;) 

 

(inside joke)

[Fourlegs]

There has been a bit of chat on the Antipodes users community forum about getting JPLAY to work with Squeeze server (LMS) and Squeeze Player by using a UPnP/DLNA plug in for Squeeze. Some have got this to work but say the plug in is limited to 16 bit. I personally haven't got it to work at all.

Has anyone any experience of getting this to work or another way of using JPLAY to control Squeeze because I would be VERY interested if JPLAY could be made to work with Squeeze because of the very much better (in my opinion) sound quality of Squeeze compared to MinimSever and MPN player.

Anyone?

[steveoat]

Does jplay support cover art for multichannel dsf images when using minimserver as a library.  I am using jplay to send information from minimserver to my magnetar udp800 universal player..  Jplay is able to transfer the files fine and I am able to play multichannel audio from dsf files.  However, I don't see any cover art when looking at the monitor through which I view my home theater system (it shows the magnetar player screen).  

[stefano_mbp]

12 minutes ago, steveoat said:

Does jplay support cover art for multichannel dsf images when using minimserver as a library.  I am using jplay to send information from minimserver to my magnetar udp800 universal player..  Jplay is able to transfer the files fine and I am able to play multichannel audio from dsf files.  However, I don't see any cover art when looking at the monitor through which I view my home theater system (it shows the magnetar player screen).  

In an UPNP setup the control point send to the renderer just the address (as http://server/file-path) of the file/s, then the renderer asks the server the file to be played using that address.

That said if no cover art is shown likely the cover art is not retrieved by the renderer.

[Bom53]

Hi….based on Chris’s Sterling review I downloaded the JPLAY software for a test run.  It was a breeze to setup and found all my endpoints quickly.  I also have Quobuz and Tidal subscriptions and use Roon as my control software, so I was curios to see how JPlay would compare in this environment.  I have several Sonos components around the house for casual listening as well as 2 Wiim pros feeding benchmark DACs in the more “critical” listening areas.  This is probably a dumb question, but can JPlay control several endpoints concurrently (I.e. sync)?  It plays well to all my various endpoints but I couldn’t figure out how to lay to multiple devices.

Thanks in advance

[Marcin_gps]

On 10/13/2023 at 11:41 PM, Bom53 said:

Hi….based on Chris’s Sterling review I downloaded the JPLAY software for a test run.  It was a breeze to setup and found all my endpoints quickly.  I also have Quobuz and Tidal subscriptions and use Roon as my control software, so I was curios to see how JPlay would compare in this environment.  I have several Sonos components around the house for casual listening as well as 2 Wiim pros feeding benchmark DACs in the more “critical” listening areas.  This is probably a dumb question, but can JPlay control several endpoints concurrently (I.e. sync)?  It plays well to all my various endpoints but I couldn’t figure out how to lay to multiple devices.

Thanks in advance

 

Sync feature is for libraries (music servers). 

 

You can have multiple libraries and multiple audio outputs (endpoints). 

 

You can not however play to multiple endpoints simultaneously - only one endpoint can be selected at a time. 

 

Please let me know if you have any further questions.

 

Best regards,
Marcin
 

[Bom53]

Marcin...thanks for your reply and info.  After doing a bit more research and browsing through the play forums I realized that it is an endpoint and that it would not play to multiple endpoints simultaneously.  So consequently it won't be what I'm looking for, but I was very impressed with the trial software.

[enregistree]

When I add music to my local library or change tags, I sometimes forget to do the sync manually, so:

 

In settings, is it a good idea to have, as an option – "sync data" or "sync new data" to be executed at startup?

(In my case – for local library minimserver/NAS).

 

Thanks, Lukas

[feelingears]

On 8/29/2023 at 4:59 AM, fredg_31 said:

JPLAY considers the song playing isn't complete, however, it is!

A few seconds remain on the JPLAY progression bar when the song stops playing on the Meitner.

When JPLAY considers the song played, the next song start without issue.

 

 

I have this same issue with the Rivo streamer (by Volumio).

 

I think the answer really is buck up and buy a "real" kilo-buck streamer; aka, Aurender, Auralic, Antipodes, Innuos, etc. At least the former come w/ in-house software, but as one who worked in software, I am both impressed and unsure those companies can continue to deliver both high quality hardware and software in today's marketplace. (OTOH, AI should begin to help with driving the cost and maintenance of the software down if it hasn't already, giving them some useful margin.)

 

Maybe one more try with the new Denafrips Arce streamer, but I wish JPLAY well because I'm not a fan of Volumio either, and hope there is a solution to this syncing issue. This out of sync thing seems to be a kind of UPnP attribute.

 

iTunes has spoiled me - it mostly just works (and actually sounds damn good for Red Book) and is thus more family friendly. 

 

I also got Logitech Media Server (LMS) running again on my NAS and will test JPLAY with that. 

 

 

[The Computer Audiophile]

Most of the issues are because UPnP is a nonstandard standard. The Eversolo DMP-A6 I have in for review had an issue stopping after each track with JPLAY for iOS. then an update was released and the issue has been resolved. 

 

Little things need to be fixed all over the place for UPnP to work all over the place. It's the nature of the beast. 

[Jud]

I've been much happier since I made my own DIY plain vanilla streamer with a mini PC on which I installed a Linux server OS and a UPnP app. This way the UPnP is absolutely bog standard with no fancy proprietary vendor additions or changes, and it Just Works. I'm the one who controls the software rather than depending on a vendor.

[stefano_mbp]

8 minutes ago, The Computer Audiophile said:

Most of the issues are because UPnP is a nonstandard standard.

There should be a sort of UPNP certification, if well implemented UPNP works without issues.

I use three different UPNP setup, with Minimserver as UPNP mediaserver,

• SOtM sMS200/MPD&DLNA
• Ropieee/UPNP
• HQPlayer embedded

and they all work as they should, with control points like JPlay for iOS, Lumïn app and Linn … no issues at all

[The Computer Audiophile]

Just now, stefano_mbp said:

There should be a sort of UPNP certification

I hear you loud and clear on this one. if there was a certification process, there certainly wouldn't be as many UPnP decides in the wild and the standard may not have taken off like it did, but may that would have been a good thing. 

[znorter_1]

..sorry if I leave an imprint here to follow this very interesting thread.
(And excuse my English)
Quick question, from an "expert-newbie" 🙂
- does anyone have a Melco (Buffalo) in use with Jplay?
I mean, is anyone abandoning "Melco Music HD" (Mconnect!) for this "revolutionary" player?
How to do? (settings... please, thank you!)

 

P.S. I haven't figured out yet, if there is a list of devices that use ConversDigital hardware cards... and I think Melco/Buffalo certainly doesn't!

[Marcin_gps]

On 1/14/2024 at 6:14 PM, znorter_1 said:

..sorry if I leave an imprint here to follow this very interesting thread.
(And excuse my English)
Quick question, from an "expert-newbie" 🙂
- does anyone have a Melco (Buffalo) in use with Jplay?
I mean, is anyone abandoning "Melco Music HD" (Mconnect!) for this "revolutionary" player?
How to do? (settings... please, thank you!)

 

P.S. I haven't figured out yet, if there is a list of devices that use ConversDigital hardware cards... and I think Melco/Buffalo certainly doesn't!

JPLAY iOS app works with Melco, you may try it. 

[znorter_1]

2 hours ago, Marcin_gps said:

JPLAY iOS app works with Melco, you may try it. 

 Thank you Marcin!
(I just opened a thread on "your" forum!)
Try, ok... but I'm looking for some advice, some other enthusiasts to share experiences with Melco+Jplay...

[Newton John]

On 8/29/2023 at 12:59 PM, fredg_31 said:

Hi Marcin, 

 

No, it didn't help during my tests, it's more like if the app and the Meitner weren't synchronized.

JPLAY considers the song playing isn't complete, however, it is!

A few seconds remain on the JPLAY progression bar when the song stops playing on the Meitner.

When JPLAY considers the song played, the next song start without issue.

 

Hi

 

I am getting this exact same issue with JPlay for IOS and a Linn Klimax DSM. It affects both Qobuz and local files with Asset UPnP.

 

The Linn App plays everything gapless from track to track. Unfortunately, JPlay doesn’t. None of the settings in JPlay make any difference including the gapless option.

 

is there any solution as this makes some albums unlistenable?
 

Many thanks.