JPlay - a Player for Windows

[jmudrick]

Jplsy's limited support for JRiver works fine for me. I copy tracks from JRiver into Jplay's mini player for playback in Hibernation mode. It's two additional keystrokes. No additional keystrokes if you define a hotkey.

 

[Dennis Graves]

I have a CAPS2 server, and had been using JRiver. Once thoroughly tweaked, JRiver can sound quite good. Actually, better than my quality transport.

BUT, I have had a lot of problems with JRiver -- it is a complex program, which does a lot, but periodically does terrible things to my files. Frankly, I just don't think I can get JRiver to operate in a way that will maintain the composer, type, piece organization that I need.

 

Enter JPlay: a simple, easy to use program that does not have the bells and whistles of JRiver and other programs. It has no GUI. It is just for playing music. While everything is "system dependent", in my highly resolving system I can unequivocally state that JPlay allows me to achieve sound that is better than anything I have heard outside a concert hall. If your system is not as resolving as mine, the difference may not be as great, but I expect you may still find JPlay to be better than anything else you have heard in high end audio. In short, JPlay should be a quantum leap forward for most who have quality systems, especially if they listen to classical music.

 

Violins are the backbone of classical music and, invariably, seem to be the most difficult instruments to get right, especially when full string sections are playing in the high range at loud volumes. Classical listeners need a player that can accurately reproduce such violin passages and, in my system, JPlay does so with a clarity and beauty that I had not thought possible. Moreover, the mids and lower end of the spectrum (eg, cellos and basses) are reproduced with a richness, timber and beauty that is not approached by anything else I have heard.

 

I will provide more detailed information in a future post, giving an in-depth review of some very difficult pieces and explaining how JPlay makes them highly listenable when no other player has been able to do so (eg, Shostakovich 8th Symphony).

 

In my system, JPlay is good enough that I am no longer considering buying that $20,000 transport.

 

Incidentally, I should state for the record that I have no financial interest or other connection to JPlay. In fact, I did not know the program existed until I read about it in a CA post a week ago. Fortunately, I tried the trial version and decided to buy it within 5 minutes. The best $125 I have spent in my entire audio history.

 

[kyrill]

he he finally one who hears as I do how good it really is, I am for instance very surprised how lackluster audiocircle.com forum is reacting to it.

Kyrill

 

[eternaloptimist]

I thought I had the NAS access issue sorted... I was wrong.

I am not a total networking novice...

I have a bootcamped (Win7 Pro) MacMini and a QNAP NAS.

If I "load" a track (copy) using the UNC path (\) etc. I can play fine - Jpay service running with Local user login.

If I try and load a track via the NAS directory as a mapped network drive ("z:") I consistently get the Open failed, Error = 3. This error message indicates JPlay cannot access the mapped drive file (presumably due to privileges issue).

I am aware of Windows networking issues with JPay running as a service and permissions etc.

I know the difference between "run as administrator" and using a User account with administrator privileges... (I *love* windows networking...)

I have tried running the JPlay service as a local user with admin privileges and setting up the mapped drive with the *exact same user credentials* (via CMD line) - no joy.

I have tried running JPlay.exe "run as administrator" - no joy.

What to do????

I would anticipate that a significant proportion of computer audiophiles have files stored on a NAS and aim to access via a mapped drive.

This should just work and not require MSE-level knowledge of the intricacies of Windows networking, permissions etc.

Unless there is a straightforward workaround, I am ready to press Uninstall.

I...have...had...enough...

 

[josef]

@eternaloptimist: so it works fine if you use unc names?

 

but you really need to use mapped drive? (i guess because of iTunes library?)

 

i could send you a test version that i'm working on now - pls send me a private mail here or to [email protected]

 

cheers,

josef

 

[Musiq]

here is the way to do it :

 

http://musiq-audiophile.blogspot.com/2011/12/comment-acceder-aux-stockage-nas-reseau.html

 

 

[eternaloptimist]

I will give it a try later today.

Google Translate is my friend

 

[eternaloptimist]

Thanks for the reply, Josef.

Sorry about the frustration I expressed - had just spent nearly 3 hours trying to make it work. You are correct: I use mapped drives because of iTunes...

The sound is really lovely and I am *so* close...

I am still experimenting with the trial version so it would be unfair of me to expect the support you offered.

If you don't mind, I will email you at support@jplay to trial the test version - if in the end I don't purchase Jplay (unlikely if it works with mapped drives given the SQ!) I promise I will remove it from my system.

 

 

[eternaloptimist]

Thanks Musiq very, very, very much.

Your instructions worked, although I did have to alter the syntax of the script. It suspect it is a Google Translate issue...

In the "English translated" script the script is recorded as:

psexec-i-s cmd.exe / c net use L: NAS Share & exit net start JPlayservice

I edited it to....

psexec -i -s cmd.exe /c net use Z: \NASShare & net start JPLAYservice

and it works!

I.e... the spaces Google Translate added were removed and the word "exit" removed.

Everything else I followed "to the letter" and now I am just waiting for the licensed version to arrive via email!

Am sitting here listening to the trial version and trying to ignore the periodic dropouts!

 

Thanks again.

Dave

 

[josef]

@dm:

>Any timeframe for JMRC support?

 

beta is already circulating: if you'd like to join beta testers just send pm!

 

btw: intriguingly & controversially - JRiver plugin sounds different than iTunes/Foobar/mini...

 

[schweigc]

I have downloaded the trial version. Is there 'Gapless' playback?

 

From my limited experience with this software, I do hear a significant, positive difference. Before I buy the full version, I would like to know if true gapless is possible.

 

As a side note, hibernation mode does not work on my current equipment, but based on the 'normal' modes, I would be extremely interested to hear jPlay, at a minimum gapless, and in true hibernation mode.

 

[Marcin_gps]

Hi schweigc,

 

Yes, gapless is possible in JPLAYmini or using foobar/iTunes/(and very soon jriver) integration with hibernate mode.

 

Regards,

Marcin

 

[SoundQcar]

I finally got JPlay to play nice with my setup....and in particular 'Hibernation Mode' in the 'fullscale' setting. For those having problems, I utilized a download called Sandboxie that allowed my computer to accept hibernation mode. Here is all the info you'd need to give it a go:

 

http://jplay.eu/forum/jplay/what-is-hibernate-mode-and-why-it-may-not-work-on-my-system/

 

For the people out there that haven't played with this software before, or haven't heard it in all its hibernating glory, let me tell you that it allows my system to bathe my room in a most marvelous sound of the highest order. What Dennis Graves wrote about a few posts above is absolutely ON-THE-MARK!

 

The tonal rightness, the enveloping feeling of being completely transported to the recording venue, the complete analog-like ease....without blurring the details, you just get it all. I was "limping" along with the normal mode for a day or so....including a very nice list of tweaks via Marcin, and even that mode takes JRMC17 to the woodshed. If hibernation wasn't in the offing for me, it would have seriously sufficed. That is, until I heard what Jplay can REALLY do.

 

My hat is off to Marcin & Josef. I know you guys are working on having Jplay work with Jriver's excellent GUI. If you can somehow do that without sacrificing what I am hearing here in my home, you two will have pushed the envelope right off and over the cliff.

 

I never thought I'd say this, but I really think this is the end of the game for me. Now it's time to collect more music and simply enjoy the ride.

 

Cheers,

Bob

 

[basil]

Well, in my experience, Jplay sound is very thin and lacks of detail that I hear in Jriver 16.

The soundstage drops as well...

 

I have a Wyred4Sound DAC2 connect via USB to my music PC and there is huge difference between the 2 players, where Jriver is a definitive winner.

 

 

 

[kyrill]

Hi Basil

 

I find it very hard to belief that Jplay sounds less than any other out there, especially much less. I am afraid that the "fault" lies elsewhere.

 

Have you experience with the registered version or a demo one?

Do you know how to setup the jplay.settings?

 

Can you elaborate on yr gear? If you can make Jplay work as it should be you will have more enjoyment in listening to yr music

 

[Priaptor]

my own opinion is that its SQ varies pretty substantially with settings and the computer used so I expect pretty significant variability in people's experiences.

 

Whereas the CAPS is great for JRiver, I have some trepidation in trying it with JPlay. It sounded pretty good with my MacAir bootcamped but not great. I will be trying it on a more powerful PC as I really don't want to add anything but what I have to my CAPS which is absolutely luscious right now.

 

If I find JPlay to be better than I may have to re-plan but I do believe the prior poster's experience may be as you state more related to settings and computer power. If I have to use hibernate mode to equal or surpass my CAPS then it is a nonstarter for me.

 

Incidentally, I do recommend people try at least to compare JRiver 17 as the SQ is better compared to 16.

 

[basil]

Of course that I used the demo version, but that shouldn't influence the sound quality.

 

The settings were very simple to figure out and I didn't notice any improvements by changing them around.

 

As said before I have a W4S DAC2, connected via USB to my media PC(quad core, 8GB RAM, windows 7 64bit), the DAC goes into W4S amplifier via regular interconnects.

 

The same setup using Jriver 16 and 17, WASAPI event style setting, gives me a very different sound, much open and richer.

 

[Priaptor]

your opinion, but am the first to admit, I am not using JPlay in the recommended setting of a Quad Core i5 computer.

 

I do have the full version and will eventually give it a trial as the developer's recommend.

 

However, given the issues of "hibernate" mode to get the best sound, I am not willing to go that distance and am this point sticking with and believe on my system JRiver 17 is the best.

 

[SoundQcar]

I assume you were able to use JPLAY in Hibernation (fullscale) mode, with DirectLink?

 

Were you running it Kernel Streaming or Wasapi?

 

I also have JRMC 17....and get radically different results that you have.

 

[Priaptor]

on JPlay, just stating that I have yet to optimize it.

 

My only point on hibernation mode, which I have not gotten to play properly on my temporary setup, is that if I lose functionality, that is a factor I need to consider as my de factor player.

 

[basil]

Nope, I have not tried hibernate yet but that option probably won't work for me, as I tend to use the computer for more than just a music player.

I used Wasapi mode.

 

[Suteetat]

Hmmm.. looks interesting. Unfortunately, as I understand it, it only support wasapi and kernel streaming, correct?

Unfortunately, my Playback Design/USB-x needs to use its own USB driver to support 24/384 as well as DSD/DSD2 and the driver is Asio so I imagine that it would not work with JPlay!

 

 

[Elprior]

Hi,

 

you should try KS instead, as I used to get the same results with Wasapi in v3.4. It's pretty much system dependent.

 

You should also try hibernate in your prefered mode (Wasapi or KS), as it gives a hint of what you can expect from Jplay.

 

And finally, a dedicated computer is definitely the best option. I too am using it for browsing, right now for instance , but I have stopped all services that seemed useless to me, and I have customized startup with autoruns so as to remove all crappy drivers.

 

Hth,

Elp

 

[Elprior]

Hi Priaptor,

 

nice to read you are trying the thing

 

I suspect caps v2 is nowhere enough to play with Jplay.

As opposed to Jriver, it's rather the more powerful side that is required here.

Once it's done, with all dreadful options on, you can get 95% of hibernate sound in non-hibernate and really sing compared to Jriver (which is still a good player in my book).

 

And make sure you don't stick with Wasapi...

 

Elp

 

[josef]

Today we released v4.1 which features JRiver plugin - Controversially, most beta testers claimed this plugin sounds best of all so it might be worth checking out...