Best Audio Playback Software Mac

Choosing the right audiophile playback software can be a daunting task. While audible differences can occur in going from an entry-level software like iTunes to one of the audiophile playback engines mentioned below, the transition between high-end software boils down to a preference between real cherry flavor and artificial cherry flavor. It should also be mentioned that with a properly designed and optimized music server or HTPC, the sonic benefits and differences between operating systems and playback software shrink and selection most often can be made based on form and function. However, the differences in supported file formats, file management systems, user experience vary greatly.

• Best Windows Audio Playback Software
• Audio Playback Software Windows 10
• Best Music Playback Software

The Case for Specialty HiFi Software

• Dec 27, 2019  Fission is made by Rogue Ameba, a company that is well known in the Mac community for making splendid audio products, and Fission is no different. If you don’t want to invest time in learning audio editing and want a quick and easy-to-use tool, this is the one to get.
• Jan 25, 2020  Vox supports common files like FLAC, MP3, CUE, and APE, as well as high-resolution audio files for up to 5.1 channel support — ideal if you have your Mac connected to.

Jun 14, 2015  Decibel - This is a minimalist playback application that handles the most popular playback formats and became popular years ago as one of the few apps capable of auto sample rate switching on OS X. Decibel can be awkward for users with large libraries as its navigation options are nearly nil.

One of the main concepts behind high-end playback software is to aid in the elimination of background processes and improve the ability of non-real-time operating systems to process real-time audio information. Simply put, you want the operating system to focus on audio and not useless services, and you want the audio signal to reach the computers output with as little handshaking as possible.

Because many operating systems can be optimized outside of playback software, the benefits of these audio applications may diminish. This doesn’t mean they make no difference, it just explains why some people will hear a tremendous difference while others will not. There are lots of layers here, and I’ll talk about them more in-depth in our upcoming optimization guides.

Before diving into the software comparison, I need to address bit-perfect playback. There are three camps here. Conventional wisdom states that in order for a system to be bit perfect it must act as a pass-through device, not altering the digital data in any fashion through the use of matrixing, DSP, or other means. The idea behind this is to say the output is exactly the same as what was put in. This idea is supported by the camp's theory that bits are just bits and that digital is just ones and zeros, so if a one is a one and a zero a zero the data has passed un-fooled around with and is thus bit perfect. This means that all bit perfect signals should be created equal.

The second camp states that bit perfect means that the bits are exact, but jitter may still be introduced. When doing something in non-real-time (running an application) bit-perfect is applicable because the data are buffered and sent in packets that are just resent if there are any errors (otherwise you would have applications crashing constantly). Audio, on the other hand, is real time. Bit perfect implies that the data and sample rates match, it does not mean jitter isn't introduced within those same sample rates.

Author's Opinion on Bit Perfect Playback

Finally the third camp, my camp, gets two paragraphs because it's my camp and I'm writing this. Let's all start by agreeing that audio is areal-time process. Even if an application loads data into memory forprocessing, everything before and the whole operation after is a real timeoperation. Real time processes in a computer take the form of a square wave,specifically a pulse width modulation. This pulse width modulation is an analogrepresentation of what we conceptualize as a digital signal and is created byvoltage in the power supply. This PWM signal has both amplitude characteristicsand timing characteristics. The timing, or duty cycle, along with the amplitudedetermine the frequency response of that square wave. A computer is made up ofbillions of transistors, all switching very quickly to changes in logic(mathematical algorithms created by the operating system and software). Basedon the input voltages, logic switches create a new version, a duplicate, of thesquare wave (either theoretically identical or altered). That new version ofthe square wave is also created from power in the power supply. Because audiois real time, there is no error correction that can be done to this squarewave, any resulting wave form IS your music.

Looking at the concept of bit-perfect, it's arguablyimpossible to have bit perfect playback in a real-time system because there areno bits. If the power supply introduces noise or there is jitter on the squarewave this results in a square wave that is not identical to the original.Because the square wave is an analog signal it is still susceptible to noiseand distortion. A square wave, however, reacts a little differently than itssine wave counterpart. Jitter is an alteration of the duty cycle, when thatjitter hits the digital interface chips, a DAC for instance, that jitter isseen as an amplitude error and creates an alteration of the frequency response.Amplitude distortion itself is created by noise voltages that either add orsubtract from the amplitude of the square wave. This introduces harmoniccontent into the square wave that shouldn't exist in the music. The square wavemay still resemble a one or a zero, but it contains additional frequencycontent. So as far that bits are concerned, it's bit perfect, but withadditional harmonic content that shouldn't be there.

So, high-end playback software works to buffer the audio signal and keep as much of the processing in the non-real-time zone (memory playback) as possible. The next step is to create as few duplications of the square wave as possible and get it to the computer's output as quickly as possible so as to avoid the introduction of jitter and amplitude errors. All of the software below is bit perfect, the camp you pitch your tent in shouldn't affect the software you wish to use, just how you choose to integrate it into your system

JRiver Media Center

OS: Mac and Windows

Price: $49

Audio Capabilities: Standard audio formats plus FLAC, WAV, DSD

Video Capabilities: Blu-ray (now on both mac and windows) streaming services like Netflix and Hulu, and multichannel A/V formats

File Management: Self contained database with significant automatic organization and custom tailoring. Custom Playlists. Music stored locally, on external HDD, or NAS.

First up is JRMC (as the cool kids call it). It sports a sleek, easy-to-use interface, various GUI adjustments, and a settings menu with more options than a Vegas buffet line. It can play anything and offers access to a very powerful DSP engine.The feature set and sound quality improvements in this software make it a significant leap up over its windows media center alternative. The addition of ASIO, Direct Sound, Wasapi, and Kernel streaming is a big bonus over entry-level playback software. They have also integrated a memory playback feature, which was a big selling point on higher-end software available. For barebones enthusiasts this software may pack too many options, too many settings, and too much freedom. The good news is if you don’t want to mess with settings you don’t have to, it pretty much plays right out of the box. A similar (and free) alternative is Foobar2000, which has several plugins and nearly identical sound quality. The interface isn’t as nice and it’s not quite as easy to use, but many folks dig it. For an audio-only alternative you can check out CPLAY, which is simpler, open source, and sounds a little better too.

Ratings:

Best Windows Audio Playback Software

User Interface: 10

Customer Support: 9

Subjective Sound Quality: 8

Video Quality: 10

Trial Offered: YES

JPLAY

OS: Windows

Price: $129

Audio Capabilities: Standard Audio Formats plus FLAC, WAV, DSD

File Management: Utilizes JRMC Database organization or standalone playlists.

JPLAY is a relatively new introduction to the audiophile playback software market. Piggy-backing off the Jriver or Foobar2000 interfaces, it allows for use of the excellent file management of JRMC, but with improvements to sound quality.

This is an enthusiast level software, is a bit of a process to set up and tedious to use, but represents the most technically intelligent software available. If any software makes a difference, it would be JPLAY, but many people have claimed that it does not offer improvement over JRMC. In my test system I run a very high-end PC-based music server and the differences between JRMC and JPLAY were subtle, but I felt that I could hear them. Many of the optimizations that JPLAY does to the system I had already done manually (giving both JPLAY and JRMC Standalone an edge to begin with). There is a balance between folks claiming it to be revolutionary and other folks claiming it makes no difference (as is so often the case in the high-end marketplace). My recommendation is that the software makes sense, but you might want to try the trial version and see if it meshes well with your system. Of course if you plan to use it with JRMC it will require a JRMC license as well. JPLAY’s strength comes from its ability to isolate itself from the operating system. Setting itself up as a windows service allows it high priority thread access and when running, JPLAY disables background services to eliminate IO operations so that the only thing being worked on during playback is your music.

They have a slew of standard features including memory playback and direct sound, but integrating the software as a system activity is something unique to JPLAY. For more advanced users, you may choose to go the dual PC route, which involves using a processing PC and a Music PC separately to play back audio. In this setup the processing PC does all the heavy lifting and the music PC is designed to be ultra low power, low noise, and simple to output a streamed audio signal. To me this seems counter-intuitive to want to add a second computer to the signal path, but it is evidently a critical improvement to be made when using the JPLAY system.

Ratings:

User Interface: 6

Customer Support: 8

Subjective Sound Quality: 10

Trial Offered: YES

XXHighEnd

OS: Windows

Price: $96

Audio Capabilities: Primary audio formats plus FLAC, WAV

File Management: Standalone database, managed and organized manually by file folder.

XXHighEnd is a good-sounding software if you can get it to work. It requires a fairly powerful computer to get the most out of it and requires a fairly lengthy setup that may extend past your trial period. If you have the muscle, there’s a lot of potential here.

With that said, this is one of the more tweaky playback software programs. Being able to adjust page size, latency, and utilize memory playback make it a software that has a lot of potential. The software can also do some fairly sophisticated digital filtering algorithms. This is paramount when using the software with the Phasure DAC, which relies on the XXHighEnd software to operate.

The GUI is purposefully minimal and high-contrast. The volume is a lossless DSP-based volume, and there are some cool unknown features like phase alignment that claim to greatly improve the sound. The phase alignment is a unique feature to XXHighEnd and one that sets this apart, as long as your amps aren’t DC-coupled. To learn more, check out the Phasure website.

Personally it wasn’t my cup of tea, but I prefer a little more versatility in my playback software, like DSD support. But this software and JPLAY are top contenders for the best playback software and sound very similar. XXHE also plays standalone, which gives it a bonus point in my book. Simpler is better.

Ratings:

User Interface: 5

Customer Support: 8 (tons of resources on the forum)

Subjective Sound Quality: 9

Trial Offered: YES

Read definitive guide by audio software developer Yuri Korzunov:
• what is the best [highest quality] audio format (codec):
WAV, FLAC, mp3, AIFF, m4a, AAC, ALAC, PCM, DSD, DSF, DFF, SACD;
• lossy and lossless compressed,
• PCM and DSD formats;
• others on Android, iOS, Mac, Windows, Linux,
• Frequently Asked Questions,
• look at infographic how to choose audio file format for you.

HD audio file conversion

Frequently Asked Questions: Audio Formats and Codecs

Read this F.A.Q. about audio file formats (codecs), and read details below.

What is the best audio codec?

Audio file formats (file extensions) are:

• WAV WAV RF64 WAV BWF (.wav)
• FLAC (.flac)
• AIFF (.aiff, .aif)
• mp3/MPEG (.mp3)
• AAC (.m4a)
• ALAC (.m4a)
• WavPack (.wv)
• DSD (.dsf, .dff)
• DSD DoP (.wav, .flac)
• MQA (.flac)

Download free audio files..

The best audio codec is defined according to your aims: sound quality and size compression ability. Read details below.

What is the best audio format for sound quality? Which is the best quality audio format?

Best sound-quality audio formats are lossless formats. Read more about audio formats with maximal audio quality..

Which is the best sound quality?

Sound qualuty have 2 definitions:

• [objective] distortion level;
• [subjective] how it sounds - noce or not.

At the first sight, subjective definition may not be estimated. But, it wasn't.

Both definitions are united by psychoacoustics.

Does high res audio sound better?

It is matter of audio equipment and played back recording. High resolution give potential abilities to achieve better result for designers of audio equipment and software,

What is the best format for music?

Music require maximal abilities, that can provide audio formats (codecs).

Lossless file formats in high resolution are recommended, as default.

Trace around object photoshop free mac app. But, for portable audio players and mobile phones, high bitrates (256 kbps and higher) are recommended for stereo recording, that compressed by lossy codecs (mp3, AAC).

Is FLAC better than mp3? Is WAV better than mp3? Is FLAC or WAV better?

FLAC provide size compressing of audio information without losses. Thus it provide better sound quality than mp3.

Stereo mp3 with high bitrates (256 kbps and higher) almost may not be distinguished with FLAC by sound quality.

But mp3 have limited resolution audio (up to 48 kHz / 16 bit) that might not provide advantages of high resolution audio.

WAV file have no standard lossless compression ability. But FLAC support audio resolution, that limited 384 kHz / 32 bit.

Standard WAV file size is limited 4 Gbytes. It solved via WAV RF64 format using. But this format have compatibility limitations with software and devices.

Which lossless audio format is the best?

WAV audio format almost is not limited in supported audio resolution. High resolutions codec output consume big hard disk space. And for WAV files with size 4 GB and more WAV/RF64 format was applied.

FLAC have no size limitation, but its maximal resolution is 384 kHz / 32 bit in some implementations.

DSD files are separate branch, that can provide lesser distortions than PCM ones (WAV, FLAC, AIFF, etc.) in some hardware implementations. In other cases PCM files may sound better than DSD ones. Read more..

Is 320 kbps good sound quality? Is 256 kbps AAC is good quality?

Yes. Stereo mp3 or AAC 320 kbps is very similar to FLAC and WAV in the same audio resolution (sample rate and bit depth). General recommendation is 256 kbps or higher for stereo mp3 or AAC.

If you use AAC in higher resolutions or multichannel audio, higher bitrate may be desirable.

General advice: try different bitrates for same original recording(s). If you hear no difference with the original recording, use this bitrate.

Which is better mp3 or AAC?

AAC designers state, that AAC better accommodated psychoacoustical factors, than mp3. So AAC is more recommended.

Actually, you can compress original lossless file to mp3 and AAC at different bitrates (256 kbps and above). Compare these files with the original by your ears.

If you don't hear difference, use mp3 or AAC, according compatibility of your audio player or software.

If you prefer high resolution audio or multichannel recordings, you can use AAC instead mp3. Because last one is limited 48 kHz / 16 bit stereo.

What is the most popular audio format?

According to Google statistics (April 2019), it mp3 is the most popular format (among mp3, WAV, FLAC, ALAC, m4a, aac). Second place - m4a, WAV, AAC. ALAC and FLAC in the 3-rd position. m4a is a container for AAC and ALAC.

What the best audio file format for iTunes?

• To maximize sound quality use lossless AIFF and ALAC (*.m4a).
• Convert similar lossless audio files to mp3 and m4a and compare its sound.
• Bitrates 256 kbps and above are recommended.
  

What best audio file format for car CD player?

If car stereo supports FLAC or WAV files, these files give maximal quality.

What is the best sounding audio file format?

To achieve maximal sound quality use lossless files.

What best audio file format for mobile phones, iPhone, iPad?

If internal phone/tablet's DAC is used, lossless PCM formats are preferable.

Some external DACs support DSD.

Compare your audio player app sound for DSD and PCM lossless formats.

What best audio file format for editing?

It is lossless non-compressed PCM file formats (WAV, AIFF).

What best audio codec?

Lossless codecs (FLAC, WAV, AIFF) are preferable here. It is not matter compressed or not.

The developer of mp3 recommends to using AAC instead.

What best audio file format for website and web?

In general, it is compressed formats: mp3, m4a, ogg, flac.

What best audio format for movies?

Lossless multi-channel sound formats (Dolby TrueHD, DTS-HD Master Audio) are recommended for home music systems.

To keep hard disk space DTS support lossy compression.

Also, lossy AC3 may be used.

Lossy compression is recommended to web and portable applications.

What is highest quality audio format?

Sound quality of audio format

Audio format is data structure and coding type to store musical information.

Codec is software and/or hardware to code/encode audio format to processing and/or playback on DAC (digital-to-analog converter).

Additional information:

Original stuff (DSD or PCM modulation) from ADC (analog-to-digital converter) is coded to a format with encoder.

Restoring from the format to PCM or DSD modulation to playback at DAC is performed with a decoder.

Codec = encoder + decoder.

Some sound formats are called as 'audiophile file formats'. They provide higher sound quality, than 'non-audiophile' ones.

Sound quality is considered here as distortion level of original music stuff after storing into an audio file.

There are music file formats:

• non-compressed: WAV, FLAC, AIFF, ALAC, DSF, DFF, SACD ISO.
• lossless compressed: FLAC, APE, DTS-HD Master Audio, WavPack, DFF, SACD ISO;
• lossy compressed: mp3, AAC, MQA, DTS, OGG, others.

What is mean compressed, lossy lossless format (codec)?

Compressed mean reduced-by-size audio content. As rule, lossy compression provides size compressing better, than lossless ones, because part of audio information is lost.

The best sound quality audio recording formats are called 'lossless'. They keep audio quality without any losses (audio data of original and decoded music stuff are binary identical).

Lossless formats are capable to store original musical stuff without altering. I.e. sound quality of any lossless format (compressed or not) is identical. However, the transformation between DSD and PCM lossless audio files is lossy.

The sound quality of playback

Playback sound quality is not the same sound quality of an audio format.

Losses of audio format are only part of playback sound quality.

Playback sound quality includes distortions of:

• recording, mixing, post-production;
• format;
• playback software;
• playback hardware.

EXAMPLE:

When we upsample music, it can be played back with another distortion level of playback software and/or hardware.

Upsampling is lossy. But distortion level of playback software and/or hardware may be lesser these values for the original resolution.

So, total playback distortions after lossy upsampling may be better, than without the upsampling.

Audio Playback Software Windows 10

Resume: the best sound quality music formats are any lossless formats. But conversion between lossless PCM and lossless DSD is lossy. However, the conversion of format or resolution audio can give playback quality advantages (read details).

Overview of audio files

Sound formats intention

Music formats are intended for solving different issues:

• maximal sound quality providing;
• saving of hard disk space at a musical device;
• song information (metadata: album artwork, song and album name, performer, etc.) providing;
• maintenance of file compatibility with software and hardware.

Music file formats. Conversion and playback

Audio format types

• by modulation: DSD and PCM;
• by size compression: compressed and non-compressed:
  compressed files by sound quality:
  • lossless,
  • lossy.

Sound quality does not matter of used operating system (Android, iOS, Windows, Mac, Linux, others) of computer or mobile device. The quality depend on playback system settings rather, including operation system drivers.

Read more:

Audio formats. Common audio file extensions

* MQA format is lossy, as far as the author know (details).

FLAC in the table means 'Free Lossless Audio Codec'. *.flac file may be used as a wrapper to other formats (MQA, as for an example).

Read more about:

Audio formats (codecs)

PCM formats

PCM formats (WAV, FLAC, AIFF, ALAC, APE, MQA, CD-audio) may be compressed (lossless or lossy) or not.

Most popular WAV and AIFF may have metadata compatibility issues with audio software and hardware.

Lossless audio formats

What is the best lossless audio format? By sound quality all lossless formats are identical. But there are compatibility and metadata issues. Read the details below.

Additional stuff:

WAV, AIFF

These music files are most popular among uncompressed lossless formats. Lossy compressed audio data may be stored in the *.wav and *.aiff files though.

Many sonic devices support these formats, but there aremay be issues with metadata displaying at some hardware and software.

AIFF may be recommended as an uncompressed format for iTunes due metadata compatibility.

WAV and AIFF can contain DoP packed DSD audio stream. Such files cannot be played back without special processing or hardware.

In general WAV, AIFF may be used to editing software (faster opening without additional processing), home music library at big size hard disks. For the libraries, Free Lossless Audio Codec is more recommended.

AIFF and WAV have no special limitation by sample rate and bit depth (except header field size). File size for these types is limited: 2 GBytes.

WAV RF64 and SONY's WAV64 formats allow to creating WAVs with size more 2 GBytes.

There is AIFF-C lossless format for CD-audio tracks. Read the details below.

Free Lossless Audio Codec (FLAC)

FLAC compressed lossless format reduces file size and keep binary audio content without altering. FLAC has compatibility by metadata with many hardware and software.

There are uncompressed FLAC, that some people consider as better sounding. There is a technical hypothesis: why it may be so. But currently no safe evidence. Look details here.

FLAC is not compatible with iTunes player.

Like WAV and AIFF, Free Lossless Audio Codec can contain DoP packed DSD music.

FLAC maximal resolution is 32 bit / 384 kHz and its size may be more 2 GBytes (may depend on used editing and conversion software).

Apple Lossless Audio Codec (ALAC)

It is losslessly compressed audio file format. The format may be recommended as FLAC replacement for iTunes.

CD audio

Compact disk (CD) contains data in format like WAV 16 bit / 44.1 kHz. Audio data from compact disk may be stored in WAV and other audio files via CD ripper software.

Under Windows at compact disk *.cda files are displayed. But it is index files that contain track time position. *.cda file copying doesn't provide audio stuff extracting. There is need audio ripping software.

Under Mac OSX *.aiff files are displayed at a compact disk. These files may be copied as usual sound files. But these files contain AIFF-C lossless format. It has inverse order of audio bytes, than usual AIFF. AIFF-C may be converted to AIFF without losses.

WMA lossless

WMA (Windows Media Audio) has the lossless ability at codec version 9.

The decoder WMA to WAV (wmal2pcm) may be downloaded here

APE

APE (Monkey's Audio codec) has the lossless compressing ability. Metadata are supported. Official codec builds, known by the author, for Windows only.

Read details here

WavPack

WavePack is a lossless audio format. Metadata are supported.

Read details here

CAF (lossless)

CAF (Core Audio Format) is file container for lossless audio format (uncompressed PCM or compressed by ALAC codec). Metadata are supported. Also, see CAF lossy

Read details here

Lossy compressed

mp3, aac, ogg, wma, ac3, dts and other

Lossy compressed formats like mp3, aac, ogg and others are intended to save maximal song number into limited hard disk space of musical device (especially mobile phone or portable digital audio player) or computer.

AAC more modern codec than mp3. And AAC developers promise better sound quality, than mp3 (details).

Lossy compressing technologies are balance between audio quality losses and minimal size.

Bitstream characterizes lossy files. The bitstream is bit number of audio information per second. The best bitstream audio quality (kbps / kbit per second) mean minimal file size, but still good sound quality.

As rule lossy files have no metadata compatibility issues.

WAV and AIFF have lossy modifications. But they are not widespread.

What is best audio codec for lossy file? It is unknown exactly, because depending on many factors.

In general, to provide high sound quality of mp3, 256 kbit/s and higher bitrates may be recommended.

Windows Media Audio (WMA) format is one of the popular lossy codecs, that also have lossless abilities in version 9.

ac3, aac, dts formats allow to storing multichannel compressed sound.

Additional stuff:

CAF (lossy)

CAF (Core Audio Format) is file container for lossy audio formats (compressed by AAC, mp3 and other codecs). Metadata are supported. Also, see CAF lossless

Read details here

MQA (Master Quality Authenticated)

MQA is a PCM format. Looks like, it provides better size compression than FLAC (see here). But MQA has some losses, as far as the author know (see details). Of course, MQA losses are minimal to provide high sound quality.

MQA may be played back without decoding with lesser (than MQA's maximal) sound quality. It provides its compatibility with non-MQA software and hardware.

How to choose optimal bitrate for lossy formats

The main matter of bitrate is storage space spacing. So we need to choose the minimal bitrate, that gives proper sound quality.

As rule, 256 kbit/sec and more is recommended.

But, if you want to define own optimal bitrate, here step-by-step guide:

1. Take several lossless files (FLAC, WAV, AIFF or other) as samples of your preferable musical genres.
2. Encode these samples to mp3-audio with different bitrates.
3. Compare these mp3 files with its originals by audibility of sound quality difference.
4. To future coding, you can use minimal bitrate, that causes a minimal audible difference.

DSD formats

DSF, DFF, SACD ISO (*.iso) are lossless DSD formats based on 1-bit sigma-delta modulation.

This format allows to using simplified (in concept) digital-to-analog converters, comparing PCM ones.

DFF and SACD ISO (file-image of SACD optical disk) may be DST compressed.

DSD audio content may be packed in DoP format (not compressed). DoP is stored in lossless PCM files (WAV, FLAC).

Metadata

As rule, DFF has metadata displaying issues for playback tools. SACD ISO contains text metadata only.

Best Music Playback Software

Stereo and multichannel

SACD ISO may contain 2 variants of single album stereo and multichannel. It causes consuming of additional space at hard disk.

To avoid the consuming SACD ISO may be extracted to DSF files with the certain channel number. As an example, for a stereo digital audio player, stereo album variant is the best option.

Also, SACD ISO file doesn't contain album artworks.

Read more about:

What is an audio codec

An audio codec is a program to convert original audio data stream to certain format and back. Audio codec provides bit/byte order, data headers, compression/decompression and other.

Original audio stream is a raw sequence of non-formatted digital audio data.

As rule, audio codecs are included to audio conversion software and program or hardware players.

Example of audio codec types:

mp3 codec, flac codec, aac codec, other.

Audio formats for iTunes

iTunes audio player software allows to playback both audiophile and lossy formats. But there is a limitation: iTunes don't play FLAC and DSD files. Also, iTunes can't read WAV metadata.

FLAC may be replaced to Apple Lossless Codec (ALAC with *.m4a extension).

WAV may be replaced to AIFF. However, metadata (text and artwork) should be stored in a format compatible with iTunes.

What is the best audio format? Conclusions

When you choose the best audio format for the sound quality of your music library, it needs to consider:

• compatibility with used software and hardware;
• desirable sound quality (maximal for your audio system);
• desirable number songs in limited hard disk space of computer or musical device.

For audiophiles may be recommended lossless formats: DSF, FLAC, ALAC (*.m4a), WAV, AIFF, CAF files.

DFF and WAV may have metadata compatibility issues.

To saving more songs at disk it is recommended to use mp3, aac, ogg. AAC is promised as the best sounding than mp3 (see above).

Extracting of stereo tracks from SACD ISO (with stereo and 5.1 album variants)
and/or downmixing of multichannel tracks to stereo
can save hard disk space at stereo digital audio players (DAP) and mobile phones.

Operating system of computer or mobile phone doesn't impact to sound quality of played back files. It is a matter of playback system settings rather.

Read where free download:

Author: Yuri Korzunov,
Audiophile Inventory's developer
July 03, 2020 updated since July 13, 2013