While Microsoft’s operating system has always offered built-in options like Windows Media Player (known just as Media Player in Windows 11) or the now-defunct Groove Music, Windows users are more likely to search for their own preferred music player.
However, if you’re an audiophile, the search gets trickier. Try searching for a music player that supports hi-res audio in FLAC, MQA, or DSD format, and your options are slim. This is why we’ve rounded up the best hi-res music player apps for Windows.
1. Hysolid
If you have your PC hooked up to a quality Hi-Fi system, Hysolid could be exactly what you’re looking for. This isn’t traditional media player software. Instead, it transforms your PC into a music player that you control with your iOS device (there is an Android app, but it’s broken). Just kick back on the couch, pick the music you want to hear, and your PC plays it over your Hi-Fi system. You don’t even need to sign in to Windows.
Hysolid will play most hi-res formats you throw at it. The app is compatible with PCM audio, including WAV and FLAC up to 384kHz as well as DSD from 2.8MHz to 11.2MHz in DSF format. Hysolid can also display the operating mode of the USB DAC you’re using, as well as whether playback is a bit perfect.
Download: Hysolid (Free)
2. MusicBee
MusicBee is what you need if you want a simple and clean interface without sacrificing speed. It’s a lightweight app that opens instantly but still packs many features. You can adjust the audio with a 10-band or 15-band equalizer and DSP effects. Not all software can do this, but MusicBee can use high-end audio cards if you have one on your computer.
MusicBee also supports gapless playback, logarithmic volume scaling, normalized volume streaming, and Android device syncing. Furthermore, if you previously used WinAmp with plugins, you can import those plugins into MusicBee to improve your listening experience. This music player includes skins, Last.fm support, CD ripping tools, and other features.
Download:MusicBee (Free)
3. Plexamp
Plexamp is unlike any other player we’re looking at, as it’s only a front-end to the free Plex Media Server software. You add your music to the server–which can run on the same computer as Plexamp itself–and use Plexamp to listen to your music. Part of the beauty here is you can listen to your library of music anywhere.
The software supports the usual hi-res formats, and it will even play DSD. That said, while Plexamp supports sample rate matching on macOS and Linux, as well as iOS devices, it doesn’t on Windows. This means that, oddly enough,if you’re looking for bit-perfect audio on Windows, you’ll need to use the standard Plex app instead of Plexamp.
One of the major benefits of the client/server approach of Plex and Plexamp is that it’s much more like creating your own version of Spotify or another streaming app. Whether you play on your Windows PC or your phone, you’ll have all the same songs, playlists, and recommendations, which you won’t find in many more traditional music player apps.
Download:Plexamp (Free, Plex Pass adds features starting at $4.99/month)
4. Audirvana
Another excellent option is Audirvana, which focuses on giving you control over your audio streaming from source to output. If you have a powerful computer and want to put to work processing great-sounding audio, this is an option worth considering. For example, Audirvana supports running higher-performance algorithms to take the load off your DAC and avoid oversampling.
This app also supports VST3 plugins. This can be handy for audiophiles, whether you want to add a touch of EQ or view your favorite songs through a spectrum analyzer. Audirvana is another option that isn’t cheap (there is a 30-day free trial), but the sheer power of the app may make it a price worth paying.
Download: Audirvana ($119.99)
5. Foobar2000
One of the most popular music players for Windows, Foobar2000 is practically a household name. The interface is a little dated, but this app is fast, configurable, and, perhaps most importantly, free. While it’s not the only free player on this list, it is the only one that resembles a traditional lightweight media player.
Foobar supports FLAC out of the box but not DSD. In order to get support for this, you’ll need to get the Super Audio CD Decoder add-on, which you can download from SourceForge. Once the component is installed, this becomes an even more powerful audio player. This information is especially handy if you already know and love Foobar200.
Download: Foobar2000 (Free)
6. JRiver
JRiver is software that tries to do many things for many people. Fortunately, it seems to do a good job at almost everything it aims to do. It supports bit-perfect audio in lossless PCM and DSD formats. The audio subsystem can use either ASIO or WASAPI, meaning it will transmit audio perfectly to your DAC.
There are several features here that seem obvious but are lacking in other players. One example is the optional audiophile-grade crossfeed. The developers say this makes listening on headphones sound more natural and less fatiguing since it’s more like what you’d hear from speakers in a room.
Download: JRiver ($69.98 for Windows-only license, $89.98 for Windows, Mac, and Linux combined license)
7. Roon
While most examples of hi-res music player software focus on sound quality alone, Roon focuses on something else. The developers say that something has been lost in the transition to digital music. To bring back the feeling of engagement, you’d get from poring over liner notes, Roon aims to present a searchable magazine of your music.
Roon doesn’t just apply this technique to music stored on your computer. It can do this to music played from a local NAS or even streamed from Tidal as well. If music isn’t a background activity to you but something you want to engage in, Roon may be worth trying (there’s a free trial).
Download: Roon ($149.88/year or $829.99 for lifetime access)
8. Strawberry Music Player
All the players we’re looking at will play your music files, but not all of them are equally effective at organizing them. Strawberry Music Player, an open-source player based on Clementine, is aimed at audiophiles who want to keep their music collection well-organized.
Strawberry doesn’t support DSD files, but it supports most hi-res and lossless PCM formats, including WAV, FLAC, Monkey’s Audio, and WAV, among others. You also get support for MP3 and MP4, though you won’t find any ability to play Apple Lossless files. Unfortunately, while bit-perfect playback is available, it’s only currently available on Linux.
In addition to the features aimed at maintaining and organizing your music collection, Strawberry also features some extra audio niceties. The app features a built-in audio analyzer, as well as an EQ you can use to adjust the sound to your taste.
Even though the app is open source and you can download it and compile it free of charge, the author requires a Patreon subscription for the Windows and macOS downloads.
Download:Strawberry (Free, minimum $5 Patreon subscription for Windows download)
Finding the right hi-res music player app is great, but it doesn’t mean much if you don’t have hi-res music to listen to. These apps will play your MP3 collection as well, but if you’ve got a great audio setup, you’ll get more out of it by buying high-quality audio.
When buying music, there are several online stores to choose from. Then there are streaming services, which are beginning to offer hi-res audio as well. Some of the most popular include Tidal, Qobuz, and Deezer.
