Linux Open Source Audio Players
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Comparing open source audio players with a library management running on Linux systems.
DO NOT HESITATE to update this comparison !
Comparing open source audio players with a library management running on Linux systems.
DO NOT HESITATE to update this comparison !Link | Nightingale | Guayadeque | XBMC | Clementine | Rhythmbox | Exaile | Banshee | Quod Libet | gmusicbrowser | Listen | JaJuk | aTunes | Amarok 2.x | Amarok 1.4 |
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| Overall rating | no rating | 5.0/5 1 rating | 5.0/5 1 rating | 3.7/5 3 ratings | 3.0/5 2 ratings | 3.5/5 2 ratings | 3.5/5 2 ratings | 5.0/5 2 ratings | 3.0/5 1 rating | 4.0/5 1 rating | no rating | 2.0/5 1 rating | 2.0/5 1 rating | 5.0/5 1 rating |
| Excerpt | Nightingale chirps your favorite tunes! A beautiful interface with a wide range of supported audio formats, all with multi-platform support! [Notye: Songbird's fork ! (now that Songbrid's development is closed on Linux)] | Guayadeque is a music management program designed for all music enthusiasts. It is Full Featured Linux media player that can easily manage large collections and uses the Gstreamer media framework | XBMC is an open source digital media hub designed to be a media player for the living-room TV. Its graphical user interface allows to easily manage video, photos, podcasts... using a remote control. | A cross-platform music player inspired by Amarok 1.4 | An integrated music management application, originally inspired by Apple's iTunes. | A music player and manager written in Python. It incorporates automatic fetching of album art, lyrics fetching, Last.fm scrobbling, support for tabbed playlists, many portable media players, internet radio such as shoutcast. | A music and video player which can manage your podcasts, Internet radio and keep your portable device loaded with good stuff. | An audio player designed around the idea that you know how to organize your music better than we do. | An open-source jukebox for large collections of mp3/ogg/flac/mpc/ape files, written in perl. | A music management and audio player for GNOME | Organizes and plays music. It is a full-featured application geared towards advanced users with large or scattered music collections. | A full-featured audio player and manager, developed in Java | An audio player with many exciting features | |
| Pros | ||||||||||||||
| Cons | crashes too often (on my PC at least) :( | |||||||||||||
| Reviewed version | 1.11.1 (Ubuntu 12.04) | 0.3.1-1639 (Ubuntu 11.10) | 0.7.1 (Ubuntu 11.10) | 2.90.1 (Ubuntu 11.10) | 0.3.2.2 (Ubuntu 11.10) | 2.2.0 (Ubuntu 11.10) | 2.3.2 (Ubuntu 12.04) | 1.1.9 (Ubuntu 12.04) | 0.6.5 (Ubuntu 11.04) | 1.9.1 (Ubuntu 11.04) | 2.0.1 (Ubuntu 11.04) | 2.5.0 (Ubuntu 12.04) | 1.4.10 (Ubuntu 11.04) | |
| Player | ||||||||||||||
| ReplayGain | Yes option: Album/Track | Yes option: radio/album/off modes and preAmp | Yes options: pre-ampli and Radio/Album modes | Yes [plugin] options: pre-ampli and Radio/Album modes | Yes usual options | Yes no options | Yes options: pre-ampli and default ampli | Yes | No Not seen in preferences... | No Not seen in Preferences... | Yes option: Album/Track | No External script - not stable | ||
| Transitions | Yes options: in and out lenghts, in volume, in start => graphical view :) | Yes configurable | Yes option: length | - Only using unstable "unified" sound engine | No | No | No | Yes | Yes | - Only on Stop | Yes options: Transition [NO (blank length) OR YES (length, always OR auto change only OR manual change only). FadeOut [NO OR length] | |||
| Gapless | Yes configurable | No | No | - Only using unstable "unified" sound engine | Yes no options | No | No | No | No | No | ||||
| Equalizer | Yes Presets & Custom | Yes Presets & Custom | - 3rd party plugin (not easy to install) | Yes Presets & Custom | Yes Presets & Custom | Yes plugin | Yes | Yes plugin | No | Yes | Yes | |||
| Navigator | ||||||||||||||
| Mode de navigation | Many and configurable (you can save display presets): Chained lists (configurable) AND/OR TreeView (many modes) AND/OR sources ... | TreeView (up to 3 levels among album, artist, albumartist, genre, year, filetype, albumyear, composer) | Chained lists (Limited to Artist/Album OR Genre/Artist OR Genre/Artist/Album) | TreeView (Limited to Artist, Album, Genre/Artist, Genre/Album, Year/Artist, Year/Album, Artist/Year-Album) | Chained lists (Artist/Album only), but album can be displayed as text or image (by default) | Chained lists (Grouping/Genre/Artist/Album) | Many CONFIGURABLE modes !! Check it out | Chained lists (Artist/Album OR Genre/Artist OR Genre/Artist/Album) | TreeView (Artist/Album OR Genre/Artist/Album OR Album OR Year/Artist/Album OR FileSystem) | TreeView (up to 3 levels among album, artist, genre, artistalbum, composer, label) | TreeView (up to 3 levels among album, artist, genre, year, albumyear, composer, label) | |||
| File | Yes | Yes Library only | No | Yes | No | Yes | Yes Library only | No | Yes Libary only | Yes | Yes | |||
| Cover Navigator | Yes | No but there is a cover manager that can replace, though not handy | No | Yes | - Slows down app a lot, but it can be disabled | Yes | Yes | No | No | No but there is a cover manager that can replace, though not handy | No but there is a cover manager that can replace, though not handy | |||
| Local Library | ||||||||||||||
| Multiple folders | Yes | Yes | - Yes, but not easy to manage. Use gconf-editor: apps > rhythmbox > library_locations | Yes | No | No | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | ||
| Watch folders | - can only scan at startup (option) or manually | Yes | - Only new files | No | Yes plugin | - Only startup scan (option) or manual scan | - can only scan at startup (option) or manually | Yes | Yes | Yes | ||||
| Statistics | playCounter, lastPlayed, added, rating | playCounter, lastPlayed, score, rating, skippedCounter | playCounter, lastPlayed, added, rating | playCounter, lastPlayed, added, rating | playCounter, lastPlayed, score, rating, skippedCounter, lastSkippedDate | playCounter, added, lastPlayed, skippedCounter, rating | playCounter, lastPlayed, score, rating, skippedCounter, lastSkippedDate | playCounter, lastPlayed, added | playCounter, lastPlayed, firstPlayed, score (optional), rating (optional) | playCounter, lastPlayed, score (optional), rating (optional), added | ||||
| Playlists | ||||||||||||||
| Playlists | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | ||||
| Smart | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | ||||
| Dynamic | Yes Called "Smart mode": auto-fills queue with a given playlist (you can exclude another playlist too) | Yes | - But when the queue is empty auto plays a file from the navigator (selected artist/album/genre) | - No options !? | Yes | No | Yes | - No options !? what source ? | Yes | Yes | ||||
| Queue | Yes | Yes separate window. | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes separate window. | ||||
| Tags | ||||||||||||||
| Editor | Yes | Yes | No Updates only database, not files. | Yes | Yes | Yes Full-featured | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | |||
| id3 version | 2.4 | 2.4 | N/A | 2.4 | 2.3 | ?? | 2.3 (default) OR 2.4 | ?? | 2.3 | ?? | 2.4 | |||
| Auto tag tools | Yes MusicBrainz (artist/album names) + covers (Google, Amazon, last.fm OR Discogs) + lyrics (several choice) | Yes MusicBrainz (audio print) + covers (Last.fm) | - With some plugins only | - Only convert first letter uppercase | No cover and metadata (plugins - no options) + BPM detection (built-in) | Yes From path only. MusicBrainz, CDDB, cover search plugins | - Probably with plugins | No | Yes NOT configurable. No choices displayed. Not handy. | Yes MusicBrainz, Filename | - MusicBrainz but seems outdated | |||
| Scrobbler | ||||||||||||||
| Last.fm | Yes | Yes | Yes plugin | Yes plugin | Yes plugin | Yes plugin | Yes plugin | Yes | Yes plugin | |||||
| Libre.fm | Yes | No | Yes plugin | Yes plugin | No | Yes plugin | No | Yes | No maybe a plugin | |||||
| Informations | ||||||||||||||
| Lyrics | Yes many sites | Yes many sites | - ==> TBD !!! | - Lyrics Fly only (does not work well) | - Only on a separate window | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | |||||
| Biography | Yes last.fm | Yes many sites incl. wikipedia, last.fm, ... | Yes last.fm | No | No | Yes | Yes wikipedia | Yes Wikipedia | Yes wikipedia | |||||
| Photos | - only one from biography | Yes | No | No | No | No | - Only one from biography | Yes | - Only one from biography | |||||
| Online sources | ||||||||||||||
| Radio | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes plugin | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | ||||
| Podcasts | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | No | Yes plugin | Yes | No | Yes Balado | Yes | Yes | Yes | ||
| Jamendo | Yes | Yes | Yes plugin | Yes plugin | No | No | No | Yes plugin | Yes | No | ||||
| Magnatune | Yes | Yes | Yes plugin | No | No | No | No | Yes plugin | Yes | No | ||||
| Last.fm | No | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | No | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | ||||
| Libre.fm | No | No | Yes | No | No | No | No | No | No | No | ||||
| Others | icecast, somaFM | Plugins: eMusic, Ubuntu One, Amazon, Internet Archive, Miro | Librivox.org, Amazon | |||||||||||
| Other features | ||||||||||||||
| Plugins | No | No | Yes Most features are plugins | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | - Plugin system not very stable | |||||
| Visualisations | No | Yes | No | No | No | No | Yes plugin | No | Yes | |||||
| Karaoke | No | No | No | Yes plugin | No | No | Yes | No | No | No | No | |||
| Exclusive | Configurable Web links, commands and "copy To". Configurable shortcuts. | Wii Remote control, Transcoder | Add. 3rd plugins exist. Check website. Not always easy to install. | Video, BPM computing (plugin), import Rhythmbox, AmaroK, iTunes (plugin), Audio books (plugin), | Regex-based search. Tag editing allows to edit all kind of tags, though not that user-friendly. | Interface highly customizable. ReplayGain analysis. | ? | |||||||
| Global shortcuts | Gnome Multimédia shortcuts | Gnome multimedia shortcuts OR configurable shortcuts | ==> TBD !!! | Gnome multimedia shortcuts (plugin) | Multimedia shortcuts (plugin - not reviewed yet ==> TBD) | Gnome multimedia shortcuts | Configurable, homemade | ? | "Win"+ shortcuts by default. Configurable. Did not manage to make multimedia keyboard to work. | "Win"+ shortcuts by default. Configurable. Did not manage to make multimedia keyboard to work. | ||||
| Ubuntu (gnome) integration | Yes | Yes OR Custom OSD | Yes | No Custom OSD | - No OSD, but appears in Volume control (plugin) | - No OSD, but appears in Volume control | No Custom OSD | Yes OR Custom OSD | No Custom OSD | |||||
| Other systems | ||||||||||||||
| Windows | No | Yes | Yes | No | - dev | - beta-quality technology preview | Yes | No | No | Yes | Yes | - with KDE for Windows (dev) | - with KDE for Windows (dev) | |
| macOS | No | Yes | Yes | No | - dev | - beta-quality technology preview | Yes | No | No | Yes | Yes | - no official support | No | |
| Technical details | ||||||||||||||
| License | GNU GPL | GNU GPL | GNU GPL | GNU GPL | GNU GPL | MIT | GNU GPL | GNU GPL | GNU GPL | GNU GPL | GNU GPL | GNU GPL | GNU GPL | |
| Programming language | C++ (wxWidgets) | C++, Python | C++ (Qt) | C | Python (GTK+) | Mono C# (Gtk#) | Python (GTK+) | Perl | Python | Java | Java | C++ (Qt) | C++ (Qt) | |
| Database | Sqlite (~/.guayadeque/guayadeque.db) | Sqlite (~/.xbmc/userdata/Database/MyMusic7.db) | Sqlite (~/.config/Clementine/clementine.db) | XML (~/.local/share/rhythmbox/rhythmdb.xml) | Exaile's custom binary file (~/.local/share/exaile/music.db) | Sqlite (~/.config/banshee_1/banshee.db) | Custom, non-relational binary file (~/.quodlibet/songs) | Custom INI/Tab separated file (~/.config/gmusicbrowser/gmbrc) | Undefined, maybe "proprietary" binary file ? (~/.config/listen/songs.db) | XML (~/.jajuk/collection.xml) | XML (~/.atunes/repository.xml) | Sqlite (default) (~/.kde/share/apps/amarok/collection.db) or MySQL (on demand) | MySQL or Sqlite (~/.kde/share/apps/amarok/collection.db) | |
| Static Playlists | in database (how?) | XSPF (XML) in ~/.kde/share/apps/amarok/playlists/ | ||||||||||||
| Dynamic Playlists | N/A | |||||||||||||
| Smart Playlists | in database (how ?) | |||||||||||||
| Audio Engine | gstreamer | gstreamer | gstreamer | gstreamer. What is "Unified" one ? ==> TBD !!! | gstreamer | gstreamer OR mpg321/ogg123/flac123/amixer OR mplayer | mplayer for all environments, xine for Linux systems | gstreamer | xine | |||||
| id3 library | TagLib | TagLib | N/A | ==> TBD !!! | taglib-sharp | homemade (done by gmusicbrowser author) | JAudiotagger | ==> TBD !!! | TagLib | |||||
| Distribution | ||||||||||||||
| Ubuntu software-center | Yes | No But a PPA exists on official website | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes Default application | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No But a debian package exists on official website | Yes | Yes Using a PPA: http://raphael.camus.free.fr/wiki/index.php?title=Amarok | |
| Ubuntu one-click install | apt://guayadeque | apt://clementine | apt://rhythmbox | apt://exaile | apt://banshee | apt://quodlibet | apt://gmusicbrowser | apt://listen | apt://jajuk | apt://amarok | ||||
| External Information | ||||||||||||||
| Website | guayadeque.org | xbmc.org | clementine-player.org | gnome.org/... | exaile.org | banshee.fm | google.com/... | gmusicbrowser.org | listen-project.org | jajuk.info | atunes.org | kde.org/en | kde.org/en | |
| Wikipedia | wikipedia.org/... | wikipedia.org/... | wikipedia.org/... | wikipedia.org/... | wikipedia.org/... | wikipedia.org/... | wikipedia.org/... | wikipedia.org/... | wikipedia.org/... | wikipedia.org/... | ||||
| Ubuntu-fr | ubuntu-fr.org/... | ubuntu-fr.org/... | ubuntu-fr.org/... | ubuntu-fr.org/... | ubuntu-fr.org/... | ubuntu-fr.org/... | ubuntu-fr.org/... | ubuntu-fr.org/... | ubuntu-fr.org/... | ubuntu-fr.org/... |
User reviews and comments
blewbubbles on Jul. 25th 2019 5:40:01 PM rated Quod Libet: Overall rating 5/5 
Mike Timberlake on Apr. 30th 2013 8:52:45 AM rated XBMC: Overall rating 5/5 
Roel Telmo on Jun. 24th 2012 7:27:44 AM 
Quinn James on Jun. 12th 2012 9:02:39 PM rated Banshee: GUI 3/5 
Quinn James on Jun. 12th 2012 9:01:45 PM rated Exaile: Overall rating 4/5 
Quinn James on Jun. 12th 2012 9:01:33 PM rated Rhythmbox: Overall rating 3/5 
Quinn James on Jun. 12th 2012 9:00:39 PM rated Clementine: Overall rating 3/5 
Quinn James on Jun. 12th 2012 8:56:38 PM rated Quod Libet: Overall rating 5/5 
Quinn James on Jun. 12th 2012 8:55:03 PM rated Amarok 2.x: Overall rating 2/5 
Raphael Camus on Jun. 6th 2012 11:45:11 PM rated Listen: Overall rating 4/5 
Raphael Camus on Jun. 6th 2012 10:07:45 PM rated Banshee: Overall rating 3/5 
Raphael Camus on Jun. 6th 2012 10:06:55 PM rated gmusicbrowser: Overall rating 3/5 
Raphael Camus on Jun. 5th 2012 11:28:35 PM rated aTunes: Overall rating 2/5 
arcorreia on May 11th 2012 10:23:36 PM rated Amarok 1.4: Overall rating 5/5 
Raphael Camus on Oct. 20th 2011 3:01:17 PM rated Clementine: Overall rating 4/5 
Raphael Camus on Oct. 20th 2011 9:47:56 AM rated Exaile: Overall rating 3/5 
Raphael Camus on Oct. 19th 2011 5:12:42 PM rated Rhythmbox: Overall rating 3/5 
Raphael Camus on Oct. 19th 2011 12:22:50 AM rated Guayadeque: Overall rating 5/5 
Seralive on Oct. 12th 2011 12:29:11 AM rated Banshee: Overall rating 4/5 
Cygniapolis on Sep. 28th 2011 4:44:50 AM rated Clementine: Overall rating 4/5
see older commentsNice one! Try this for rhythmbox equalizer! roelpaulo.com/...
Would be much better if it could tell, in any perceptible way, when I've deleted a file. That's a major limitation.
Does what it says it does, but not very full-featured and a bit awkward to navigate.
Despite a few limitations (would prefer properly dynamic playlists and easier ID3 editing) this is the best I've tried by far.
Simply too slow to be practical for me.
Good player. Unfortunately latest version was released in 2010 ...
Good player with highly configurable interface. Good tag modification interface but missing auto-tag tool.
A good try but has a poor interface and lacks some major features to me.
Good player, originally from AmaroK 1.4 (my prefered one at the time - and still)
Nice player but yet missing basic features.
Good music player with all basic features. Easy to use. Good choice for those who do not need advanced features such as tag writing. 3rd party plugins are not always easy to install.