Many audiophiles and home audio enthusiasts seek seamless ways to control their music servers and playback from the convenience of their Android phones. If you’re exploring how to use your Android phone to manage and stream music from a server, particularly with applications like Foobar2000, you might be encountering some questions about setup and optimal audio quality. This guide clarifies how to use an Android phone as a control point for your audio server, focusing on achieving the best possible listening experience and addressing potential audio quality concerns.
Understanding Android Control of Your Audio Server with UPnP
It’s important to clarify that directly using an Android app like BubbleUPnP as a remote control for Foobar2000 in the traditional sense isn’t quite accurate. Instead, BubbleUPnP acts as a UPnP (Universal Plug and Play) control point. This means it interacts with a UPnP server component that must be running in conjunction with Foobar2000. For Foobar2000, this functionality is provided by the foo_UPnP plugin.
When properly set up with the foo_UPnP plugin, Foobar2000 becomes a UPnP renderer, appearing in your BubbleUPnP Android app’s list of renderers typically as “foobar2000 Renderer (Windows user name) [Windows computer name]”. Your Android phone, through BubbleUPnP, then controls this renderer to play music from a UPnP media server.
The Role of the Foobar2000 Renderer in Audio Playback
The Foobar2000 Renderer is designed to be a transparent pathway for your audio. It doesn’t inherently perform resampling on its own. Instead, it relies on any Digital Signal Processing (DSP) settings, including resampling, that you’ve already configured within Foobar2000 for its standard playback output.
If you are confident that your audio files are playing without unwanted downsampling when using Foobar2000 directly on your Windows computer, then any downsampling occurring through the UPnP renderer is likely originating from the UPnP/DLNA media server during the streaming process. This means the server might be transcoding your audio on-the-fly. Therefore, the key to resolving downsampling issues lies in understanding and configuring your UPnP/DLNA media server settings.
Identifying Your UPnP Media Server and Potential Downsampling Issues
If you’re experiencing unexpected audio quality changes when streaming to your Android phone via BubbleUPnP, the first step is to identify which UPnP/DLNA media server you are currently using. Based on your description, you’re likely using one of two common options:
- Windows Built-in DLNA Media Server: This appears in BubbleUPnP’s LIBRARY list simply as the Windows computer name of your PC running Foobar2000.
- Foobar2000 Media Server (via foo_UPnP plugin): This is listed as “foobar2000 Media Server (Windows user name) [Windows computer name]” within BubbleUPnP’s LIBRARY list.
Limitations of the Windows Built-in DLNA Media Server
If you are using the Windows built-in DLNA media server, it’s important to be aware of its limitations, especially for high-fidelity audio streaming. This server is known to have a less-than-stellar reputation among audiophiles and can be prone to issues, including automatic downsampling even when it’s not necessary or desired. Unfortunately, there are limited configuration options to address these problems within the Windows built-in server itself. If you are using this option and experiencing downsampling, switching to a different UPnP media server is highly recommended.
Configuring Foobar2000 Media Server to Avoid Downsampling
For users leveraging the Foobar2000 Media Server, the good news is that it offers configuration options to prevent unwanted transcoding and downsampling. However, setting it up for optimal, non-transcoded streaming requires careful configuration. Here’s a step-by-step guide to configure the Foobar2000 Media Server to avoid downsampling:
- Access Foobar2000 Preferences: Open the Preferences window in Foobar2000 by pressing
Ctrl+P, or navigating through the menu:File > PreferencesorLibrary > Configure. - Navigate to UPnP Server Settings: In the Preferences window, go to
Tools > UPnP > Server > Basic Settings. - Ensure Default Streaming Profile is Enabled: Make sure the checkbox labeled “Always use the Default streaming profile” is ticked.
- Disable WAV and LPCM Compatibility Streams: Ensure the checkbox “Add WAV & LPCM 44.1/16 compatibility streams” is not ticked. This option can sometimes introduce unintended conversions.
- Apply Basic Settings: Click the “Apply” button to save these basic settings.
- Access Streaming Profile Settings: Now, navigate to
Tools > UPnP > Server > Streaming Profiles. - Select ‘Default’ Profile: Confirm that the ‘Default’ profile is selected for editing.
- Set Sample Rate and Bit Depth Ranges: Adjust the “samplerate range” and “Max bit depth” to accommodate your entire music library. For example, if your collection ranges from 16-bit/44.1kHz to 24-bit/192kHz, set the “samplerate range” from “44100” to “192000” and “Max bit depth” to “24”. This tells the server to handle your highest resolution files without downsampling.
- Disable Transcoding: Set the “Transcode” option to “never”. Ensure the “Except Extensions” text box is empty, and both “lossless” and “Internet connection” “Except:” tick boxes are not ticked. This prevents the server from transcoding your audio based on file type or perceived bandwidth limitations.
- Disable Decoding: Similarly, set “Decode” to “never” and ensure the “Except” text box is blank.
- Apply Streaming Profile Settings: Click the “Apply” button to save these streaming profile settings.
Important Note: After making these configuration changes to the Foobar2000 Media Server, you may need to recreate any existing playlists in your BubbleUPnP Android app. Configuration changes may not automatically apply to previously created playlists.
Exploring Alternative UPnP Media Servers: MinimServer
If configuring the Foobar2000 Media Server feels overly complex, or if you continue to experience issues, consider using a dedicated UPnP media server specifically designed for music, such as MinimServer. MinimServer is known for its excellent performance and audiophile-friendly design.
Benefits of MinimServer
MinimServer is designed to stream your music library without performing any transcoding by default right after installation. This “out-of-the-box” behavior is ideal for maintaining the original audio quality of your files. While MinimServer does offer optional transcoding capabilities through its MinimStreamer module, it is not enabled by default, giving you greater control over your audio stream.
Considering Direct Remote Control Apps
Finally, it’s worth considering if a UPnP/DLNA network streaming approach using BubbleUPnP is the most suitable solution for your needs. If you want a more direct control experience, you might explore dedicated remote control Android apps specifically designed for Foobar2000, such as “foobar2000 controller”. These apps offer a more traditional remote control interface and might provide a different workflow that better suits your preferences.
Conclusion: Optimizing Android Phone and Audio Server Integration
Using your Android phone to control your audio server for music playback is a convenient and powerful way to enjoy your digital music library. By understanding the roles of UPnP components like BubbleUPnP, Foobar2000 Renderer, and your chosen media server, you can optimize your setup for the best possible audio quality. Whether you choose to carefully configure the Foobar2000 Media Server or explore alternatives like MinimServer, taking the time to understand these settings will ensure a seamless and high-fidelity listening experience controlled directly from your Android phone.
