Last Updated on September 1, 2020
Other Features
Audio Formats
The software supports a wide variety of different audio formats. As I’m an audiophile valuing quality over any other criteria (such as file size), I only listen to music with formats that offer lossless compression.
My music collection is encoded almost exclusively with the FLAC algorithm, encoded at high bitrates (typically ~1000 kbps). Besides lossless compression, FLAC supports metadata tagging, album cover art, and fast seeking. FLAC is a well established format, so it’s unsurprising it’s supported by Strawberry.
Other formats supported are WAV, WavPack, DSF, DSDIFF, Ogg Vorbis, Speex, MPC, TrueAudio, AIFF, MP4, MP3 and ASF. But I’ve only tried a few of them with the software.
Audio CDs
In some countries copyright law dictates it’s illegal to copy tracks from a CD to a computer hard disk even if you own the CD in question. If you’re affected by this issue, you can still play audio CDs. Just select Music / Open audio CD, and the software creates a playlist with the tracks of the CD.
Notifications
I’ve been hopping around Linux desktops, inspired by Best Linux Desktop Environments: Strong and Stable. I’m still undecided whether GNOME or KDE maximizes my workflow. But for now, I’m using GNOME.
When the track changes, you’re notified in GNOME with this notification.
But if you don’t like this type of notification, don’t panic, as the software offers a pretty OSD or a popup from the system tray.
Spectrum analyzer
If you’re like me, you’ll hate spectrum analyzers. In my opinion, they’re one of the easiest ways to get distracted by visuals while trying to enjoy an art form perceived (mainly) by hearing. Fortunately, a swift right click on the analyzer offers the option to turn it off. But if you’re keen on them, there’s the option to change the framerate from the default 25fps to 20fps, 30fps or even 60fps.
Other features include:
- Advanced audio output and device configuration for bit-perfect playback on Linux.
- Edit tags on music files.
- Fetch tags from MusicBrainz.
- Album cover art from Last.fm, Musicbrainz and Discogs.
- Song lyrics from AudD and API Seeds.
- Support for multiple backends.
- Audio equalizer.
- Transfer music to iPod, iPhone, MTP or mass-storage USB player.
- Streaming support for Tidal and Deezer.
Pages in this article:
Page 1 – Introduction / Installation
Page 2 – In Operation
Page 3 – Other Features
Page 4 – Summary
Thanks for the great review!
Thanks for writing Strawberry!
This player is fantastic!! I always liked Clementine until alsa was removed from the last version. Now i can get bit perfect audio to my external DAC. Thank you for the great review.
I used Clementine for many years but its development became stagnant. Strawberry has been my music player of choice for a while now.
I used to use Strawberry, but fooyin is my current choice.
Hi Luke. Cheers, I just might check out fooyin.
There’s now a Flatpak. 🙂
I have been using Linux Mint since 2014, and I’ve used lots of music players. Some are good but let down, for my needs, by the absence of gapless playback.
I used to use Tauon, more recently Quod Libet and now Strawberry. Both of these latter players share a particularly useful feature for me; they can be used in browser mode (“Files” in Strawberry) so it isn’t necessary so load up a music library. Navigation is easy directly via the file system, and it isn’t as sensitive to tagging, which was somewhat inconvenient in Clementine and then Strawberry, but in browser mode then it works just fine.
Also for my use, it has the edge on Quod Libet with a modern, stylish interface, and as another reviewer has mentioned a few years ago, it can be configured for bit-perfect ALSA output for the best sound quality. My background picture for the playlist is a reel-to-reel tape deck, just a personal touch of nostalgia!
I also occasionally use QMMP, it too can be configured for bit-perfect playback, but just recently I keep coming back to Strawberry; with the stylish interface and sound quality, I sit and listen with a grin on my face. As a bonus, I must say that my air guitar never sounded better!
Have you tried fooyin, Tony?
Hi Luke;
I read about Fooyin a little while ago, it doesn’t appear to be in the repositories (Mint 22.2 at that time, same in 22.3 now). It’s available via Flathub, but I don’t like to use that method, as opinion seems strongly divided between Linux users, some say it’s a great way to install the most up-to-date software versions, others seem to have many complaints about software failing to function properly. So I just use the standard repositories. Pity really, as Fooyin seems to be held in high regard.
Hi Tony
Personally I compile fooyin as it’s straightforward but I have tested the Flatpak which works well. My only complaints about Flatpaks are that they often use up more disk space and can have issues with permissions (but the latter is easily solved with Flatseal).
Given your original comments, fooyin just sprung to mind as a music player that might appeal. It has a super directory browser mode, it supports gapless playback, and is highly customizable.
Hi Luke;
Maybe I’ll give fooyin a try sometime, now that you have put the idea in my mind again, there’s a possibility that I’ll suddenly decide to go for it. That’s how things often work for me! Especially as I have never compiled software (although I have read online instructions of how to do so), so learning that could open the door to other software (not just music players) which I haven’t used because they aren’t in the repositories.
In any case,Thank You for taking the time to reply, another example of how Linux operating systems are backed up by a knowledgeable user community, you just can’t go wrong!
If you decide to give fooyin a go, let me know and I can help with any installation issues.