Intro
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A streaming app bringing together Qobuz, Tidal and local UPnP servers. What does JPLAY offer to entice you to use it?
JPLAY and JCAT are brands from the same company based in Poland. JCAT is known for high-quality audio hardware for computers and JPLAY is the brand for software. JPLAY creates software for Windows, working together with their hardware, but the JPLAY app is an app for iOS and iPadOS.
Software for Android is not available. You can install the JPLAY app on a Mac with a chip from Apple’s M-family from the App store as well.
What does the JPLAY app do?
Many streamers have their own software platform, or use the platforms made by BluOS, Volumio or Play-Fi. Almost all streamers support the UPnP protocol, and JPLAY takes advantage of this fact. The app can thus control many brands of streamers.
It doesn’t stop at streamers, the JPLAY app can also play music on the iPad or iPhone or through a connected headphone. If you have a DAC connected to the iPad or iPhone, that also works.
What can the JPLAY app stream?
The JPLAY app streams local files which are offered on a UPnP Server and music from Qobuz and Tidal. Other music streaming services are not available in the JPLAY app.
You can only play local music files with the JPLAY app by using a UPnP Server on your PC or NAS. The best-known UPnP servers, with a focus on audio quality, are Minim and AssetUPnP.
How to position the JPLAY app?
JPLAY is not the only app that can stream local UPnP servers and Tidal and Qobuz from a single app environment. MConnect is the best-known alternative on the iPhone or iPad.
Audirvana can do the same, but that requires a PC or Mac and JPLAY is just an app. Audirvana can access the files in a folder on the PC, or on a shared network drive of the NAS. A UPnP server is not needed.
The JPLAY app differs from Audirvana in that it does not stream the music through the iPhone or iPad, but the JPLAY app only acts as a remote control. Audirvana processes the data on the PC or Mac and then sends it to the streamer.
Since JPLAY can also play on the phone itself, you can play music from Qobuz and Tidal in the same app at home and on the go. However, you cannot download files and play them offline. For mobile use, you can specify that you want to stream at lower quality if you play over a 4G or 5G connection. If you use both Tidal and Qobuz you need to set this separately in the configuration menu of each streaming service.
Feeling a bit dizzy? Fear not. In every day use, the JPLAY app is simple.
