JRiver Digital Playback for Beginners by marpow March 2021 on Quadraphonic Quad Step 1 My suggestion is to create a simple little library. Take 3 CD's and rip them, store them organized and then we can download the newest version of JRiver and start with playback, as you can see already a lot of people are very advanced but we will stay focused to get all included. Some computers have internal CD/DVD/Blu Ray and some do not. My PC laptop I use, does not. I use this Pioneer External Ripper (https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01I21C1KU/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1&tag=forumy ield-20) and connect USB into my PC. You might want to think ahead and get a 4K Blu Ray ripper like this one: https://www.amazon.com/Pioneer-BDR-XD07UHD-Blu-Ray-Player- Burner/dp/B0849YZYDX/ref=sr_1_1_sspa?dchild=1&keywords=Pioneer+external+4k+ripper&qid=1616036552&s=elect ronics&sr=1-1- spons&psc=1&smid=A5C7I211CAD5J&spLa=ZW5jcnlwdGVkUXVhbGlmaWVyPUExTU5JRDk1UFUxODEmZW5jcnlwdGVkS WQ9QTA3MjY0MDBURlZIM1BOUEFMSjcmZW5jcnlwdGVkQWRJZD1BMDcyMjUxNjFXQVNOTUxFNkxCWUwmd2lkZ2V0T mFtZT1zcF9hdGYmYWN0aW9uPWNsaWNrUmVkaXJlY3QmZG9Ob3RMb2dDbGljaz10cnVl&tag=forumyield-20 Let’s not get to concerned with deals, prices , etc. - this is just to get you going. You can rip and burn directly with JRiver using the ripping machines but I have never done this as my library is large enough that only an external hard drive NAS is suitable. Then you will need a software program installed on your computer; there are fancy ones, but I just use what my PC came with. It is called Windows Media player. I only use this for ripping CD's nothing else. In Tools>open options> choose FLAC (lossless). Remember we are just beginners, doing CD's now, we will get more advanced later. Choose a folder on your PC where your rip will go to after ripped. I choose Downloads. I only use it as a temporary folder. From there after inspected, maybe rename the title, whatever - I then move to my storage vault. So for today, very simple baby step. Rip CD, to folder on your PC, then let’s see if we are successful at 3 or 4 CD's and next we can start importing to JRiver and setting up for playback. Screenshot of very simple Windows Media Player: Step 2. Hopefully you have been successful in ripping a few CD's or better yet some other format rips. You have either stored them on your computer PC or MAC. Better yet on an external storage device, hard drive, NAS, etc. I encourage you to watch Ted's two videos, post #3. ( https://youtu.be/PkgWfO1U9nQ and https://youtu.be/1SpfwOk3bXQ ) They are good for the basics. Even they are MC19 versions, much has changed now we are at MC27. One thing I liked what Ted showed in his videos was the versatility of what he has done, his organizational skills. My set up like his can be complicated to the beginner, so my screen shots are not going to be my one that I actually use, but a new start so we can figure out together. Going to be bare bones basic so that you the beginner can go at this slow and easy. We have got are free trial download. There are options for Windows or MAC downloads. When comes time you will be able to purchase a variety of options, Master, Linux, Personal, etc. I think the basic personal version with 10 access availability's is good enough, as Ted explains in his video #1. Each upgrade maybe one a year will cost you again. I personally don't mind as I feel it is a company that puts out a great program and I like to support them. This is a deal breaker for some, I understand. When you open you will see this, always no matter how many times you open. The next step is to configure how you import from wherever to JRiver. Top left, click Tools>Import. A page pops up. Select middle, "Configure Auto Import" This function sets the standard for how you import in future, which as it says, auto imports. I have done many ways, I have done nothing and auto import works well, but a little slow. I have done "Run Auto Import Now" probably a good idea if you are populating a new hard drive, lots of new rips, etc. I have evolved to only using "Import A Single Folder" I have a very large library and I like things neat and tidy. I rip, I move to NAS, I import a single rip, look at it in JRiver, make sure it's all tagged correctly, dates, etc. I'll get into all that later. In this next shot you will see my two drives, the top is my drive on this PC that I am using for educational purpose, the M drive is my NAS, where all my music is stored, which is located downstairs. You can see the boxes I checked, for now that is all you need. Todays last screenshot is a populated JRiver. Just press "Recent Albums" in the Blue Audio section. I hope you now have your screen populated as I have. I hate to cut off now as I know you are ready to play, but remember baby steps. Side Note: Before we set up zones for playback I thought I would add a couple notes. JRiver is like much of the media software you own and can do the same thing multiple ways. If I knew every way to work my phone, PC, and JRiver I would be super smart and I am not. When we go through this education you most certainly will be able to custom make JRiver to your own personal needs and lifestyle. I will get you started. Tagging your music is much improved from when I started using JRiver. Programs like Mp3tag are not needed anymore. The programs I use for ripping the various formats are all real good. I went on YouTube and looked at all the JRiver tutorials, a mixed bag of information ranging from not helpful to pretty good, to outdated. While I was on YouTube I was reminded of the King of all things digital playback, Hans Beekhuyzen, he is a little dry, but highly informative and very knowledgeable. He does talk about Roon, Kodi, and JRiver, but it is his digital gear and digital playback that really makes him stand out, some over my head. Hans Beekhuyzen YouTube Channel ( https://www.youtube.com/c/TheHansBeekhuyzenChannel/featured ) My goal today is to work with you to set up playback zones so by end of weekend you should be playing back your digital library. At least with CD's. I think that most of us, the greater part of our library is CD's? I could be wrong. Step 3. Understanding playback zones. This is where your JRiver plays back on the device that you choose. My everyday playback is on my full functioning home theater rig. I listen to 2.0, 2.1, 3.0, 4.0, 5.0, 5.1 & Atmos. The .0's are no LFE. I have three zones that I named (you can name them any way you want) Stereo, Multi Channel, Atmos Zone. You do not need 3 zones but I will explain why I have 3 zones. Stereo Zone. I get into moods where I only like listening to stereo, it sounds great and it does not engage me as much as the other two zones. I also can turn off 2 of the 3 amps, just leaving the 2 channel amp on. It is purely a state of mind only. Multi Channel zone is my most used as I can play all my music except Atmos through this zone as it reads the same way as the stereo zone. If I am just bouncing around and I don't care about mood, or amps or anything, and I am going from stereo to any MCH source (not Atmos) this zone will play all. Both these two zones play through a MCH DAC that handles all files, FLAC, DSD all rates except DSD512, WAV, etc. This is connected USB out from the PC to the DAC and then 6 RCA outs to the 7.1 in section of the PrePro. Both these two zones are Bitstreaming set to DSD. Atmos Zone is not used that much as I do not own that much Atmos music. Unlike the two other zones this must be set to Bitstreaming HDMI and goes directly to back of Pre/Pro. I can play all my music through this zone but if I do I have to bypass the external DSD capable DAC and I do not want to do that. I believe my external DAC performs better than the internal DAC for all digital file music. I will show you setting up two zones, again you can name them any name you want, a MCH zone in Bitstreaming DSD where you can go either to an external DAC like I do or the back of your AVR, or as some have questioned back of an OPPO for instance, this all must be USB out, that said depending on your AVR or PrePro you need to find out what offers you the best ability for playback and/or sound quality. Chances are you will need a USB A to USB B cable like this Audioquest Brand (https://www.audioquest.com/cables/digital-cables/usb-a-to-usb-b/pearl) You can also just go one zone only for pure ease of function, not concerned with the absolute best sound and that is to go HDMI out from your PC to your AVR or Pre/Pro or OPPO, etc.