QMPlay2 is a capable music player as well. Beyond MP3, FLAC and Opus, it opens several formats that many players overlook.
Audio CD
Insert a disc and open it from the Audio CD entry. The module uses libcdio to read the disc and libcddb to retrieve album and track names online.
The track titles then appear in the playlist as they would for any other files.
Chiptunes and game music
The Chiptune module uses Game Music Emu and libsidplayfp. Together they cover music ripped from classic consoles and home computers, including:
- NSF (NES), SPC (SNES) and GBS (Game Boy)
- VGM and VGZ (Sega and arcade systems)
- SID files from the Commodore 64
Release 26.06.27 added compatibility with libsidplayfp 3.0.
Tracker music
MOD, XM, S3M and IT files play through libopenmpt. Version 26.06.27 replaced the older Modplug module with OpenMPT and introduced optional tracker-style visualisations.
Lyrics and raw audio
Version 26.08.02 can load and display LRC lyric files. The Inputs module also plays raw PCM files and includes a tone generator for quick speaker tests.
Audio filters
The audio-filters module allows you to shape what you hear:
- an equalizer with adjustable bands
- BS2B crossfeed for more natural headphone listening
- voice removal for karaoke-style playback
- echo, phase reverse and swap stereo
- a Dyson compressor to even out loud and quiet passages
With FFmpeg 5.1 or newer, the FFmpeg audio filters are available as well.
Visualizations and balance
A spectrum analyser and a simple waveform view can run in their own panels. To adjust the balance between left and right, right-click the volume slider and choose Split channels.
Audio outputs
Select an output to suit your system: PipeWire, PulseAudio or ALSA on Linux, DirectSound or PortAudio on Windows, and PortAudio on macOS.
Choose a listening setup before adjusting formats
QMPlay2 can serve several kinds of listening sessions, but it helps to establish a simple audio baseline before exploring specialised formats. Start with a familiar local music file, use the intended speakers or headphones and check the desktop audio mixer. This confirms that the ordinary output path is working before a disc drive, tracker module or game-music format adds another variable.
Set the volume to a comfortable level before moving between sources. Different recordings and formats may have noticeably different loudness. Begin with filters disabled or set conservatively so you can hear the source without several processing changes at once. Keep a short reference track available for comparisons. If a specialist file fails later, returning to that track helps you distinguish a format-specific problem from a muted output, a disconnected device or an application-wide sound issue.
Check the physical disc and drive
Audio CD playback depends on a drive that can read the disc. Confirm that the operating system recognises the drive and that the disc has been inserted correctly. A music disc and a data disc containing audio files are different sources, even though both use optical media. Choose the appropriate opening method for the disc you actually have rather than assuming every optical disc has the same structure.
If one disc fails, try another known-good disc before changing all the player's audio settings. Scratches, dirt or an ageing drive can affect reading independently of the output device. If the track list appears but playback is interrupted, note whether the problem repeats at the same position. Compare several tracks and avoid treating missing album names as proof that the audio itself cannot be read. Disc reading and online metadata retrieval are separate tasks.
Understand missing track names and metadata
Track numbers without album titles do not necessarily mean the disc is damaged. Metadata lookup depends on the available service information and a working connection. Some editions may be recognised differently or not identified at all. Listen to a short section and check the track count before deciding that missing labels indicate a playback failure.
For local music, tags and filenames may provide different descriptions of the same item. A specialised game-music file can also contain several tunes or unusual metadata that does not resemble an album of ordinary audio tracks. Use clear folder names and keep source information with your collection when that helps. Do not rename or overwrite the only copy of an unfamiliar file while you are still learning how its internal tracks are presented.
Why game music can behave differently
Game-music formats may describe the behaviour of a sound system rather than store a conventional recording of every output sample. That can affect how duration, looping and multiple tunes are represented. A file that repeats for a long time is not automatically stuck. Inspect the available track choices and playback behaviour before judging it by expectations formed from ordinary MP3 or FLAC albums.
Keep the original files together when a collection includes supporting information. Different systems and formats may use different module support, so one game-music file playing successfully does not prove every related extension will work in the same build. If an item fails, identify the actual format and compare another example. This is more informative than changing the output device when ordinary files already produce sound through the intended speakers.
Listen to tracker music with its structure in mind
Tracker modules are organised differently from a straightforward recorded audio track. Their patterns, samples and playback instructions combine to produce the result. Depending on the file, duration and transitions may be less familiar than in a normal album track. Listen to the beginning and a later section before deciding that a repeated passage or abrupt change is a player malfunction.
If your build provides a tracker-oriented visualisation, use it as an optional view rather than a requirement for successful playback. Sound quality and correct progression are the more important checks. Keep a clean reference configuration when comparing module files, and avoid aggressive equalisation during the first test. If one module sounds unusual, compare another file and preserve the original. Editing the module itself is a different task from selecting an output or adjusting playback volume.
Use audio filters with a specific goal
An equaliser is useful when you can describe what you want to change, such as reducing excessive bass on a particular pair of speakers. Make small adjustments and compare the same passage with the filter enabled and disabled. Increasing several bands at once can make the signal louder without making it clearer. Perceived improvement may come from the volume difference rather than a better balance.
Normalisation, channel balance and other filters serve different purposes. Check the basic output and source first, then introduce one change at a time. If distortion appears after an adjustment, reduce the processing and compare again at a comfortable volume. Keep a note of settings you want to retain, but do not assume one filter arrangement suits every recording. A quiet acoustic track and an already compressed soundtrack may need very different treatment, or no additional processing at all.
Check devices and channels methodically
When sound comes from the wrong device, inspect both the selected application output and the operating system routing. An HDMI display, USB interface or Bluetooth headset can introduce another destination. Test with a familiar stereo file and confirm that both channels are audible. A channel-balance adjustment cannot fix a disconnected speaker, so inspect the physical connection as well as the software controls.
After switching devices, replay a short passage and check the volume before continuing. Some outputs have their own hardware level or mute control. If an application restart changes the selected device, record that behaviour rather than repeatedly increasing the volume. For a specialised audio source, return to the ordinary reference track to see whether the problem affects every format. This keeps output troubleshooting separate from module compatibility and avoids changing several unrelated settings together.
Organise a mixed-format music library
Keep discs, ordinary audio files and specialist collections easy to identify in the playlist. A descriptive group name can prevent confusion between an album recording and a game-music collection with several internal tunes. Store media outside the application folder so that updating the player does not mix library management with software maintenance. Preserve original filenames where they carry useful identification.
Before a long listening session, check the first few entries and the intended repeat mode. Looping can be enjoyable for game music but unexpected in a sequence meant to stop at the end. Save a working playlist after arranging it, and remember that saved lists refer to the media rather than containing all its audio. If you move the collection to another drive, reopen the list and check the references before relying on it.
FAQs
Why does an Audio CD show numbers instead of song names? The audio may be readable even when metadata lookup does not identify the disc. Check playback separately from track labels. Connection availability and the particular disc edition can affect lookup results. Missing names alone do not establish that the drive or audio output is broken.
Why does a game-music file keep repeating? Some formats and compositions use looping or do not behave like fixed-length recorded songs. Inspect the tune selection and repeat settings, then compare another file. Do not assume that a repeated passage means the application has frozen. Check whether playback controls and progression still respond normally.
Does every build include every specialist module? Optional dependencies can affect which formats a build supports. If ordinary music plays but a specialist file does not, check the relevant module and identify the actual format. A filename extension alone may not describe every requirement. Avoid changing a working audio output to diagnose one unsupported source.
Should I enable all audio filters? No. Start with an unprocessed reference and add a filter only for a specific purpose. Compare the same passage at a similar listening volume. Large boosts can introduce distortion or simply make the sound louder. Keep changes modest and check whether they help across the recordings you actually use.
Why is sound coming from the monitor? The operating system or application may have selected an HDMI or display audio output. Inspect routing and choose the intended device, then test a familiar stereo track. Confirm hardware volume and connections as well. A specialist music format is not the first thing to suspect when every source uses the wrong speakers.
Will saving a playlist preserve the whole collection? The playlist normally preserves references and arrangement rather than all of the audio data. Keep the original media files and any supporting material. After moving a collection, test the saved list in the new location. A backup of the list and a backup of the media serve different purposes.
Conclusion
QMPlay2 specialist audio is easier to explore with a reliable output setup and a familiar reference track. Check physical disc access separately from metadata, recognise that game-music and tracker formats may organise playback differently, and verify optional module support when a format fails. Apply filters for a clear reason and compare their effect carefully. Keep the library organised outside the application folder and test saved playlists after moving media. These steps support consistent listening without confusing source behaviour, output routing and audio processing.