{"id":2705,"date":"2023-01-15T11:44:53","date_gmt":"2023-01-15T11:44:53","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.insanelymac.com\/blog\/?p=2705"},"modified":"2023-01-15T12:02:59","modified_gmt":"2023-01-15T12:02:59","slug":"flac-player","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.insanelymac.com\/blog\/flac-player\/","title":{"rendered":"FLAC Players for Mac: Top 8 in 2023"},"content":{"rendered":"<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_69_1 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-transparent ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<div class=\"ez-toc-title-container\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title \" >Table of Contents<\/p>\n<span class=\"ez-toc-title-toggle\"><a href=\"#\" class=\"ez-toc-pull-right ez-toc-btn ez-toc-btn-xs ez-toc-btn-default ez-toc-toggle\" aria-label=\"Toggle Table of Content\"><span class=\"ez-toc-js-icon-con\"><span class=\"\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/span><\/div>\n<nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 eztoc-toggle-hide-by-default' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/www.insanelymac.com\/blog\/flac-player\/#finding_the_best_flac_player_for_mac\" title=\"Finding the Best FLAC Player for Mac\">Finding the Best FLAC Player for Mac<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/www.insanelymac.com\/blog\/flac-player\/#option_1_elmedia_player\" title=\"Option 1 Elmedia Player\">Option 1 Elmedia Player<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/www.insanelymac.com\/blog\/flac-player\/#option_2_vox\" title=\"Option 2 VOX\">Option 2 VOX<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/www.insanelymac.com\/blog\/flac-player\/#option_3_vlc\" title=\"Option 3 VLC\">Option 3 VLC<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-5\" href=\"https:\/\/www.insanelymac.com\/blog\/flac-player\/#option_4_colibri\" title=\"Option 4 Colibri\">Option 4 Colibri<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-6\" href=\"https:\/\/www.insanelymac.com\/blog\/flac-player\/#option_5_5kplayer\" title=\"Option 5 5KPlayer\">Option 5 5KPlayer<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-7\" href=\"https:\/\/www.insanelymac.com\/blog\/flac-player\/#option_6_pine_player\" title=\"Option 6 Pine Player\">Option 6 Pine Player<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-8\" href=\"https:\/\/www.insanelymac.com\/blog\/flac-player\/#option_7_audirvana\" title=\"Option 7 Audirvana\">Option 7 Audirvana<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-9\" href=\"https:\/\/www.insanelymac.com\/blog\/flac-player\/#option_8_iina_player\" title=\"Option 8 IINA Player\">Option 8 IINA Player<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-10\" href=\"https:\/\/www.insanelymac.com\/blog\/flac-player\/#which_audio_format_is_better_to_choose\" title=\"Which Audio Format is Better to Choose?\">Which Audio Format is Better to Choose?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-11\" href=\"https:\/\/www.insanelymac.com\/blog\/flac-player\/#conclusion\" title=\"Conclusion\">Conclusion<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-12\" href=\"https:\/\/www.insanelymac.com\/blog\/flac-player\/#faq\" title=\"FAQ\">FAQ<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-13\" href=\"https:\/\/www.insanelymac.com\/blog\/flac-player\/#does_quicktime_player_support_flac\" title=\"Does QuickTime player support FLAC?\">Does QuickTime player support FLAC?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-14\" href=\"https:\/\/www.insanelymac.com\/blog\/flac-player\/#can_itunes_play_flac_files_on_mac\" title=\"Can iTunes play FLAC files on Mac?\">Can iTunes play FLAC files on Mac?<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<p>When searching for the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.insanelymac.com\/blog\/music-player-for-mac\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">best music player for Mac<\/a>, you should consider one that supports FLAC files. Your Mac is most accustomed to playing audio in file formats like MP3 and M4A, but FLAC files are also popular. FLAC is a lossless format; this means that files in this format will never lose their quality, making it a popular and safe way to store audio. Since iTunes is not a FLAC player for your Mac, here are the 8 best Mac FLAC players for all of your audio needs.<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"finding_the_best_flac_player_for_mac\"><\/span>Finding the Best FLAC Player for Mac<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"option_1_elmedia_player\"><\/span>Option 1: Elmedia Player<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>There are a lot of media player options available to consumers, but <a href=\"https:\/\/mac.eltima.com\/video-player.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Elmedia Player<\/a> is the best music player for Mac users. Aside from being a strong pick for a video player, Elmedia is a true multimedia player as well, having codecs that allow it to play virtually any types of audio formats. Included in this pool is FLAC, which benefits strongly from being listened to through a player which supports higher-quality audio than your default iPhone or Mac player; Elmedia more than includes this support.<\/p>\n<p><img fetchpriority=\"high\" class=\"border-gray aligncenter wp-image-2709 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/www.insanelymac.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/1.-Elmedia.jpg\" alt=\"Elmedia Player\" width=\"2286\" height=\"1452\" \/><\/p>\n<p>As far as its interface goes, Elmedia offers strong ease of use and basic options like playlist creation, song playback speed, and an equalizer to adjust the specific qualities of your songs within the app without changing the song files themselves. Streaming options are also included, allowing you to send your music to the nearest AirPlay device. The combination of these factors make Elmedia Player both the best FLAC player for Mac and a great choice for a multimedia player for all of your video and audio playback needs.<\/p>\n<div class=\"frame_border frame_border--dashed frame_border--gray\"><div class=\"sc_list--container\"><div class=\"sc_list--left_column\"><div class=\"sc_list pros_list\"><div class=\"sc_list-title\">Pros:<\/div><div class=\"sc_list-text\">\n<ul>\n<li>High-quality playback for virtually any audio format<\/li>\n<li>Doubles as a multimedia player<\/li>\n<li>Available for download from your Mac\u2019s App Store<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div><\/div><div class=\"sc_list cons_list\"><div class=\"sc_list-title\">Cons:<\/div><div class=\"sc_list-text\">\n<ul>\n<li>Some minor ads are present in the free version when starting it up<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><div class=\"sc_list--right_column\"><div class=\"sc_list pricing_list\"><div class=\"sc_list-title\">Price:<\/div><div class=\"sc_list-text\">\n<ul>\n<li>Free<\/li>\n<li>$19.95 (ad-free)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div><\/div><div class=\"sc_list pricing_list\"><div class=\"sc_list-title\">Supported OS:<\/div><div class=\"sc_list-text\">\n<ul>\n<li>macOS (including Ventura)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"option_2_vox\"><\/span>Option 2: VOX<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/vox.rocks\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">VOX<\/a> is a Mac FLAC player that serves as a worthwhile iTunes alternative. While VOX can play a variety of different audio formats, including more common ones like MP3 and M4A, its true purpose is to play high-fidelity audio at a rate of up to four times better quality than the industry standard. VOX also supports 5.1 multichannel audio playback so that you can use it with a sound system for increased benefits if desired.<\/p>\n<p><img class=\"border-gray aligncenter wp-image-2710 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/www.insanelymac.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/2.-VOX.jpg\" alt=\"VOX\" width=\"2286\" height=\"1452\" \/><\/p>\n<p>In VOX\u2019s interface, you\u2019ll find a small but powerful number of options, ranging from ones you\u2019d expect to the ability to search and play SoundCloud and YouTube music. VOX also supports syncing your iTunes library, making it a strong alternative to Apple\u2019s native audio player.<\/p>\n<div class=\"frame_border frame_border--dashed frame_border--gray\"><div class=\"sc_list--container\"><div class=\"sc_list--left_column\"><div class=\"sc_list pros_list\"><div class=\"sc_list-title\">Pros:<\/div><div class=\"sc_list-text\">\n<ul>\n<li>High-quality audio playback<\/li>\n<li>iPhone app<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div><\/div><div class=\"sc_list cons_list\"><div class=\"sc_list-title\">Cons:<\/div><div class=\"sc_list-text\">\n<ul>\n<li>Sparse interface with small graphics<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><div class=\"sc_list--right_column\"><div class=\"sc_list pricing_list\"><div class=\"sc_list-title\">Price:<\/div><div class=\"sc_list-text\">\n<ul>\n<li>Free<\/li>\n<li>$4.99 per month for VOX Premium subscription<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div><\/div><div class=\"sc_list pricing_list\"><div class=\"sc_list-title\">Supported OS:<\/div><div class=\"sc_list-text\">\n<ul>\n<li>macOS (including Ventura)<\/li>\n<li>iOS<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"option_3_vlc\"><\/span>Option 3: VLC<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.videolan.org\/vlc\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">VLC Media Player<\/a> is perhaps best-known for its video-playing capacity, but it doubles as a music player that can support almost any music file&#8211;including the FLAC format. Using VLC as a music player yields standard options, such as playlist-building and the usual navigational controls. Users will also find a dedicated media folder into which they can deposit the files they want to play with VLC in order to access these files from within VLC\u2019s playlist tab itself.<\/p>\n<p><img class=\"border-gray aligncenter wp-image-2711 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/www.insanelymac.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/3.-VLC.jpg\" alt=\"VLC\" width=\"2286\" height=\"1452\" \/><\/p>\n<p>While VLC has a fairly earned reputation for taking up more memory and battery life than other multimedia players, its built-in codecs and high audio quality mean that it will serve your purposes as a music player.<\/p>\n<div class=\"frame_border frame_border--dashed frame_border--gray\"><div class=\"sc_list--container\"><div class=\"sc_list--left_column\"><div class=\"sc_list pros_list\"><div class=\"sc_list-title\">Pros:<\/div><div class=\"sc_list-text\">\n<ul>\n<li>Doubles as a multimedia player<\/li>\n<li>Can play most audio formats<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div><\/div><div class=\"sc_list cons_list\"><div class=\"sc_list-title\">Cons:<\/div><div class=\"sc_list-text\">\n<ul>\n<li>Eats up a lot of memory and battery power while running<\/li>\n<li>Settings can be confusing to navigate<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><div class=\"sc_list--right_column\"><div class=\"sc_list pricing_list\"><div class=\"sc_list-title\">Price:<\/div><div class=\"sc_list-text\">\n<ul>\n<li>Free<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div><\/div><div class=\"sc_list pricing_list\"><div class=\"sc_list-title\">Supported OS:<\/div><div class=\"sc_list-text\">\n<ul>\n<li>macOS (including Ventura)<\/li>\n<li>Windows<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"option_4_colibri\"><\/span>Option 4: Colibri<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/colibri-lossless.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Colibri<\/a> is a paid audio player for Mac users that boasts native lossless playback for the audio files on your Mac. Colibri is a paid app, but it\u2019s downloadable from the App Store, making it a credible purchase. Part of the reason it doesn\u2019t have a free version is because of the swath of creative options the app gives you&#8211;including things like MIDI support and thematic customization&#8211;though some of these options may be overwhelming for more casual listeners.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" class=\"border-gray aligncenter wp-image-2712 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/www.insanelymac.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/4.-Colibri.jpg\" alt=\"Colibri\" width=\"2286\" height=\"1452\" \/><\/p>\n<p>While Colibri runs in a fairly lightweight capacity, it also allows you to tweak the volume of RAM in use to meet your Mac\u2019s needs. While this FLAC player for Mac isn\u2019t the best one available for the average user, advanced consumers will net their money\u2019s worth.<\/p>\n<div class=\"frame_border frame_border--dashed frame_border--gray\"><div class=\"sc_list--container\"><div class=\"sc_list--left_column\"><div class=\"sc_list pros_list\"><div class=\"sc_list-title\">Pros:<\/div><div class=\"sc_list-text\">\n<ul>\n<li>Clean interface that doesn\u2019t use much energy<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div><\/div><div class=\"sc_list cons_list\"><div class=\"sc_list-title\">Cons:<\/div><div class=\"sc_list-text\">\n<ul>\n<li>No free version<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><div class=\"sc_list--right_column\"><div class=\"sc_list pricing_list\"><div class=\"sc_list-title\">Price:<\/div><div class=\"sc_list-text\">\n<ul>\n<li>$9.99<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div><\/div><div class=\"sc_list pricing_list\"><div class=\"sc_list-title\">Supported OS:<\/div><div class=\"sc_list-text\">\n<ul>\n<li>macOS (including Ventura)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"option_5_5kplayer\"><\/span>Option 5: 5KPlayer<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.5kplayer.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">5KPlayer<\/a> is another multimedia player that can support FLAC files, boasting \u201cperfect\u201d music quality for its small range of supported audio formats. In addition to playing FLAC files automatically upon installation, 5KPlayer also hosts a dedicated media folder from which you can select the music of your choice.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" class=\"border-gray aligncenter wp-image-2713 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/www.insanelymac.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/5.-5KPlayer.jpg\" alt=\"5KPlayer\" width=\"2286\" height=\"1452\" \/><\/p>\n<p>Switching to the main player window shows the album art and a few basic controls, though 5KPlayer\u2019s interface is dated and often drains battery faster than is ideal. You can also stream music from YouTube within the 5KPlayer window, and music in the player can be streamed to compatible devices via AirPlay or DLNA.<\/p>\n<div class=\"frame_border frame_border--dashed frame_border--gray\"><div class=\"sc_list--container\"><div class=\"sc_list--left_column\"><div class=\"sc_list pros_list\"><div class=\"sc_list-title\">Pros:<\/div><div class=\"sc_list-text\">\n<ul>\n<li>Multimedia player functionality<\/li>\n<li>Plays a few different audio formats aside from FLAC<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div><\/div><div class=\"sc_list cons_list\"><div class=\"sc_list-title\">Cons:<\/div><div class=\"sc_list-text\">\n<ul>\n<li>Takes up a lot of memory while running<\/li>\n<li>Overall limited in the number of audio formats it can play in comparison to other apps on this list<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><div class=\"sc_list--right_column\"><div class=\"sc_list pricing_list\"><div class=\"sc_list-title\">Price:<\/div><div class=\"sc_list-text\">\n<ul>\n<li>Free<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div><\/div><div class=\"sc_list pricing_list\"><div class=\"sc_list-title\">Supported OS:<\/div><div class=\"sc_list-text\">\n<ul>\n<li>macOS (including Ventura)<\/li>\n<li>Windows<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"option_6_pine_player\"><\/span>Option 6: Pine Player<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/apps.apple.com\/us\/app\/pine-player\/id1112075769?mt=12\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Pine Player<\/a> is an audio-only FLAC music player Mac users will appreciate. While Pine Player does play FLAC files without needing additional codecs, it also boasts a feature that \u201cupconverts\u201d MP3 files so that even your lossy file types experience better audio quality. As a result, your FLAC files will play smoothly and with a high degree of fidelity.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" class=\"border-gray aligncenter wp-image-2714 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/www.insanelymac.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/6.-Pine-Player.jpg\" alt=\"Pine Player\" width=\"2286\" height=\"1452\" \/><\/p>\n<p>In Pine Player\u2019s window, users can select from a wide array of playback options, including a fully realized equalizer. The detailed and small-text interface may scare off some audiophiles, but Pine Player is a decent FLAC Mac player that won\u2019t take up too much memory while playing all of the files from your iTunes library.<\/p>\n<div class=\"frame_border frame_border--dashed frame_border--gray\"><div class=\"sc_list--container\"><div class=\"sc_list--left_column\"><div class=\"sc_list pros_list\"><div class=\"sc_list-title\">Pros:<\/div><div class=\"sc_list-text\">\n<ul>\n<li>Available for download from your Mac\u2019s App Store<\/li>\n<li>Lightweight use makes Pine Player easy to run, even on low-power mode<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div><\/div><div class=\"sc_list cons_list\"><div class=\"sc_list-title\">Cons:<\/div><div class=\"sc_list-text\">\n<ul>\n<li>Interface is small and can be confusing<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><div class=\"sc_list--right_column\"><div class=\"sc_list pricing_list\"><div class=\"sc_list-title\">Price:<\/div><div class=\"sc_list-text\">\n<ul>\n<li>Free<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div><\/div><div class=\"sc_list pricing_list\"><div class=\"sc_list-title\">Supported OS:<\/div><div class=\"sc_list-text\">\n<ul>\n<li>macOS (including Ventura)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"option_7_audirvana\"><\/span>Option 7: Audirvana<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/audirvana.com\/#elementor-action%3Aaction%3Dpopup%3Aopen%26settings%3DeyJpZCI6Ijk0IiwidG9nZ2xlIjpmYWxzZX0%3D\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Audirvana<\/a> offers an enhanced listening experience for people who are interested in experiencing their music libraries at the highest possible quality, albeit for a steep price. FLAC files are often associated with live recordings from bands and higher-quality studio edits, making them a perfect fit for Audirvana\u2019s theme. Audirvana also partners with radio, podcast, and music hosts to add to your existing library at the same high quality.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" class=\"border-gray aligncenter wp-image-2715 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/www.insanelymac.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/7.-Audirvana.jpg\" alt=\"Audirvana\" width=\"2286\" height=\"1452\" \/><\/p>\n<p>This experience designed by and for audiophiles has a free trial, but the full version after the time limit ends is expensive, making it less appealing than other options on this list for anyone who isn\u2019t professionally interested in music.<\/p>\n<div class=\"frame_border frame_border--dashed frame_border--gray\"><div class=\"sc_list--container\"><div class=\"sc_list--left_column\"><div class=\"sc_list pros_list\"><div class=\"sc_list-title\">Pros:<\/div><div class=\"sc_list-text\">\n<ul>\n<li>Music library synchronization across platforms<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div><\/div><div class=\"sc_list cons_list\"><div class=\"sc_list-title\">Cons:<\/div><div class=\"sc_list-text\">\n<ul>\n<li>Requires either a costly one-time use fee or a subscription to use<\/li>\n<li>Requires the user to synchronize a music library rather than simply double-clicking or clicking and dragging music<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><div class=\"sc_list--right_column\"><div class=\"sc_list pricing_list\"><div class=\"sc_list-title\">Price:<\/div><div class=\"sc_list-text\">\n<ul>\n<li>$119 (one-time purchase)<\/li>\n<li>$6.99 (monthly subscription); $69.99 (annual subscription)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div><\/div><div class=\"sc_list pricing_list\"><div class=\"sc_list-title\">Supported OS:<\/div><div class=\"sc_list-text\">\n<ul>\n<li>macOS (including Ventura)<\/li>\n<li>Windows<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"option_8_iina_player\"><\/span>Option 8: IINA Player<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/iina.io\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">IINA<\/a> is, among other things, a music player for Mac that plays FLAC files. This multimedia player closely resembles your Mac\u2019s native QuickTime app, albeit redesigned for a better user experience and more options for playback. Since IINA supports nearly every conceivable audio format, you should have no problem adding your FLAC library.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" class=\"border-gray aligncenter wp-image-2716 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/www.insanelymac.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/8.-IINA.jpg\" alt=\"IINA\" width=\"2286\" height=\"1452\" \/><\/p>\n<p>IINA\u2019s main draw is its use of native Mac settings, including the light or dark theme to which your system defaults. It also makes full use of the Touch Bar if your Mac has one. Additionally, IINA\u2019s music controls disappear if your mouse isn\u2019t actively touching them, making its presentation very clean and minimal. Unfortunately, sometimes IINA\u2019s controls aren\u2019t visible if the player window is too small\u2013something that can happen by default.<\/p>\n<div class=\"frame_border frame_border--dashed frame_border--gray\"><div class=\"sc_list--container\"><div class=\"sc_list--left_column\"><div class=\"sc_list pros_list\"><div class=\"sc_list-title\">Pros:<\/div><div class=\"sc_list-text\">\n<ul>\n<li>Open-source and always free<\/li>\n<li>Plays almost any type of audio in addition to FLAC<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div><\/div><div class=\"sc_list cons_list\"><div class=\"sc_list-title\">Cons:<\/div><div class=\"sc_list-text\">\n<ul>\n<li>Multimedia function can drain battery quicker than other apps on this list<\/li>\n<li>Some UI elements disappear unless your player window is large enough<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><div class=\"sc_list--right_column\"><div class=\"sc_list pricing_list\"><div class=\"sc_list-title\">Price:<\/div><div class=\"sc_list-text\">\n<ul>\n<li>Free<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div><\/div><div class=\"sc_list pricing_list\"><div class=\"sc_list-title\">Supported OS:<\/div><div class=\"sc_list-text\">\n<ul>\n<li>macOS (including Ventura)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"which_audio_format_is_better_to_choose\"><\/span>Which Audio Format is Better to Choose?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>The FLAC format exists purely to ensure that the music you listen to remains high-quality regardless of the passage of time or other factors; this means that their overall quality ceiling will be higher than that of a lossy format, like an MP3 or an M4A\u2013both of which are common file types found in iTunes libraries. For this reason, FLAC files are best listened to through a media player that can take advantage of their quality range.<\/p>\n<p>Because FLAC files are so much higher quality than MP3s or similar formats, they also take up more space on your Mac\u2019s hard drive, with some FLAC files occupying more than five times the amount of room as an MP3 or M4A of the same song. This usually isn\u2019t a deal-breaker for people, but if hard drive space is tight, you\u2019re better off sticking to smaller files.<\/p>\n<p>Apple also has their own lossless file format, ALAC. If you\u2019re attached to your audio library as it is and you want to continue using iTunes as your media player, converting your files to ALAC instead of leaving them as M4A files will allow you to experience that higher audio quality and lossless perks without switching players.<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"conclusion\"><\/span>Conclusion<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>FLAC files are a crowd favorite for a reason: Despite taking up significantly more computer memory than other common file formats, they retain audio quality on a level untouched by standard MP3 or M4A files on your Mac. As you can see, there are many media players that you can use to play your library of FLAC files in a variety of settings. Any one of the options on this list will serve you well for the future, though we prefer Elmedia Player for its flexibility and ease of use as the best FLAC player Mac users can experience.<\/p>\n<section itemscope=\"\" itemtype=\"https:\/\/schema.org\/FAQPage\"><div class=\"panel-group sc_accordion_faq\" id=\"accordion\" role=\"tablist\" aria-multiselectable=\"true\"><h2 class=\"sc_accordion_faq--title\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"faq\"><\/span>FAQ<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<div class=\"panel panel-default\" itemprop=\"mainEntity\" itemscope=\"\" itemtype=\"http:\/\/schema.org\/Question\">\r\n    <div class=\"panel-heading\" role=\"tab\" id=\"heading1\" aria-selected=\"true\">\r\n        <h3 class=\"panel-title\" itemprop=\"name\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"does_quicktime_player_support_flac\"><\/span>\r\n            <a role=\"button\" data-toggle=\"collapse\" href=\"#collapse1\" aria-expanded=\"true\" aria-controls=\"collapse1\">\r\n                Does QuickTime player support FLAC?\r\n                <i class=\"fas fa-plus\"><\/i>\r\n            <\/a>\r\n        <span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\r\n    <\/div>\r\n    <div id=\"collapse1\" class=\"panel-collapse collapse in\" role=\"tabpanel\" aria-labelledby=\"heading1\">\r\n        <div class=\"panel-body\" itemprop=\"acceptedAnswer\" itemscope=\"\" itemtype=\"http:\/\/schema.org\/Answer\">\r\n            <div itemprop=\"text\">\r\n                 QuickTime can play FLAC files. However, although QuickTime is one of the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.insanelymac.com\/blog\/best-video-players-mac\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">best video players for Mac<\/a>, its interface is limited, and attempting to open more than one FLAC file at a time will simply open multiple QuickTime windows. This is why we recommend a more user-friendly player like Elmedia. \r\n            <\/div>\r\n        <\/div>\r\n    <\/div>\r\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"panel panel-default\" itemprop=\"mainEntity\" itemscope=\"\" itemtype=\"http:\/\/schema.org\/Question\">\r\n    <div class=\"panel-heading\" role=\"tab\" id=\"heading2\" aria-selected=\"true\">\r\n        <h3 class=\"panel-title\" itemprop=\"name\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"can_itunes_play_flac_files_on_mac\"><\/span>\r\n            <a role=\"button\" data-toggle=\"collapse\" href=\"#collapse2\" aria-expanded=\"true\" aria-controls=\"collapse2\">\r\n                Can iTunes play FLAC files on Mac?\r\n                <i class=\"fas fa-plus\"><\/i>\r\n            <\/a>\r\n        <span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\r\n    <\/div>\r\n    <div id=\"collapse2\" class=\"panel-collapse collapse in\" role=\"tabpanel\" aria-labelledby=\"heading2\">\r\n        <div class=\"panel-body\" itemprop=\"acceptedAnswer\" itemscope=\"\" itemtype=\"http:\/\/schema.org\/Answer\">\r\n            <div itemprop=\"text\">\r\n                 Unfortunately, iTunes is incapable of playing FLAC files on your Mac. While you can convert a FLAC file to a different file format&#8211;MP3, M4A, or even Apple\u2019s own lossless format, ALAC&#8211;to play it in iTunes, you won\u2019t be able to use them with Apple\u2019s default audio player without doing so. \r\n            <\/div>\r\n        <\/div>\r\n    <\/div>\r\n<\/div>\n<\/div><\/section>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>When searching for the best music player for Mac, you should consider one that supports FLAC files. Your Mac is most accustomed to playing audio in file formats like MP3 and M4A, but FLAC files are also popular. FLAC is a lossless format; this means that files in this format will never lose their quality, [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":18,"featured_media":2580,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"inline_featured_image":false,"_lmt_disableupdate":"yes","_lmt_disable":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"slider-tags":[],"class_list":["post-2705","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-software-en"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v24.6 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>Top 8 FLAC Players for Mac in 2023<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"In this article, we will help you find the best FLAC player for macOS. And let&#039;s talk about the difference between the formats.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.insanelymac.com\/blog\/flac-player\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Top 8 FLAC Players for Mac in 2023\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"In this article, we will help you find the best FLAC player for macOS. 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He graduated from Pacific University with a degree in Creative Writing and has participated in various technical writing endeavors, most notably wikiHow's technology branch.","sameAs":["https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/in\/jack-lloyd-7353b4134\/"],"url":"https:\/\/www.insanelymac.com\/blog\/author\/jack-lloyd\/"}]}},"modified_by":"Jack Lloyd","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.insanelymac.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2705","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.insanelymac.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.insanelymac.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.insanelymac.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/18"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.insanelymac.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2705"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.insanelymac.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2705\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2788,"href":"https:\/\/www.insanelymac.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2705\/revisions\/2788"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.insanelymac.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2580"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.insanelymac.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2705"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.insanelymac.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2705"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.insanelymac.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2705"},{"taxonomy":"slider-tags","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.insanelymac.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/slider-tags?post=2705"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}