FLAC decoder testbench
To further the use and development of FLAC, a testbench containing files with different parameters was constructed. The testbench consists of 64 FLAC files, each one having a different combination of characteristics (like samplerate, bitdepth and number of channels) and FLAC features (like blocksize, maximum partition order, maximum predictor order, maximum predictor precision etc.) However, all combinations fall within the so called subset: a limited set of FLAC parameters that fit in the frame header and are supposed to be 'streamable'. Please be aware that certain tested features (such as blocksize 16 or a samplerate of 38457Hz) are pretty much useless in day-to-day usage, and that failure to properly decode such a file is mostly of interest to developers than to users.
The testbench can be downloaded here (revision 7) and is maintained here. It is licensed under CC0 1.0.
Revision 6 adds four new files (60 to 63); files 1 through 59 are the same as in revision 5. For more information on which file tests what characteristics and features, please refer to the readme.txt file. Revision 7 replaces file 63 (which was faulty in revision 6) and adds file 64.
| CDDA (44.1kHz/16-bit and less) | High-res (96kHz/24-bit and more) | Multichannel | Metadata | Various | |||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Decoder | Blocksizes | Features | Samplerates | Bitdepths | Var. bl.size | General | Blocksize | Features | Samplerates | Bitdepths | General | Features | Missing | Extreme | MIME | Mono | Overfl. | Zero esc. | Remarks |
| Files in test set | 1-10 | 11-18 | 19-21 | 22-23 | 24-27 | 28 | 29-30 | 31-32, 34 | 33-36 | 37 | 38-43 | 44 | 45-47 | 48-55 | 56-59 | 60 | 61-63 | 64 | |
| Albrecht DR 460 C | Plays | Plays | Fails | Fails | Plays | Skips | Fails | Skips | Plays | Fails | Plays | Skips | Fails | Skips | |||||
| Android | Fails | Plays | Plays | Plays | Skips | Plays | Plays | Plays | Plays | Fails | Skips | Skips | Plays | Plays | Plays | Plays | Fails | Fails | Android 13 with Google Play updates of 1st of Febuary 2023 on Samsung XCover 5 |
| Chromecast | Fails | Plays | Fails | Plays | Fails | Plays | Plays | Plays | Fails | Plays | Plays | Plays | Plays | Plays | Skips | Plays | Skips | Plays | Tested with system firmware 275994 and cast firmware 1.56.275994, testbench revision 7 |
| Citroën DS5 | Plays | Plays | Plays | Fails | Plays | Plays | Plays | Plays | Plays | Fails | Plays | Plays | Plays | Fails | Plays | Plays | Plays | Plays | Tested with system firmware 7.1.5-r1, model year 2018, testbench revision 7 |
| Cowon iAudio 7 | Freezes | Plays | Fails | Rejects | Rejects | Rejects | Rejects | Rejects | Rejects | Rejects | Freezes | Rejects | - | - | Plays | Plays | Rejects | Plays | Device doesn't support FLAC with bitdepth other than 16 and samplerate higher than 44.1 kHz. So actual features of files 45-54 and 62-63 cannot be tested. File 55 plays, but takes long time to start. |
| Ford SYNC | Plays | Plays | Plays | Skips | Plays | Plays | Plays | Plays | Plays | Skips | Plays | Plays | Plays | Skips | Plays | - | - | - | Tested with revision 5, SYNC version 3.3, build 18201_PRODUCT |
| JVC KD-R871BT | Fails | Plays | Fails | Plays | Rejects | Plays | Freezes | Reboots | Fails | Rejects | Rejects | Rejects | Reboots | Rejects | - | - | - | Heavy stutter with blocksize 16. Stretches non-standard samplerates. Samplerates above 96kHz, variable blocksize files and multichannel files 'not supported'. Freezes on blocksize 16384 and 13456. 192kHz is played back very slow. Skips all multichannel, files with cover image, extreme metadata. Reboot loop on extreme large VORBISCOMMENT | |
| Kenwood KMM-BT304 | Fails | Plays | Rejects | Plays | Rejects | Plays | Rejects | Rejects | Rejects | Plays | Rejects | Rejects | Plays | Reboots | Plays | - | - | - | File 03 plays extremely noisily, barely recognizable. File 51 produces a "NO DEVICE" error and a reboot. File 54 produces a reboot with no message. These files produce a "NA FILE" error and the player skips to the next: 19 21 24 25 26 27 29 30 31 34 35 36 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 48 55. (firmware: te1706k.krm from 2020-03-05) |
| Lenco Xemio-240 | Plays | Plays | Freezes | Plays | Rejects | Plays | Plays | Plays | Plays | Fails | - | Tested with revision 6, firmware version V5.15, dated 2020-04-24 | |||||||
| Mazda Connect | Plays | Plays | Plays | Plays | Plays | Plays | Plays | Plays | Plays | Plays | Plays | Plays | Plays | Plays | Plays | Plays | Plays | Plays | Tested with revision 7, CX-90 MY2024 |
| Onkyo TX-NR686 | Fails | Plays | Rejects | Plays | Rejects | Plays | Plays | Plays | Rejects | Plays | Rejects | Plays | Unresp. | Plays | Plays | Plays | Plays | Tested with revision 6, firmware version 1071-4000-1070-0011. | |
| Panasonic TX-60CX750E | Plays | Plays | Fails | Plays | Plays | Plays | Plays | Plays | Fails | Plays | Plays | Fails | Plays | Fails | Plays | Plays | Plays | - | Based on libFLAC 1.2.1, according to copyright notice. Firmware version 3.228, testbench revision 6 |
| Pioneer BDP-150 | Freezes | Fails | Fails | Plays | Freezes | Plays | Freezes | Fails | Fails | Plays | Freezes | Freezes | Freezes | Plays | Plays | Fails | - | Firmware v1.08, testbench revision 6 | |
| Pioneer DEH-1900UB | Skips | Plays | Skips | Skips | Skips | Skips | Plays | Other | Plays | - | - | - | Testbench revision 5 | ||||||
| Rockbox | Plays | Plays | Plays | Plays | Plays | Plays | Skips | Skips | Plays | Plays | Freezes | Freezes | Fails | Plays | Plays | Fails | Fails | Tested with Rockbox 3.15 (latest stable) on Sansa Fuze with testbench revision 7 | |
| Samsung F5100WWB | Crashes | Fails | Fails | Plays | Freezes | Plays | Skips | Fails | Fails | Plays | Freezes | Plays | Freezes | Plays | Plays | Fails | Plays | Testbench revision 7 | |
| Sony BDP-1700 | Freezes | Fails | Fails | Plays | Freezes | Plays | Freezes | Fails | Fails | Plays | Freezes | Skips | Plays | Plays | Plays | Fails | - | Firmware m30.R.0527, testbench revision 6 | |
| Toyota Entune 3.0 | Plays | Plays | Skips | Plays | Plays | Plays | Plays | Plays | Skips | Plays | Skips | Skips | Skips | Skips | Plays | Plays | Plays | Plays | Testbench revision 7 |
| Software players | |||||||||||||||||||
| AIMP 5.03 build 2398 (Windows) | Plays | Plays | Plays | Plays | Plays | Plays | Plays | Plays | Plays | Plays | Plays | Plays | Plays | Plays | Plays | Plays | Plays | Fails | Testbench revision 7. |
| Album Player 2.114 (Windows) | Plays | Plays | Plays | Fails | Plays | Plays | Plays | Plays | Plays | Rejects | Rejects | Rejects | Plays | Plays | Plays | Plays | Rejects | Plays | Testbench revision 7. |
| Amarok (Windows) | Fails | Plays | Plays | Crashes | Plays | Plays | Fails | Plays | Skips | Fails | Plays | Plays | Plays | Plays | Plays | Plays | Fails | - | Amarok version 2.8.0 with testbench revision 5 and 60-63 |
| Cog | Plays | Plays | Plays | Plays | Plays | Plays | Plays | Plays | Plays | Plays | Plays | Plays | Plays | Plays | Plays | Plays | Plays | - | version 2169 (2169-gbf54c452) with testbench revision 6 |
| DeaDBeeF 1.9.3 (Windows) | Plays | Plays | Plays | Plays | Plays | Plays | Plays | Plays | Plays | (not tested - ) | Plays | Plays | Plays | Plays | Plays | Plays | Plays | deadbeef 1.9.3 [static] [portable]. Testbench revision 7 | |
| Exaile (Windows) | Plays | Plays | Plays | Plays | Fails | Plays | Plays | Plays | Plays | Plays | Plays | Plays | Plays | Plays | Plays | Plays | Plays | - | First tested version 4.1.1 (GStreamer: 1.18.4) with testbench revision 5. Then updated with 4.1.2-beta1 (GStreamer: 1.18.5) for variable blocksize and 60-63 |
| ffplay N-108161-gaaf6d85283-20220916 (Windows) | Fails | Plays | Plays | Plays | Plays | Plays | Plays | Plays | Plays | Plays | Plays | Plays | Plays | Plays | Plays | Plays | Plays | Plays | Testbench revision 7. File 03 still broken in versions N-109368-gcc11afe502-20221206, 6.1-essentials_build-www.gyan.dev and 7.0-essentials_build-www.gyan.dev |
| foobar2000 1.6.14 and 2.0 beta 7 [x86] | Plays | Plays | Plays | Plays | Plays | Plays | Plays | Plays | Plays | Plays | Plays | Plays | Plays | Plays | Plays | Plays | Plays | Plays | Testbench revision 7 |
| GoneMAD (Android) | Plays | Plays | Plays | Plays | Plays | Plays | Plays | Plays | Plays | Plays | Plays | Crashes | Plays | Hangs | Plays | - | - | - | testbench revision 5 |
| JRiver Media Center (Windows 64; portable) | Plays | Plays | Plays | Plays | Plays | Plays | Plays | Plays | Plays | Plays | Plays | Plays | Plays | Plays | Plays | Plays | Plays | Plays | Windows version 31.0.84 64-bit with testbench version 7.1. (Version 28.0.88 would reject number 54.) |
| Mediamonkey 5 | Plays | Plays | Plays | Skips | Plays | Plays | Plays | Plays | Plays | Silence | Fails | Plays | Plays | Plays | Plays | Fails | Freezes | Plays | Updated with version 5.0.4.2690 testing files 60-64 and the ones 5.0.1.2433 failed (22) / froze (54-55) upon testing revision 5. |
| MacOS | Skips | Plays | Plays | Skips | Skips | Plays | Plays | Plays | Plays | Plays | Plays | Plays | Plays | Plays | Plays | Plays | Plays | Plays | Testbench revision 7, tested with Quicktime and Safari on MacOS 13 |
| Mplayer (Windows) | Plays | Plays | Plays | Plays | Plays | Plays | Plays | Plays | Plays | Fails | Plays | Plays | Plays | Unresp. | Plays | Plays | Fails | Plays | SMPlayer-bundled version Redxii-SVN-r37955-6.2.0 (x86_64) (using ffmpeg N-87137-g6ccd32c367) with testbench revision 5 & files 60-64 |
| mpv | Plays | Plays | Plays | Plays | Plays | Plays | Plays | Plays | Plays | Plays | Plays | Plays | Plays | Plays | Plays | Plays | Plays | Plays | Tested both mpv v0.38.0-633-ge509ec0a for Windows and v0.38.0-432-g112fa549be, testbench revision 7 |
| MusicBee 3.4.8033 (Windows; portable) | Plays | Plays | Plays | Plays | Plays | Plays | Plays | Plays | Plays | Plays | Plays | Plays | Plays | Plays | Plays | Plays | Plays | Plays | Testbench revision 7. Only tested on headphones, does left/right correctly on multichannel. |
| Quod Libet (Windows) | Plays | Plays | Plays | Plays | Fails | Plays | Plays | Plays | Skips | Plays | Plays | Plays | Plays | Plays | Plays | Plays | Plays | - | version 4.4.0 (portable version) with testbench revision 5 and 4.5.0 (portable) with revision 6. |
| Resoniq 0.9.3 (portable, Windows) | Plays | Plays | Plays | Plays | Plays | Plays | Plays | Plays | Plays | Plays | Fails? | Plays | Plays | Plays | Plays | Plays | Plays | Plays | Apparently uses FLAC 1.3.2. Testbench revision 7. |
| Spotify (Windows) | Plays | Plays | Plays | Skips | Plays | Plays | Plays | Plays | Skips | Skips | Skips (?) | Skips (?) | Plays | Rejects | Plays | Plays | Plays | - | Spotify for Windows version 1.1.72.439.gc253025e, testbench revision 5; files 60-63 with version 1.1.83.956.gbe7ea9a7. Note, tested a stereo soundcard only (hence the question mark on multichannel). |
| VLC | Plays | Plays | Plays | Plays | Fails | Plays | Plays | Plays | Plays | Plays | Plays | Plays | Plays | Crashes | Plays | Plays | Plays | Plays | VLC 3.0.16 on testbench revision 5 VLC 3.0.17.4 on files 60 to 63. VLC 3.0.16 on file 64 |
| VUPlayer 4.15 | Plays | Plays | Plays | Plays | Plays | Plays | Plays | Plays | Plays | Plays | Plays | Plays | Plays | Plays | Plays | Plays | Plays | Plays | Testbench revision 7. |
| Winamp 5.8 | Plays | Plays | Plays | Freezes | Plays | Plays | Plays | Plays | Freezes | Plays | Freezes | Plays | Plays | Plays | - | - | - | Winamp 5.8 build 3660, testbench revision 5 | |
| Windows Media Player | Plays | Plays | Plays | Rejects | Plays | Plays | Plays | Plays | Plays | Rejects | Plays | Plays | Plays | Rejects | Plays | - | - | - | Tested version 12.0.19041.1288 on testbench revision 5 |
| XMPlay | Plays | Plays | Plays | Plays | Plays | Plays | Plays | Plays | Plays | Plays | Plays | Plays | Plays | Plays | Plays | Plays | Plays | Plays | XMPlay 3.8.5.42 with FLAC decoder revision 14 tested with testbench revision 7. |
| Table legend | |
|---|---|
| Plays | all files in this category are played as intended, without glitches, changes etc.; changed volume tolerated (but indicated) |
| Rejects | One or more files are rejected by the player, either by skipping the file or mentioning a message like: "file not supported" |
| Fails | One or more files are not played back as intended, for example by stuttering, garbling or playing at incorrect speed, or by never starting playing (though not skipping, freezing or rebooting) |
| Freezes | On one or more files, the player crashes on decoding, leaving the unit inoperable until reboot, or the unit reboots by itself |
| The order of precedence is from bottom to top, so if one file freezes the player, one file is rejected and the other play fine, the table reads 'Freezes' for that category. | |
| For the metadata tests, the (absence of) rendering of the metadata is not a criterium, simply whether its presence is an obstacle to playing | |