Your music, exactly
as it was mastered.
LACQUER is a music player for Mac. It plays your ripped CDs and hi-res downloads bit-perfect, and tells you which master you have.
Download free on the Mac App Store
Many players change your music before you hear it.
Quietly converted.
Often, macOS converts every song to one fixed format before it reaches your speakers or headphones.
LACQUER sends each song in its original format.
Hi-res that isn’t.
Some hi-res downloads are really CD quality, or even MP3s, blown up to look better.
LACQUER checks every file and tells you.
Early CDs too bright.
Some 1980s CDs need a correction when played. Many rips lose the note that says so, and sound harsh.
LACQUER spots it, and Pro corrects it.
Know which master you have.
For every album: its real sound quality, how compressed it is, and which CD release it is, if it can be found.
Proof, not a promise.
Many players say bit-perfect. LACQUER shows it. Click the status to see the whole path, live: the file, everything in between, and what your audio output is running at.
- Volume at 100% means 0 dB: untouched
- No resampling, no dither, no hidden processing
- Anything that changes the sound turns copper, and says why
Everything a listener needs.
Nothing else.
Bit-perfect
Your music reaches your headphones, speakers or DAC untouched, in its original quality. Your Mac’s own output included.
Master report
Which CD release you have, its real quality and how compressed it is.
Fake hi-res check
Shows when a hi-res file is really CD quality, or an MP3.
De-emphasis
Fixes early CDs that sound too bright.
A/B compare
Two versions of one song side by side, at the same volume. Switch without a pause.
Streaming
Play to WiiM, NAD, Bluesound and other network players, in full quality.
Meters your way
Classic VU meters, DIN peak meters, or a live spectrum of what you’re hearing.
Gapless
Live albums and DJ mixes play on without a gap between tracks.
No clicks
Pauses, skips and sample-rate changes are faded in and out, so the player never pops.
Your library, as sleeves.
Every album as its cover. Box sets kept together.
Is it for you?
For you if
- You have a music collection on your Mac: ripped CDs or downloads in FLAC, ALAC, WAV, AIFF, MP3 or AAC.
- You have good headphones. A Mac with Apple silicon has an excellent DAC built in, so that’s all you need.
- You want to know which version of an album you have.
Not for you if
- You only stream. LACQUER does not play Spotify, Apple Music or Tidal.
- You don’t use a Mac. There is no version for Windows, iPhone or iPad.
Free to play.
Pro to know.
LACQUER
- Bit-perfect playback, gapless
- Library and queue
- Stage mode for video, 16:9 or 9:16
- VU and peak meters, live spectrum
- Streaming to network players
- Fake hi-res check
LACQUER Pro
- Everything in Free
- Master report
- A/B compare
- De-emphasis
- Direct lock: your audio output for LACQUER only
- Show on TV
Questions.
Do I need a DAC or special equipment?
No. Macs with Apple silicon have an excellent DAC built in: plug in good headphones and you hear your music bit-perfect, up to 96 kHz. MacBook Pro and Mac Studio even drive high-impedance headphones. A USB-C dongle DAC, a desktop DAC or a network player is a nice extra, not a requirement.
Can I try it before I pay?
Yes. The player is free, without a time limit. Buy Pro in the app when you want the master report and the other Pro tools.
Is Pro a subscription?
No. €39 once, and it works on every Mac with your Apple ID.
Does it upload my music?
No. Everything stays on your Mac. No account, no tracking.