Following on from my original post in December, I have continued to review my options for adding high resolution audio playback from my Apple MacBook Pro laptop and for audio files of greater resolution than 44.1 kHz / 16 bit.

After a little more listening and much more guesswork, I dropped a lazy $A20 on the program 'Fidelia' by Audiofile Engineering. Why I hear you ask?

• Fidelia is tangibly cheaper than all of the other 'paid' applications (Amarra, Pure Music)
• A far simpler licensing scheme than the complexity / upgrade limitations of Amarra
• Fidelia is actively developed and far better supported than all of the 'free' applications (Decibel, Play, AyreWave etc)
• Overall, the SQ is clearly superior to iTunes and very similar to the major competitors to my ears
• Native FLAC support means simple 'Click and Play' for FLAC & other hi-res formats
• Built on OS X foundations and integration and delivers a very simple and intuitive interface with adequate iTunes integration
• The Fidelia architecture allows Apple (AU) & VST plug-ins to be used as and when required

Having tried many alternatives over the last six months or more, I find Fidelia clearly the best option for me.

I loaded and tested the trial versions of the other products and had great trouble in the trial window period, understanding the interface, finding my tracks, ensuring the Apple MIDI interface switched correctly etc. To be honest, my objective listening tests of Amarra and Pure Music were impacted by my subjective assessments of their usability.

I have not optioned up to the Advanced version of Fidelia as I manage the environment on my laptop (HOG mode less important) and as I listen via headphones, many or most of the plug ins are less relevant (e.g, room correction) to me.