Audio Components
HiFi Control manages two types of audio devices:
- Amplifiers: devices that control volume, input source selection, and audio output (e.g., NAD, Denon, Marantz, Yamaha receivers/amplifiers)
- Music Players: devices or services that provide music playback (e.g., BluOS players, Spotify, Tidal)
Some devices act as both amplifier and music player simultaneously. The application automatically adapts its controls based on what each device supports.
Capabilities
Section titled “Capabilities”Each device exposes a set of capabilities that determine what you can control:
| Capability | Description | Typical Role |
|---|---|---|
| Volume Control | Adjust volume (dB range), mute/unmute | Amplifier |
| Power Control | Power the device on or put it into standby | Amplifier |
| Input Selection | Switch between input sources (HDMI, optical, network, etc.) | Amplifier |
| Playback Control | Play, pause, stop, next track, previous track | Music Player |
| Playback Position | Seek within a track, get current position | Music Player |
| Now Playing Updates | Current track metadata (title, artist, album, artwork) | Music Player |
| Playback Device Selection | Switch between playback output devices | Music Player |
| Presets | Saved configurations/playlists on the device | Both |
| Like Song | Favorite/heart the currently playing track | Music Player |
Some plugins can add extra capabilities to existing devices. For example, the Dirac plugin adds Dirac preset selection to compatible BluOS amplifiers.
Customizing Input Sources
Section titled “Customizing Input Sources”For amplifiers with the Input Selection capability, the Input Source control on the amplifier’s card shows every input the device reports (HDMI 1, HDMI 2, Optical, Network, etc.). Many amplifiers report inputs that a given household never uses. Each amplifier’s inputs can be shown, hidden, and reordered independently, and hidden inputs stay hidden everywhere they’d otherwise be exposed, including the Stream Deck integration. See Filtering Input Sources for the full picture.
Device Lifecycle
Section titled “Device Lifecycle”- Setup: A device is added as a favorite during the setup wizard or from settings
- Connection: HiFi Control connects to the device over the network (or to a software service)
- Status Monitoring: Health checks run continuously and the UI reflects connection status
- Capability Detection: Available capabilities are detected and the UI adapts accordingly
- Disconnection: On network failure or shutdown, the device disconnects gracefully
Connection States
Section titled “Connection States”| State | Description |
|---|---|
| Connecting | Initial connection attempt in progress |
| Connected | Device successfully connected and operational |
| Disconnected | Device lost connection (network error, powered off) |
Switching Between Devices
Section titled “Switching Between Devices”Users can switch between configured amplifiers and music players at any time. When switching:
- Playback on the previous music player can optionally be stopped automatically
- Playback on the newly selected player can optionally be resumed automatically
These behaviors are configurable in Settings → General.
Quick Actions
Section titled “Quick Actions”Each device provides contextual quick actions:
- Open Device Web Page: Opens the device’s web configuration interface in a browser
- Open Application: Launches associated desktop applications (e.g., Spotify, Tidal)
Supported Devices
Section titled “Supported Devices”| Plugin | Devices |
|---|---|
| BluOS | NAD, Bluesound |
| HEOS | Denon, Marantz |
| MusicCast | Yamaha |
| Spotify | Spotify Connect devices |
| Tidal | Tidal desktop app |