Lossless WMA files no longer play in MM

[ShaunI]

I have been using MM for my collection since around 2011.

Early on, I ripped all my CDs to lossless WMA, before switching to FLAC.

I noticed none of the lossless WMA files play correctly now, and this happened relatively recently (in the last couple months).

I don't get a decoding error, but audio output is just clicks and pops.

Other players (Groove, WMP, VLC, etc.) are all still able to play these files, so this looks like a regression in MM.

I am running:

MM: 4.1.23.1881
Windows: 17763.1.amd64fre.rs5_release.180914-1434

[Peke]

Hi,
Tested on Win 10 Pro x64 1803 and WMA Lossless plays normally.

[John_Koz]

This message is for Pavle at Media Monkey, I hope you and your team can help in what I believe was caused by Microsoft update to W10 version 1809.

ON MY ORIGIN PC:

All my wma lossless files saved @ 16-44.1 play ok on all my media players, MM, WMP, Groove, and my favorite Zune (still use my portable zune players).

I only have problem with wma lossless files saved @ 24-96 and 24-192, all you hear is some hissing and clicks, I have yet to find one that does play with MediaMonkey, or Zune. Everything plays ok with WMP 12 and Groove.

Since late November Running W10 pro, version 1809, OS build 17763.195, before this windows update everything played on all my players.

ON MY TOSHIBA LAPTOP:

Still running W10 version 1803 all my players work OK playing wma lossless files saved @ 16-44.1, 24-96 and 24-192

[Peke]

Hi,
Well I must be honest in the past month I downgraded to 1803 6 times due the pushed update to 1809 and having various playback issues. I hopefully it will be not pushed for some time now.

Not sure why but MS already crippled WMA in previous Win 10 updates see https://www.mediamonkey.com/support/ind ... windows-10 and I would not be surprised that hey done it again.

Can you please UL a Sample files and send us DL links so that we can test them?

[Mbruon]

Hi,

Are there any solutions to this issue since Dec 2018?

I have the same problem and have not been able to play some WMA Lossless files on my new laptop whereas they play without any problems in other players and on MMW 4.1.23.1881 on my older laptop running Windows 10 Pro x64 version 10.0.17134.

I tried copying the "WMVCORE.DLL" and "WMVENCOD.DLL" from the older laptop into the MediaMonkey for Windows main installation folder but that didn't help.

Any suggestions on what to do next would be welcome.

Thanks

[Peke]

Hi,
No unfortunately, system refuse to decode WMA not MMW, and we use native system decoder.

we can't replicate as they play on our PCs.

[Mbruon]

What is interesting is that the WMA Lossless files that don't play on my version of MMW on my current Windows installation can be played in Windows Media Player, Groove and VLC on the same Windows installation. I managed to convert some of these files to FLAC in VLC but unfortunately I haven't been able to batch convert and replicate the folder structure, tracks names and meta data in the destination folder as you can do in MMW.

How can it work in VLC and not in MMW?

[Mbruon]

And another thing,

Using MMW, I can neither play nor convert the problem WMA files into another format. When I try, I obtain a file in another format that plays the same gibberish as the problem WMA Lossless files.

[Peke]

Hi,
Looks like your Windows native WMA Decoder is corrupted. WMP and VLC uses internal Decoders and do not need System wide support.

NOTE about VLC: VLC uses advanced own proprietary decoding codec structure and is designed to play most damaged or non standard streams/files.

[judd]

Same problem. recorded albums in wma lossless at 48 kbs. Nothing but pops and clicks. Converted files to flac using Pazerra (free and can do batch files) and it worked. Widows updated me 4 days ago and destroyed 2 hard drives. Had to reload win 10.

[judd]

wma lossless VBR files will play as long as they are less than 1442 kbs. I have several wma music files recorded at 48000 hz that will not play. All my flac and wav files play no matter what the bit rate.

[judd]

it is not the bit rate. All my WMA songs recorded at a sample rate of 48000 hz will not play in MM

[John_Koz]

All the problems I had with the playing 24-48, 24-96, 24-192 music files with MM and my Zune (yes, I still use Zune) went away with Microsoft Windows Version 1903 (OS Build 18362-239) this past June 2019. I still convert to WMA lossless (mathematically) to save hard drive space, 24-192 is downgraded to 24-92. No one, including myself, who listens to my music can hear the difference.