Thank you for the input, everybody. It tracks with what I'd been advised before. Went ahead and pulled the trigger earlier today, imported my library and gave it a brief try.
It has noticeably better sound quality than Apple Music, but doesn't knock me out. The software is far more feature-loaded with much finer control and that makes it less user-friendly, too. As a case in point, I still haven't figured out why only a Chesky HD sampler and a Linn 24 bit Christmas download have their metadata and album names. Several searches haven't pointed me in the right direction yet, so I'll have to keep trying.
The biggest disappointment turns out to be that it apparently can't control the computer MIDI hardware output settings automatically in real time to match native resolution of the source material. To change from Red Book to 32 bit 192 kHz for example, I have to reset the MIDI output manually and restart the computer to save the setting.
I was originally given to understand that was something that the software could do based on input to a posting here about the same isuue with iTunes back in 2014 or so. A deep-ish dive into the JRiver support forums indicates it hasn't existed, if it ever did, since ~2016.
Worse, the MacBook MIDI does not upscale well; things like vocal harmonies get very harsh. Downscaling works somewhat better although it sounds artificial. That means a noticeable playback inconvenience remains.
So, if anyone knows how to address the MIDI control concern or has a tip about the weird metadata result, I'll appreciate your input. Thanks again!
