Quick Navigation
Use this page when you already know what you are trying to do. Pick the closest goal first instead of reading the whole docs tree from the top.
Check The Docs Before Asking
Section titled “Check The Docs Before Asking”Before asking anyone, search the docs: the left sidebar, in-page search, and site search. Install, audio sources, library, audio output, remote sources, plugins, Pro, troubleshooting, and legal boundaries are already written up on their own pages.
Do not repeatedly ask questions that the docs already answer, that one search would find, or that come with zero environment info and no reproduction steps. Before asking, at least say which page you read, which step you are stuck on, your OS version, your ECHO version, what you were doing, and what error you saw.
If you skip the docs, skip searching, provide nothing, and just drop a “how do I”, “doesn’t work”, or “why not” — do not expect anyone to serve you like paid support. This is not a customer-service relationship; the maintainers owe you nothing and are not obligated to read already-written material back to you line by line.
Want serious help? Ask a clear question. Want answers fast? Start from the navigation below.
By Goal
Section titled “By Goal”Getting Started
Section titled “Getting Started”| What you want to do | Start here |
|---|---|
| Completely new to local music and need the concepts first | Local Music Basics |
| Download, install, and open ECHO for the first time | Beginner Setup |
| Find installers, download mirrors, and auto-update info | Install and Download |
| Steam install, Pro DLC, Cloud, achievements, Listen Together | Using the Steam edition |
| Workshop subscribed but nothing changed | Steam Workshop |
| Verify playback as quickly as possible | Quick Start |
| Learn one task a day | First Week |
| Find songs, use the queue, and build playlists | Daily Listening |
| Empty after import, no sound, search miss, split album | Common stuck points |
| Coming from NetEase, QQ Music, or Spotify | Switching from streaming apps |
| Read the full guide from start to finish | User Guide |
Library And Sources
Section titled “Library And Sources”| What you want to do | Start here |
|---|---|
| Tidy music folders before import | How to keep music folders tidy |
| Decide between local files, remote libraries, and plugin sources | Import Audio Sources |
| Import local folders, organize albums, and fix tags | Library |
| Connect WebDAV, NAS, Jellyfin, Emby, or Subsonic | Remote Sources and Cloud Drive / Subsonic Guide |
| Stream to a network player, amplifier, TV, or renderer | DLNA / Network Streamer |
| Check what AirPlay support means | AirPlay Support Boundaries |
Audio And Output
Section titled “Audio And Output”| What you want to do | Start here |
|---|---|
| Route audio to headphones, speakers, DAC, or LAN Renderer | Connect frontend playback devices |
| Wire USB DAC / headphones; output mode progression | Local output in detail |
| Cast via Connect to streamer or AirPlay | Connect page in detail |
| Desk DAC, living-room DLNA, and other scenarios | Typical setup scenarios |
| Empty Connect list, firewall, and router checks | LAN and firewall |
| Align Windows sound settings with ECHO | Windows audio setup |
| NAS vs streamer — which to connect | Device types |
| Bluetooth headphones or speakers | Bluetooth and wireless |
| Verify audio works within 30 minutes | 30-minute connection guide |
| Understand MP3, FLAC, and sample rate | Audio formats |
| Tracks jump in volume | Why some songs are much louder |
| Change headphones, a DAC, or the output mode | Audio Output |
| Tune EQ without clipping | EQ Guide and DSP Beginner Guide |
| Upsample with ECHO SRC | ECHO SRC / Upsampling Guide |
| Play DSD files | DSD Playback |
| Configure HQPlayer | HQPlayer Guide |
| Check USB DAC drivers, third-party drivers, or ASIO4ALL boundaries | USB DAC Drivers and Third-Party Driver Boundaries |
| Decode sample rate, bit depth, and bit-perfect jargon | HiFi Audio Glossary |
| Audition gear in person at a HiFi store | HiFi Store Map |
Personalization And Extensions
Section titled “Personalization And Extensions”| What you want to do | Start here |
|---|---|
| Understand every switch on the settings page | Settings Guide |
| Set up lyrics, candidates, translation, or romanization | Lyrics |
| Install or author plugins | Plugin Authoring Guide |
| Publish themes or plug-ins to Steam Workshop | Workshop SDK tutorial |
| Workshop author: dev / watch debugging | Local dev workflow |
| Workshop author: VST adapter profile | VST3 profile |
| Build or generate themes | AI Theme Guide |
Pro, Community, And Support
Section titled “Pro, Community, And Support”| What you want to do | Start here |
|---|---|
| Buy, activate, or unbind website ECHO Pro | ECHO Pro (Steam: Using the Steam edition) |
| Check download, plugin-source, copyright, and legal boundaries | Download And Plugin Source Boundaries |
| Understand community rules and boundaries | Community Boundaries |
| Join the developer program | ECHO Developer Program |
| Report a bug or ask for troubleshooting help | How To Solve Problems and AI Question Guide |
| Troubleshoot by settings category | Settings and Troubleshooting |
| Read common answers | FAQ |
| Read engineering structure, tech stack, and development rules | Engineering Docs |
By Symptom
Section titled “By Symptom”| Problem | Recommended page |
|---|---|
| No sound, crackling, half-speed playback, or track-skip failures | Common stuck points and Audio Output |
| Songs sound faster, slower, or pitched | Why Did My Song Speed Change? |
| Exclusive or ASIO fails to open, or errors right away | Do Not Obsess Over ASIO and Exclusive / ASIO User-Side Checks |
| Another player can do it, but ECHO says no | Why can other apps do this, but not ECHO? |
| Songs do not appear after import, covers are wrong, or albums are grouped badly | Library |
| Queue and playlists are easy to mix up | Daily Listening |
| Search and downloads from streaming apps are gone | Switching from streaming apps |
| Workshop did nothing, Listen Together is silent, library empty on a new PC | Using the Steam edition and Steam Workshop |
| Unsure whether to keep MP3 or FLAC | Audio formats |
| Lyrics are missing, early, late, or drift | Lyrics |
| You are unsure about the boundary between audio sources and music downloading | Import Audio Sources and Download And Plugin Source Boundaries |
| Remote library connects poorly, browses but cannot play, or syncs slowly | Remote Sources |
| WebDAV, Navidrome, or Subsonic setup is unclear | Cloud Drive / Subsonic Guide |
| You do not know how to describe a problem clearly | AI Question Guide and How To Solve Problems |
Safest Reading Order
Section titled “Safest Reading Order”If you are completely new, read in this order:
Get download, import, and playback working first. Then move on to advanced output, remote sources, plugins, and themes.