Free · browser-based · nothing uploaded
A foobar2000 ABX alternative you can run in the browser
The foobar2000 ABX Comparator is the classic way to test whether you can really hear a difference between two files — but it's a desktop install and a strict pass/fail test. PickFav does the blind, level-matched part right in your browser, on any OS, with nothing to install.
PickFav is a free, browser-based alternative for blind, level-matched audio comparison — no install, no account, nothing uploaded. The honest catch: it's a preference comparison, not a statistical ABX discrimination test. If you need a p-value proving a difference is audible, use foobar2000's ABX Comparator; if you want to pick the best of two or more variants without bias, use PickFav.
Why look for a foobar2000 ABX alternative?
Usually because foobar2000 is a desktop install and Windows-first, and you just want to run a quick, fair comparison in a browser. The ABX Comparator is excellent, but it means installing the player plus a component, it's most at home on Windows, and it's built for two-file A-vs-B trials. If that friction is what sent you here, a client-side web tool removes it — at the cost of the formal statistics, which most casual comparisons don't actually need.
foobar2000 ABX Comparator vs. PickFav
They're aimed at two related but different questions — can you tell them apart? versus which do you prefer? Here's the honest side-by-side:
| foobar2000 ABX Comparator | PickFav | |
|---|---|---|
| Where it runs | Desktop app you install (Windows-first) | Any modern browser — Mac, Windows, Linux, mobile |
| Install required | Yes — the player plus the ABX component | No — nothing to install, no account |
| What it measures | ABX discrimination — can you reliably tell A from B? | Blind, level-matched preference — which do you prefer? |
| Result you get | Trials plus a statistical p-value | A ranking aggregated over blind passes |
| Items compared | Two (A vs. B) | Two or more, ranked |
| Level-matching | Manual — you match the gains yourself | Automatic — RMS to the quietest, attenuation only |
| Your files | Stay local | Stay local — fully client-side, nothing uploaded |
| Price | Free | Free |
When to use which
Reach for foobar2000's ABX test when you need to prove a difference is audible at all — codec and bitrate comparisons, "is this DAC/cable actually different?", anything where the statistical p-value is the whole point. It's the right tool for settling audibility arguments with numbers.
Reach for PickFav when you want to pick a favorite among two or more options without bias or setup — mic shootouts, mix and master revisions, preamps, plugins, or vocal takes. It level-matches for you, hides and reshuffles the labels each pass, and works anywhere a browser does. It answers "which is best?", not "can I tell them apart with statistical significance?"
A strict ABX identification mode (hear A, B, then guess a hidden X) is on PickFav's roadmap. Today it's about honest, blind preference.
How to run a blind comparison in PickFav
- Load your audio. Drag in two or more files (WAV, MP3, AIFF), or load the built-in four-microphone demo.
- Keep level-matching on. Every variant is matched by RMS to the quietest — attenuation only, so nothing clips.
- Rank blind. Labels stay hidden and reshuffle each pass — listen, compare in place, and pick the best of what's left.
- Reveal. Identities unmask and your passes aggregate into an overall ranking, so the winner is the one you genuinely preferred.
FAQ
Is there an online version of foobar2000's ABX test?
Foobar2000's ABX Comparator itself is a desktop component, but PickFav is a browser-based alternative that needs no install and runs on any OS. One difference to know: PickFav runs a blind, level-matched preference comparison rather than a strict ABX discrimination test, so it answers which variant you prefer rather than producing a statistical p-value.
Is PickFav a true ABX test?
Not exactly. PickFav runs a blind, level-matched preference comparison — you rank variants without seeing labels or being biased by volume. A strict ABX discrimination test is a related, planned mode. For a statistical audibility test today, the foobar2000 ABX Comparator is the better fit. (More on what ABX testing is.)
Do I need to install anything?
No. PickFav runs entirely in the browser — there's no player, plugin, or component to install, and no account to create.
Does it work on a Mac?
Yes. It works in any modern browser on macOS, Windows, Linux, and mobile — which is the main reason people look for an alternative to a desktop-installed ABX tool.
Does my audio get uploaded?
No. Decoding, level-matching, and playback all happen locally via the Web Audio API. Your files never leave your machine — just like a local desktop tool.
Is it free?
Yes, free and no account required.