Subsonic

Personal music streaming server with universal app support

Subsonic is a web-based media server written in Java that runs on any operating system with Java support. It supports streaming to multiple clients simultaneously with any streamable media including MP3, AAC, OGG, and more. With extensive mobile app support, automatic transcoding, and offline sync capabilities, Subsonic provides a robust personal music streaming solution. QuickBox Pro installs Subsonic from official .deb packages with BellSoft Java 8, per-user systemd services, and auto-incremented ports.

Installation

Basic Installation

Install Subsonic for a specific user:

qb install subsonic -u username

CLI Commands

Accessing Subsonic

After installation, access Subsonic at:

https://your-server-ip/username/subsonic

Default Credentials:

• Username: admin
• Password: admin

Initial Configuration

1. Secure Admin Account

On first access, secure your installation:

1. Login with default credentials (admin / admin)
2. Navigate to Settings → Users
3. Click Edit on the admin user
4. Change password to a strong, unique password
5. Update email address for password recovery
6. Click Save

2. Add Music Folders

Configure your music libraries:

1. Go to Settings → Media folders
2. Default folder is /home/username/.config/Subsonic/Music
3. To add additional folders:
   • Click Add
   • Enter folder path (e.g., /home/username/media/music)
   • Set folder name for display
   • Click Save
4. Click Scan media folders now to index your library

3. Configure Transcoding

Optimize streaming for different devices:

1. Navigate to Settings → Transcoding
2. Enable transcoding profiles:
   • Max bitrate - Maximum streaming quality
   • Medium bitrate - Balanced quality (default 128 kbps)
   • Low bitrate - Mobile/low bandwidth (default 64 kbps)
3. Configure transcoding command (FFmpeg-based)
4. Test transcoding with different file formats
5. Save settings

Service Management

Subsonic runs as a per-user systemd service.

systemctl status subsonic@username     # Check status
systemctl restart subsonic@username    # Restart service
journalctl -u subsonic@username -f     # View live logs
systemctl enable subsonic@username     # Start on boot (already enabled)
systemctl disable subsonic@username    # Prevent auto-start

Troubleshooting

Subsonic Won’t Start

journalctl -u subsonic@username -f

Check Java installation:

/usr/lib/jvm/bellsoft-java8-amd64/bin/java -version
# Should show Java 8
 
# Verify Java alternative
update-alternatives --list java
 
# If Java 8 not found, reinstall:
qb reinstall subsonic -u username

Music Not Appearing in Library

Transcoding Not Working

# Verify FFmpeg is installed
ffmpeg -version
 
# Check transcoding settings
# Settings → Transcoding → Enable transcoding
 
# Verify transcoding command is correct
# Settings → Transcoding → View/edit transcoding commands
 
# Test transcoding manually
journalctl -u subsonic@username -f | grep -i transcode

Cannot Login After Password Change

# Stop Subsonic service
systemctl stop subsonic@username
 
# Reset admin password by editing database
# WARNING: Advanced users only
nano /home/username/.config/Subsonic/db/subsonic.script
 
# Or reinstall (preserves library but resets password):
qb reinstall subsonic -u username

Mobile App Cannot Connect

# Verify Subsonic is running
systemctl status subsonic@username
 
# Check nginx reverse proxy
sudo nginx -t
sudo systemctl reload nginx
 
# Verify URL format in mobile app:
# Server: https://your-server-ip/username/subsonic
# Username: Your Subsonic username
# Password: Your Subsonic password
 
# For API-based apps, use base path:
# Server: https://your-server-ip/username/subsonic/rest
 
# Test access from browser first
curl -I https://your-server-ip/username/subsonic

High CPU Usage During Transcoding

# Limit concurrent transcoding streams
# Settings → Advanced → Maximum number of concurrent streams
 
# Reduce transcoding quality
# Settings → Transcoding → Lower bitrate limits
 
# Check active transcoding sessions
# Players tab shows current streams with bitrate info
 
# Monitor system resources
top -u username

Best Practices

Use Cases

Personal Music Cloud

• Stream your entire music library to any device from anywhere
• Web-based player accessible from any browser
• Mobile apps for iOS, Android, Windows Phone, and more
• No music upload limits or monthly fees—your music, your server

Multi-User Family Server

• Create accounts for family members with individual libraries
• Set storage quotas and bandwidth limits per user
• Control access to specific music folders per user
• Separate listening history, favorites, and playlists

Offline Music Access

• Download music to mobile devices for offline playback
• Sync playlists for airplane mode or limited connectivity
• Automatic download queue management
• Resume downloads when connection is restored

Related Applications

Additional Resources