Type Windows (x) Codec pack into google, then download and install which ever takes your fancy and WMP will then play pretty much all formats out there.
(x) = the Windows version you are using.
Check that you sound card supports hi Def. music as otherwise any software player will just down sample to what the Sound Card can handle.
I've used Audirvana Plus on a Mac. It works pretty well with i-Tunes but on occaisions has crashed or failed to load Podcasts that i-Tunes could play without any trouble. Generally speaking software made for a Mac just works straight from installation with no messing about. OSX automatically makes the decisions that Windows won't.
I have it upscaling to a Chord QuteHD maximum which is much as I needed to do to get the very best sound.
But I'm also currently trialing J River MC19 playing FLAC on my PC. It fiiled in all my missing album art, it can rip CD to FLAC (plus others).
I had to ponce about a lot more to max out the sound quality ... output via Kernel Streaming and again full upscaling to the QuteHD's maximum. Probably about 95% of the quality I get from Audirvana and a Mac. But by the far the best I have ever had from a PC.
windows wise, providing the software allows asio or wasapi output, the sound should be the same, it's more down to interface, usability and function. Generally this is why a lot of people tend to favour jriver as it does everything, has a nice interface and also a nice remote control app for smartphones/tablets. Foobar is very good and free, but looks wise, it's quite simple.