Which media player do you use for computer audio?

Discussion in 'Audio Hardware' started by SBurke, Jan 23, 2012.

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  1. nbakid2000

    nbakid2000 On Indie's Cutting Edge

    Location:
    Springfield, MO
    I'm setting it up on a new computer. That's the issue.
     
  2. radiophonic

    radiophonic Forum Resident

    Location:
    Nottingham, UK
    I use iTunes and VLC on a headless Mac Mini, with remote apps to control everything from a a tablet. It's ok. The iTunes 'numbers' after 'letter z' media index decision is annoying and the 'remote' app for android is pretty naff - although the iPad version is much slicker. The major downside at the moment is that the BBC have messed around with their radio station stream formats/bit rates - Radio 3 at 128 kbps? Srsly folks? iTunes won't recognise the higher quality streams. I'm using VLC to control that for now. Everything else is ripped to at least 16/44 ALAC except in those rare cases where something was only released as an mp3.
     
  3. BrewDrinkRepeat

    BrewDrinkRepeat Forum Resident

    Location:
    Merchantville NJ
    I keep it simple and use iTunes as my library and player; if I didn't need iPhone/iPod integration and Airport Express streaming I might consider something else depending on features, but iTunes works and sounds just fine here.

    My library is all Apple Lossless files, except for things that are only available as Mp3 or AAC files (iTunes exclusives, etc.), with a redundant backup protocol (one
     
  4. Damien DiAngelo

    Damien DiAngelo Forum Resident

    Location:
    Michigan, USA
    6 pages in, and I'm the only one using Banshee.
    I use Banshee because my OS is Linux Mint.
     
  5. wgb113

    wgb113 Forum Resident

    Location:
    Chester County, PA
    iTunes + BitPerfect.
     
  6. Tommy SB

    Tommy SB Forum Resident

    Location:
    Santa Barbara, CA
    Here's the process that works for me. May be what you've already done.

    I download the theme from:

    http://tedgo.deviantart.com/art/DarkOne-v4-360862076

    The next instructions are as followed:

    "============================== INSTRUCTIONS ============
    ===== Please rename file extension from *.bck to *.exe to install it =====
    ==============================================================
    The download contains a self-extracting archive that installs the needed
    files automatically.
    After extraction a Manual.pdf with further instructions about importing
    the configuration file (in chapter 1. Installation) pops up that i advise
    you to read carefully (you need a PDF reader installed for reading it)!

    ***** IF YOU DON'T WANT THAT THE INSTALLER OVERWRITES FILES, PLEASE ******
    ***** BACKUP YOUR EXISTING COMPONENTS AND CONFIGURATION FILES BEFORE *****
    ***** EXECUTING THE SELF-EXTRACTING ARCHIVE!!! ***************************

    ==============================================================
    For updating build20130603 to build20140207:
    You just need to install ;)"

    Once installed, you'll find a pdf manual in the "C:\Program Files (x86)\foobar2000\themes" directory for set-up directions.

    Hope this offers some help.

    Peace
     
  7. Tommy SB

    Tommy SB Forum Resident

    Location:
    Santa Barbara, CA
    Quick follow-up...

    Once foobar and the theme are installed go to preferences in foobar. Here's a diagram that will get you to the FCL import.

    [​IMG]

    Open FCL import and go to "C:\Program Files (x86)\foobar2000\themes". Open DarkOneV4 in themes and click on the DarkOne v4.0.fcl file. It should load the theme automatically or you might have to click apply.

    Hope I got it right. Good luck...
     
    Last edited: Feb 16, 2015
  8. cordobaman

    cordobaman Rich Corinthian Leather

    Location:
    Erie, PA USA
    I use EAC for ripping CD. PS3 for sacd rips. Foobar for ripping dvd-a and file conversions. MP3 tag for, well tagging.

    For listening I use minimserver via ethernet, controlled by Marantz Remote App so I can get Pure DSD to my AVR's DAC.
     
  9. 2xUeL

    2xUeL Forum Philosopher

    Location:
    Albany, NY
    iTunes, reluctantly. I used to be a perfectly happy user of iTunes. 10 'fixed' some things that weren't broke, 11 fixed even more things that weren't broke. There's several quirks to the software now that simply weren't there before and are now a regular inconvenience. (Tech designers can't help but tinker, can they?) I never heard of Foobar before reading this thread and due to the overwhelming number of users here I'll have to check it out.
     
  10. I use Onkyo HF Player on my iPhone 6 Plus to play hi-res music, then output it over USB to any number of DACs at my disposal. So, I picked "other." Generally, I don't play music using my computer. I do load hi-res files onto my phone via iTunes, but I generally don't use iTunes or the iOS Music app for music playback.
     
  11. Look at what I just read on Foobar's website. I just had to laugh!

    http://mobile.foobar2000.com
     
    Shiver likes this.
  12. Agreed re: iTunes. For music, I only use it to transfer hi-res files to my phone, after which I use Onkyo HF Player.

    I do use iTunes to purchase (or rent) movies and watch them. iTunes is a great video player. For music, I don't like the interface and I don't like the "Audio/MIDI shuffle" you need to do with it and OS X when you play hi-res files.
     
  13. rockclassics

    rockclassics Senior Member

    Location:
    Mainline Florida
    Along with iTunes and Foobar I also use onkyo HF on my Android phone.
     
  14. It's a great player with a not-so-great interface. Typical!

    Foobar is coming to iOS, Windows Phone, and Android as well:

    http://mobile.foobar2000.com
     
  15. wgb113

    wgb113 Forum Resident

    Location:
    Chester County, PA
    Just waiting for Roon Labs' iOS app to give the trial a spin.
     
  16. Mortsnets

    Mortsnets Forum Resident

    DeaDBeeF for Linux/Ubuntu
    AudioGate for Windows
     
  17. toddrhodes

    toddrhodes Forum Resident

    Location:
    South Bend, IN
    I've tried a bunch and just come back to JRiver. Bughead sounded better, Minimserver + Kazoo sounded better, foobar is more extensible, but they all lack the control point and functionality that JRiver provides. As with most things, it's more about overall experience/preferences/familiarity and to me, JRiver checks all the boxes. I'm willing to sacrifice a scant bit of SQ for the features it provides. And some of those SQ improvements, IMO, at least in the case of Bughead, are changes that I don't think a software player needs to make. Just give me the sound from the file and be done with it. If the UI is the difference, JRiver by a mile.
     
  18. Larry Mc

    Larry Mc Forum Dude

    *
    iTunes
     
  19. Opeth

    Opeth Forum Resident

    Location:
    NH
    Foobar for me I use wasapi and have an Asus xonar stx essence card. I use the uni drivers and I think sounds amazing . I use dark one also and all the settings and plugins for high res sources and play everything flat untouched out the analog side into my as-500. If there's anything better I have not found it yet.

    Excited for foobar on mobile !
     
  20. Ringo75503

    Ringo75503 Forum Resident

    Location:
    Cincinnati, OH
    I use Cowan's JetAudio for PC/Windows. It plays back pretty much anything audio or video. It rips, it burns, it converts, heck it even broadcasts.
    They also make an Android app which I use along with Onkyo HF.
     
  21. Solitaire1

    Solitaire1 Carpenters Fan

    I use four different programs, based on the specific circumstances:
    • Media Go: I just purchased a Sony NWZ-A17 Walkman and will use Media Go to manage the media on it. It's especially good at converting videos properly for my Walkman players. I also like to use it as my main media player due to its ease of use.
    • MediaMonkey (MM): For ripping, conversion, and tag work before loading the music into Media Go and iTunes.
    • iTunes: For managing the music on my iPod Classic.
    • Exact Audio Copy (EAC): For ripping difficult CDs that the other programs have trouble with.
     
  22. telemike

    telemike Forum Resident

    Location:
    Greensboro, NC
  23. mds

    mds Forum Resident

    Location:
    PA
    For ripping - dB Power Amp
    This program is straight forward easy to set up and the majority of the time it identifies and tags the CD correctly, highest rating for ease of use.

    For listening - either Foobar or iTunes
    Foobar plays everything and it's basic configuration is OK. If you take your time it is very configurable but you need to be competent with configuring complex programs, not for the faint at heart. Now on the other hand I-Tunes is basic, configures itself easily but doesn't seem to be as sophisticated and customizable as Foobar. I also don't appreciate how tight of control I-Tunes has over managing your files.

    For tagging MP3 files - MP3Tag.
    Very easy to use and does a fantastic job, however you need to know the information to input, doesn't seem to work from an Internet database.
     
  24. senseabove

    senseabove Forum Resident

    Foobar at work on a PC, and VLC at home on a Mac, because my digital music at home is on a headless Mac Mini, and I have a handy VLC remote app on my iPhone that includes a file browser, allowing me to organize files any way I'd like to (or not, since it can browse to anywhere).
     
  25. timztunz

    timztunz Audioista

    Location:
    Texas
    iTunes + BitPerfect
     
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