PC music: What player/codec do you use?

Audioaficionado · May 9, 2006

I was curious what others here use to listen to music on your PCs.

I still use Winamp to listen to high bit rate mp3 streams and my CDs but I recently started using Ubernet/Uber.org mp3 ripping process using EAC/LAME for high quality variable bit rate mp3s. Not loss-less like FLAC but one fourth the FLAC file sizes with 95% of the CD quality IMHO. I don't use cheap PC speakers but very good bookshelf monitors.

BTW I don't download or upload music but just use Ubernet's methods to rip my own CD collection for my own personal use.

Thanx to the RIAA and Sony's rootkits, it's almost impossible to play your own CDs on your own computer now days without a hassle or workaround

da_spork · May 9, 2006

I've been using winamp recently, but I deleted some of my music and decided to rerip it with ubernet's standards. I've kinda been looking for a new player as well, but as for now I'm just sticking with winamp with my own folder organization to listen to album playlists (I listen to an album at a time)

infinitevalence · May 9, 2006

i use FLAC or OGG, on XMMS. Most of my stuff i rip off CD's i own but this is getting hard as i have been boycotting the music industry for the last 5 years

The only CD's i will buy are from www.cdbaby.com, 100% independent and the vast majority of profits go directly to the bands.

I should also add that space is not an issue in my house... we have a 1.5TB file server and a backup 10k SCSI rig thats 500GB. This allso runs over GB copper so streaming music and even video from the server is a non issue.

shard · May 9, 2006

I use winamp modern, with plug ins for FLAC and .ape. Does just fine for me.

>HyperlogiK< · May 9, 2006

snap, I don't like the open source players which I have used, but I try to use ogg and FLAC for my music collection. It is a shame, because I download a lot of DJ mixes, and they are always in *.mp3, and I can't always be bothered to convert them.

hafa · May 9, 2006

I use Winamp for playback, DB Poweramp for ripping. I've played around with a few of the open source players, but always go back to Winamp and it's myriad features.

grumperfish · May 9, 2006

I use Musikcube as a general player since it's extremely responsive and fast compared to Winamp5 and itunes (small SQL database for songs). It also uses only 1-3% cpu when playing, its RAM footprint is extremely light, and you can install plugin packs at will for wide filetype compatibility. I use Itunes only to automatically sort my music into Artist/Album-name folders when I purchase new songs or rip my cds. Musikcube has a sync. function so I just hit it when Itunes is finished sorting and I have my music library. It doesn't look as pretty as foobar or winamp but it's designed to be function over form.

:sn:

I use winamp5 with the MMD3 skin for Milkdrop, probably the single best musical visualization program I've seen when configured properly.

macky · May 9, 2006

Foobar2000 and Wavpack

ahhhhhh, beauty

Audioaficionado · May 9, 2006

grumperfish said:
I use Musikcube as a general player since it's extremely responsive and fast compared to Winamp5 and itunes (small SQL database for songs). It also uses only 1-3% cpu when playing, its RAM footprint is extremely light, and you can install plugin packs at will for wide filetype compatibility. I use Itunes only to automatically sort my music into Artist/Album-name folders when I purchase new songs or rip my cds. Musikcube has a sync. function so I just hit it when Itunes is finished sorting and I have my music library. It doesn't look as pretty as foobar or winamp but it's designed to be function over form.

I use winamp5 with the MMD3 skin for Milkdrop, probably the single best musical visualization program I've seen when configured properly.

Try out Acidspunk. It's even better.

I'll have to try out Musikcube. Winamp has the ability to sort music and catalog it but I don't know how it compares to other players. I have over 40GB of music but it's organized in folders by genre so I don't have to search too much when I want a specific type of music.

Drinkyoghurt · May 9, 2006

Winamp all teh way!

Yuriman · May 9, 2006

Media player classic. :beer:

A lot of Lame MP3's, FLAC, a few OGGs.

Sleepy_Steve · May 9, 2006

Itunes and winamp for audio - VLC and Media player classic for video and everythig else....

As far as codecs - i use whatever the torrents come in =D

Audioaficionado · May 9, 2006

Just be very careful who and where you download stuff from. Even leached BTs can be traced to their destination IP provider and the logs subpoenaed. I've heard of people who downloaded from sites that said it was legal get sued anyway.

Strida · May 10, 2006

I've always been a big fan of foobar2000.

willkill1337 · May 10, 2006

Foobar2000 0.9 using vbr high mp3s and wavpack. Foobar converter for ripping/converting music between codecs. Same layout as Macky but with no album art panel. Thanks very much for the help dude!

David · May 10, 2006

Amarok here using a MySQL backend. Most music is MP3 with some Flac and a little ogg.

Audioaficionado · May 10, 2006

David said:
Amarok here using a MySQL backend. Most music is MP3 with some Flac and a little ogg.

MySQL + Amarok = serious overkill

I love it

When I get a serious full time Linux system with XGL built, I'll be getting back to you on your setup

Edit: A live CD testing version for Windows users.
http://www.amaroklive.com/

David · May 10, 2006

Audioaficionado said:
MySQL + Amarok = serious overkill
I love it
When I get a serious full time Linux system with XGL built, I'll be getting back to you on your setup

Edit: A live CD testing version for Windows users.
http://www.amaroklive.com/

I am using amarok 1.4 beta something.

I have about 6000 (I think?) tracks and I like how it tracks my fav songs and you hit a tab for lyrics search.

One thing to note - if you use 1.4 beta then you NEED to re-install taglib and use the latest version! Otherwise amarok crashes when it tries to build your collection.

Audioaficionado · May 10, 2006

I suppose if I use Gentoo, the dependencies should be resolved automatically.

shard · May 10, 2006

So amarok is great for people like me, who have over 10,000+ songs? I am dling Amarok Live for windows right now. Hopefully it is good as you all claim

PC music: What player/codec do you use?

What Player & Codec Do You Use?

Winamp

foobar2000

Windows Media Player

iTunes

Other Player

MP3

WMA

OGG Vorbis

Lossless (FLAC, APE, WavPack, ...)

Other Codec

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