iTunes V.S. Foobar2000: Smackdown.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mdraluck23 

Just wondering what people use and why. I love iTunes' layout, and usability. (Yes, I'm on a PC). It's just simple.

I'm using foobar2000, because:

- supports virtually any file and output format (itunes can't even output 24 bits? iirc)

- ReplayGain

- gapless playback

- custom media library / folder structure

- custom layout, also skinning support

- playlists based on complex queries

- DSPs like crossfeeding, high quality resamplers and lots of other nice (DSP) plugins

- supports DS, ASIO, WASAPI, KS ...

- can be used to rip music (and verify rips with AccurateRip)

- I use it regularly to encode files, e.g. flac to mp3 for my portable player

- and to play midi files

- no buggy tagging implementation

- ABX tests

- I know exactly what is happening with my music ;)

...

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mdraluck23 

Just wondering what people use and why. I love iTunes' layout, and usability. (Yes, I'm on a PC). It's just simple.

 

The only problem is that I have some FLAC files I would love to use. I play them with VLC/Foobar currently, but what I usually so is convert them to ALAC with DbPoweramp, and just load them into iTunes. That leaves me with a ton of FLAC files, which I have to use with my Sansa Clip +. The whole thing is just a mess. I have my entire iTunes library sorted and organized perfectly, but storage and organization of FLAC, ALAC, and Mp3 all together just sucks, especially when i have iPods and a Clip+.

 

Just wondering if anyone has any tips in general for such a predicament.

If you must use lossless files on your DAP's (I don't, but to each his/her own) you could rockbox the Clip+....I believe ALAC will play on it then. I'm not 100% sure of this though, as I have no ALAC files to test. Hopefully somebody else can confirm this for you.

I don't understand how anyone can find iTunes 'usable', it's horrendously laggy.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mdraluck23 

No ALAC on a rockbox'd clip+. I have it rockboxed. admittedly I use that more than my iPod for kind of critical listening, at least until I get my E7.

Thanks for that info....I wasn't sure.

You might want to consider switching media programs. When this happened to me (iPod Nano + S:Flo 2), I switched from iTunes to MediaMonkey. MediaMonkey's free and it works really well for me. The only thing it doesn't do is video. I use VLC for video anyways, so it doesn't bother me. Besides Mediamonkey, you may want to conider J. River, but J. River is expensive (~$50).

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mdraluck23 

Does MediaMonkey sync iPods?

 

EDIT: Why yes. Yes it does. I will try it. Sounds excellent.

I've used it for quite a while now. You can go into the options menu and customize how it handles each player you will use it with. Here's a shot of it......

I don't ever use auto-sync, and I don't convert on-the-fly. I keep my FLACs in foobar2000 and listen to them on the computer only, and use Mediamonkey for all my various lossy files, which are what I use on my DAP's. But everyone comes up with their own system that works for them.....I'm sure you will do so as well. Enjoy!

Quote:

Originally Posted by RedSky0 

I don't understand how anyone can find iTunes 'usable', it's horrendously laggy.

what do you mean by laggy? I personally find it very easy to use.Not all of us are technically savy and I have found other ways very hard to use compared to itunes.

Quote:

Originally Posted by ianmedium 

Quote:

Originally Posted by RedSky0 

I don't understand how anyone can find iTunes 'usable', it's horrendously laggy.

what do you mean by laggy? I personally find it very easy to use.Not all of us are technically savy and I have found other ways very hard to use compared to itunes.

iTunes is extremely user-friendly; user-seductive is probably more accurate. But it's huge and can be slow (clicking to Music or a specific playlist when it's in the iTunes store can take a while).

I decided to dump it because I hate the way it organizes rips.  It folders by artist/song, which is fine if it's the only interface you're using, but if you have other mp3 players, it's a complete pain in the ass. If your player's an Apple product, there's no real reason for you to get something else.  If it works for you, it works.

But if you want more control, freedom and flexibility, there are other option out there.