[Apocalypsee]

Foobar2000 user here, ever since I use foobar I never use any other player at all. Before that I use Winamp. Winamp + Izotope Ozone sounds quite nice, so does fb2k + convolver, but I prefer to use no DSP or equalizer at all

Main reason why I use fb2k is its fast, small memory usage and customizable to my taste

 

[Michael.Warrick]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Apocalypsee /img/forum/go_quote.gif Foobar2000 user here, ever since I use foobar I never use any other player at all. Before that I use Winamp. Winamp + Izotope Ozone sounds quite nice, so does fb2k + convolver, but I prefer to use no DSP or equalizer at all Main reason why I use fb2k is its fast, small memory usage and customizable to my taste

I've actually stripped convolver and any form of EQ -- it was making certain songs too imbalanced... so it's just resampler, and advanced limiter being used right now

 

[NiceCans]

Quote:

Originally Posted by vulc4n /img/forum/go_quote.gif JRiver Media Center for me.

x3

It can be quick and easy like iTunes but with more power & features, or can be powerful with many options like Foobar (the more you dig the more options and power become available).

Oh, and Media Center has a free lil' brother called Media Jukebox.

and . . . . it does secure ripping plus sounds great

 

[infinitesymphony]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Michael.Warrick /img/forum/go_quote.gif edit: ugn it just cause my system to reboot and it keeps stuttering once in awhile -- every time i minimize winamp it stutters.

What kind of computer?

Open Winamp's settings and see if there's a "priority" or "thread priority" setting. If so, raise it--this will prevent your computer from starving it when it's not the active application.

 

[Michael.Warrick]

Quote:

Originally Posted by infinitesymphony /img/forum/go_quote.gif What kind of computer? Open Winamp's settings and see if there's a "priority" or "thread priority" setting. If so, raise it--this will prevent your computer from starving it when it's not the active application.

AMD 64 3000+ or something ... maybe 3300+ if that exists... its a few years old.

but yeah i tried doing that in task manager and it still stuttered.. must be a bug or something -- the ASIO drivers running through winamp are too unstable anyways -- i actually got a BSOD lol.. but they seem fine in foobar.

 

[Bones13]

iTunes on my Macs. Bitperfect quite easy with optical or USB from ALAC files.

I run Foobar on my Vista PC, using the same ALAC files I rip on my iMac.

I rip MP3 on my laptop, and ALAC on my iMac. I put the lossy files on the iPod. (laptop HD of only 160 is pretty limiting for lossless files)

Currently learning the ins and outs of syncronizing my iTunes folder to an USB disk to then synchronize with my Vista music folder. Fortunatly Foobar can relearn its music folder quickly. Next is to get the album art set up for foobar without embedding all of my ALAC files.

Also working with ripping DVDs for use with apple TV / iPod Touch.

 

[Shoreman]

Quote:

Originally Posted by infinitesymphony /img/forum/go_quote.gif What kind of computer? Open Winamp's settings and see if there's a "priority" or "thread priority" setting. If so, raise it--this will prevent your computer from starving it when it's not the active application.

In Winamp's Playback Preference settings, the Playback Thread Priority is set to Highest by default. It seems unlikely that Michael would have altered this (right, Michael?). Consequently, he may be out of luck. The good news is that he seems to be lovin' fb2k, so problem (sorta) solved!

I should add that ASIO4ALL has its own thread priority settings, which also seem to be set by default to their highest settings.

 

[mstorie]

I havent checked Winamp in a few years. I used to use it exclusively, but when it got sold off a few years ago, I lost interest as it didn't support some of the newer streaming features I was interested in. I've exclusively used foobar w/ ASIO streaming and have been quite happy. Version .9X is a little easier to use than earlier versions and can be tweaked in a limitless fashion. Steep learning curve though.

CD -> EAC -> FLAC

FLAC -> fb2k -> ASIO -> Edirol UA-5 -> CANAMP -> (ah-d2000 or line-out ) PPX3-SLAM -> MS2i

 

[guyx1992]

I use iTunes for about a year now and it's probably the best music player there is.
I think Steve Jobs needs to get a Nobel prize for it
I started using it so I could start on sorting my music for my upcoming iPod (artwork + ID3 tags etc.) and when I got my iPod everything was sorted out just the way I like it.
I don't think I could've arranged my music in Foobar2000, winamp, wmp11 or whatever like I did on my iTunes.

 

[Shoreman]

Quote:

Originally Posted by guyx1992 /img/forum/go_quote.gif I use iTunes for about a year now and it's probably the best music player there is. I think Steve Jobs needs to get a Nobel prize for it I started using it so I could start on sorting my music for my upcoming iPod (artwork + ID3 tags etc.) and when I got my iPod everything was sorted out just the way I like it. I don't think I could've arranged my music in Foobar2000, winamp, wmp11 or whatever like I did on my iTunes.

There's something to be said for music library organization (I think most would agree with you vis-a-vis iTunes), and something else entirely to be said for audio output quality. Two completely different discussions.

 

[guyx1992]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Shoreman /img/forum/go_quote.gif There's something to be said for music library organization (I think most would agree with you vis-a-vis iTunes), and something else entirely to be said for audio output quality. Two completely different discussions.

I personally don't really understand how is it that different players (in the same PC with same equipment) can sound different.
But i'll take your word for that. Even if there's a difference, I'll probably not notice the difference because of my very simple gear (OB sound card + stock stereo speakers)

 

[Shoreman]

Quote:

Originally Posted by guyx1992 /img/forum/go_quote.gif I personally don't really understand how is it that different players (in the same PC with same equipment) can sound different. But i'll take your word for that. Even if there's a difference, I'll probably not notice the difference because of my very simple gear (OB sound card + stock stereo speakers)

It's not the player per se. It's the output device options the player offers. You will see much discussion in these forums about bit-perfect output, ASIO, KS, DS, etc. (I know, acronym city), all with an eye toward achieving the highest quality audio output possible. Simply put, iTunes doesn't give you those options, while many of the other players, including foobar2000 and winamp, do. Hence, the opinion of many that fb2k, when you consider its feature set, extensibility and adaptability along with the aforementioned sound options, is the best player (albeit not the best organizer) available.

 

[Michael.Warrick]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Shoreman /img/forum/go_quote.gif It's not the player per se. It's the output device options the player offers. You will see much discussion in these forums about bit-perfect output, ASIO, KS, DS, etc. (I know, acronym city), all with an eye toward achieving the highest quality audio output possible. Simply put, iTunes doesn't give you those options, while many of the other players, including foobar2000 and winamp, do. Hence, the opinion of many that fb2k, when you consider its feature set, extensibility and adaptability along with the aforementioned sound options, is the best player (albeit not the best organizer) available.

yeah i'm using fb2k because of the sound quality after getting everything setup -- i've been doing comparisions by playing like 30 seconds of a song on each player and fb2k is definitely sounding the best right now (and the most stable)

 

[Michael.Warrick]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Shoreman /img/forum/go_quote.gif In Winamp's Playback Preference settings, the Playback Thread Priority is set to Highest by default. It seems unlikely that Michael would have altered this (right, Michael?). Consequently, he may be out of luck. The good news is that he seems to be lovin' fb2k, so problem (sorta) solved! I should add that ASIO4ALL has its own thread priority settings, which also seem to be set by default to their highest settings.

no i haven't changed it at all -- seems like the KS and ASIO just aren't stable for me in winamp.

 

[krmathis]

No at all!
Some of us a quite (or very happy) with iTunes. Or other players..