What MP3 player is everyone using in XP?

[Alakazam]

I know a lot of you are really into the music end of it and I was wondering what MP3 player you would recommend with XP. I'm a little familiar with Winamp & MusicMatch Jukebox but is there anything else worth looking into? TIA

[JohnnyBra]

Winamp for me.

Never found another product that made me even consider switching. Although if there are other suggestions that would make me switch, then fire away.

[ImaginAsian]

I like Sonic Foundry JukeBox but I don't think they have an XP compatible version yet.

[AmStoned]

Sonic Foundry Jukebox? Ain't that included with Philips AE? I'm sticking with WinAmp, it's the easiest to use, barnone.

[muckshifter]

Windows Media Player ...

... well all I want to do is "listen to the Music" and hey, it works. :D

[Mad dog]

I like media player as a CD player, but not for MP3s.

For that i prefer music match. I would use winamp, but i find the interface to difficult and dull to use. Music match works for me beacuse it's similar to winamp in some respects but gains points for looking good, being easier to use and it's feature set.

[JohnnyBra]

Maddog:

Default, Winamp does look kinda dull.

But there are 10,000 skins out there to liven it up.

Go find a few dozen ya like and set it to randomize each time the program is launched :)

[Mad dog]

Thats true, but it's not just the skins, it's the layout of all the controls i don't like. If only you could customise them too.

[Techvillage]

RealJukebox Plus - does everything I need in a simple easy to use format. Has all the plugins rquired to play practically every known format - it does me just fine.

[Alakazam]

I snagged Winamp & MusicMatch, I'll have to play with them for a few days and see what shakes out. Thanks guys!

[KaraK]

I'd have to give Winamp another vote. I've been using since the early days and nothing has ever been good enough to make me switch.

[Orange Peel]

Winamp for me too!

I've tried most of the others but seem to always go back to Winamp. I've seen some nice plugins too...

Get the Christmas Dancer plugin :)

[floppybootstomp]

And yet another vote for Winamp. I used Real Jukebox for about nine months, but went back to Winamp, it's just better.

The Media player that comes with XP's not bad actually, I usually play my CD's on that and the DVD playback is quite acceptable.

Sonique is quite good as well, IMO.

[Techvillage]

Flopps - I'm interested to hear from another Jukebox player user who has moved away from it - how does Winamp compare, what do you prefer about it?

I have downloaded winamp every 9 months to a year, for about 3 years now, and have a quick 10 minute look - but the gui never really grabbed me - what are the features and functions you like?

[floppybootstomp]

Ah, Tech, ya put me on the spot now eh? Lemme try & think :)

Real is commercially based and they always trying to ask for money, Winamp is not; Winamp is truly free, has millions of users who constantly contribute free skins; Winamp doesn't store every single tune you play unless you ask it to; Winamp doesn't constantly try to connect to the net for CD info unless you ask it to; It is a little tricky to set up a playlist in Winamp the first time, but once you've done it, it's there; Winamp's playback is flawless; If you're not happy with Winamp's controls, try a new skin, the controls will then be more obvious; Upgrades for new Winamp versions are voluntary, RealJukebox insists upon it; and most of all, Winamp just feels right.

My only criticism of Winamp is that you can't make it full screen. And I do miss the little dancing sheep that comes with Real. But, all in all, I tried Real for nine months, but I went back to Winamp.

Most of all, I suppose, I feel that Winamp are giving you a truly free product, no pressure, good community, whereas Real always trying to manipulate you one way or another.

Howzat for an explanation? :D Truly off the top of my head, that one, I been backing up a million floppies to CD tonight, frazzled ma brain a bit....

[James]

I do not care what it looks like...i'm listening...;)

[Techvillage]

Thx Flops, Skamp and James - I will download again and review it this weekend.

I reviewed about 10 players a year ago when I bought Realjuke Box 2 Plus (so I didn't get any of the nags). I was basing it on all of my family using it on thier PC's - so it had to be very simple and easy to use, very intuitive. Also, I'm not really one for skins, in fact I never use them. I find I choose the playlist then minimise the player so it's outa site. I have an ADSL connection so the getting the CDROM info (which incidentally you can switch off, so it doesn't go looking for the info) isn't an issue.

One of the biggest reasons I chose Jukebox it is that it did fill the screen on the occasions that I wanted it too.

All my ripped stuff sits on my file server, and wanted a client that was simple to use by all my family including my wife. Sometimes it's crazy in our house as we may have 4 pc's all playing the same song from the file server at the same time but at different places in the song.

I had meningitus when I was smaller, took out my hearing - I'm about 50% deaf with loss of bass and treble, so I wouldn't be able to spot the better sounding Winamp. Infact I wear wireless headphones to watch TV , so that I can have the volume really loud.If I'm not wearing my headphone (when nobody else is around) I must be the only person I know who has the volume on a TV tuned up to practically max.

It's very interesting the different ways we all work, and the different programs we choose to do the same thing - I like duscussing things like this.... sad I know, but I like..

I will take a look at Winamp again weekend.... just gotta get past that gui.....

[floppybootstomp]

You got through meningitis? Shite. Bad news man, I'm glad you're still with us. My 19-year-old nephew, Paul, had meningitis when he was about six, whole family crowded around the Brook Hospital, Greenwich for five days and it was touch and go for a while. But he pulled through, luckily without any side effects.

I'd consider yourself lucky. I knew another guy, fellow DJ, when I was 23, he caught meningitis and he was out of circulation for about two months. It affected his hearing too, but he was glad to be alive.

My nephew Paul, he just starting to test the waters into DJ-ing, got himself two turntables and a mixer, setup in his bedroom. He wondered why it sounded shite, and phoned me up. I popped round and pointed out that having the line out from the mixer was not going to sound particularly good plugged into the 'phono' sockets. Tres overload! :)

And yeah, I find these threads interesting as well, love a bit of feedback, you can often pick up lots of good tips from threads like these.