mp3 managers...

[John Koch-Northrup]

What do you use? Why?

I noticed this article on iTunes alternatives when I opened Windows Messenger this morning and it got me thinking what would make the most sense. I've been using iTunes on my laptop for awhile (despite the fact I don't own an iPod) - and I really haven't tackled putting much music on my blackberry yet (it uses some version of Roxio by default).

So... what mp3 player / manager / organizer / thingy do you use? What floats your boat?

[SAVO]

The reason why I use VLC to play mp3s while using my laptop is because its 4x's louder than iTunes!...at least thats what I think it is. Maximum volume is 400% so assume it is lol.

For actual managing, um..well, I have a 500GB USB hard drive, I got lots of music but still nowhere near filling it up, so thats my ultimate storage place.

I have mac and PC, so I use both iTunes and Media Player, they are both gud in their own way.

[John Koch-Northrup]

Admittedly - 400% seems like a marketing ploy more than a useful feature.

I tend to just use iTunes on my home laptop and Windows Media on my work laptop.

I put some music on my blackberry - it's just not that great of a player, it works, and it's nice to have handy and not carry and extra unit though...

[Steve Brand]

iTunes. I'm not even aware of others out there. Confessions of a diehard Mac user... I began designing with Macs in the mid-80's...we've grown up together. ;-) I use iTunes to create my .mp3s, tag them, download TV shows (lots of Adult Swim...Venture Brothers!), I'm addicted to podcasts and my iPod, and I endlessly play around with making various mixes and playlists. My DAW renders directly to iTunes with one click...gone are all the hoops of mix-downs, rack mounts, balanced/unbalanced, cords, etc.

After spending so much time making mix tapes, then mix CDs, it's so nice just drag and drop, hit shuffle, listen, re-arrange, delete, add new things, make ridiculously long playlists (I have some that are 5 hours long) without worrying about it fitting on the media of choice. iTunes is intuitive, simple, but can get more complex if you want to drill down just a little.

[SAVO]

Dude...it is waaaay louder. very loud depending on certain tracks. If anything it makes iTunes' maximum volume totally sissy-ish.

John Koch-Northrup said:

Admittedly - 400% seems like a marketing ploy more than a useful feature.
I tend to just use iTunes on my home laptop and Windows Media on my work laptop.
I put some music on my blackberry - it's just not that great of a player, it works, and it's nice to have handy and not carry and extra unit though...

[Steve Brand]

Nigel Tufnel: The numbers all go to eleven. Look, right across the board, eleven, eleven, eleven and...
Marty DiBergi: Oh, I see. And most amps go up to ten?
Nigel Tufnel: Exactly.
Marty DiBergi: Does that mean it's louder? Is it any louder?
Nigel Tufnel: Well, it's one louder, isn't it? It's not ten. You see, most blokes, you know, will be playing at ten. You're on ten here, all the way up, all the way up, all the way up, you're on ten on your guitar. Where can you go from there? Where?
Marty DiBergi: I don't know.
Nigel Tufnel: Nowhere. Exactly. What we do is, if we need that extra push over the cliff, you know what we do?
Marty DiBergi: Put it up to eleven.
Nigel Tufnel: Eleven. Exactly. One louder.
Marty DiBergi: Why don't you just make ten louder and make ten be the top number and make that a little louder?
Nigel Tufnel: [pause] These go to eleven.

SAVO said:

Dude...it is waaaay louder. very loud depending on certain tracks. If anything it makes iTunes' maximum volume totally sissy-ish.

John Koch-Northrup said:

Admittedly - 400% seems like a marketing ploy more than a useful feature.
I tend to just use iTunes on my home laptop and Windows Media on my work laptop.
I put some music on my blackberry - it's just not that great of a player, it works, and it's nice to have handy and not carry and extra unit though...

[Seren]

I found itunes a pain as it meant I could not reansfer tracks to any other device, and it constantly wanted to connect and take up CPU....I have a Rio and a Sony MP3 player and use the proprietry managers for both, found them easy to use.