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#4452033 - 12/06/18 04:09 AM Let's talk PC media players - specifically for music  
Joined: Apr 2013
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Zamzow Offline
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Zamzow  Offline
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For years (whoa, decades) I've been using both Winamp and Windows media player for music on my PC.

It's always been a case of one or the other working better for a particular file/song.

I'm thinking of stepping my game up and going for payware, but what? Anyone here have any experience there?

I guess I'd be open to freeware recommendations too, but my physical sound gear is now at a point I feel it's time to "get real" with the software playing the music.....

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#4452034 - 12/06/18 04:13 AM Re: Let's talk PC media players - specifically for music [Re: Zamzow]  
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CyBerkut Offline
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I have had good results with VLC Media player. It's available for multiple platforms, and does a good job of keeping up on various codecs.

#4452036 - 12/06/18 04:24 AM Re: Let's talk PC media players - specifically for music [Re: CyBerkut]  
Joined: Apr 2013
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Zamzow Offline
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Zamzow  Offline
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Originally Posted by CyBerkut
I have had good results with VLC Media player. It's available for multiple platforms, and does a good job of keeping up on various codecs.


I've been using VLC for video for ages, I wasn't impressed with it's music performance last time I tried that but it's been a few years...

I now (actually as of last spring) finally have some "audiophile" quality speakers happening again, and it's to the point I'm even thinking of getting beyond MP3 and into lossless formats.

I'm doing research on the net of course, but, a few ounces of word from SimHQ people is worth a pound of anything else on the internet lol!

#4452043 - 12/06/18 05:46 AM Re: Let's talk PC media players - specifically for music [Re: Zamzow]  
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Sluggish Controls Offline
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Sluggish Controls  Offline
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Hong Kong
Originally Posted by Zamzow
Originally Posted by CyBerkut
I have had good results with VLC Media player. It's available for multiple platforms, and does a good job of keeping up on various codecs.


I've been using VLC for video for ages, I wasn't impressed with it's music performance last time I tried that but it's been a few years...

I now (actually as of last spring) finally have some "audiophile" quality speakers happening again, and it's to the point I'm even thinking of getting beyond MP3 and into lossless formats.

I'm doing research on the net of course, but, a few ounces of word from Simhq people is worth a pound of anything else on the internet lol!



Been with a TIDAL Hifi package for 8 months or so now; USD20/month streaming lossless and now MQA Masters into my living room. Will ever rarely buy a cd again. Tidal has everything I ever needed besides the most obscure music pieces out there.
Lossless and MQA Masters quality do allow for outstanding listening pleasure.
I did invest quite a bit in my system, running all via an Astell&Kern AK Ultima Digital Player + Chord Qutest DAC + Cronus Magnum II amp and Vandersteen speakers.
Hours wasted away in my fav armchair with Pink Floyd - and many others - playing right there between my speakers :-P

The USD20/month TIDAL Hifi subscription is worth every penny.
My wife doesn't always agree on the hardware part, but I just ignore those bits.

Cheers,
Slug


"Major Burns isn't saying much of anything, Sir. I think he's formulating the answer..." - Radar - M*A*S*H
#4452052 - 12/06/18 07:50 AM Re: Let's talk PC media players - specifically for music [Re: Zamzow]  
Joined: Nov 2007
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CarstenB Offline
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CarstenB  Offline
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Denmark
I have been using Foobar2000 for years and it has plugins for just about any file format you could want, from chiptunes like C64, Amiga, Atari, ZX Spectrum et al. over mp3, FLAC and APE to multitrack formats like DTS, AC3 and multitrack high bit-rate (192kHz/24-bit) FLAC. It's look and feel is also highly customizable.

#4452054 - 12/06/18 08:06 AM Re: Let's talk PC media players - specifically for music [Re: Zamzow]  
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Khai Offline
Given Up on the World
Khai  Offline
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UK
I'd stick with winamp myself, wait I already do wink

#4452059 - 12/06/18 10:34 AM Re: Let's talk PC media players - specifically for music [Re: Zamzow]  
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JohnnyChemo Online sleepy
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JohnnyChemo  Online Sleepy
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Winamp is supposed to be coming back sometime next year, with smartphone amps and a new desktop app.

https://www.engadget.com/2018/10/15/winamp-reboot-mobile-app-coming-2019/


Throughout history, poverty is the normal condition of man. Advances which permit this norm to be exceeded — here and there, now and then — are the work of an extremely small minority, frequently despised, often condemned, and almost always opposed by all right-thinking people. Whenever this tiny minority is kept from creating, or (as sometimes happens) is driven out of a society, the people then slip back into abject poverty.
This is known as "bad luck.”
-Robert Heinlein
#4452072 - 12/06/18 12:28 PM Re: Let's talk PC media players - specifically for music [Re: Zamzow]  
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Chucky Online sosad
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Chucky  Online Sosad
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UK
I must be weird because I prefer the Windows media player although if I want to listen to FLAC files I use SM Player.


EV's are the Devils matchbox.
#4452074 - 12/06/18 12:48 PM Re: Let's talk PC media players - specifically for music [Re: Zamzow]  
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No105_Archie Offline
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Been in the local music industry for decades and I use Windows media player. I even have the program files on a jump drive in case MS decides they won't include it in an upcoming update.


Archie Smythe

carpe diem
#4452100 - 12/06/18 03:23 PM Re: Let's talk PC media players - specifically for music [Re: Zamzow]  
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WangoTango Offline
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I like MusicBee for local files on my PC. It has a lot of features. One I like is setting the skins to random, so it looks different every time you use it. It has a ton of editing options, good if you need it. It's free.

MusicBee

#4452102 - 12/06/18 03:24 PM Re: Let's talk PC media players - specifically for music [Re: No105_Archie]  
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WangoTango Offline
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Originally Posted by No105_Archie
Been in the local music industry for decades and I use Windows media player. I even have the program files on a jump drive in case MS decides they won't include it in an upcoming update.

Is this Groove you are using ? That is the default player for my windows 10 PC.

#4452104 - 12/06/18 03:33 PM Re: Let's talk PC media players - specifically for music [Re: Zamzow]  
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RSColonel_131st Offline
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Vienna, 2nd rock left.
Second vote for MusicBee.

#4452106 - 12/06/18 03:39 PM Re: Let's talk PC media players - specifically for music [Re: Zamzow]  
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Mr_Blastman Offline
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Use an old version of Winamp or try Media Player Classic(not made by Microsoft).

#4453431 - 12/16/18 08:16 AM Re: Let's talk PC media players - specifically for music [Re: Zamzow]  
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Zamzow Offline
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I'm finding out (now that my old "audiophile" self is coming back) it seems to depend on circumstance.

Windows Media Player seems to have the best stereo separation.

But when you crank things up, Winamp, with it's more "monophonic" presentation works better...

All others seem to reside between these two regimes...

Nothing new under the sun........

#4453438 - 12/16/18 12:21 PM Re: Let's talk PC media players - specifically for music [Re: Zamzow]  
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Khai Offline
Given Up on the World
Khai  Offline
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UK
theres a solid reason (for me) to carry on using Winamp.

so far, it's the only player I can load up in a second with my entire music/radio/audiobook/audioplay collection, set to random and hit play. thats somewhere in the region of 3500 hours before needing to repeat. it's my own personal radio station...


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