Looking for MP3 playing program featuring easy track/artist selection

Aiadi

sra, would you recommend using MP3gain. I would like to normalise the volume (now definitly without using iTunes sound check) but have no experience with MP3gain and wondered whether this would be something that won't affect the original files and can be easily reversed.

tewboss

I'd say Windows Media Player unless you really hate Microsoft, or don't use Windows. I've never liked iTunes, especially since it messed around with my iPod (which has just died on me today).

sra

Aiadi wrote:

sra, would you recommend using MP3gain. I would like to normalise the volume (now definitly without using iTunes sound check) but have no experience with MP3gain and wondered whether this would be something that won't affect the original files and can be easily reversed.

I have never used mp3gain, but I believe that that would make permanant changes to the sound of the mp3 file whereas itunes wouldn't - it would only leave a small tag in your file reminding it what volume to play your song at in the future.

virgo17

sra wrote:

The same with 'Sound Check'. But with the size of these modifications compared to the size of your average mp3, it's really insignificant.

I believe it's the case that these are just appended to the file - it's not a case that the whole file has to be re-encoded and you're going to lose any quality.

I agree with what you say sra. The files are not re-encoded, so there is no loss of quality. From what I remember there is a byte string either at the beginning or more likely end of the file which contains information such as the level. I believe it is this value that is being modified by iTunes.

I optimise all my mp3's using mp3gain. Here is a quote from the developers page:-

"Also, the changes MP3Gain makes are completely lossless. There is no quality lost in the change because the program adjusts the mp3 file directly, without decoding and re-encoding."

I believe that iTunes operates in a similar manner. My feeling is that mp3gain is a very well thought out dedicated program and I really don't want an optional extra in iTunes to alter my mp3 files, albeit losslessly, and to write that data to the file.

I hope you can see where I am coming from here. Basically, I feel that mp3gain does a really good job in whichever mode you run it in and therefore I will leave the "Sound Check" option turned off in iTunes.

V.

sra

tewboss wrote:

I'd say Windows Media Player unless you really hate Microsoft, or don't use Windows. I've never liked iTunes, especially since it messed around with my iPod (which has just died on me today).

I'm always recommending itunes these days as I really want people to get into podcasting, which is a fantastic way to get free content and discover independant music rather than relying on the music industry.

Window Media Player 11 is a real letdown in that they've not integrated podcasting. I guess they're too busy trying to make their music store(s) competative and make some money.

So I'm still suggesting Itunes as much as possible - and I don't like doing it because it's so big and bloated. I was hoping WMP would add a bit of constructive competition