Anyone have a suggestion for an audio player for Windows?

[Sycraft]

I've been a long time Winamp fan, because I like the tiny interface that sits up in the corner of my monitor, but lets face it: It isn't getting developed anymore. So I really should find something newer. Thus I'm looking for recommendations.

Requirements are that it can play MP3, FLAC and WAV files and isn't garbage

Nice to have would be the ability to play MLP files and to extend to play other formats. A small Winamp like interface would also be nice. Finally WASAPI exclusive or ASIO output would be nice.

I'm willing to pay for it, doesn't have to be free, though I won't say no to free either.

Thanks.

 

[julian_hughes]

foobar2000 is the one true king on Windows. https://www.foobar2000.org/

 

[alex-z]

I use foobar2000. It has pretty decent plugin support, including a decoder for dvd audio.

DVD-Audio Decoder and Watermark Detector

Download DVD-Audio Decoder and Watermark Detector for free. DVD-Audio Decoder input plugin and Watermark Detector/Neutralizer DSP plugins for foobar2000. Decoder is capable of playing back DVD-Audio discs, ISO images, AOB, MLP and Dolby TrueHD files in full resolution.

sourceforge.net

 

[Tom C]

I’m pretty happy with JRiver. I’ve tried some others, and always end up coming back to it. It’s flexible, and does everything I want it to, and a lot more. I’ve never tried Foobar though, so for all I know that may be better.

 

[JRS]

There is something to be said for an all around media player--VLC. It can play practically any format as well as CD, DVD. etc. Also will support your Win Amp 2 skins. Not sure how it's cataloguing functions are, but it doesn't track you the way win media play and google Groove do, and Ahem, allows playback of some encrypted files.

Also it doesn't support the Matlab based VST plug-ins that Foobar will do (filters, EQ, convolution), but the only one I use is APO EQ which can be made global across all inputs (unlike Foobar which requires set-up for You Tube, etc, etc on a case by case basis IIRC). Anyhow just a thought if you have any use for video player as well.

 

[julian_hughes]

VLC doesn't support gapless audio playback so would not be a great choice for many people.

 

[JRS]

VLC doesn't support gapless audio playback so would not be a great choice for many people.

My bad, thanks for the info. That would be a pain.

 

[Zek]

AIMP

AIMP : Free Audio Player : Официальный сайт программы

www.aimp.ru

Audio player Album Player 2.113

 

[Sycraft]

I'll have a look at both Foobar and JRiver. Do either of them have a way to get a compact interface like Winamp offers? That's not a deal breaker, but I rather like it.

 

[JayGilb]

I'll have a look at both Foobar and JRiver. Do either of them have a way to get a compact interface like Winamp offers? That's not a deal breaker, but I rather like it.

JRiver has a mini-view mode that is similar in size to the Winamp compact size.

 

[Triliza]

As others have suggested, foobar is a good choice. It's well maintained, it gets updates now and then, and has quite some components for installation to choose from. The only problem with it that it's not very pretty to look at without installing a theme. If you give it a try, I'd suggest after you have familiarize yourself with it, to install a theme, this one is what I am using, it has a good looking compact mode too (all buttons in it have multiple functionality):

https://github.com/Ottodix/Eole-foobar-theme

 

[Chrispy]

Foobar works for me.

 

[muslhead]

I find Jriver better than foobar. They are both clunky in their own rights but much prefer jriver. While not expensive its not free so that may be a factor that is important to you.

 

[Berwhale]

MusicBee is pretty good...

https://www.getmusicbee.com/

I'm also enjoying PlexAmp for Windows, but you'll need to host your music on Plex to use this. It has a nice, phone like, interface for keeping in the corner of your screen...

 

[Lambda]

foobar, vlc, winamp.

i use Arch btw.

 

[Sgt. Ear Ache]

Foobar. Works just fine and it's free.

 

[Tom C]

I’ve only ever used VLC on RPi. I have to select each and every track I want to play individually. Can’t just one-click play an entire album. PITA for classical. Is there a way to play an entire folder?

 

[Zoomer]

JRiver has a loudness feature which is an indispensable feature for me when listening at lower volumes. However, I don't get along with its outdated and overloaded interface, so I mostly use Foober to output to JRiver. Musicbee is also definitively worth a look if you're looking for a new player and has a more modern and less spartan feel than Foobar, while still being very customizable.

 

[JaccoW]

I have always really liked the playback view in Groove but I have been looking for alternatives as well. Foobar, Winamp and VLC just look like a Win95 app with a shiny skin on top of it. Ugly album gallery as well.

I'm getting used to MusicBee but so far it looks like it does most of what I want it to do. Lots of options and the theatre mode is good for full-screen viewing as well. Gapless playback, auto gain levelling and you can even use WinAmp plugins.

 

[dlaloum]

I have been using Media Monkey for some years.... and am considering JRiver for my Video collection....... but for music I have always preferred Media Monkey