I’ve tried downloading a few different MP3 and WAVE file converters here and there off the internet for making music files. I have a large audio CD collection, and since I like to play music while I work, I tried ripping the audio tracks of my liking right onto my hard-drive. I did find one program I liked, but sometimes, it would not work, and I got some strange errors. WINAMP is a decent player for anything. But some of those confusing plug-ins you can get for WINAMP don’t work so well. I knew there had to be something else. That’s when I came across MAGIX MP3 maker 2.0 Gold.

What It Can Do:

- MAGIX MP3 maker 2.0 Gold is a program that lets you rip tracks right off of your audio CD’s. It will also uncompress your MP3 to WAVE, or WMA format if you like.

- You can add special audio effects to your files to make them sound better. Will even improve those old hollow sounding MP3’s that have been begging for a cleaning.

- MAGIX MP3 maker 2.0 Gold gives you a lot of control over how you want your files converted. It will output your MP3 files at 8kBits (poor quality - why?) to 320KBits (great quality). The 160KBits setting will produce an MP3 that your ears will swear is coming from a CD player. While it converts your audio to MP3 it will sample at 16KBits (slow) to 48KBits (fast).

- At the click a button, you can grab audio CD info and fill in your play lists automatically from a CDDB database.

- Can be used to create CD-ROMs of MP3s for CD players that can read and play MP3s directly. This means you can now make CD’s that can hold up to about 12 hours worth of MP3 listening!

- MAGIX MP3 maker 2.0 Gold is capable of ripping an entire CD in less 10 minutes (at least on my machine it will). Undoubtedly, this kind of performance will vary according to what hardware you have.

- Has it’s own Jukebox player - which is as simple to use as the REAL player, which is commonly used to play video clips off the internet. Includes plenty of "eye candy" too!

- Will search the internet to retrieve MP3s you want.

System Requirements:

* Pentium 200MHz or higher.

* 32MB extended RAM (64MB RAM Preferred)

* At least 150MB free Hard-drive space available. You will need more when you start creating music files.

* Minimal Screen resolution setting of 800x600 @16Bit High Color.

* 16Bit Sound Card.

* CD-ROM drive (CD-RW preferred).

* MicroSoft compatible mouse

* DirectX compatible

How It Runs

When I opened the box, I was greeted by a bonus, a CD label guide that you can use for perfectly centering your printed labels on CDs that you make. Also included were several blank CD labels that can be run through the printer.

When you install MAGIX MP3 maker 2.0 Gold, it loads the base program, another program for the Jukebox, and another for your music editing utilities. The Music editor that comes with it reminds me of the ones that come with Sound Blaster cards.

I find MAGIX MP3 maker 2.0 Gold to be user friendly. The first time I started it up, I was given the option of watching an orientation video which explains how to use this programs basic features. Hence, I did not find it necessary to open up the included manual right away. After about five minutes of tinkering, I had it figured out and was ripping tracks without a problem. The user manual is 78 pages long. It explains how to use MAGIX thoroughly, as well as some other things to help you understand a little about encoding MP3s, the ups and downs of certain encoders etc.

Now, the included documentation inside warned me that this program might have some conflicts with certain other programs, namely "Adaptec Direct CD", which I have on my machine for burning CD’s. Included also were some instructions for solving these conflicts, should they happen. I have not had any problem. MAGIX MP3 maker 2.0 Gold runs smoothly and hasn’t crashed yet. Incidentally, I checked to see if MAGIX MP3 maker 2.0 Gold would interfere with Adaptec Direct CD. No problems there.

I’ve used other conversion programs that did a lot less, and they took a long time to encode. But not MAGIX MP3 maker 2.0 Gold!

Recommendations:

I’m happy I got this program. Sure, you can download other conversion programs for free off the internet. Because they are free, or shareware, you don’t get much, and their options are limited. I paid $29.99 at Best Buy for MAGIX MP3 maker 2.0 Gold. I think it’s worth every penny, and I still haven’t gotten around to playing with everything it does! I’ll still use WINAMP for some things, but all those other MP3 conversion programs I used to fool with have now just made friends with my Recycle Bin.

I went out and got a SONICblue RioVolt SP250 CD/MP3/WMA player. You can read the review I posted on it here at this website. MAGIX MP3 maker 2.0 Gold is the perfect tool for making MP3s for just such a device. Isn’t technology cool? I’ve always loved music. Now I feel like a kid in a candy store all over again.


Recommended: Yes