Creating that "Luvin' Mix CD" Made Easy
Written: Oct 04 '00
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Easy to use, versatile
Cons: live recording bugs
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| martytdx's Full Review: Macmillan MusicMatch Jukebox Full Version for Mac |
By now, most people have discovered that CD-quality music is available on the internet. And if you are like me, you have been testing and trying a vast number of different players, recorders and CD-burning software. You can stop looking, 'cause here is the answer.
MusicMatch Jukebox is a hell of an app - it will play your MP3s, allow you create new ones from scratch or by converting .WAV files or you are looking to even burn your own CDs. All for free. And there is even more in the registered version. Of the two versions, - the shareware version and the Plus version which expands on the capabilities of the player - I would recommend going the extra $30, although it isn't necessary. The free version is still a great application with a ton of features. I personally bought the expanded version, and detail it here ('cause I think it's worth it, beyond the normal ethical/moral reasons):
MP3 playing
There are bunch of players out there, and it's hard to make one to stand out over the other on this level alone. The interface is easy to use on MusicMatch, and you can download themes to change the look and feel, if you so desire. The Jukebox plays MP3, WAV and Windows Media files and does a very good job of playing them all. The only downside that I have seen in regards to the player is that when playing a CD, it puts a pause in between songs, even on a live album. Hopefully this will be fixed soon.
The themes also include visualation plug-ins which enhance the Jukebox as you play your MP3. Choose a standard equilizer or a funky one. See a rainbow effect or any of a dozen or more other effects.
MP3 Recording
Now the features of the Jukebox begin to stand out. It includes ways to record MP3 from CDs, albums and tapes. I have used it to convert my old bootleg tapes to MP3, and it works great. The speeds are fantastic for ripping CD tracks, one of the best out there for doing this. The options for source, quality and size of the files to be generated are great, offering a lot of ways to customize the MP3s that you create. The registered (pay) version includes more options to customize, including additional methods to 'clean up' your recordings.
Their Integrated CDDB support lets you add artist, album title and song names to new MP3s (if you are connected to the internet at the time), and ID3v.2 tagging standard support allows you to attach cover art, liner notes, lyrics and artist bios your MP3s.
You can also convert music from many other formats to MP3 using their converter, which is a handy feature if you have older wav files that you want to turn into smaller MP3 files.
Online Stuff
Jukebox also has many of the same (or at least similar) features to RealPlayer, allowing you to search the web, find information about songs, create favorites lists, etc.
Create your own CD's
The CD creating feature on here is pretty good, now that I have used it. If you are creating a disc of songs that have their own fading, it is especially good. However, just like the player, live songs are a bit of a risk, since it more often than not will try to stick a 2-second gap between the songs.
In this one case, I would recommend Adaptec Easy CD Creator v4 (see my review here - http://www.epinions.com/cmd-review-4C6F-18A9E2BC-396A1441-prod5) over MusicMatch for creating your CDs. However, you CAN use the Jukebox allows you to quickly create CDs and even CD Jewelcases (on the purchased version only) - all the software is included in the one package. The Jewelcase creator isn't as good as some of the other stand-alone products out there (although I usually use Photoshop, being a graphic artist) but if you are looking for an all-in-one solution which does remarkably well, it's here.
Again, I have to note that unlike CD Creator, there is no way to remove the pause between tracks, so you won't want to use this for live recordings.
Why You Should Buy
Once you register and pay once, you are entitled to free upgrades for life. I frequently get emails from them for new enhancements, themes and functionality tips, which are a great way to learn and discover what MusicMatch Jukebox has to offer.
Finale
Overall, MusicMatch Jukebox is the best of the bunch that I have found out there, and is one of the least expensive ones, too. Try the shareware version first, but the Plus version has so much more to it, so if you like it, upgrade. It's relatively cheap and the guys at MusicMatch are definitely always hard at work to improve the product.
Recommended:
Yes
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Epinions.com ID:
martytdx
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Member: Marty
Location: New Jersey
Reviews written: 481
Trusted by: 179 members
About Me:
Doing what I can to try new places, restaurants, books and beers.
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