iTunes - First Impressions

As noted in my post about 'Compressed Audio Formats', I've decided to go with iTunes. Downloaded, installed and have ripped about 10 or so CDs tonight.

Using 192 kbps, VBR in Stereo only mode with Medium Quality settings.

The interface is stunning - so clean and uncluttered, compared to other software I've used - e.g. Creative Play Centre, Music Match Jukebox and lastly Sonic Stage that ships with Sony's NetMDs (horrible program!). Simple touches - like the 'search' option, just make the program that bit easier to use.

It's got just the level of features I need and does everything right out the box - the only things I had to tweak were ripping/ecoding settings and the directory to store tracks in. Naming convention is perfect - Artist --> Album Name --> Track No/Name.

Performance-wise, it's pretty nippy. Previous apps I've used have really drained on CPU cycyles whilst ripping and general use. Startup is a little slower than I'd like.

Playback - sound quality is very enjoyable - my PC audio rig is basic on-board AC '97 sound at the moment fed through to a pair of Sony MDR-CD480 cans. Clean, punchy and ejoyable sound, without being too bright. EQ options work to good effect - I'm using the Bass Booster option and it gives the music that little bit more welly in the bass department. Test tracks have included Desert Rose by Sting and Blowin' in the Wind by Bob Dylan - and sound pretty good so far!

Love the fact it will immediately play the next track in order in an album after the previous one has finished - most don't and I hate having to set up album playlists.

So, as you've guessed by now - I'm very very impressed. Apple have really pulled all the stops out here. Only problem is, I must resist tempatation to by an iPod - when will they release an affordable 160GB model?

A quick question - does anyone know if iTunes supports NetMD - it's much nicer to use than Sony's SonicStag.

 

AFAIK the only portable device that iTunes supports is the iPod so no NetMD support. I've just been ripping and uploading a bunch of CDs to my new iPod :MILD: Will soon be selling my portable MD player on eBay...

When you see iTunes you start to wonder what the hell MusicMatch, Real Audio etc think they're playing at with their bloatware There really is no contest. It does exactly what it does on the tin, extremely well.

Michael.

 

Fully agree with you there, Michael. I've just done a stupid thing and ticked the check box to not prompt when deleting stuff from the library. Any ideas how to reinstate the prompt?

Just noticed two things about the database:

1) It stores it under My Documents - as that always points to my D: partition, then it's just a case of syncing both files as part of my normal data sync between desktop and laptop.

2) The database is in XML format - a nice open, cross-platform format to store data in. Not that I plan to do much with the file at this point, but makes a change from propriatary formats.

 

Just out of interest - is it possible to create MP3 CDs with i-Tunes. I'm getting sooooo pi**ed off with SonicStage that I think I'd rather make MP3 CDs than ATRAC ones (Although I've been quite impressed with the sound of the ATRAC files) for my Sony ATRAC/MP3/CD player
Donut

 

Donut - yes, you can use iTunes to create MP3 CDs. nsherin, not sure about that delete option - I don't remember being asked about it. You can change where it stores music files but not where it keeps the database (in the Advanced preferences tab).

Michael.

 

Thanks, Michael

Apparently, there is a .pref file I can delete and then reconfigure my preferences in iTunes. By default, it's under:

C:\Documents and Settings\username\Application Data\Apple
Computer\iTunes\iTunes.pref

I'll give that one a try. Database location doesn't matter, as it will be the same path on each PC. Figured out how to change the default folder for music.

SonicStage is an abortion of a program - 'nuff said

 

No-one seems to be comparing iTunes to Media Player 9 ?

I'm not saying im a great fan of media player, or that its the best (before anyone gets on the hate microsoft bandwagon), but it is very easy to use, configure and seems to have all the options I need.

I havn't really looked at iTunes, but if someone could highlight why and if its much better than media player then I am definately prepared to download it and try it.

So come on.. what are the pro's and con's of iTunes compared to Media Player Series 9 (Windows XP) ?

 

Well I spent 2 hours downloading iTunes last night and ripping and burning and my impressions are poor. It seems good for ripping but unlike SonicStage (whichj I used to think was grim) you cannot add tracks to an already burnt CD. Also in my Sony portable CD player the mp3 tracks and folders don't seem to be displayed quite right. Currently I've found the best compromise is to rip CDs with iTunes and then record the mp3 in SonicStage - there has got to be a better way than this.........All I want to do is create multisession mp3 CDs with proper folders etc that I can read on the Sony - I can't believe that SonicStage is the only software that is compatible with the Sony player.
Donut

 

Oh dear, oh dear, what is the world coming to. Compressed music formats should be banned. All compression formats sound horrible in my humble opinion. If you own the music on CD, why bother burning it to MP3, and therefore ruining it, just listen to the CD, or if your not at home, wait till you are!

 

Because it's about the music.

:duck:

 

You can get 2nd hand vinyl well cheap now adays, so money should be no excuse. its about the music, yes, but isnt the idea to make it sound nice? it's quailty not quantity you want!

 

It finalizes the CD, how do you expect it to work ?


lloydsj, no cons IMHO, pros = tagging and it works great with an iPod.

jimmymcfarrell

 

Ooooooooooooo, I'd like both but given the opportunity to own/listen to more music, over the choice of hearing a small amount of music, at a better resolution ?!?

Am I mad to say I'd rather have a fully loaded iPod than a KRELL, ML, WILSON system and only a handful of audiophile recordings ?
Hmmmmm, souds a bit like the NAIMy who lives next door to me .

 

Jimmy McFarrell

-THATS ACTUALY QUITE SIMILIAR TO THE FACE I PULL IF I HAVE TO LISTEN TO COMPRESSED MUSIC-

 

I dont have a terribly good hifi - id just rather spend my money on vinyl than on some computer music thing, cos the quality is uncomparible. Think of all the vinyl you can get for the price of an ipod.

 

LOL

 

You lot all seem to be lovin your computer music, so at least you'll be able to answer this: If I copy a CD, and I tell it to make an exact copy, it still burns to the HD, before copying to the blank cd (cos my PC only has one combination disk drive). Is this compressing the music. I'm using an old Pioneer stable platter cd player on my hifi, so the dacs not up to much, but my copies are still slightly worse sounding than the originals.

I use "Record Now" made by Sonic, if anyone's familiar with that. Does the copying prog. make a difference to the quality of the copy!

 

It won't compress the CD, i'm not sure about "Record Now"

 

SonicStage allows me to burn tracks to a CD - play it on the CD portable the put the CD back into the writter and add more tracks - therefore it does work!

The reason I use compressed music is so that I can take music with me when I'm travelling - I don't really want to carry loads of CDs with me. I can get over 10 CDs on one CD with reasonable quality. I personally can not hear much difference between the original CD and a high quality ATRAC track on the portable on the move.

And for what it's worth all recorded music is by it's very nature compressed in some way. CD more so than vinyl but non of it is exactly the same as the original.

Donut

 

Agree - compressed music definately does have a place - and portable devices are an example of this. FWIW, I use MiniDisc as well as MP3 and find that there is little difference that IMHO I can notice between a MiniDisc (not using LP2 or LP4) mode and a 192kbps varible bit-rate MP3 file. Both give an enjoyable sound.

Don't forget lots of other factors come into play here - background noise, headphone quality etc, can all have an effect on the sound quality.

Using portables allow me to enjoy my music wherever I happen to be - at work, on the bus, train or at the gym. There's enough background noise on a bus or train to mean that I'll hardly notice any quality differences.

Donut, although I've not played with the CD burning features in iTunes, I would imagine it would finalise the CD, in order to be compatible with CD players/drives that cannot read multi-session discs.