Manage updates with the Download AppCNET Editors' review
Despite a glut of free player/encoders, it's tough to find one that meets our expectations. Formerly known as Sound DB, MediaMonkey has excellent library-management tools that keep the largest digital music collections well organized. Stir that up with integrated CD and DVD burning, a stellar interface, a full-featured encoder, and the ability to sync with portable audio devices such as the iPod, and you have a pretty compelling product.
Upon first launch, the program scans your drive for supported digital media files to add to the library. Files are sorted based on their ID3 tags, and the helpful Auto-Rename and Auto-Tag From Filename features keep untagged tracks from falling through the cracks. Party mode locks down your library while still allowing people to request songs. Auto DJ plays selections from your library even when there are no requests in the queue, and the all-important iPod and portable device synchronization works well. Third-party plug-ins are available from the site if you want to tinker with the playback and encoding engine or add additional sound-processing effects. The interface is well designed, with clean, colorful icons throughout.
Considering the overall polish of this application, you'll be hard-pressed to find anything you don't like. Although it's definitely geared toward managing extensive collections, just about anyone will appreciate the comprehensive feature set. For $20, MediaMonkey Gold adds advanced features such as sleep, scripting, previewing, and on-the-fly file conversion when syncing with a portable device.
MediaMonkey Standard - Manage large media collections - Download Video Previews:Publisher's Description
From Ventis Media:
MediaMonkey is the music manager for serious music collectors and iPod users. It catalogs CDs, AAC, OGG, WMA, FLAC, MP3 and other audio files, including contemporary and classical music, audiobooks, podcasts, etc. It offers multiple tools for looking up and editing tags, and an automated library organizer to organize files on the hard drive. It includes a CD ripper, CD/DVD Burner, and audio converter for saving music, and advanced playlisting for creating music mixes. Its player automatically adjusts volume levels and supports a Party mode that locks the UI for use at public events. It syncs tracks, playlists, and podcasts to portable audio devices such as iPhones, iPods, iPads, MP3 Phones, and other devices, and supports hundreds of scripts, plug-ins and visualizations to extend its functionality further.
What's new in this version: Version 3.2.4.1304 adds compatibility with iPhone, iPod, and iPads running iOS 4.2.1 firmware. In addition it is compatible with iTunes 10.1 and with iPod Nano 6G, iPod Shuffle 4G, and iPod Touch 4G devices.
More Products to Consider
-
Mix, scratch, and remix MP3 or music videos live. -
Convert CDs to MP3, WMA, WAV, OGG, FLAC formats, convert audio ... -
Burn the files and images on CD and DVD discs. -
Convert DVD movies to all the popular video or audio formats wi... -
Play video and audio files, convert to other file formats, burn... -
Cut desired parts from your MP3 files. -
Rip CDs, convert audio files, and burn discs easily. -
Emulate up to 18 DVD/BD drives. -
Create, edit, burn, mount, and encrypt CD, DVD, and BD image fi... -
Convert M4A/AAC into MP3/WAV format. -
Convert and backup DVDs to AVI, DivX, iPod, iPhone, iPad, WMV, ... -
Download YouTube videos and convert them into MP3 files. -
Copy DVD to iPod, iPhone, 3GP, PSP, Zune, HD TV, AVI, Divx, Xvi... -
Get fast and flexible digital-media playback with access to sma... -
Convert FLAC audio files to MP3. -
Convert between WAV and mp3, wma, ogg, and FLAC. -
Convert audio between formats such as MP3, WMA, WAV, AAC, M4A, ... -
Burn CD, DVD, and Blu-ray discs. -
Create drum or audio loops and play sample files and MIDI instr... -
Create and burn various types of CD, DVD, or Blu-ray Disc image... -
Analyze your audio spectrum with fast Fourier transform. -
Extract audio from YouTube clips. -
Analyze your audio spectrum with fast Fourier transform. -
Convert all your FLAC files to the standard MP3 file.
-
All versions:
4.0 starsout of 1,312 votes
-
Current version:
4.3 starsout of 51 votes
-
My rating:
Write review
-
"It beats the lot"
Version: MediaMonkey Standard 3.2.4.1304
Pros
A serious piece of kit
Cons
Like other things, a tight fit on a 10" screen
Summary
Can't fault it (except there is no Mac OS 10.*.* version yet).
-
"DO NOT USE! It will ruin your media collection!"
Version: MediaMonkey Standard 3.2.4.1304
Pros
none. stay away.
Cons
It will mass tag your ENTIRE collection as Metallica - Kill Em All, without asking for confirmation. STAY AWAY! CNET should remove this program. I plan to complain.
Summary
STAY AWAY! DO NOT USE!
-
"Excellent program!"
Version: MediaMonkey Standard 3.2.4.1304
Pros
Does exactly what is advertises and more.
Cons
Will get hung up sometimes, but not often.
Summary
If you have a lot of music and audio files and need a way to organize it all...Media Monkey is the way to go. It's simple to use and gives you a ton of options for customizing.
-
"The Best music mgmt software"
Version: MediaMonkey Standard 3.2.4.1304
Pros
simply the best music software
Cons
nothing bad to say
Summary
the best 9.9 out of 10
-
"The only Music Organizer that does it all"
Version: MediaMonkey Standard 3.2.4.1304
Pros
100,000 files with no performance issues, customizable organizing options, fetches correct metadata, Assisted moving, renaming, etc.
Cons
Sometimes I can't get Lyric Master to work correctly, but that's no MM fault.
Summary
I've been using Media Monkey for probably 6 years, the only thing that came close to it was MusicMatch (sold to Yahoo a while back) and they really don't keep it up. Now, Songbird is a close contender, but doesn't have the total file, naming, locating, moving options of Media Monkey.
-
"Ipod not completely in sync w/windows anyway - try this"
Version: MediaMonkey Standard 3.2.4.1304
Pros
Install and 'configure' were very fast. Two ipods can be set up without the 'previous libraries' hunt and hope fiasco. Easy to use.
Cons
A 'Duplicates' feature would be nice along with picture and video - but these are very minor points.
Summary
This just may be what you are looking for. Go for it.
-
"Good choice for itune haters"
Version: MediaMonkey Standard 3.2.4.1304
Pros
-intuitive
-plenty of options
-excellent integration with windows xp
-no startup or background process
-does pretty much everything with audio files i.e. tag,burn,convert,rip,play,sync. pity it doesn't make coffee :PCons
-UI not very refined, but not ugly
-sound quality feels a bit messy
-tweaking eq settings during playback results in fluttering for a fraction of second every time you slide the bars.
-ugly filetype icon. had to change it with reshack.Summary
a nice overall audio-player. i dont like library features in foobar/winamp so i use mm as secondary player when i am not in the mood to manually create a playlist out of 28gb heap. you dont have to add files to library, there is a 'My Computer' tree in left pane to read files directly from your music folder or drive.
However maintaining a library is rewarding due to the 'auto-dj' feature.
My only complain is the messy equilizer that can't change output without fluttering and stuttering the playback like 'hell, wats wrong now !", making it damn hard to find the 'sweet-spot'. But once all set, mm is a rewarding experience.
P.S. aac encoded audio (m4a,aac etc) requires apple quicktime( a nightmare) to be installed. i recommend quick-time lite from filehippo.com -
"Great Media Organizer and iTunes alternative"
Version: MediaMonkey Standard 3.2.4.1304
Pros
-Able to sync iPods
-Easily organizes and converts tracks
-Simple to sort through and delete duplicate tracks
-tags album art perfectlyCons
-No video
-Requires Gold version to deall with AAC/m4a tracks
-Few available skinsSummary
After having abandoned iTunes and subsequently tried and abandoned several alternatives I happily stumbled upon MediaMonkey. This program was one of the few programs that was not only able to sync to and recognize iPods, but also the only program that I have ever used that allowed simple and seamless editing of track tags, artwork, and properties with little to no difficulty. I upgraded to Gold so that I could use the AAC/m4a plug in and so that I could auto sync my devices, but even the standard version has tons of usable and simple to learn functions. I highly recomend this program to anybody who has a large collection of music files from various sources.
-
"definetly the best music player"
Version: MediaMonkey Standard 3.2.4.1304
Pros
- GUI much more comfortable than iTunes or Media Player
- Faster
- Easy to customize or add add-insCons
- uses VB and SQLite
- music-files auto-tagging relies on outsources and does'nt always work -
"Great music organizer"
Version: MediaMonkey Standard 3.2.4.1304
Pros
Really good music organizer which allows you sort music anyway you want, with good tag editing etc
Cons
Skins are all pretty ugly
Summary
Good choice
Add Your Review
Submit your reply
E-mail this review
Report offensive content
Previous Versions:
