MAGIX MP3 deluxe 17: Better than a boombox
As well as being a useful tool for carrying out work and accessing the internet, many home computers are used as storage for large music collections. While the likes of iTunes and Windows Media Player include music management options, they can be cumbersome to use, and this is something that MAGIX MP3 deluxe 17 aims to help with. Covering everything from importing music from CDs and adjusting tags and album art to creating playlists and recording online radio stations, this burgeoning suite of tools has almost every MP3 related base covered.
The main program has an easy to use interface that can be used to extract music from CDs and import folders full of music files into your library. If you have already spent time working with iTunes and have therefore created a music library in Apple's software, this can be quickly imported into MAGIX MP3 deluxe 17 to help save time. Of course, the program can also be used to play back music, and there are a number of options available in this area.
Should you choose to extract CD audio using the program, performance has improved from previous versions, making the process faster than ever. Album details and artwork are automatically downloaded from the Internet to save having to manually edit MP3 tags, and support for WAV, OGG and MP3 means that tracks can be saved in, or converted to, your preferred audio format.
The first option is to simply play tracks on an ad hoc basic, selecting the music you like as the mood takes you, and you can also make use of playlists you have created. However, there is also the option of creating automatic playlists that group together tracks based on the type of music, so in just a few clicks it is possible to create a melancholy soundtrack to suit more sombre moods, or an uplifting one to brighten the mood. This is dependent on your entire music collection being scanned and analysed, and this can be a lengthy process if you have a large number of MP3s.