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Are there any disadvantages to *not* using iTunes on your iPhone?

I

iBrooker

macrumors 6502
Original poster
Nov 20, 2016
416
214
UK
I've always bought dedicated DAP's (love the Sony Walkmans - they have stunning class-A amplifiers) but for convenience I am going to put all my music on my iPhone instead now that I've got 256gb.

Anyway, as someone new to having their music on their iPhone is there any disadvantage in not using iTunes?

The reason I ask is because I have just bought a pair of BeatsX - and I do not like the standard sound, but when I use an EQ app they sound MUCH better. Of course this means you have to use the EQ app to play your music so you can't use iTunes itself.

- The one I have noticed so far, is when in iMessage you can 'share' what you've been listening to (it just adds the track name to the chat)

- Any others?

Edit:

- Perhaps the biggest disadvantage is not being able to use Apple Music - as that only works via the iTunes app
 
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The one biggest beef I’ve always had with Apple is iTunes and apples insistence that you must upload music to your device through the desktop application.
So, correct me if I’m wrong, but to use a non iTunes app to play music, you will need to upload the files on your phone through iTunes, then add them to the non native app library. Right?
Seems damn inconvenient. That would be the biggest draw back I’d say.
I have a set of 1more triple drivers. If you’ve never heard them, they are about the best sounding earbuds on the market. I’ve had beats, Bose, sennnheiser, and RHA, these are far better. Absolutely stunning. They have an eq app like beats, but the whole thing just seemed too clunky for me.
 
Jjayf said:
So, correct me if I’m wrong, but to use a non iTunes app to play music, you will need to upload the files on your phone through iTunes, then add them to the non native app library. Right?
Seems damn inconvenient. That would be the biggest draw back I’d say.
Click to expand...

Not quite... once they are on your phone (via iTunes sync) most apps will be able to access them :)

However, I've just found perhaps the biggest draw... Apple Music can only be accessed via the iTunes app.
Jjayf said:
They have an eq app like beats, but the whole thing just seemed too clunky for me.
Click to expand...

Do Beats have an EQ app? I'll give that try if they do.

Right now I'm leaning towards the Sony h.700 - the sound's awesome and the app lets you change the EQ which persists on any device app :D (only downsides: doesn't have the 5 minute quick charge, has a 'necklace' so less portable and costs £50 more than the beats x) but the sound is great :)
 
EQ is a setting for iTunes (Apple Music) in settings. It’s not great because it just has presets, but I bet it’s better than an app that forces you to use their proprietary service, unless I’m missing something...

Settings > Music > EQ
 
iBrooker said:
Not quite... once they are on your phone (via iTunes sync) most apps will be able to access them :)

However, I've just found perhaps the biggest draw... Apple Music can only be accessed via the iTunes app.


Do Beats have an EQ app? I'll give that try if they do.

Right now I'm leaning towards the Sony h.700 - the sound's awesome and the app lets you change the EQ which persists on any device app :D (only downsides: doesn't have the 5 minute quick charge, has a 'necklace' so less portable and costs £50 more than the beats x) but the sound is great :)
Click to expand...

I am super picky when it comes to headphones. Up till recently I’ve stuck with corded earbuds due to sound quality, but I’m trying to get into Bluetooth. So far I’ve tried Monster Achieve and JBL Everest. Both are terrible, especially when coming from 1more triple drivers.
For Bluetooth earbuds it is a must that they do not have neck bands, that the ear pieces stay firm and sound quality is high.
Jaybird X3 have an eq app and are highly rated, I am about to pull the pin on the JBL’s and switch to the X3’s. I can’t state enough how horrible the JBL’s are. The monsters are twice as good for half the price, but the ear pieces are too bulky for my liking.
50% of my library is downloaded Apple Music and the fact that you can’t stream it via WiFi or through a WiFi hub absolutely sucks. 1/2 my playlists are unavailable to play through my home receiver because of their silly DRM. I hope some day that changes. I’m about to invest a good chunk of money on a Bose SoundTouch system, and if I find I can’t steam Apple Music through those units, I’ll be saying good buy to Apple Music forever.
 
Jjayf said:
I am super picky when it comes to headphones. Up till recently I’ve stuck with corded earbuds due to sound quality, but I’m trying to get into Bluetooth. So far I’ve tried Monster Achieve and JBL Everest. Both are terrible, especially when coming from 1more triple drivers.
For Bluetooth earbuds it is a must that they do not have neck bands, that the ear pieces stay firm and sound quality is high.
Jaybird X3 have an eq app and are highly rated, I am about to pull the pin on the JBL’s and switch to the X3’s. I can’t state enough how horrible the JBL’s are. The monsters are twice as good for half the price, but the ear pieces are too bulky for my liking.
50% of my library is downloaded Apple Music and the fact that you can’t stream it via WiFi or through a WiFi hub absolutely sucks. 1/2 my playlists are unavailable to play through my home receiver because of their silly DRM. I hope some day that changes. I’m about to invest a good chunk of money on a Bose SoundTouch system, and if I find I can’t steam Apple Music through those units, I’ll be saying good buy to Apple Music forever.
Click to expand...
I stream music over WiFi to my sound system all the time. I’m not sure what you are going on about to be honest.
 
Spotify all the way for me due to the convenience in getting music. I use BeatsX for wireless but with much better isolation and sound than the AirPods.
 
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tromboneaholic said:
Yes I do.
Click to expand...
You subscribe to Apple Music monthly service, download content for offline listening and stream that to devices over WiFi? Then you must be special because until Airplay 2 is available this is not possible. Unless you are specifically using an Apple TV.
 
I'm not sure if iTunes and Apple Music has improved things since, but even when I was managing my own music collection, I only used iTunes as a means to an end to get my music onto my device(s). I never bothered with any of the automation or downloaded from Apple.

Once the service became available I switched over to Google Music years ago. It suited the way I stored and tagged my own music, and haven't looked back since. It works seamlessly across multiple devices and browsers and allows me to cast to my TVs that have Android (baked in or via Shield) and play over BT or WiFi on my speakers.
 
Jjayf said:
You subscribe to Apple Music monthly service, download content for offline listening and stream that to devices over WiFi? Then you must be special because until Airplay 2 is available this is not possible. Unless you are specifically using an Apple TV.
Click to expand...
Apple TV connected to my tv and my 1977 technics by panasonic receiver.
[doublepost=1511264818][/doublepost]
Gryzor said:
I'm not sure if iTunes and Apple Music has improved things since, but even when I was managing my own music collection, I only used iTunes as a means to an end to get my music onto my device(s). I never bothered with any of the automation or downloaded from Apple.

Once the service became available I switched over to Google Music years ago. It suited the way I stored and tagged my own music, and haven't looked back since. It works seamlessly across multiple devices and browsers and allows me to cast to my TVs that have Android (baked in or via Shield) and play over BT or WiFi on my speakers.
Click to expand...
Apple Music can also be played on BT speakers.
 
tromboneaholic said:
Apple TV connected to my tv and my 1977 technics by panasonic receiver.
[doublepost=1511264818][/doublepost]
Apple Music can also be played on BT speakers.
Click to expand...

Ya. I should be able to stream directly to my networked receiver without having to go through Apple TV. That’s what I’m going on about.
 
tromboneaholic said:
Does your receiver support AirPlay?
Click to expand...
No. I’m hoping through an update that it will support Airplay 2. I’m looking at the Bose SoundTouch 10 that will support AirPlay 2 since Apple seems more willing to allow streaming on to non Apple devices.
 
Jjayf said:
No. I’m hoping through an update that it will support Airplay 2. I’m looking at the Bose SoundTouch 10 that will support AirPlay 2 since Apple seems more willing to allow streaming on to non Apple devices.
Click to expand...
It was cheaper for me to get an Apple TV than a new receiver. I got the 3rd gen Apple TV as a way to AirPlay music years ago.

Now I have a 4th gen Apple TV in the bedroom and one in the living room to stream music throughout the house.

Bedroom Apple TV is connected to the tv and the tv is connected to computer speakers with a sub. It’s not audiophile quality in the bedroom, but Apple TV was free (direcTV now promo) and the speakers were less than $100.
 
I subscribe to Google Play Music and Apple Music. Apple Music just isn't there yet. I uploaded my music from iTunes to GPM, works for me. The only disadvantage is Siri will not automatically play music from the GPM. When Siri calls up music to play from Apple Music there's no back button to repeat a song, which is weird.

Also my music is louder on GPM when streaming via BT.
 
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iTunes. Even the word brings back bad memories of my earlier years of using iTunes (when you were handcuffed to use it not just for music but for backups, syncs, even to rearrange your iPhone icons) so I don’t think I could ever return to it, even if I found out it is now amazing. I just don’t know how Apple messed iTunes up so badly. So clunky and non-intuitive. I gave Apple Music a trial period but prefer Spotify.

I am sure there may be something I am missing out on, but I will stick to Spotify for music and enjoy being iTunes free. My husband actually still has iTunes still installed on his laptop to store all his older music (but like me has primarily moved to Spotify for music) and still complains about it now and then so I guess I feel happy staying away!

So to answer your question, I have not had anything to do with iTunes in years and feel less stressed for it, ha. Except when I relive the memories here (I joke, but with some truth!)
 
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