Best iTunes alternative with these requirements

[newmacuser23]

I recently switched my video and video podcast viewing to Plex due to it's full screen interface and fexible design and variety of formats.

The problem is that plex is not really suitable for audio listening where I like to listen and do other stuff at the same time.

So is there any iTunes alternative (For audio) that has the following requirements

1. Can store a library
2. Can play all or most formats
3. Can play and/or download podcasts

If anyone knows of anything I would be really grateful.

 

[GGJstudios]

So is there any iTunes alternative (For audio) that has the following requirements

1. Can store a library
2. Can play all or most formats
3. Can play and/or download podcasts

What's wrong with iTunes? I use it for all of that and it works extremely well. I use Plex for movies and TV shows, iTunes for music, music videos and podcasts.

 

[newmacuser23]

What's wrong with iTunes? I use it for all of that and it works extremely well. I use Plex for movies and TV shows, iTunes for music, music videos and podcasts.

2. Can play all or most formats

Unfortunately iTunes fails in high quality audio so it is not perfect for my situation.

 

[GGJstudios]

2. Can play all or most formats

Unfortunately iTunes fails in high quality audio so it is not perfect for my situation.

Which format do you use?

 

[416049]

2. Can play all or most formats

Unfortunately iTunes fails in high quality audio so it is not perfect for my situation.

Ummm what do you mean by high quality audio, itunes can play aiff and apple lossless, yes it can't play flac but apart from that anything works.

The only media player can that can play everything is vlc:

http://www.videolan.org/vlc/


But it can't download podcasts...

 

[newmacuser23]

I have recently started ripping and listening to my CDs in FLAC and have been so impressed with the difference that I am in the precess of ripping my whole collection.

So really what I guess I am wanting to do is use a app with the audiophile type formats and the library and podcast features of iTunes.

While VLC plays FLAC there is no library.

 

[GGJstudios]

I have recently started ripping and listening to my CDs in FLAC and have been so impressed with the difference that I am in the precess of ripping my whole collection.

So really what I guess I am wanting to do is use a app with the audiophile type formats and the library and podcast features of iTunes.

There is no app that I'm aware of that manages a library as well as iTunes. Have you compared Apple lossless to FLAC? I'd be amazed if any human ear can detect a difference. If I were in your situation, I'd rip everything to Apple lossless and use iTunes. There's really nothing I'm aware of that does better.

 

[newmacuser23]

There is no app that I'm aware of that manages a library as well as iTunes. Have you compared Apple lossless to FLAC? I'd be amazed if any human ear can detect a difference. If I were in your situation, I'd rip everything to Apple lossless and use iTunes. There's really nothing I'm aware of that does better.

The issue there is the potential non compatibility with other devices and as I am looking to move away from my iPhone soon that issue is likely to come into play.

My original list of requirements was my perfect iTunes replacement but I would be ok with keeping my podcasts in iTunes and just having the separate player for my music.

 

[moviebiz]

Take a look at Swinsian. You can find more info about it here.

 

[newmacuser23]

Take a look at Swinsian. You can find more info about it here.

That looks spot on the only feature I remembered and forgot to add to my requirements was a equivalent to iTunes home sharing (which was probably 1 requirement to many anyway) but as the developer seems very responsive to users e-mails I decided to send him a e-mail and my initial impressions about him being responsive to users feedback was correct in a hour or less I received a response saying that the feature is not currently available and would be rather complex to implement (which if it was not already implemented I was expecting) but he said he would consider it for a future version so I am hopeful.

Thank you everyone for your suggestions and especially moviebiz for finding Swinsian it alo supports other high quality formats besides FLAC so I might try and experiment with those as well.