iPod ITunes Alternatives

[Waxhead138]

Here's what I'm looking for:

I don't use iTunes for purchase of my music, I use it as an organizer.

Who supplies a service that does what iTunes used to do, without all the hassle and slow removal of features?

I want to use my own physical library, with cover art, and be able to synch to an Apple device. Apple has been slowly stripping functionality out of iTunes for a long time now.....including substituting cover art I've supplied for whatever it feels like using for a picture. I've looked into Plex....doesn't seem like what I'm looking for as it revolves around streaming. Any suggestions?

 

[Smellmet]

I've heard good things about Mediamonkey.

 

[mikehalloran]

Apple won’t use cover art if the file size is too big and/or not formatted correctly. In addition, the file should be mp4a or aiff. Cover art does not attach to .wav files in iTunes. MP3 is hit or miss.

I’ve reduced my covers to small .jpegs and have no problems at all They even show up on my Toyota’s touchscreen when I drive.

 

[karnsculpture]

Bumping this thread, have lost patience with iTunes and Apple Music for mobile listening. The problem I have is that I have really inconsistent matching on lots of albums e.g. a mixture of remastered and non-remastered tracks - so the volume between songs varies, spoiling the consistency of albums.

So, what's out there? I want the same features as the first poster.

 

[mikehalloran]

[doublepost=1545590257][/doublepost]

Bumping this thread, have lost patience with iTunes and Apple Music for mobile listening.

You've lost patience. So?

The problem I have is that I have really inconsistent matching on lots of albums e.g. a mixture of remastered and non-remastered tracks - so the volume between songs varies, spoiling the consistency of albums.

So, what's out there? I want the same features as the first poster.

An app that meets all of yours and the OP's requests does not exist.

You can use the various leveling and compression features in iTunes to obtain more consistent levels. I think the music doesn't sound very good when that's done, however. Apple Support has docs on this.

Any DAW (including GarageBand) will do what you want if you remaster your iTunes library to whatever standard you like—then export it back to iTunes. Time consuming? Oh yes. Nothing comes without some price.

Gonna stop following this...

 

[karnsculpture]

One workaround I've been experimenting with today is to join tracks when ripping from CD. Crucial to name the merged track something like "Side One" otherwise it can match with the first album track rather than upload the whole "side". This is good for albums you want to have with consistent sound, and that you like to listen to as if they were on vinyl.