I've used for years and still use QCD with MADplugin, 24 and 32 bits sound decoding, the integrated crossfader and izotope Ozone for it's real time sound treatment to produce on my logitech 5.1 Z5500 and a xonar Dx a really nice sound. QDC has also some nice skins and is able to run Sonique visualizations almost like it's predecessor.

And talking about skins and visualizations, nothing compares to Sonique with it's transition effect and the responsiveness of it's display plug-ins. I, from time to time, lauch it just for the pleasure of the best one, Rappa, host of each display plug in you could have choosen to use by scripting, managed by duration, transition effect, cycling, etc... It's too bad the sound engine isn't up to it in these days.

Well it's Dec 20th.  Some beautiful human beings have migrated the forum to here:

http://winampforum.com/index.php

The original WinAmp forum is also still accessible as I type this.  Future remains unclear.

I still have QCD somewhere...I used to skin it.

And Sonique was the sexiest looking thing way back when.  A few years ago I attempted to redownload it...and my AV chucked a mental and deleted it....compression algorithm got it nervous.  Then I disabled the AV ...got it to DL...and moved it....re-enabled the AV and it promptly deleted it again...

Update here................http://techcrunch.com/2013/12/19/winamp-will-never-die/

The latest update - http://www.neowin.net/news/its-official-winamp-and-shoutcast-saved-via-radionomy-purchase

Not too shabby. Thanks for the update Hankers.  

Ahh Sonique.. there's an old fave.. I preferred it over Winamp. Would still use it if it played well with anything recent....

Well this is an old thread however winamp might be officially dead. The site has been dead since the takeover. I never thought that I would leave winamp but I now use Foobar2000. It is not as user friendly as other players but you sure can do lots with it if you want more than just a basic player, Here is how I have mine set up. It would look even better if I was able to run WindowBlinds.

That statement made me run right out and download it.    Yes indeed, installed it and it skins right up. That's so ... refreshing.  Don't have time to play with it right now, but it does have my interest.  Thanks for the tip.

If you can find foobar ,fth theme files they are the way to go. fth files are self installers. The majority of skins you find involve copying and replacing files. The theme I did in the screenshot I have as an fth file so if you want it let me know. 

I'm more interested in it using the currently loaded WB theme, which it seems to do extremely well.  I've run it through about a dozen skins, including several of those notoriously dark ones that tend to expose the mismatching of dark text to dark backgrounds or light text to light backgrounds, and it's held up great - seems to skin right across the board.  It does work better if the WB skin is applied before opening foobar, or restarting foobar after changing WB's, else the font sizes might get "off" from the command line images etc., but that's reasonable.

I've been playing with that more than the guts of the player.  The equalizer looks promising and so do the library custom view capabilities.  I'm not going to be dumping WinAmp right away but I think I'll like having this guy around. 

DaveRI

reply 71

I'm more interested in it using the currently loaded WB theme, which it seems to do extremely well.  I've run it through about a dozen skins, including several of those notoriously dark ones that tend to expose the mismatching of dark text to dark backgrounds or light text to light backgrounds, and it's held up great - seems to skin right across the board.  It does work better if the WB skin is applied before opening foobar, or restarting foobar after changing WB's, else the font sizes might get "off" from the command line images etc., but that's reasonable.

I've been playing with that more than the guts of the player.  The equalizer looks promising and so do the library custom view capabilities.  I'm not going to be dumping WinAmp right away but I think I'll like having this guy around. 

You can add a lot of components from the foobar site that make it even better. There is a better Equalizer you can add too.

Here it is skinned with blinds.

I still just use Winamp 2.9x ]with my skin] as a controller of music while I'm on the comp....nothing completed....and certainly no need to be.

Equalizers and other bling are just that.....and pointless....

As pointless as your statement. It must kill you to keep things positive. If ""equalizers and all other bling" was pointless why do millions of people use them including professional studios? Sound shaping/editing has a purpose. Perhaps some of the eye candy is not needed for the home users but if someone likes the appearance than it serves a purpose. People skin their computers and what is the point? It certainly does not make the hardware run better. They do it because they like how it looks so skinning a player is no different. Everyone hears sound differently and flat settings do not work for everyone so that is why there is a need for some of the kit you think is pointless. So go ahead and argue with me if you like but the way my media player looks and sounds serves a purpose for me. If bling is pointless than Stardock should kill Windowsblinds and not even bother releasing the next version. 

If a user runs an MP3 Player to do just that....play MP3s whilst working at their machine there's no need or use for oversized-over complicated visual distraction from actual WORK.

If the one role of the MP3 player is to be the WORK itself then fine.

Windowblinds on the other hand doesn't interfere or distract from the functional workspace...in fact the z-order pinning [in particular] is an enhancement to the work space.

If it's about editing audio files I personally have 'Audacity'.

My comment re 'bling' in a MP3 PLAYER is entirely justifiable.

That is why the operating system is called windows. The player can be minimalized so how does that interfere with anything? Not only can it be minimalized it can also be resized or put into mini mode. Your comment is not justifiable, only justifiable to you but many would agree and disagree so I call stalemate unless you wish to keep debating this which I have no problem with. 

The point is...if all you are doing is playing music on your computer while doing shit...you don't need graphics bouncing around to the music...you don't need level meters...wave form displays...it's all useless bling...aka junk.

All you will need is what are called 'transport buttons' and just maybe a volume if you can't find the one already in the systray.

I said I use Winamp 2.9x ... because I have no need for bling.

Whatever floats your boat doesn't necessarily do so for me....

Well I guess we will just have to agree to disagree. That bling is not totally useless, it does provide some degree of diagnostics but even if it did not I still like the looks of it. If someone just wants something to play mp3's they can choose xion, it does the trick but I find it boring. The other issue which is more important is sound. I have used just about every media player a person can download and I find foobar2000 to be the best sounding player period. Not sure I know why but must have to do with plugins.

I bet I've actually skinned players you haven't even heard of...