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foobar2000 is an advanced freeware audio player for the Windows platform. Some of the basic features include full unicode support, ReplayGain support and native support for several popular audio formats.

What’s new in version 1.0?

• New context menu structure – better out-of-the-box layout but less customizable.
• Built-in support for Windows Media and RTSP streaming.
• “Edit” menu operates on the currently selected object rather than always on the active playlist.
• Improved compatibility with multimedia keyboards.
• Improved, more customizable album art support.
• Portable installs now remember Media Library paths relatively to the install folder.
• Reworked Preferences: OK/Cancel/Apply buttons, new layout of standard pages.
• New options regarding selection viewer behavior.
• Default User Interface: new pseudo color code system for status bar and playlist view.
• CD ripping improvements:
  • Results can be now checked against the AccurateRip database on-the-fly.
  • CD-TEXT reading support.
  • Ability to choose individual tracks to rip in the “Rip Audio CD” dialog.

Homepage

Review:

If you seek an interface which privileges appearance with the functionalities go your way: foobar2000 is worth a try. It posts by default only the list of the files available and the title in the course of playing music. A little less Spartan since the last version with posting the album covers, it remains with counter-current of readers like Winamp, Windows Media Player or iTunes.

Very light (just 2.98 MB); foobar2000 supports a great number of formats. It allows also the conversion of your titles by using the additional available codecs or with a system of plug-ins developed by the very active community of the player.

Foobar2000 also helps you to manage your musical collections. It allows the edition of the tags to re-elect them or integrate additional information with simplicity. If you’re looking for an alternative free player with a vast variety of plug-ins and highly customizable interface, give it a try.