Version 8.0 of this six-year-old jukebox isn't exactly revolutionary, but it features some notable improvements.
Like cast-iron pots, Beatles songs, and fine wine, MusicMatch Jukebox has only improved with age. Version 8.0 won't bowl you over, but it features some notable refinements and much-needed interface tweaks--without sacrificing any of the audio goodies we've grown to love. While some enhancements are somewhat superfluous (the built-in slide show, for example), the program is worth nabbing for its tagging prowess alone, considering how many poorly tagged MP3s there are in circulation. That feature aside, it's getting harder to hear MusicMatch's song among the din of competing services. If you're just looking for some software to play the occasional track while at the office, go with a pared-down free player or look into subscribing to a music service such as Rhapsody or iTunes.
As always, MusicMatch comes in two versions: the free, downloadable Basic package and the feature-packed US$19.99 Plus version. As in the past, MusicMatch's most powerful feature, Super Tagging (more on that later), is available in only the for-fee version. Another reason to spring for Plus is burn speed. While Basic burns at a mind-numbingly slow 1X, Plus burns as fast as your burner can go--up to 48X. While the Basic version now features high-quality MP3/MP3Pro encoding and CD-quality Internet radio--previously, they were Plus-only assets--don't bother with the download if you just want to listen to some music. You'd be better off with simpler package.
MusicMatch is making a lot of noise about 8.0's Music Center, which sounds like some sort of cool all-things-music kiosk. Actually, it's an interface tweak that the company should have made ages ago. The so-called Music Center is basically a left-hand menu of quick links that take you to often-used features and tasks--it's not exactly mind-blowing, but it works. We've complained about the program's redundant menu options before, and thankfully, 8.0 is a little more streamlined. Also new here is a built-in slide-show feature, which feeds you rotating images stored on your hard drive's My Pictures folder. We're not terribly excited about seeing our vacation shots while rocking out, but it's nicely implemented and may come in handy for parties.
Besides being able to rip CDs to four formats (MP3, MP3Pro, WMA, and WAV), MusicMatch can play almost every audio-file type in the book. No matter how you have your collection encoded, this app can handle it. As we mentioned, Plus 8.0's Burner Plus burns MP3 and standard audio-CDs at a fast 48X--up a wee bit from 7.5's 40X. And it rips CDs awfully fast, too. Drop a CD into a drive, then click the Record button; MusicMatch converts the tracks and adds them to your library. You can also add album art to your files as you rip, if you have a scanner or other means of acquiring the image.
Introduced back in version 7.5, the Portable Device Manager quickly transfers your tunes onto most MP3 players. If your portable device supports MP3Pro, you can use a lower bit rate with MP3Pro and get the same sound quality, fitting more music onto each megabyte of storage. In addition, MusicMatch can normalise the transferred tracks by checking the "Enable the volume leveling and sound enhancements during download" box in the Portable Players window. That way, the volume will remain constant through all the tracks on your MP3 player (you can also normalise files during the ripping process). Want to listen to music from any spot in your home? Version 8.0 introduces Universal Plug and Play device support, so you're no longer stuck in front of your computer.
If you're a hard-core ripper and downloader, you know how quickly a music library can become unwieldy. That's why Super Tagging is one of our favourite features of the Plus version. This helpful add-on examines your audio files and matches the appropriate ID3 tags based on certain characteristics, such as filename. We've heard folks complain that MusicMatch 7.5 often dropped Genre tags and occasionally grabbed inaccurate info. We didn't find any improperly tagged files in our tests, but we did notice a few slow matches.
MusicMatch also offers two streaming subscription plans: the US$6.95-per-month MX Platinum and the US$4.95-per-month MX Gold. Both work with either Plus or Basic and let you easily stream music, discover new bands based on your listening preferences, and create genre and era stations. With Plus, you can also save Internet streams and create your own Radio Station from your playlists. With both services, you get commercial-free, CD-quality playback. While we really like MX Platinum, we can't think of one reason to endorse it over our favourite music subscription service, Rhapsody.
You'll find rotating tips and built-in help files in the program itself, but if you need more extensive support, look online. The user guide is well written and easy to navigate. Or, if you have a very specific quandary, try searching the online knowledge database. Alas, there's no phone support, so for billing or customer support, you're stuck with submitting an online form and playing the waiting game.
Company: MusicMatch
Price: US$19.95 via download
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