AIMP

Each person has their own likes and dislikes, and the same applies to PC users and their software: while some are satisfied with a certain application, others might require different functions or prefer a simpler interface. When it comes to audio players, everyone is bound to find the one that suits their needs perfectly. And for some, AIMP is the solution.

After extracting the files, users need to choose the installation mode they want: portable version (for removable devices) or custom version (recommended), in a single user or multi user mode. The entire pack contains main components, skins, visualizations, input plugins, additional components (e.g. audio library, Internet radio browser, the Last.FM plugin), and languages. One can choose between full, lite, minimal and custom installation.

To ensure AIMP is seamlessly integrated within Windows, users can automatically associate the software with audio and playlist formats on the PC, as well as add a menu item to the context menu of Windows Explorer.

At first sight, the overall text and graphics might seem to be a bit tiny, considering the latest trends in software technology (with big icons, text, images etc), however after spending some time using AIMP, this is no longer an issue.

The interface somewhat resembles Winamp's, so that the playlist is visible, while the actual audio player and the visualization section are in the upper side of the window. Within the playlist, users get the possibility to rate their songs according to their tastes.

Unlike other applications dedicated to audio playback, AIMP comes with an auto-shutdown feature, an alarm clock, a quick search for songs, and the possibility to add songs as bookmarks. Furthermore, users can customize the hot keys if they are not satisfied with the default ones.

The quality of sound is pretty good, especially considering AIMP supports a wide range of formats, including but not limited to OGG, MP3, WMA, WAV, and others. Typically, the software runs smoothly and the CPU usage is kept to a minimum.

In a nutshell, AIMP can easily become the favorite audio player on one's computer, due to the numerous features it brings, the intuitive interface and customizable settings.