Help picking a music app.......

[redfishsc]

My device-- HTC Hero (Sprint) running Android 2.1.


I have two problems. One is music file organization, and the other is sound quality (of some very old lecture and debate recordings).


FIRST----I need an app that will acknowledge the folders I put music in as "playlists" so that I can drag/drop the folders (playlists) into my SD card. The pre-installed music app on this phone isn't cutting it, I HATE the way it organizes files (it completely ignores the folders I create and reorganizes the music by composer/source/album/etc.).

For example, I recently downloaded around 75 files (lectures) to listen to while I work (I am a grad student). I spent the time organizing them by my own categories in folders. The phone rearranged them completely and mixed them all up according to the way I described above, which drives me INSANE. They are still in their respective folders on the SD card, but they don't show up as "playlists" based on those folders.

I want it to show me the music files basically as if I were browsing the SD card itself, in other words.

This really gets crazy when you start adding in hundreds of songs amidst all the lectures. Maybe I am just missing something that's bluntly simple-- if you use this phone and can get the thing to recognize the folders as "playlists" then please tell me what I'm doing wrong.



Second----

About two dozen of the lectures (some 2+ hours long) are very old recordings, originally done on 1960's and 1970's technology, and the guy speaking (Francis Schaeffer) has a VERY raspy voice. And thus the MP3 files, even on quality earbuds, sounds PAINFUL when you turn it up loud enough to understand him. At least the lectures were free.


Are there any music playing apps that also have a graphic equalizer on it, such that I can fiddle around with the various bands to cut the harsh edge off of it??????


Most of the files are fine, but I've run into enough of them to justify looking for an app with an equalizer, but I don't know how to edit sound files in a legit editor, plus I don't know what files need editing until I'm listening to it, which is when I'm working.



Thoughts? I don't mind using two different Apps for this if needed. Many thanks!

 

[itsallgood]

I use "PowerAmp Pro" paid version for all my music and digital recordings. I don't have any play list, but I have organized my folders and tabs to show up correctly in the music app. Also, it has a very nice equalizer. I believe you can test the app out before you by. Note: you can edit the tags of songs to show up correctly in the genres list.

 

[redfishsc]

I use "PowerAmp Pro" paid version for all my music and digital recordings. I don't have any play list, but I have organized my folders and tabs to show up correctly in the music app. Also, it has a very nice equalizer. I believe you can test the app out before you by. Note: you can edit the tags of songs to show up correctly in the genres list.

Can I edit the tags of all the songs in a folder at once, or do I have to do it one-by-one (which would take long enough for me to grow old, die, and rot lol).


I'll check out PowerAmp Pro, thank!

 

[GTurn]

I use "PowerAmp Pro" paid version for all my music and digital recordings. I don't have any play list, but I have organized my folders and tabs to show up correctly in the music app. Also, it has a very nice equalizer. I believe you can test the app out before you by. Note: you can edit the tags of songs to show up correctly in the genres list.

Power amp is the best

 

[neworleansjaz]

I use Poweramp along with iSyncr for wireless syncing to iTunes. I wouldn't do it any other way. Poweramp does have a built in equalizer. Its the best equalizer you'll find in any music app. And I just set up my playlist from iTunes and iSyncr let's me choose which playlist I would like to sync.

 

[redfishsc]

OK, now I have a problem. PowerAmp wants to crash a lot on my phone. The first 4 times I opened it, I couldn't hardly get a music file open before it shut off. Now, I'm able to play stuff, and it seems to be working OK, we'll see if it stays that way.

It does browse the folders exactly as I want though, huge plus. HUGE.


FWIW I cannot stand iTunes, but I run it on a Windows machine. It's buggy, and I don't care for it's synching. I just prefer a big drag and drop. I only use iTunes to download stuff (grudgingly) that I can't find elsewhere, like stuff from iTunes-U

 

[GrouchoM]

I use MixZing for playing and establishing playlists. Additionally, I occasionally use a free app called Equalizer.

 

[itsallgood]

4213843[/URL]]Can I edit the tags of all the songs in a folder at once, or do I have to do it one-by-one (which would take long enough for me to grow old, die, and rot lol).


I'll check out PowerAmp Pro, thank!

To be honest, I don't know. Never tried to edit more then one song at a time.

 

[mc48]

redfish, I am pretty sure you could use DoggCatcher to listen to those lectures. There is an option to make a dedicated feed from a directory on your sd card. Put all the lectures in one directory file and I think it would work fine. And it should give you an option for stopping and saving your place in the lecture. It costs a few bucks but it is a great app.

 

[redfishsc]

Right now, the pre-installed music app on the HTC Hero keeps my place in the lecture for me. I'm hoping PowerAmp does that.....

 

[Dead_Droid]

I must have tried them all, and I can say there are many and lots of them are quite good. How good they are to you depends on what functions, access or aesthetics are most important to you. PowerAmp will supposedly play the FLAC format, you can sing karaoke while Shazam scrolls the lyrics, and PlayerPro, Meridian, and Mixzing play video as well. But if you don't play that much video and want to get the most out of your music tracks, get PowerAmp - it's a little more complex to use than PlayerPro, but a lot more powerful, and the display and the UI display has lots of very nice touches. Also yes, it does do folders!

 

[redfishsc]

PowerAmp seems to be working kinda-sorta fine now. It will remember the last point I was in during a lecture, but it still wants to crash or freeze once in a while.


If this keeps up I'll try an alternative but I have to admit, PowerAmp really does have some cool features.

 

[redfishsc]

Trying Mixzing right now, seems a lot more stable. I also like the more streamlined interface on Mixzing, and it seems that you can use the free version indefinitely. I keep the 3G and wi-fi on my phone turned off (the phone is used only as a glorified MP3 player, not for phone calls) so I'm not worried about ads, after a while they probably won't even show up

Sent an email to PowerAmp about the stability problem. Lots of bad reviews recently about it