AIMP is a freeware audio player for Windows that packs a powerful 18-band equalizer, sound effects, plug-ins and skins support, multi-format playback and a polished interface with many customization options. Moreover, AIMP’s versatility and richness of features make it accessible and suitable for any type of user.
Installation & Requirements
AIMP is 100% free, meaning its installation is not bundled with any kind of adware, spyware or additional applications. However, you will have to make a few settings during the install process. You will have to choose the program’s language, which version you wish to install – portable or normal- and tweak the integration parameters. The actual setup is completed in a few seconds and you’re ready to launch AIMP.
Since AIMP is definitely not a resource hog, its requirements are limited to the operating system. AIMP works on Windows XP SP3, Vista and 7.
Interface
AIMP’s interface has all the standard elements of an audio player, such as a playlist, an equalizer, playback buttons, volume and progress bars but it also comes with other features, most of them very useful.
The modern, stylish GUI has a dark grey background with orange buttons and text that add an eye-pleasing contrast. At the top there are three small buttons from where you can access the Main menu, the program’s Preferences and Utilities. The Repeat and Shuffle buttons are also present as expected, but there are also buttons for “Repeat part A-B” and “Copy file to clipboard”. At the right of the volume bar there are two buttons that allow you to show/hide the playlist and the equalizer.
Various related options are available right below the Playlist, such as add/remove/sort items, a miscellaneous menu, an advanced search menu, a quick search box and a playlist management menu. The Equalizer, comes with various preset options but also a DSP manager from where you can perform multiple audio settings, like adding sound effects (echo, reverb, flanger…etc.), normalize volume options and a voice remove filter.
AIMP also comes with a few built-in utilities to please even the most demanding users – Tag Editor, Audio Library, Audio Converter and an Internet Radio Browser-. The Preferences menu is practically a gold-mine for techies but not only. From here you can customize almost every aspect of the program. Worth mentioning is the Internet Radio Capture, a cool feature that allows you to record online radio. You might also like the program’s Scheduler from where you can set up your computer to automatically shutdown at chosen time (there are also other options such as “at the end of playlist”, “at the end of queue” and “at the end of file”) as well as set up an alarm using your favorite music track.
Pros
– Simple and adware-free installation.
– Stylish, intuitive interface.
– Powerful 18-band Equalizer with built-in presets.
– Also contains a Tag Editor, Audio Library, Audio Converter and an Internet Radio Browser.
– Playback is enabled for multiple formats: .CDA, .AAC, .AC3, .APE, .DTS, .FLAC, .IT, .MIDI, .MO3, .MOD, .M4A, .M4B, .MP1, .MP2, .MP3, .MPC, .MTM, .OFR, .OGG, .RMI, .S3M, .SPX, .TAK, .TTA, .UMX, .WAV, .WMA, .WV, .XM.
– Skins and plug-ins are supported.
– Bookmarks and playback queue functions.
Cons
– Forum and F.A.Q. are only available in Russian.
Alternatives
AIMP is a solid choice for music playback but so are other audio players, and the list isn’t short. If AIMP didn’t convince you, take a look at these alternatives: Foobar2000, Winamp, Songbird and MediaMonkey.
Conclusion
Even though we liked AIMP’s default skin, many others can be downloaded from the official website. There are also lots of downloadable plug-ins available that let you expand various aspects of AIMP’s functionality. Visual customizations combined with an extensive collection of settings and plug-in support make this tiny audio player a powerful tool for high-quality music playback and management.
