As well as being a useful tool for carrying out work and accessing the internet, many home computers are used as storage for large music collections. While the likes of iTunes and Windows Media Player include music management options, they can be cumbersome to use, and this is something that MAGIX MP3 deluxe 17 aims to help with. Covering everything from importing music from CDs and adjusting tags and album art to creating playlists and recording online radio stations, this burgeoning suite of tools has almost every MP3 related base covered.

The main program has an easy to use interface that can be used to extract music from CDs and import folders full of music files into your library. If you have already spent time working with iTunes and have therefor created a music library in Apple’s software, this can be quickly imported into MAGIX MP3 deluxe 17 to help save time. Of course, the program can also be used to playback music, and there are a number of options available in this area.

Should you choose to extract CD audio using the program, performance has been improved from previous versions, making the process faster than ever. Album details and artwork are automatically download from the internet to save having to manually edit MP3 tags, and support for WAV, OGG and MP3 means that tracks can be saved in, or converted to, your preferred audio format.

The first option is to simply play tracks on an ad hoc basic, selecting the music you like as the mood takes you, and you can also make use of playlists you have created. However, there is also the option of creating automatic playlists that group together tracks based on the type of music – so in just a few clicks it is possible to create a melancholy soundtrack to suit more sombre moods, or an uplifting one to brighten the mood. This is dependent on your entire music collection being scanned and analysed, and this can be a lengthy process if you have a large number of MP3s.

Analysing your music in this way also opens up the opportunity to explore your music collection in the three dimensional world. While this slightly gimmicky feature was available in the previous version of MAGIX MP3 deluxe, it does appear to have been refined slightly so it is now more of a pleasure to use. Support for touch sensitive screens means that navigating music in this mode is now easier than ever, but the number of people who will be able to take advantage of this feature is going to be fairly limited.

As well as making it easy to organise, navigate and play your existing music, MAGIX MP3 deluxe 17 also helps you to discover new music. Recommendations are made based on your general listening habits while the Hit Finder feature can be used to automatically record music from online radio stations based on your tastes. It is also possible to manually record online audio, and a timer function is available so recordings can be schedule in advance. The ability to record multiple streams at the same time means that it does not matter if there is a schedule clash between things you would like to listen to. If you are recording from music stations, the software can automatically detect the start and finish of songs and save them as individual audio files.

Taking advantage of all of the options available in the program means that it would be very easy for an already large music collection to grow into something quite unwieldy. But thanks to the inclusion of various search and filtering options, and the easily navigable program interface, tracking down the music you want to listen to is made as simple and quick as possible. Ordinarily, the program interface is a full screen affair, providing access to all of the various options and functions. As these are usually not going to be needed when just listening to music, the player can be reduce to mini mode to save space. To ensure the best possible playback experience, a ten band graphic equaliser is available and audio can be adjusted to suit different environments and audio hardware.

Host Your Own Pool Party

Use MAGIX MP3 deluxe in DJ mode and host your own parties

Whether you would prefer to opt for an automated or a more hands-on approach, MAGIX MP3 deluxe is the perfect music tool for parties. You can use a manually or automatically created playlist that suits the mood, or you can switch to DJ mode in which you can mix together tracks in a surprisingly professional way.

The program can also be used to edit audio files, trimming out unwanted sections and cleaning up tracks with less than perfect sound. These can then be saved back into your main music library, or you can use the integrated disc burning option to create your own CDs and DVDs.

This really is a feature-packed suite of tools. Everything you could possibly want to achieve with your music collection can be accomplished with ease. As with other MAGIX software, MP3 deluxe 17 benefits from wonderful ease of use that means you can jump straight in and start working with your music without the need to read through endless help files. An impressive suite.

You can download a trial version of the program by paying a visit to the MAGIX MP3 deluxe 17 review page.