XMPlay 3.8.4.0

Overview

The XMPlay application is an extremely lightweight utility used to play audio files on your PC. XMPlay offers compatibility with four different playlist extensions (PLS, M3U, ASX, and WAX), as well as 14 different audio formats including: OGG, MP3/2/1, WMA, WAV, CDA, MO3, IT, XM, S3M, MTM, MOD, and UMX. The customization for XMPlay is very simple and offers some basic setting changes including custom downloadable skins.

Installation

Rather than a bulky installation process that requires multiple steps before you’re actually able to use the program, XMPlay offers a much simpler approach to this area. All you need to do to setup XMPlay is download the zipped folder and extract it, then you can open up the application with no installation necessary.

Great programs are commonly skipped simply due to the fact that going through the process of installing and uninstalling software is a nuisance, XMPlay gives users a great reason to try it out by presenting itself in a portable package.

Interface

Users familiar with the program Winamp shouldn’t have a hard time navigating through XMPlay’s interface, but at first glance it isn’t quite evident where all of the options are located. The first thing users will likely want to do is play an audio file, which can be done by either dragging the file into the playlist and playing it, or by clicking the arrow pointing upward to bring up the “open” menu.

There is an equalizer on the left-hand side and a playlist on the right-hand side, with information about the current track being displayed in the middle. Additional settings and preferences, including library management, can be accessed via the small wrench icon located near the close and minimize window buttons.

Pros

The extremely lightweight feel of XMPlay is where it really stands out against its competitors. Many utilities that essentially are just a simple MP3 player, will still require an installation that typically gives you loads of files that you don’t actually need, and they’ll slow down the performance of that program. Since XMPlay literally only adds six files to your PC, it is able to function much more efficiently and is a lot easier to manage.

XMPlay’s sleek interface coupled with its extensive customization via the “Options and stuff” menu complement each other extremely well and make it very easy for the user to adapt to the program.

Cons

There aren’t really any cons to this utility, it essentially has all of the features that big name programs have as well, but just goes about utilizing them in a different way.

Alternatives

Winamp would be the most similar and commonly used alternative to XMPlay, essentially these are the same programs except Winamp offers a few more features at the cost of overall speed and performance. iTunes is another audio player, but requires a tremendous amount of additional files and features that its speed is nowhere near that of XMPlay.

Conclusion

XMPlay is a breath of fresh air in a world of bulky programs with a plethora of extra files and features that are really never used and only serve the purpose of slowing down its host program. Definitely consider giving this program a try if you’re looking for a new audio player that is fast and efficient.