View Full Version : one click audio preview of 16 and 32 bit audio files?
Jason Standard
February 27th 18, 02:44 AM
I have a situation where I have large numbers of audio files (wav, flac,
mp3) stored in various folders on several hard drives. Although I can
do Win search and bring up the files in one place, I wonder if there's
anything I can use to preview them without actually opening each one up
in a program. My DAW, Samplitude, allows one click preview of such
files without opening, but it only works on a per folder basis and not
after using something like Win search results. I tried making shortcuts
of the files found by Win search, but Samplitude sadly wouldn't preview
the shortcuts.
Any advice for a possible program that would do what I'm asking would be
welcome. I just want to one click and briefly hear each file no matter
where found and ideally in a Win search window if possible. Thanks!
Gary Dingle[_2_]
February 27th 18, 03:13 AM
Directory Opus Pro (https://www.gpsoft.com.au/) has a play button you
click after selecting a file.
60 Days trial ... maybe worth checking out.
It natively only plays .wav files but will play .mp3s if you have an
appropriate codec installed.
Play button has to be added to tool bar via customise option.
Also, DOpus is a windows explorer replacement, with options of double
panes etc., making copy/move files from one spot to another really
easy.
Cheers
Gary
On Mon, 26 Feb 2018 21:44:22 -0500, Jason Standard >
wrote:
>I have a situation where I have large numbers of audio files (wav, flac,
>mp3) stored in various folders on several hard drives. Although I can
>do Win search and bring up the files in one place, I wonder if there's
>anything I can use to preview them without actually opening each one up
>in a program. My DAW, Samplitude, allows one click preview of such
>files without opening, but it only works on a per folder basis and not
>after using something like Win search results. I tried making shortcuts
>of the files found by Win search, but Samplitude sadly wouldn't preview
>the shortcuts.
>
>Any advice for a possible program that would do what I'm asking would be
>welcome. I just want to one click and briefly hear each file no matter
>where found and ideally in a Win search window if possible. Thanks!
Jason Standard
February 27th 18, 04:17 AM
On 02/26/2018 10:13 PM, Gary Dingle wrote:
> Directory Opus Pro (https://www.gpsoft.com.au/) has a play button you
> click after selecting a file.
> 60 Days trial ... maybe worth checking out.
> It natively only plays .wav files but will play .mp3s if you have an
> appropriate codec installed.
> Play button has to be added to tool bar via customise option.
> Also, DOpus is a windows explorer replacement, with options of double
> panes etc., making copy/move files from one spot to another really
> easy.
> Cheers
> Gary
>
Gary, looks interesting and thanks. Do you know if it will play 32 bit
wave as well?
Gary Dingle[_2_]
February 27th 18, 05:29 AM
On Mon, 26 Feb 2018 23:17:58 -0500, Jason Standard >
wrote:
>On 02/26/2018 10:13 PM, Gary Dingle wrote:
>> Directory Opus Pro (https://www.gpsoft.com.au/) has a play button you
>> click after selecting a file.
>> 60 Days trial ... maybe worth checking out.
>> It natively only plays .wav files but will play .mp3s if you have an
>> appropriate codec installed.
>> Play button has to be added to tool bar via customise option.
>> Also, DOpus is a windows explorer replacement, with options of double
>> panes etc., making copy/move files from one spot to another really
>> easy.
>> Cheers
>> Gary
>>
>
>Gary, looks interesting and thanks. Do you know if it will play 32 bit
>wave as well?
Hi Jason,
Not sure about the 32bit wav.
You can ask via their web-site Support/Technical Support.
The few times I've contacted them, they have been most helpful.
Based in Brisbane, Australia I think.
If you do contact support, can you come back here & let us know what
the answer is, as others maybe interested in the app as well.
Cheers
Gary
Peter Larsen[_3_]
February 27th 18, 10:05 AM
On 27-02-2018 03:44, Jason Standard wrote:
> I have a situation where I have large numbers of audio files (wav, flac,
> mp3) stored in various folders on several hard drives. Although I can
> do Win search and bring up the files in one place, I wonder if there's
> anything I can use to preview them
Magix has a file manager and library application for audio files, it
seems to get bundled with a lot of their software, so perhaps it is
freely downloadable from their website, you'll be the first to know ...
I always remove(d) it, but perhaps it can ...
Kind regards
Peter Larsen
without actually opening each one up
> in a program. My DAW, Samplitude, allows one click preview of such
> files without opening, but it only works on a per folder basis and not
> after using something like Win search results. I tried making shortcuts
> of the files found by Win search, but Samplitude sadly wouldn't preview
> the shortcuts.
>
> Any advice for a possible program that would do what I'm asking would be
> welcome. I just want to one click and briefly hear each file no matter
> where found and ideally in a Win search window if possible. Thanks!
geoff
February 27th 18, 10:10 AM
On 27/02/2018 3:44 PM, Jason Standard wrote:
> I have a situation where I have large numbers of audio files (wav, flac,
> mp3) stored in various folders on several hard drives.Â* Although I can
> do Win search and bring up the files in one place, I wonder if there's
> anything I can use to preview them without actually opening each one up
> in a program.Â* My DAW, Samplitude, allows one click preview of such
> files without opening, but it only works on a per folder basis and not
> after using something like Win search results.Â* I tried making shortcuts
> of the files found by Win search, but Samplitude sadly wouldn't preview
> the shortcuts.
>
> Any advice for a possible program that would do what I'm asking would be
> welcome.Â* I just want to one click and briefly hear each file no matter
> where found and ideally in a Win search window if possible.Â* Thanks!
Sound Forge has a preview 'Play' button in its File Open dialogue box
and can play anything.
geoff
February 27th 18, 01:43 PM
>
> Any advice for a possible program that would do what I'm asking would be
> welcome. I just want to one click and briefly hear each file no matter
> where found and ideally in a Win search window if possible. Thanks!
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Everything_(software)
beware of the security issues
m
Scott Dorsey
February 27th 18, 02:39 PM
In article >, Jason Standard > wrote:
>I have a situation where I have large numbers of audio files (wav, flac,
>mp3) stored in various folders on several hard drives. Although I can
>do Win search and bring up the files in one place, I wonder if there's
>anything I can use to preview them without actually opening each one up
>in a program. My DAW, Samplitude, allows one click preview of such
>files without opening, but it only works on a per folder basis and not
>after using something like Win search results. I tried making shortcuts
>of the files found by Win search, but Samplitude sadly wouldn't preview
>the shortcuts.
Dunno about with Windows, but with Linux you can easily do something like
head -c5K <file> | play
if you want. Likely something similar on the Mac.
--scott
--
"C'est un Nagra. C'est suisse, et tres, tres precis."
Jason Standard
February 27th 18, 02:47 PM
On 02/27/2018 12:29 AM, Gary Dingle wrote:
> On Mon, 26 Feb 2018 23:17:58 -0500, Jason Standard >
> wrote:
>
>> On 02/26/2018 10:13 PM, Gary Dingle wrote:
>>> Directory Opus Pro (https://www.gpsoft.com.au/) has a play button you
>>> click after selecting a file.
>>> 60 Days trial ... maybe worth checking out.
>>> It natively only plays .wav files but will play .mp3s if you have an
>>> appropriate codec installed.
>>> Play button has to be added to tool bar via customise option.
>>> Also, DOpus is a windows explorer replacement, with options of double
>>> panes etc., making copy/move files from one spot to another really
>>> easy.
>>> Cheers
>>> Gary
>>>
>>
>> Gary, looks interesting and thanks. Do you know if it will play 32 bit
>> wave as well?
>
> Hi Jason,
> Not sure about the 32bit wav.
> You can ask via their web-site Support/Technical Support.
> The few times I've contacted them, they have been most helpful.
> Based in Brisbane, Australia I think.
>
> If you do contact support, can you come back here & let us know what
> the answer is, as others maybe interested in the app as well.
> Cheers
> Gary
Decided to do a tryout. The program's settings can be set to
automatically audition only WAV files with double clicking. Although
this can potentially save a lot of time, it only seems to work for 16
bit WAVE and not FLAC, MP3, or 32 bit WAV. Too bad, but thanks for the
pointer... I wouldn't have known if I hadn't of tried.
Jason Standard
February 27th 18, 02:50 PM
On 02/27/2018 05:10 AM, geoff wrote:
> On 27/02/2018 3:44 PM, Jason Standard wrote:
>> I have a situation where I have large numbers of audio files (wav,
>> flac, mp3) stored in various folders on several hard drives.Â* Although
>> I can do Win search and bring up the files in one place, I wonder if
>> there's anything I can use to preview them without actually opening
>> each one up in a program.Â* My DAW, Samplitude, allows one click
>> preview of such files without opening, but it only works on a per
>> folder basis and not after using something like Win search results.Â* I
>> tried making shortcuts of the files found by Win search, but
>> Samplitude sadly wouldn't preview the shortcuts.
>>
>> Any advice for a possible program that would do what I'm asking would
>> be welcome.Â* I just want to one click and briefly hear each file no
>> matter where found and ideally in a Win search window if possible.
>> Thanks!
>
>
> Sound Forge has a preview 'Play' button in its File Open dialogue box
> and can play anything.
>
> geoff
So does Samplitude, but this only works when listening to audio files in
a certain folder and not useful for something like Win search results
windows. I have so many folders scattered around that it takes too much
time to use it which was why I was looking for a "one click no matter
where" solution.
John Williamson
February 27th 18, 03:08 PM
On 27/02/2018 14:50, Jason Standard wrote:
> So does Samplitude, but this only works when listening to audio files in
> a certain folder and not useful for something like Win search results
> windows.Â* I have so many folders scattered around that it takes too much
> time to use it which was why I was looking for a "one click no matter
> where" solution.
For the cost (free), and the small time it takes to download and
install, Winamp, though no longer supported officially, will play almost
any format you have the Microsoft codec pack and playback hardware for,
though it may barf at anything over 24 bits.
If it will work at all, you just need to let it scan your drives and add
any media it finds to its library, then you can click to listen, or
right click to read metadata and file information. To add new files,
just tell it to rescan the drives. (Leaving it running overnight to do
this is a good idea if you have a lot of files, as it can only index a
few files a second.)
I was really annoyed when it was bought out and the software almost
immediately discontinued by one of the big media players.
--
Tciao for Now!
John.
Phil W
February 27th 18, 08:00 PM
>:
>
>> Any advice for a possible program that would do what I'm asking would be
>> welcome. I just want to one click and briefly hear each file no matter
>> where found and ideally in a Win search window if possible. Thanks!
>
> https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Everything_(software)
>
> beware of the security issues
it´s a nice and quick search program, but how does it *preview* audio files?
Haven´t found that function yet, even though the latest version is installed
and I have checked all menus and settings.
Phil
Phil W
February 27th 18, 08:22 PM
"Jason Standard":
> I have a situation where I have large numbers of audio files (wav, flac,
> mp3) stored in various folders on several hard drives. Although I can do
> Win search and bring up the files in one place, I wonder if there's
> anything I can use to preview them without actually opening each one up in
> a program. My DAW, Samplitude, allows one click preview of such files
> without opening, but it only works on a per folder basis and not after
> using something like Win search results. I tried making shortcuts of the
> files found by Win search, but Samplitude sadly wouldn't preview the
> shortcuts.
>
> Any advice for a possible program that would do what I'm asking would be
> welcome. I just want to one click and briefly hear each file no matter
> where found and ideally in a Win search window if possible. Thanks!
You have probably already tried it, but the "preview pane" (or sidebar or
whatever it is called in English) in Windows Explorer works under Win7 (and
therefore newer versions as well).
Yes, it´s not really a one click solution, but rather two clicks - select
file + click play-button. ;-)
Plays every audio format, that´s supported by Windows Media Player without
having to open WMP with its own window and it works in a Windows Explorer
search window.
At least, it does not require installation of yet another program.
Phil
Nate Najar
February 27th 18, 11:51 PM
You want "snapper" made by the same company who makes altiverb.....
A film library composer turned me on to it.
Jason Standard
February 28th 18, 12:00 AM
On 02/27/2018 06:51 PM, Nate Najar wrote:
> You want "snapper" made by the same company who makes altiverb.....
>
> A film library composer turned me on to it.
>
That would be absolutely perfect.... if I had a Mac. Sorry, I didn't
specify this in my initial post that it would have to be Win based.
geoff
February 28th 18, 01:37 AM
On 28/02/2018 3:50 AM, Jason Standard wrote:
> On 02/27/2018 05:10 AM, geoff wrote:
>> On 27/02/2018 3:44 PM, Jason Standard wrote:
>>> I have a situation where I have large numbers of audio files (wav,
>>> flac, mp3) stored in various folders on several hard drives.
>>> Although I can do Win search and bring up the files in one place, I
>>> wonder if there's anything I can use to preview them without actually
>>> opening each one up in a program.Â* My DAW, Samplitude, allows one
>>> click preview of such files without opening, but it only works on a
>>> per folder basis and not after using something like Win search
>>> results.Â* I tried making shortcuts of the files found by Win search,
>>> but Samplitude sadly wouldn't preview the shortcuts.
>>>
>>> Any advice for a possible program that would do what I'm asking would
>>> be welcome.Â* I just want to one click and briefly hear each file no
>>> matter where found and ideally in a Win search window if possible.
>>> Thanks!
>>
>>
>> Sound Forge has a preview 'Play' button in its File Open dialogue box
>> and can play anything.
>>
>> geoff
>
> So does Samplitude, but this only works when listening to audio files in
> a certain folder and not useful for something like Win search results
> windows.Â* I have so many folders scattered around that it takes too much
> time to use it which was why I was looking for a "one click no matter
> where" solution.
So what you want is a plugin for Windows Explorer. Or a new applet for
Search/Explore that is audio-centric ...
geoff
geoff
February 28th 18, 01:39 AM
On 28/02/2018 3:39 AM, Scott Dorsey wrote:
> In article >, Jason Standard > wrote:
>> I have a situation where I have large numbers of audio files (wav, flac,
>> mp3) stored in various folders on several hard drives. Although I can
>> do Win search and bring up the files in one place, I wonder if there's
>> anything I can use to preview them without actually opening each one up
>> in a program. My DAW, Samplitude, allows one click preview of such
>> files without opening, but it only works on a per folder basis and not
>> after using something like Win search results. I tried making shortcuts
>> of the files found by Win search, but Samplitude sadly wouldn't preview
>> the shortcuts.
>
> Dunno about with Windows, but with Linux you can easily do something like
>
> head -c5K <file> | play
>
> if you want. Likely something similar on the Mac.
> --scott
>
That sound quick and intuitive ! Not.
geoff
PStamler
February 28th 18, 04:32 AM
For the .wav files and .mp3s, just double-clicking on the file name should play it back, I presume via Windows Media Player. Flac files are a different kettle of fish; for them you may have to get a player and specify it as the default for flacs. Then you can open them with a (double-) click too.
geoff
February 28th 18, 10:23 AM
On 28/02/2018 5:32 PM, PStamler wrote:
> For the .wav files and .mp3s, just double-clicking on the file name should play it back, I presume via Windows Media Player. Flac files are a different kettle of fish; for them you may have to get a player and specify it as the default for flacs. Then you can open them with a (double-) click too.
>
I think he wants to preview without specifically opening the file in an
application to play.
geoff
Phil W
February 28th 18, 10:54 AM
"PStamler" :
> For the .wav files and .mp3s, just double-clicking on the file name should
> play it back, I presume via Windows Media Player. Flac files are a
> different kettle of fish; for them you may have to get a player and
> specify it as the default for flacs. Then you can open them with a
> (double-) click too.
Just download and install the FLAC codec and those will play in WMP, just
like any other supported format. It´s easily available for free on the web.
No big hassle.
Anyway, I assume, the OP does *not* want the double-click way, because it
takes up more time (a new program has to start, opens its window and brings
it to focus) than previewing right within the search results list. Think of
thumbnail previews for image files, he´s looking for an audio equivalent...
Phil
On Monday, February 26, 2018 at 9:44:30 PM UTC-5, Jason Standard wrote:
> I have a situation where I have large numbers of audio files (wav, flac,
> mp3) stored in various folders on several hard drives. Although I can
> do Win search and bring up the files in one place, I wonder if there's
> anything I can use to preview them without actually opening each one up
> in a program. My DAW, Samplitude, allows one click preview of such
> files without opening, but it only works on a per folder basis and not
> after using something like Win search results. I tried making shortcuts
> of the files found by Win search, but Samplitude sadly wouldn't preview
> the shortcuts.
>
> Any advice for a possible program that would do what I'm asking would be
> welcome. I just want to one click and briefly hear each file no matter
> where found and ideally in a Win search window if possible. Thanks!
Like to know how that is possible, play a file w/o opening it. I mean, I guess you could say you're DAW doesn't make a scratch copy, but even MP3s need to be opened and decoded to hear them, flacs have to be decompressed, etc..
Jack
On Tuesday, February 27, 2018 at 10:08:46 AM UTC-5, John Williamson wrote:
> On 27/02/2018 14:50, Jason Standard wrote:
>
> > So does Samplitude, but this only works when listening to audio files in
> > a certain folder and not useful for something like Win search results
> > windows.Â* I have so many folders scattered around that it takes too much
> > time to use it which was why I was looking for a "one click no matter
> > where" solution.
>
> For the cost (free), and the small time it takes to download and
> install, Winamp, though no longer supported officially, will play almost
> any format you have the Microsoft codec pack and playback hardware for,
> though it may barf at anything over 24 bits.
>
> If it will work at all, you just need to let it scan your drives and add
> any media it finds to its library, then you can click to listen, or
> right click to read metadata and file information. To add new files,
> just tell it to rescan the drives. (Leaving it running overnight to do
> this is a good idea if you have a lot of files, as it can only index a
> few files a second.)
>
> I was really annoyed when it was bought out and the software almost
> immediately discontinued by one of the big media players.
>
> --
> Tciao for Now!
>
> John.
WinAmp is my choice, older versions.
Thought the older version was unstable with newer OSs. I used the Preamplifier section and occasionally, all the band of the graphic equalizer would go to the extreme, +12 dB!! LOUD! One time, every band -12 dB!! No, it was not unstable, but if you click on the crude vertical scale(?), you can set all bands +12db, 0dB, -12dB in one shot!
Jack
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