Vox (software)
 | |
|
Vox 2.0 running on OS X 10.9 Mavericks | |
| Developer(s) | Coppertino, Inc. |
|---|---|
| Initial release | May 3, 2007 |
| Stable release |
2.5.3
/ June 29, 2015 |
| Operating system | macOS |
| Available in | English |
| Type | Audio player |
| License | Freeware |
| Website |
coppertino |
Vox is an audio player developed by Coppertino, Inc. for macOS. Its purpose is to provide a lightweight yet full-featured audio player that can play music in many different file formats and from various sources, including formats not supported by iTunes, such as FLAC and Ogg Vorbis. The new Vox 2.0 release also allows for listening of internet radio, through an in-app purchase. Vox also features Last.fm integration and the ability to define custom keyboard shortcuts to different functions.
History
Released in 2007 by a student Alessio Nonni,[1] Vox was designed to be a lightweight media player that supports playing various file types including lossless formats.
In 2011 Nonni sold Vox to Coppertino, a Ukrainian Mac developer company headquartered in Los Angeles, CA, in exchange for minority stock.[2] The new 1.0 version of Vox was released on August 6, 2013,[3] and less than in 6 months[4] Coppertino released the new 2.0 version of the music player.
Vox 2.0 introduces a minimal interface, reminiscent of the Winamp audio player,[5] and a number of features considered unique in comparison to macOS's built-in iTunes.[6]
Features
Vox was originally developed to follow the principles of clarity, simplicity and versatility, as shown by its minimalist interface. Some features of Vox include:
- Play numerous lossy and lossless audio formats, including ones unsupported by iTunes
- Work with different audio sources including custom VOX Playlist, iTunes Library, and online Radio
- Keeps listening statistics up-to-date with the user's Last.fm account by means of Last.fm scrobbling
- Automatically search for missing album artwork from MusicBrainz and Last.fm databases or manually add them
- Open different playlist types including M3U, PLS, XSPF, and the popular CUE format used to store CD rips
- Control the player from the main interface, Dock context menu or from macOS's menu bar
- Use keyboard media keys, headphones buttons, and Apple Remote to control playback (requires VOX Preference Pane)
- Easily add music via smart drop zones, ordinary open dialog, and Finder context menu
- Use equalizer with presets and custom mode, crossfade, fade on play/pause, converting music to 5.1 or 7.1 format
- Preview album artwork in the Dock icon
- Convert stereophonic audio in headphones to binaural using Bauer DSP (BS2B) technology
- Pause playback automatically when disconnecting headphones
- AirPlay functionality
- Play audios stored on NAS devices and other network drives
- Notifications from Growl or macOS's built-in Notification Center
Reviews
- Richard Devine, Vox for Mac review: Your lightweight yet powerful iTunes alternative, iMore, Aug 6, 2013
- Thorin Klosowski, Vox Is a Powerful, but Minimal Music Player for Mac, LifeHacker, Aug 6, 2013
- Cody Fink, Vox 2.0, MacStories, Jan 28, 2014
- Alex Arena, Vox: A Minimal Music Player, Mac.AppStorm, Aug 6, 2013
References
- ↑ ALessio Nonni's Blog: Vox 0.2.7 RC1 released
- ↑ Top 10 most promising Ukrainian startups
- ↑ VOX, The Minimal Mac Music Player
- ↑ VOX 2.0 gets streamlined interface, gapless playback
- ↑ Winamp Shutting Down After 15 Years? Check Out VOX: Music Player Perfection For OS X
- ↑ Vox Music Player Launches on the Mac App Store, Free Upgrade for MacRumors Readers