Best PC application to sync music to Android phone

[Donald]

My goal is to maintain my music library on my PC and sync it to my Pixel phone. Sometimes play music on my PC. I know applications change over time. Years ago I think I used Itunes. I already have a lot of MP3 files on my PC. What is the best application on my PC to manage the music and sync to phone. On phone I will use (Google) Play Music. Unless there is something better for phone also.

We are not talking thousands of albums, maybe 100 to 200.

I typically buy a CD, convert to MP3 and go from there. The CD stays in a box.

 

[RooflessVW]

File explorer. Drag and drop them to your phone.

 

[earlyre]

there's google's own music manager.. runs in the background, uploads your library to your google account.

https://support.google.com/googleplaymusic/answer/1075570?hl=en

 

[Lolvoguy]

This is the reason why streaming services are becoming so popular.
For a monthly fee, they offer the latest commercial-free music, without the need to use cables/burn disks, download files etc.

Honestly, I really like being able to stream music via bluetooth to the Continental stereo I recently installed in the BMW.
It kinda feels strange to be able to use this technology on a car that was built before airbags were standard equipment on all cars in North America.

 

[Donald]

Originally Posted by Lolvoguy
This is the reason why streaming services are becoming so popular.
For a monthly fee, they offer the latest commercial-free music, without the need to use cables/burn disks, download files etc.

Honestly, I really like being able to stream music via bluetooth to the Continental stereo I recently installed in the BMW.
It kinda feels strange to be able to use this technology on a car that was built before airbags were standard equipment on all cars in North America.


Streaming music using cell phone data is expensive in GB of data per month. So the best solution I see is to download music to my phone.

 

[uc50ic4more]

I'd second the idea of just using your file manager. It's not an iPhone where you have to use Apple this and Apple that in order to do things Apple's way: Just plug the phone into your PC, where it will show up very much like a USB drive, and drag & drop whatever you want into the Music folder.

Edit: Although I suppose it would be nice if a desktop app could automatically re-encode the files at a pre-set lower bitrate to save space.

 

[Lolvoguy]

Originally Posted by Donald
Originally Posted by Lolvoguy
This is the reason why streaming services are becoming so popular.
For a monthly fee, they offer the latest commercial-free music, without the need to use cables/burn disks, download files etc.

Honestly, I really like being able to stream music via bluetooth to the Continental stereo I recently installed in the BMW.
It kinda feels strange to be able to use this technology on a car that was built before airbags were standard equipment on all cars in North America.


Streaming music using cell phone data is expensive in GB of data per month. So the best solution I see is to download music to my phone.

I wholeheartedly agree.
But with many cars being sold with built-in Wifi hotspot capabilities, this may be a non-issue in the coming years.

 

[Jimmy9190]

Originally Posted by uc50ic4more
I'd second the idea of just using your file manager. It's not an iPhone where you have to use Apple this and Apple that in order to do things Apple's way: Just plug the phone into your PC, where it will show up very much like a USB drive, and drag & drop whatever you want into the Music folder.

Edit: Although I suppose it would be nice if a desktop app could automatically re-encode the files at a pre-set lower bitrate to save space.


There is a good freeware convertor that will convert audio files down to lower bit rates, and you can choose whatever bit rate you want for the converted files:

https://www.mediahuman.com/audio-converter/

The convertor makes a copy of the file at the lower bit rate and drops them into a destination output folder that you set up and the convertor is super easy and fast to use. The convertor does not alter or delete the original file. I used it to convert some of my music that is encoded at 320 kbps and 256 vbr down to 128 kbps, it is a total of 192 folders at 10.2 GB. On my phone through a Bluetooth speaker there is no noticeable difference in sound quality. My phone only has 20GB of storage so the convertor did exactly what I needed.

 

[Wolf359]

Originally Posted by Lolvoguy
Originally Posted by Donald
Originally Posted by Lolvoguy
This is the reason why streaming services are becoming so popular.
For a monthly fee, they offer the latest commercial-free music, without the need to use cables/burn disks, download files etc.

Honestly, I really like being able to stream music via bluetooth to the Continental stereo I recently installed in the BMW.
It kinda feels strange to be able to use this technology on a car that was built before airbags were standard equipment on all cars in North America.


Streaming music using cell phone data is expensive in GB of data per month. So the best solution I see is to download music to my phone.

I wholeheartedly agree.
But with many cars being sold with built-in Wifi hotspot capabilities, this may be a non-issue in the coming years.


I use Spotify and you can download individual playlists to your phone or whatever device you're using. I do that with an apple ipod touch which I just leave in the car and when I need to sync it, I just do it via wifi. Even if your car has a built in wifi hotspot, you still need a data plan to go with that hotpsot.