With free music players available, Magix MP3 Maker is not only different, but has the audacity to charge money.

Is it really worth the cost? Firstly, it will play and record all the major file formats, including WMA, AAC and even OGG, without modification. Secondly the music finder software, which Magix calls Mufin, has now been integrated into MP3 Maker. All your tracks are analysed and playlists automatically created based on style.

It’s a good way of matching a mood and rediscovering forgotten tracks, and there is no limit to the length of playlists. There are also presets allowing you to compile a playlist to fit a CD or DVD. Playlists can also be transferred to a portable media player, although we had to create a folder structure manually. Unlike rival Roxio Creator, if you burn to a DVD no user interface is included.

Tracks can be browsed by location or by track information and the current playlist is always on display, while directories of online radio stations and podcasts are regularly updated. A DJ console allows you to mix tracks by matching their tempo. This speed of each track is detected automatically, but when we tested the fully automatic DJ it adjusted most tracks beyond comfortable levels.

One major frustration with previous versions of MP3 Maker remains, however, namely its inability to use the media control buttons on a keyboard. MP3 Maker 14 is loaded with features and it’s these that justify the asking price compared to the free alternatives such as Windows Media Player and iTunes.

The DJ console is a little specialised, but the Mufin track-generation tool would suit anyone with a large, and mostly forgotten, music collection.