XLD, short for X Lossless Decoder is an awesome audio converter that I stumbled upon a while back. It supports a lot of file formats (including the lesser-known FLAC, OGG, APE, WV, and TTA), and can convert them without any quality loss. What sets XLD apart, though, is the speed. XLD can convert huge, lossless quality FLAC files (30MB+) to iTunes-compatible M4A files in just a few seconds, or up to 50x real time. It’s also a fully functional CD Ripper and burner. Heck, it can even create cue sheets for CDs. Another added bonus that sets XLD apart is that it comes with a fully-functional command line tool. If you’re in need of a nice audio converter or a solution to play FLAC files in iTunes, look no further. XLD is your solution–I’ve never seen a faster converter.

Rating: 5/5. A plethora of options and unmatched encoding speeds.

Developer site:
TMKK.HP.InfoSeek.co.jp/XLD/Index_E.html

GimmeSomeTune is an old classic in the world of Mac freeware. It’s kind of like Growl for iTunes, but much more. You can fetch and add artwork and lyrics within the app, add a rating, and do tons of other neat things. It has a nice little HUD-based window where all of the song info can be seen, and an insane amount of preferences. Also, it just sits in your menu bar, like many iTunes control apps. Last.fm support is an added plus.

Rating: 4.5/5. Replaces TotalTunesControl nicely, but still has some minor bugs and kinks to work out.

Developer site:
EternalStorms.at/GimmeSomeTune

StepMania is one of the coolest free cross-platform games ever. It’s essentially exactly the same as Dance Dance Revolution, except with tons more songs (which can be made by the users), and a huge fan base. Now, if it sounds dull to play DDR with a keyboard, you’re right. It really is. But, StepMania takes it a step further (no pun intended) and lets you plug in a dance pad via USB. This way you can actually dance to really any song you want. StepMania has been around for a while, and keeps getting better. Simply put, this game is a blast. I might add that you need a pretty good knowledge of computers to play StepMania.

Rating: 4.5/5. Lags from time to time, but who cares?

Developer site:
StepMania.com

CeltX is an amazing media writing application. You can edit movie and play scripts, screenplays, podcasts, and of course, plain text. It’s extremely well-developed, and perfect for anyone into theater and arts. It’s surprising that CeltX is still free.

Rating: 5/5. Tons of cool features, great text editing. How is this still free?

Developer site: CeltX.com

MacTheRipper is a Handbrake-like DVD ripper for Mac. It essentially copies your DVDs to your Mac for you to burn again. In other words, Handbrake should be used for copying DVDs to an iPod, and MacTheRipper should be used for copying DVDs to your computer and burning them to another DVD (generally, not always). It can even get past the copy protection.

Rating: 4.5/5. I still prefer Handbrake, but this one’s still very fast.

Developer site: MacTheRipper.org

YamiPod is an awesome iPod manager that can actually run on your iPod. It lets you delete songs without syncing to iTunes, and do many other cool things with your iPod. This is the app I’ve been looking for since I got my first iPod.

Rating: 4.5/5. Some people say it’s not perfect, but I love it all the same.

Developer site: YamiPod.com

Max is an excellent CD and DVD-burning app for Mac. It has tons of codecs available, and was created by a well known audio-buff (known as Sbooth). This is a very impressive app, complete with Growl support. It’s even open source, so you can see how he made it! This app is amazing, and is a staple in the Mac audio community.

Rating: 5/5. Amazing. Works fast and looks great.

Developer site: Sbooth.org/Max

SiriusMac is a free Sirius satellite radio player for Mac. It has a clean, shiny interface, and is under frequent development. The only catch is that you have to have a Sirius Satellite Radio Subscription. For those of you have one, this app is perfect for your Mac.

Rating: 4.5/5. Big interface, but it looks nice anyway.

Developer site: SiriusMac.com

Update: The developer is now charging $8 for this app. Goodbye, TotalTunesControl!

TotalTunes Control is an awesome iTunes controller that pops up in a transparent window when you call for it. It works really well and has tons of options (even from its tiny window and menu bar interface)! Absolutely amazing.

Rating: 5/5. Perfect.

Developer site: Eagle-Of-Liberty.com/TotalTunesControl

ToolPlayer is a cool little audio app that plays audio files on a low profile display. It uses those pretty little black-ish windows (like Quick Look’s window). It also lets you mess around with all sorts of options (pitch, EQ, tempo, etc). Great app, perfect for playing a quick song or making changes to it. ToolPlayer also supports many common file formats.

Rating: 5/5. This app just keeps getting better and better!

Developer site: AleNofX.Netsons.org