New to all this asking for advice?

[Asterisk]

Hi all,

A couple of years ago I used Ipod and Itunes.  Then the Ipod broke and I got out of mp3 players for awhile.  When I got back interested in using a DAP, I decided I didn't like Apple or Itunes.  So I'm looking for another DAP, and software to manage my music.  My questions are about Musicbee, but for my questions I need to say that budget means I'm looking right now at buying Cowon Plenue D (not D2) or Xduoo X3ii.  Thanks for sticking through the background, here are my questions:

If I use MusicBee, will it let me make playlists that my DAP will recognize and follow?

If I use MusicBee, and use any sound features on it like an EQ, will my dap override /ignore the MusicBee settings or crash?

If I use MusicBee on my desktop, will it let me specify random play within genres like Jazz?  

Thanks for taking the time to read this and also if you can help me out!

[phred]

So I'm looking for another DAP, and software to manage my music.

The software to manage is MusicBee. It is mainly a music -manager.- It is also a music player

Deciding on a DAP can involve a lot of trial and error and purchases and returns.
https://getmusicbee.com/forum/index.php?topic=26726.0

If I use MusicBee, will it let me make playlists that my DAP will recognize and follow?

MB can create playlists (both static and auto) in many formats but whether the DAP can play them depends on the specs of the DAP. Some require playlists to be in a specific format. You'll have to sync them from MB to the DAP.

If I use MusicBee, and use any sound features on it like an EQ, will my dap override /ignore the MusicBee settings or crash?

MB's EQ and other sound 'enhancers' are on MB's player only. The one exception I can think of is volume normalizatio, which some DAPs will recognize and some won't.

If I use MusicBee on my desktop, will it let me specify random play within genres like Jazz?  

You can shuffle anything. You can select a genre and shuffle it. You can select an artist and shuffle it. You can select a decade or year and shuffle it.
 
I suggest you take a look through the Wiki to get familiar with some of the hundreds of things MB can do.

And you may as well download the portable version and start playing with it to see if it's what you're looking for. It's free. But don't install the portable in any Windows-controlled directory. Use something like C:\MusicBee if you only have one partition.

[Asterisk]

Thanks so much!  That was incredibly helpful.  I'm grateful for your reply.

[phred]

Glad to be of service.