Digital Music

**Wayde** · **07-13-06, 01:06 PM**

I'm fishing for opinions here.

What could digital online music services do better? What could they do for you that would make you more likely to join them?

Granted they could be cheaper. Does anyone here currently use a digital music subscriber service like Yahoo Music, Napster etc? If so, what kinds of features would you to see? What could be made easier?

Thanks

**JCD** · **07-13-06, 03:36 PM**

The one thing that I'd like to see is just the ability to easily buy a single song. Itunes does a fair job of that, but to get to that point with Yahoo, Napster, etc was frustrating as could be.

JCD

**Sonnie** · **07-13-06, 06:13 PM**

I don't think there is anything they could do to get me to join... I've got about all the music I care for and can't listen to all of it. The new music todat that's being produced and recorded ain't worth downloading to me... it ain't worth paying for. It seems like the days of the good ole bands and artist are gone. This is me getting old I suppose. My parents use to tell me the same thing back when I was a teenager... "Why you listen to that crap?" lol... what can I say. My next CD will probably David Gilmour, but I'll want the orginal CD... not the downloaded version.

**Josuah** · **07-13-06, 06:39 PM**

I actually bought a lot of tracks off the iTMS until I did a comparison of redbook to 128Kbps AAC. Now I won't buy tracks because of the compression loss. Otherwise, there's nothing I find wrong with the iTMS, as I can easily remove the DRM and do whatever I want with it.

**Wayde** · **07-13-06, 09:06 PM**

In honor Syd Barret I just listened to some Pink Floyd tonight. I realized my Wish You Were disc is missing though, that ticks me off!

128 bit mp3 is a drag. I've done head to head comparisons with them and the redbook on my stereo and there is no comparison, it's not even close.

**Danny** · **07-13-06, 11:52 PM**

I still think the biggest problem with downloading music is the compression. If it was available in wav or flac files I might consider it but for now I'll just stick with the CD

**ironhead1230** · **07-14-06, 08:34 AM**

I would look for an option for uncompressed audio with no DRM. Yes it is a simple matter to bypass the current DRM methods, but I don't think I should have to and it is technically breaking the law. As the RIAA will never let this happen, I guess I am stuck buying the occassional massively overpriced CD.

-Mike
"Fortunately, I'm adhering to a pretty strict, uh, drug, uh, regimen to keep my mind, you know, uh, limber."

**Wayde** · **07-14-06, 09:19 AM**

Well Dany and Ironhead you're both in luck!

There is a service known as AllOfMP3.com that sells music with exactly what you're looking for.

You get to choose your downloaded bitrate and many of the selections can even choose FLAC, OGG and other lossless formats. Personally I am happy with the 320bit MP3s I get from AllOfMP3.

The best things about AllOfMP3 is NO DRM, EVER! And it's cheap as hell. Is 99cents a song a good deal? How about the entire album in 320 bit MP3 for about two bucks? You pay at a rate that charges you for the amount of data you download. AllOfMP3 is an awesome deal. Oh, this is not spam by the way, I'm no shill for these guys. I think they're so cheap because it's Russian.

Why should WallMart and Target have all the fun? Make the global economy work for you!

Here is a feature I wrote up awhile back on digital music services.

**Ayreonaut** · **07-14-06, 10:00 AM**

Yes, lossless is a definite must. If I were to buy a lossy rip I'd know I was missing something.

Where is the classical library? These download services never have the classical stuff I go looking for.

**Josuah** · **07-14-06, 02:54 PM**

AllOfMP3.com is only legal for you to purchase from if you are living in Russia. And it happens to be not illegal to remove the DRM from songs purchased off the iTMS. It's one of the allowed behaviors, IIRC. It's been a long time, but I think the options are to convert it to a different digital format or burn to CD at which point it is legal for you to re-import.

Maybe I need to re-read the Terms of Use.

**GreggP** · **08-25-06, 02:48 PM**

You might also consider Magnatune. They are kind of like a new record label that offers their artist's music in a variety of digital formats (including lossless). Hopefully we will see more labels like this in the future.

Another possible source that sounds very promising is MusicGiants. They plan to offer high resolution multichannel audio this fall. Maybe they will provide an alternative to DVD-Audio and SACD that can easily be played from our PCs.

**Wayde** · **08-25-06, 02:51 PM**

Good stuff guys. Thanks a lot. I like the suggestions.

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