If you own one version of an album, does that give you the right to download other versions?

legal right? no... the law is quite clear on this... even downloading the exact same pressing that you own is technically illegal

is it morally wrong? depends... if the version you are downloading is out of print and no longer available new i see no issue with it personally

i'm not dropping $100+ for a long out of print version of something i already own when my only interest in that particular version is it's audio not it's collectible status

No, not even rights to download the same crappy version that you already have.

Let alone a different version.

Oops, wrong thread. 

No, it does not. But a lot of people on the sites I frequent seem to think so (in the comments: THANKS! I have this disc but I didn't want to rip it!.) I see it so often I just assume its stupid people trying to buffer themselves from the law.

No, but with all of the format changes, in a way what did the industry expect? I have had the same stuff in vinyl, cassette, CD, downloads and now, thankfully with streaming music off the internet, that is the last format. So no more changes.

ethically, i see nothing wrong with downloading the same version as you have on CD.

but, a different pressing?  no.  especially Mofi or other audiophile pressings.

Mofi are a boutique company that shells out a lot of dough to produce their CDs and vinyl.  and they charge a premium for them, naturally, just to turn a profit.

when you illegally download an MFSL album, you are only eroding the possibility that they'll be around in the future to properly master the brickwalled albums of today. 

Quote:

Originally Posted by TheWuss 

ethically, i see nothing wrong with downloading the same version as you have on CD.

but, a different pressing?  no.  especially Mofi or other audiophile pressings.

 

Mofi are a boutique company that shells out a lot of dough to produce their CDs and vinyl.  and they charge a premium for them, naturally, just to turn a profit.

 

when you illegally download an MFSL album, you are only eroding the possibility that they'll be around in the future to properly master the brickwalled albums of today. 

I agree.  

Also, I will frequently buy the vinyl version of an album, hoping that it will include a CD or a free mp3 download.  If it does not, my morals will usually allow me to download a digital copy of the album, rather than go to the trouble of digitizing the record (yes I'm lazy, but while taking care of two toddlers I also don't have the time).  I know this is not the legal route, but I don't see how it hurts anyone.  I think it's ridiculous to expect anyone to buy the same music/same master twice just so they can play it in different formats.

Quote:

Originally Posted by acidbasement 

I will frequently buy the vinyl version of an album, hoping that it will include a CD or a free mp3 download.  

yes.  the record labels that do this are tops in my book.

i remember buying a shellac album many moons ago... and it was the first vinyl i recall that included the CD for free.

i think that was just steve albini dissing the cd format at the time.  "vinyl is better.  so much better, in fact, that we'll toss the cd in free if you'll just buy the stinking record" ... 

Quote:

Originally Posted by TheWuss 

ethically, i see nothing wrong with downloading the same version as you have on CD.

but, a different pressing?  no.  especially Mofi or other audiophile pressings.

 

so what about those different pressings that are long out of print and making zero money for anyone but the person selling it on ebay at a massively inflated "collector" price?

say for example Dark Side of the Moon... i own it on vinyl, cassette, and the hybrid SACD is it morally wrong to download a lossless rip of the black triangle or the mfsl? both are very much out of print with very much inflated prices on ebay... but they both beat the CD layer of the hybrid disc (and i don't own a SACD player... funny how nobody let me know they were talking about the SACD layer when they said it was the best digital version)

i will confess to having downloaded a few OOP albums.  the more obscure, the more i'm able to rationalize it, i guess.

but, i approach it with a healthy amount of caution.  meaning, i have lines that i won't allow myself to cross.  such as downloading an album that is in print.

the other thing i do if downloading an OOP recording is keep a watch to see if it gets issued or reissued.

i always snag a legit copy if it gets issued.

I would go as far as to say that if you own a copy of any digital media in any format, you should be able to convert or obtain it in other formats.

Examples:

1. Kindle DX reading out-loud feature should not be controlled by publishers

2. Video DVD, I can watch it on any device, screen, ect. I choose. Most of the soundtrack may be on the disc, I have a right to access this too [the soundtrack]

3. My music has DRM on it, I payed to be able to listen to the music (iTunes). I am entitled to strip DRM off of any and all content that has to check with a server for permissions, because if the server shuts down, I can't get my money back. (Walmart did this)

4. I have a book, I can read it for free, as many times as I want, publicly even, if I don't charge. I can produce and download free audiobooks, assuming the creator does not wish to charge for their time.

5. My computer is old, or the DVD drive and monitor do not pass on copyright permissions. I purchased all of these legally, and will do everything I can to make it play, or become compatible.

none of these three CDs have the same audio content.

with each of them, some team of engineers worked for a week or two sweating out the details and arriving at a different master recording.

if you own one of these, you have the right to rip it to mp3, make a copy for back-up, etc...

but, you don't have the right to download the other two versions.

with books, the content is the content.

with music, it's simply not the case.

that's the rationale i use when downloading out of print albums.

but, unfortunately, it's still illegal.