Does Buying Songs From ITunes Improve Sound Quality?

Are you buying them in apple lossless or the 256 aac?

If it's the 256kbps aac, you probably wont be able to tell the difference between those and the 320kbps mp3 rips. Lossless on the other hand, might yield an increase in quality, but it'll be tough to hear the differences as well.

Simply put, don't bother. Difference or not, it's much too small to want to buy the music all over again. Start ripping to lossless, if you want.

Why not go with CDs ? You can control what ever compression you want and you can have more than one copy. With iTunes you are stuck with the same format. Not to mention you can also get some albums for a lot less on CD compared to iTunes.

Ripping from CD's is best (i think) especially if they are Re-mastered or SACD. Ive got 70%+ in 320kbps.

Quote:

Originally Posted by cifani090 

especially if they are Re-mastered

That depends on the remaster. It doesn't always mean remastered for the better. Specialty audiophile remasters will usually be better, not all mass market remasters.

I will buy CDs and rip to lossless until the day iTunes offers an ALAC option. I also check certain artists discography's for vinyl releases, and although I've bought the CD, 'acquire' a lossless version of the LP if possible, as they nearly always have been mastered by a different person and sound better, as unfortunately many things these days are made to sound good from low-fi rather than hi-fi sources (see LFF's posting for more detailed info). I tend not to purchase or get copies of most modern remasters in terms of the music I listen to (i.e. much of it not 'audiophile', although I do always read up online just in case it's an improvement.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Head Injury 

That depends on the remaster. It doesn't always mean remastered for the better. Specialty audiophile remasters will usually be better, not all mass market remasters.

True, and tell you the truth it's not that its "better", its that it sounds "different." I mean i download music and part of the complication will be unreleased music by the artist and re-mastered music and i prefer to keep that as its a lot clearer and IMO better, But sometimes yo just buy or download an album thats remastered and you dont always know what happen exactly to it.