Amazon.com MP3 Downloads
Sep 25, 2007 at 5:47 PM Thread Starter Post #1 of 24

wolfen68

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I see that today Amazon is now offering DRM-free mp3 downloads.

According to the site, the mp3's offered are 256 VBR or CBR mp3 files. This sounds too good to be true...any catches here that anyone's aware of? I want regular old mp3 I can use anytime with zero restrictions....this would be a great way to pick up a few of those oddball tunes that have escaped me over the years.

P.S.- I'm surprised this hasn't already been discussed on Head-fi...
 
Sep 25, 2007 at 6:31 PM Post #2 of 24
From the website

"Bit Rate: Where possible, we encode our MP3 files using variable bitrates for maximum audio quality and smaller file sizes, aiming at an average of 256 kilobits per second (kbps). Using a variable bitrate allows us to allocate a higher bitrate to the more complex sections of music files while using a smaller bitrate for the less complex sections. The average of these rates is then calculated to produce an average bit rate for the entire file that represents the overall sound quality. Some of our content is encoded using a constant bitrate of 256 kbps. This content will have the same excellent audio quality at a slightly larger file size."

and:

"Are there any restrictions on how I use the music I purchase?

When you make a purchase from the Amazon MP3 Music Downloads store, you are also accepting and bound by the Amazon MP3 Music Downloads Terms of Use. The albums and songs you purchase from Amazon MP3 Music Downloads are free of Digital Rights Management software so that you have the flexibility to play them on any of your media players and computers or burn them to CD."


So no catch really. Good prices for the most part too.

You can search by price. There are a ton of great jazz releases for under 4 bucks. Unlike itunes, albums under 10 tracks are still only 99 cents per track. Albums with just a few tracks are just a few bucks.
 
Sep 25, 2007 at 7:42 PM Post #4 of 24
I think this is a great option for people who don't want to deal with ITunes. It would be pretty cool if The Beatles showed up here first. Let's just hope it catches on and Amazon expands their inventory. They're probably one of the few sites that will actually be able to give ITunes a run for its money.
 
Sep 25, 2007 at 8:58 PM Post #5 of 24
Yeah, I'm pretty excited about non-DRM and 256kbps. Their collection does seem pretty good so far. I'll be getting some more Pink Floyd tonight.
 
Sep 25, 2007 at 10:05 PM Post #6 of 24
So I stopped resisting and downloaded something to test this out. I bought Röyksopp's "Remind Me" EP (for $2.77 as opposed to iTunes' $3.49).

It was encoded at 256k VBR with Lame v.3.97. Sounds pretty good to me.

No real hitches except for the fact that you have to use the Amazon download manager, similar to eMusic if you've used it. I'm sure there's a reason for this, but I can't figure it out. The best part, however, is that there's a Linux client in development - WOOT!

It seems like not all labels are on board with this, unfortunately, as I could not find some classic albums like Kind of Blue.
 
Sep 25, 2007 at 10:43 PM Post #8 of 24
Quote:

Originally Posted by goldenratiophi /img/forum/go_quote.gif
So I stopped resisting and downloaded something to test this out. I bought Röyksopp's "Remind Me" EP (for $2.77 as opposed to iTunes' $3.49).

It was encoded at 256k VBR with Lame v.3.97. Sounds pretty good to me.

No real hitches except for the fact that you have to use the Amazon download manager, similar to eMusic if you've used it. I'm sure there's a reason for this, but I can't figure it out. The best part, however, is that there's a Linux client in development - WOOT!

It seems like not all labels are on board with this, unfortunately, as I could not find some classic albums like Kind of Blue.



I noticed that emusic uses LAME as well. It is truly amazing that a freeware encoder like LAME is being used by such large organizations. Kudos to the devs!
 
Sep 25, 2007 at 10:57 PM Post #9 of 24
Quote:

Originally Posted by gtp /img/forum/go_quote.gif
I noticed that emusic uses LAME as well. It is truly amazing that a freeware encoder like LAME is being used by such large organizations. Kudos to the devs!


IIRC, eMusic is a few versions behind in LAME, making Amazon better in that respect.
 
Sep 25, 2007 at 11:11 PM Post #10 of 24
So unfair. . . it's restricted to US customers only
frown.gif


I don't understand the reasoning behind it. I can buy CDs from Amazon.com for the same price as anyone else - but because I'm in the UK, I can't download anything from the mp3 section. I can see some odd tracks from different albums calling out to me, but I can't do anything.

It doesn't help that I got an e-mail from .com 'inviting' me to take advantage of the new facility, and it doesn't look like Amazon.co.uk is going to be following suit
mad.gif
mad.gif


Is it feasible that the whole Amazon catalogue might be available for download in the future? Or just selected albums?
 
Sep 25, 2007 at 11:22 PM Post #11 of 24
Quote:

Originally Posted by soozieq /img/forum/go_quote.gif
So unfair. . . it's restricted to US customers only
frown.gif


I don't understand the reasoning behind it. I can buy CDs from Amazon.com for the same price as anyone else - but because I'm in the UK, I can't download anything from the mp3 section. I can see some odd tracks from different albums calling out to me, but I can't do anything.

It doesn't help that I got an e-mail from .com 'inviting' me to take advantage of the new facility, and it doesn't look like Amazon.co.uk is going to be following suit
mad.gif
mad.gif


Is it feasible that the whole Amazon catalogue might be available for download in the future? Or just selected albums?



That sucks, but after all it's a first-day "beta."
 
Sep 26, 2007 at 12:19 AM Post #12 of 24
Quote:

Originally Posted by goldenratiophi /img/forum/go_quote.gif
IIRC, eMusic is a few versions behind in LAME, making Amazon better in that respect.


V3.96 for my emusic downloads, and apparently V3.97 for Amazon. Better? I don't think anyone would be able to distinguish between these two versions at 256kbps.
 
Sep 26, 2007 at 1:02 AM Post #13 of 24
Quote:

Originally Posted by gtp /img/forum/go_quote.gif
V3.96 for my emusic downloads, and apparently V3.97 for Amazon. Better? I don't think anyone would be able to distinguish between these two versions at 256kbps.


Hmm, I swear when I was subscribed they were in the 2.x versions...

wait, that was already an entire year ago? woah....
 
Sep 26, 2007 at 1:36 AM Post #15 of 24
Quote:

Originally Posted by goldenratiophi /img/forum/go_quote.gif
So I stopped resisting and downloaded something to test this out. I bought Röyksopp's "Remind Me" EP (for $2.77 as opposed to iTunes' $3.49).

It was encoded at 256k VBR with Lame v.3.97. Sounds pretty good to me.



Encoded in Lame....now Amazon is really speaking my language! I'll try getting a tune now...

BTW, I think the download manager is only needed if you order entire albums (as opposed to single tracks).
 

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