Chesky Launches High-Resolution Download Store

[kejar31]

ok guys I just saw this on Stereophile. HDtracks looks really cool!

 

[krmathis]

Ah, nice!
Great to see that more record labels put up high-resolution music for download.

 

[mcmurray]

I was getting excited until I noticed that most of the music on there is CD quality, with 24bit files to come soon. Since when has 44.1/16 been high resolution?

Still, it's good to see more high res become available in FLAC format.

 

[Denver Max]

I'm glad to see someone trying to move in this direction. However, I will still stick to buying hard copies of everything, even if I have to pay sales tax and a couple extra bucks on every album for the "real thing."

 

[jilgiljongiljing]

While I was happy to read that we can finally get High res downloads. Who are all these artists? Can anyone recommend any of the albums available in the rock or blues section just for a trial?

 

[mcmurray]

Quote:

Originally Posted by jilgiljongiljing /img/forum/go_quote.gif While I was happy to read that we can finally get High res downloads. Who are all these artists? Can anyone recommend any of the albums available in the rock or blues section just for a trial?

Buckethead - 'Kaleidoscalp' is on there. However it's only in cd quality and it's available everywhere in the US anyway.

 

[Rlynn]

Someone listens! This is the first site for classical music I've seen that has what I'd buy: CD quality, liner notes, and a price less then retail. Lots of contemporary classical labels here. If more of their catalogs are put up, this could get very expensive. Just too easy.

Note: Chandos has a great service also, but the weak dollar makes it prohibitive for US customers.

 

[Manny Calavera]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Denver Max /img/forum/go_quote.gif I'm glad to see someone trying to move in this direction. However, I will still stick to buying hard copies of everything, even if I have to pay sales tax and a couple extra bucks on every album for the "real thing."

Agreed,I hate the Itunes store for some of the above reasons.Now if they started selling files ALAC,I might consider making some of my purchases there.

Even Amazons 256Kbs CBR is too low.Its a step in the right direction I guess.Something about owning a physical copy just has me won over.and likely always will.I found a site the other day that offered MP3 192,MP3 320,and FLAC,as well as vinyl and CD,but now cant find it.

They seemed to have just about all genres too !

 

[NiceCans]

This is definately a move in the right direction, and we need more sites like this.

Unfortunately I would likely never purchase a download there as their prices are too close to the 'sale price' I can get elsewhere for the physical CD.
I just feel that since there is no item to manufacture, package, warehouse, distribute, ship, or stock, that the prices should be appreciably lower than purchasing a physical CD.
If I am to pay close to the same price I want to have the physical CD.

Am I being short-sighted, or do others feel the same?

 

[ralphp@optonline]

Quote:

Originally Posted by NiceCans /img/forum/go_quote.gif This is definately a move in the right direction, and we need more sites like this. Unfortunately I would likely never purchase a download there as their prices are too close to the 'sale price' I can get elsewhere for the physical CD. I just feel that since there is no item to manufacture, package, warehouse, distribute, ship, or stock, that the prices should be appreciably lower than purchasing a physical CD. If I am to pay close to the same price I want to have the physical CD. Am I being short-sighted, or do others feel the same?

Exactly my feelings. Why is a downloaded file with no artwork, no plastic CD case, etc. the same price as a physical CD? The music industry is always crying about how much money they are losing because of illegal downloading but when it comes to making the music available for legal downloading the industry shows it's true color - [size=small]green for greed[/size].

 

[JohnFerrier]

Something like this is the future, but I agree the prices seem high. I also like booklets that come with discs. Thanks to the OP.


.

 

[grawk]

Companies do things to make money. Chesky is one of the good guys. They try and make money by making good sounding recordings marketted to people who appreciate that.

 

[scompton]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Denver Max /img/forum/go_quote.gif I'm glad to see someone trying to move in this direction. However, I will still stick to buying hard copies of everything, even if I have to pay sales tax and a couple extra bucks on every album for the "real thing."

Quote:

Originally Posted by NiceCans /img/forum/go_quote.gif This is definately a move in the right direction, and we need more sites like this. Unfortunately I would likely never purchase a download there as their prices are too close to the 'sale price' I can get elsewhere for the physical CD. I just feel that since there is no item to manufacture, package, warehouse, distribute, ship, or stock, that the prices should be appreciably lower than purchasing a physical CD. If I am to pay close to the same price I want to have the physical CD. Am I being short-sighted, or do others feel the same?

They offer AIFF and FLAC, both lossless. You can download and burn to a CD. It includes liner notes, so you can even print those out.

Quote:

Originally Posted by mcmurray /img/forum/go_quote.gif I was getting excited until I noticed that most of the music on there is CD quality, with 24bit files to come soon. Since when has 44.1/16 been high resolution? Still, it's good to see more high res become available in FLAC format.

Where can you get higher than CD quality now? The only lossless downloads I've seen are all CD quality, if they mention anything but format.

As I said in another thread, this web site looks like it's going to be expensive for me.

Too much good music that I've never heard of before. I was browsing threw the Tzadik section and heard a lot I liked.

 

[The Actual]

Quote:

Originally Posted by NiceCans /img/forum/go_quote.gif This is definately a move in the right direction, and we need more sites like this. Unfortunately I would likely never purchase a download there as their prices are too close to the 'sale price' I can get elsewhere for the physical CD. I just feel that since there is no item to manufacture, package, warehouse, distribute, ship, or stock, that the prices should be appreciably lower than purchasing a physical CD. If I am to pay close to the same price I want to have the physical CD. Am I being short-sighted, or do others feel the same?

My understanding is that most of the money spent creating an album is during the recording period. The actual disk, jewel case and liner notes might cost some cents or a dollar, but an extra 8-14 dollars for the artist and record label is even more important.

Music is not a commodity. Every song is unique and special to the creator. I think it makes sense to charge close to the CD cost for digital downloads. Furthermore creating new infrastructure for digital stores must be expensive so it might not even be too much cheaper for the retailer to sell digital copies than CDs.


That being said, I always buy physical CDs myself. I like to have the physical copy as a backup, plus the experience of opening a CD, looking at the disc art, tray art and liner notes cannot be replicated on a computer.

 

[mcmurray]

Where can you get higher than CD quality now? The only lossless downloads I've seen are all CD quality, if they mention anything but format.
QUOTE]

Linn records have studio master 24bit downloads, check it out;
Linn Records

There is a freeware program somewhere that lets you burn 24bit audio onto a DVD-Video disc (24bit audio is part of the DVD spec). I'll try and find it later and post it here.