[bhd812]

After getting the standard "your library is over 25000" message, iTunes had me sign in then proceeded to scan my library (step one of the three used by iTunes match) of 46600 songs. The cloud symbols also show in my main library.
 
I am still one step one, anyone else try this?

 

[aamefford]

After a bunch of reading and trying to decide, I dove in today.  I had planned to downsample my entire library of lossless files into a separate library to use on our iphones, as we went with the 16 gb versions.  I have a laptop/dacport and a 64 gb touch 4G/pico slim for lossless files when I want them portably.  I would be using the phones for only on the go, with either Yuin PK3's or the dreaded ibuds (not that bad when you are working around the house, need to hear other things, and might need to answer the phone).
 
It turns out that match downsamples to (or replaces with) 256 kbs files.  Good enough for the iphones.  So far, it seems to work pretty well.  @bhd812, I wouldn't be surprised if you are STILL uploading a bunch of your library.  I started last night, and it is still uploading, and I only had a couple thousand that needed to upload.
 
There are a few odd glitches, but for the most part, it is working for what I intended it for.  If you "need" lossless quality no matter what you are listening to, or where, well, skip match.  If you can live with what I consider quite good to excellent lossy quality (I've experimented a bit, I think I can tell a difference up to 320 kbs.  *think* I can...) for on the go listening, match is darned convenient.  If you opted for the 16 gb storage on your iphone, it is brilliant.
 
If you are not an itunes user, well what are reading this for!

 

[DarkAudit]

Out of nearly 18,000 tracks, I matched close to 14,000. A fair number of the uploaded tracks simply aren't available via the iTunes store. Like the first three Black Sabbath albums.
 
What bugs me is how I get one track uploaded off of an album when a dozen others are matched.

 

[aamefford]

Quote:

Out of nearly 18,000 tracks, I matched close to 14,000. A fair number of the uploaded tracks simply aren't available via the iTunes store. Like the first three Black Sabbath albums.
 
What bugs me is how I get one track uploaded off of an album when a dozen others are matched.

Yeah, I don't get that part.  I from reading a Macworld article, it seems that match just doesn't grab everthing the first time.  I think you can force match to try again.  I'll try it out once everything uploads....  So far, it works great for what I want it for.  I bet it works great for the "other 99%" of the world.

 

[DarkAudit]

I've got a number of albums to go through, but I'm finding a few are bonus tracks that are either "album only" through the iTunes store, or just aren't available. Good example is ABBA's The Definitive Collection. The album isn't available through iTunes, but the individual tracks are, so iTunes Match will build the album from that. Since the bonus tracks are only available off that particular album, they end up uploaded instead of matched.
 
Same goes for In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida. The first three tracks are on a best of album, and the full title track is matched but unavailable for purchase. Are You Happy? isn't available in the store, so it uploads. 

 

[aamefford]

Wow - Big time battery hog on the iphone.  I think the only way to really use it will be to load up a playlist with most everything I want on the phone, and scroll to the bottom, hit download all, and plug it in.  Whenever the phone is unplugged, shut off match until the playlist loads up.  From there, adding and deleting a few things as one desires won't be so bad.  Right now, I went from 100% to 28% in 3 or 4 hours.  That is a deal killer for actually using the phone as a phone, and having match active.  Time will tell...

 

[DarkAudit]

Quote:

Wow - Big time battery hog on the iphone.  I think the only way to really use it will be to load up a playlist with most everything I want on the phone, and scroll to the bottom, hit download all, and plug it in.  Whenever the phone is unplugged, shut off match until the playlist loads up.  From there, adding and deleting a few things as one desires won't be so bad.  Right now, I went from 100% to 28% in 3 or 4 hours.  That is a deal killer for actually using the phone as a phone, and having match active.  Time will tell...

Which phone and provider? With the 4S and AT&T I'm using at most 1/3 of my battery in an 8-hour work shift. I can get a good 4 hours or of music in once the first chores are done. I  have match up and downloading tracks as needed. I use the wifi connection instead of AT&T's network whenever possible.
 
My HTC Evo 4G would burn through almost an entire charge every night just idling and checking twitter every 45 minutes or so at the same location and connection.