[shawntp]

Finally ...this is great news:
http://www.macrumors.com/2007/04/02/...ence-coverage/

 

[Morph201]

Awesome! that's definitely a step in the right direction!!

 

[Calroth]

I was tuned into the conference call. Read the summary, then read below.

One little fact that they mentioned that doesn't appear in the summary (you have to dig into EMI's press release): "Complete albums from EMI Music artists purchased on the iTunes Store will automatically be sold at the higher sound quality and DRM-free, with no change in the price."

 

[cooperpwc]

Actually this is huge. I stopped buying from iTunes Store because of quality concerns as well the inability to use the songs with Foobar and Rockbox (although I can still get around that legally in Canada with the right software). With this, should it emerge, I will again consider such purchases. AAC256 is pretty good - should be at least as good as Lame V2 new vbr.

 

[biged]

It is about time!

I like the fact you can upgrade your previous purchases to 256 AAC.

Ed

 

[AndrewFischer]

Despite the rumors and Steve Job's open letter, I never though this would happen. Yes this is huge. I'm ready to review what Apple is selling through the music store. To date 3/4 of my iTunes library is from CDs.

 

[FunnyPhunny]

anyone paticulaly psyched at the fact that files bought from the store can be upgraded for 30 cents each?

 

[vo328]

I couldn't see an easy way in iTunes to see how many of my songs might be from EMI. Anyone know an easy way to do this?

 

[zippy2001]

This is wonderful news, I hope that the other majors follow suit.

 

[potatotron]

To be honest, I find it very surprising that anyone on this site has any iTunes music at all.

 

[Jon L]

Man, you guys are easy to please.

256 kbps for $1.30 a song.

Redbook ranges in 1000 kbps range.

When DRM-free lossless downloads are offered at $1.30 or less is when I will be excited.

 

[AndrewFischer]

Quote:

Originally Posted by potatotron /img/forum/go_quote.gif To be honest, I find it very surprising that anyone on this site has any iTunes music at all.

I have many many Cds ripped into iTunes.
About half are Apple lossless. The rest are 256K AAC. I have dozens of albums purchased from the music store. There a many times it is just easier to download album for $10. Now that we can get it at 256K and DRM free, I'm just that much more likely to download.

256kbs aac really isn't bad. Not perfect but not bad either. Much better than the mp3 crap that most cheapskates are stealing.

 

[Solitary1]

This is good news even though I hardly ever buy from iTms. As someone else said, a step in the right direction.

 

[Calroth]

I think this will be a good opportunity for a li'l ABX testing. Save a track from EMI at 128Kbit, get it upgraded to 256Kbit, burn both to CD, then pump into foobar2000...

 

[AndrewFischer]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jon L /img/forum/go_quote.gif Man, you guys are easy to please. 256 kbps for $1.30 a song. Redbook ranges in 1000 kbps range. When DRM-free lossless downloads are offered at $1.30 or less is when I will be excited.

Perhaps you've missed the real point. Apple has negotiated a DRM-free deal with a major record company. The Big Five have long refused to do this. Now that EMI has agreed, deals with Universal, Warner, BMG and maybe even Sony can't be that far off.

For me, the DRM hassle has been one of the main reasons I don't buy more music from the iTunes Store.

There is no reason to offer uncompressed downloads. I suspect consumer acceptance is the main reason Apple isn't offering Lossless compression instead of 256kbs. Time to download, sync time, PC storage and iPod disk usage. An iPod Mini fills up darn fast with AppleLossless music.


I'm sure Apple did more than a few surveys and focus groups. In a world where poor quality bootleg .mp3 has become the accepted norm, professionally compressed 256kbps AAC is vastly better.

Apple will start offering lossless compressed downloads when the mainstream technology supports it. 40GB iPod mini should do it.