Where To Download Lossless Music
Aug 6, 2014 at 7:58 AM Post #106 of 158
I found HDTracks a bit disappointing -- overpriced and somewhat overhyped. Some albums were duds at hi-res (e.g. Abbado/Berlin, Beethoven 9th), a few others sounded good (e.g. Susanne Abbuehl's The Gift, Gardot's The Absence).  Haven't tried other sites (see link below). But for me, ripping CDs to FLAC or WAV and playing them back on my BDP-1 and speakers, is bliss, next to playing the CDs themselves. Bottom line: it can be hard hearing substantial improvements on "hi-res" 24-bit files vs. 44KHz/16-bit. Maybe more "air". Just my opinion.
 
https://sites.google.com/site/audiomeisterssystem/buying-music
https://sites.google.com/site/audiomeisterssystem/buying-music/cd-ripping
 
Aug 6, 2014 at 8:10 AM Post #107 of 158
Ya..I ripped all my CDs onto a portable hard disk...lossless.
N I bring along for longer trips.
Otherwise I just load enough albums to kill that two hours lunch break. ..into the laptop.


+1 +1
 
My prescription for mobile audio heaven. Extra long flights... 
beerchug.gif

 
The IPOD DOUBLE DECKER
 

 
Oct 31, 2014 at 3:16 PM Post #108 of 158
Hei hei all, 
 
just following this thread now, great discussions & much appreciated, obviously I'm new, 
It's already come out in parts, but I've been doing a few of these purchases through (so far) Naim Audio and Linn, and one of the other details that's responsible for the extraordinarily high sound value from some sellers is the whole recording process that they went through (Naim and Linn amongst many others I'm sure)  - high performance in the whole process from placement of mics in recording, to all of the steps in handling/mixing/mastering etc., and that, I think, is why some people's FLACs are stunning and others sound worse than the commercially avail CDs.
 
One other note, I read a file that talked about someone doing a direct comparison (using the common ways of assessing the completeness of files in downloading/converting, md5 sums etc., not my specialty) and they found that taking a wav file and creating its flac, then converting back again gave exactly the same file based on those assessments. 
 
I emailed HDtracks and asked about their "masters", and they said that they purchase masters from the actual recording companies, but I'm sure there are some other sites selling files that list who knows what source. Once can only hope to find a master recorded/mastered by a professional, and then it will likely be at least reasonable. Other than that . . . 
 
Feb 21, 2015 at 6:33 PM Post #114 of 158
I see earlier on this thread a discussion about Melodishop. The reason they are able to sell the FLAC albums so inexpensively is the law. For example in Russia, they have what is called a compulsory artist license which sets the royalties paid to artists by law which are very low. The RIAA challenged the Russian law all the way to the Russian Supreme Court and lost. So while you are right the artists get little to nothing on the royalties it is perfectly legal in certain countries. Also note that Melodishop now accepts PayPal credit card payments so your credit card is safe to use.

The interesting legal question is whether it is legal to buy it in Russia and download it in say the US or EU. There lies the legal conundrum. While it would be legal to buy and download it in Russia for example whether the cross border download is legal is a bit of a legal gray area.
 
Feb 22, 2015 at 5:10 AM Post #115 of 158
I see earlier on this thread a discussion about Melodishop. The reason they are able to sell the FLAC albums so inexpensively is the law. For example in Russia, they have what is called a compulsory artist license which sets the royalties paid to artists by law which are very low. The RIAA challenged the Russian law all the way to the Russian Supreme Court and lost. So while you are right the artists get little to nothing on the royalties it is perfectly legal in certain countries. Also note that Melodishop now accepts PayPal credit card payments so your credit card is safe to use.

The interesting legal question is whether it is legal to buy it in Russia and download it in say the US or EU. There lies the legal conundrum. While it would be legal to buy and download it in Russia for example whether the cross border download is legal is a bit of a legal gray area.
Grey it is. You are right and because of that, what is not prohibited, that is allowed.
 
Feb 23, 2015 at 11:06 AM Post #116 of 158
  HDTracks  ---------->    https://www.hdtracks.com/
 
Beatport -------------->   https://www.beatport.com/en-US/html/content/home/detail/1/beatport#app=5663&a486-index=0
 
Rhino ------------------>  http://www.rhino.com/index.php
 
Music Is Here ------->   http://musicishere.com/
 
ADDICTECH -------->  http://www.addictech.com/store/
 
Junodownload ------>  http://www.junodownload.com/
 
MUSICZEIT ---------> http://www.musiczeit.com/
 
Magnatune ----------> http://magnatune.com/
 
Channel Classics----> http://www.channelclassics.com/
 
Hyperion---------------> http://www.hyperion-records.co.uk/
 
DG-----------------------> http://www.deutschegrammophon.com/
 
etree --------------------> http://bt.etree.org/
 
tapers ------------------> http://tapers.org/
 
archive ----------------> http://www.archive.org/details/etree
 
illegal art net----------> http://illegal-art.net/shop/
 
ALAC and FLAC files available here------------------> http://www.wewillneversaydie.com/homepage/
 
Alll Cd quality downloads--------------------------->http://www.qobuz.com/interprete/rihanna/telechargement-ecoute-albums                                                                http://www.qobuz.com/interprete/chris-brown/telechargement-ecoute-albums
 
Search engine for lossless downloads - http://flacme.com/
 
Band camp....Mendel ..... awesome metal band..lots of bass and speed..      http://mendelian.bandcamp.com/album/subliminal-colors
 
www.itrax.com
www.eclassical.com
 
DSD files here!    http://www.davidelias.com
 
www.naimlabel.com
www.analekta.com/en/
www.gubemusic.com/

 
Bowers & Wilkins Society Of Sound http://www.bowers-wilkins.com/Society_of_Sound/Overview.html
 
 
More DSD downloads  www.superhirez.com
 
http://www.mergerecords.com/store/
 
http://www.linnrecords.com/
 
http://www.naimlabel.com/
 
www.zunior.com
 
www.qobuz.com
 
www.musicme.com
 
http://www.eclassical.com/
 
http://bleep.com/
 
http://www.highdeftapetransfers.com/storefront.php
 
http://www.gimell.com/
 
http://www.mindawn.com/
 
http://www.pristineclassical.com/
 
www.boomkat.com
 
http://www.dacapo-records.dk/en/
 
http://crammed.greedbag.com/
 
http://www.passionato.com/
 
http://www.livephish.com/
 
http://www.dgmlive.com/
 
http://bluecoastrecords.com/
 
http://www.theclassicalshop.net/
 
http://www.hifitrack.com/en
 
http://www.hiresmusic.com/
 
http://www.2l.no/
 
http://cedillerecords.org/music/index.php


Change the beatport link to pro.beatport.com. Beatport is now attempting to become a music streaming service.
 
Dec 1, 2015 at 2:45 AM Post #120 of 158
  I found HDTracks a bit disappointing -- overpriced and somewhat overhyped. Some albums were duds at hi-res (e.g. Abbado/Berlin, Beethoven 9th), a few others sounded good (e.g. Susanne Abbuehl's The Gift, Gardot's The Absence).  Haven't tried other sites (see link below). But for me, ripping CDs to FLAC or WAV and playing them back on my BDP-1 and speakers, is bliss, next to playing the CDs themselves. Bottom line: it can be hard hearing substantial improvements on "hi-res" 24-bit files vs. 44KHz/16-bit. Maybe more "air". Just my opinion.
 
https://sites.google.com/site/audiomeisterssystem/buying-music
https://sites.google.com/site/audiomeisterssystem/buying-music/cd-ripping

 
I did some blind tests with my FiiO X3 and couldn't tell the difference between 24/96 and the same thing I downsampled with Voxengo r8brain to 16/44.1.  So if someone hears a difference, good for them, I couldn't hear it.  I'd rather spend $25 on the audiophile CD/hybrid SACD, or spend $10 or so on the standard CD if it sounds ok.
 

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