[Nilosaur]

I'm looking into subscribing for a music service and was wondering which has the highest quality files? I'm not too concerned about the file types.

 

[Squirsier]

I personally enjoy eMusic.com quite a lot. Their library is huge, and they have a ton of music that's in my favorite genre, "electronic".

Their format is 320k VBR mp3s.

 

[clarke68]

Rhapsody is 160kbps WMAs.

I haven't used MusicGiants, and they're not a monthly subscription service, but they offer "Super HD" downloads which, according to their marketing materials, are "encoded at a much higher quality than a normal lossless audio track".

FWIW...I tend to think of the download services as big sampling opportunities...diverse musical buffets, if you will...where quantity trumps quality: I'd focus more on which service has music you like. I like Rhapsody...160kbps is fine considering the "all-you-can-eat" nature of their offerings, and the depth/breadth of their catalog. eMusic focuses more on independent artists & labels, and as such has music that you can't find anywhere else.

 

[Philimon]

Do any of these monthly subscription services allow you to transfer the downloaded music files from your computer to an iPod? It doesn't make sense to me that you could, because then you could probably keep the music indefinitely. My friend is getting an iPod as his first portable and had asked if such a thing existed. He mainly wants the iPod for listening to music while in the car...

Thanks for any help.

Philimon

 

[krmathis]

^ I doubt it.
Cause then you run into copyright issues.

 

[PepsiCo]

Zune Pass for $15/mo. gets you unlimited 192kbps wmas, and 10 non-drmed 320kbps mp3s per month. They're (the drmed wmas and nondrmed mp3s alike) playable on Zunes and PlaysForSure Mp3 players (not iPod)

 

[jsaliga]

Quote:

Originally Posted by clarke68 /img/forum/go_quote.gif Rhapsody is 160kbps WMAs. I haven't used MusicGiants, and they're not a monthly subscription service, but they offer "Super HD" downloads which, according to their marketing materials, are "encoded at a much higher quality than a normal lossless audio track". FWIW...I tend to think of the download services as big sampling opportunities...diverse musical buffets, if you will...where quantity trumps quality: I'd focus more on which service has music you like. I like Rhapsody...160kbps is fine considering the "all-you-can-eat" nature of their offerings, and the depth/breadth of their catalog. eMusic focuses more on independent artists & labels, and as such has music that you can't find anywhere else.

I subscribe to Rhapsody as well and look at it the same way you do.

--Jerome

 

[Philimon]

I doubt that one exists as well. iPod should have a program similar to the Zune's Zune Pass... Oh well. Thanks for the help.

 

[Detritusdave]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Philimon /img/forum/go_quote.gif Do any of these monthly subscription services allow you to transfer the downloaded music files from your computer to an iPod? It doesn't make sense to me that you could, because then you could probably keep the music indefinitely. My friend is getting an iPod as his first portable and had asked if such a thing existed. He mainly wants the iPod for listening to music while in the car... Thanks for any help. Philimon

You can do that with Emusic.... i.e. no drm...

 

[krmathis]

I like di.fm.
Sadly they don't provide anything above 192Kbps MP3 though...

 

[thatguyoverthere]

Quote:

Originally Posted by clarke68 /img/forum/go_quote.gif Rhapsody is 160kbps WMAs. I haven't used MusicGiants, and they're not a monthly subscription service, but they offer "Super HD" downloads which, according to their marketing materials, are "encoded at a much higher quality than a normal lossless audio track". FWIW...I tend to think of the download services as big sampling opportunities...diverse musical buffets, if you will...where quantity trumps quality: I'd focus more on which service has music you like. I like Rhapsody...160kbps is fine considering the "all-you-can-eat" nature of their offerings, and the depth/breadth of their catalog. eMusic focuses more on independent artists & labels, and as such has music that you can't find anywhere else.

they use WMA lossless, I believe. Check their faq.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Philimon /img/forum/go_quote.gif Do any of these monthly subscription services allow you to transfer the downloaded music files from your computer to an iPod? It doesn't make sense to me that you could, because then you could probably keep the music indefinitely. My friend is getting an iPod as his first portable and had asked if such a thing existed. He mainly wants the iPod for listening to music while in the car... Thanks for any help. Philimon

Can't be done.

Not legally or easily, anyway.

 

[digger945]

I remember a while back about being able to purchase an mp3 player that would play Rhapsody tunes.
Not an expensive player, and probably not quality but hey...
found it Rhapsody players.

 

[s1rrah]

I could make a couple of pretty much fool-proof suggestions:

1. HDtracks high resolution audiophile music downloads: they don't have nearly as much music as some of the more popular download sites. They cater mostly to the audiophile crowd and release all of their material as lossless .flacs or .aiff files. They also have a growing section of 24/96khz .flacs for download. You'll find a lot of good word, latin, jazz, blues and classical here. Also, all the Chesky records audiophile demos are available here. I've spent a ton of money there on music I wouldn't listen too daily (though some I do) but which I nonetheless love having around for critical listening/demo'ing and gear testing.

Just this weekend I bought the latest bit from my fav columbian siren, Marta Gomez ... her "entre cada palabra" album ... in 24bit/96khz .flacs and it's simply incredible. The entire hi def album cost me about 12 bucks.

2. www.yourmusic.com: this is, indeed a monthly subscription service but it is based on the purchase of actual hard copy CD's and not downloadable files.

But still ... at 7 bucks a month, you automatically get one CD per month (free shipping across the board), plus any and all further purchases you care to make at anytime, also, always being 6.99 per CD.

Anyway ...

Those two options stated, I don't really mess with any other popular download site as I'm only interested in lossless downloads. Perhaps as more of the big service providers get larger lossless libraries, I might become a user of such.

Good luck.

 

[Philimon]

Thanks for all the relies.

I think emusic.com and hdtracks.com will be best for my friend, since he is mostly into classical. Plus the lossless downloads at hdtracks.com will be great since he will find the downloads useful for on the go with his portable (he is getting a 120gigabyte iPod) and at home on his nice spearer rig.

If he is not content with their services then I might try finding a cheap Zune somewhere (or for trade for one of my iPods), and check out this ZunePass for him.

Philimon

 

[ArmAndHammer]

Ok, maybe I am missing something here being new to all this but why would you not be able to transfer songs from computer to iPod or other portable device if you are paying for the songs? I don't understand why their would be legal or copyright issues since it is being paid for. It's not like it is being pirated from Limewire or something.