Where to buy music online for download?

[p.dath]

I want to buy music, in mp3 format (so I can put it on my phone, in my car, and other devices), in downloadable form, that includes music by big labels (aka - most popular artists).

I have been buying my music from the Vodafone music store. But they took it down for an "upgrade" a month ago, and it still has not come back. I've rung them three times and they can't even give me a date of when it is going back up - apart from saying it was meant to be back up two weeks ago.

iTunes is out. iTunes sells you music in their copyprotected format, and you can't convert that to mp3 - and I'm not replacing all my devices just to use iTunes.
And downloading, burning to CD, and rippping it back is too much of an effort. Really, do they want me to buy the music or not.

Amplifier.co.nz does not have the big name studios.


So where else can I buy music legally in mp3 format that includes big name artists?

[onearmedbandit]

Just send me a list of what you want and I'll supply them, only 99c a track. And band or label you want.

[Usarka]

I'm still stumped as to why no one sells high quality music downloads.

[onearmedbandit]

I'm still stumped as to why no one sells high quality music downloads.

In what format? MP3 is pretty shitty.

[NighthawkNZ]

Sound files are a funny thing...

128bit MP3 is usually okay but as in "meh" ok the average person can't tell the difference... but the audio head geeks can ... higher the bit rate the better the quality of sound... and 320 bit MP3 is as close as you will get to raw data wav file that is compressed... and it does depend on how much compression has been added to the MP3 etc... both in at the recording level and at the final production level.

A 320bit mp3 song or track is usually a 10 to 15mb file (depending on length of track) compared to a 3-4mb file at 128bit

OGG file format is better than MP3 as it is compressed with out loss of sound quality...

Putting RAW WAV Data audio files on line is impractical really as a final mix down of a track can easily be 200-500mb WAV file... which means your 8gb MP3 player can only hold 8 songs... :blink::mellow:

[p.dath]

Just send me a list of what you want and I'll supply them, only 99c a track. And band or label you want.

No no, I said legal downloads. :lol:


I'm still stumped as to why no one sells high quality music downloads.

The Vodafone music store sold 256kb/s MP3s. They sounded great in my car, computer and the stereo at home. I stopped buying CD's many years ago (incidentally, right after I got one that was "copy protected" and couldn't play it in my car stereo ...) - however, I can't hear the different between the CD's and 256kb/s MP3s. Even when turned up loud on the stereo at home.


In what format? MP3 is pretty shitty

All depends on the encoding rate. As I say, 256kb/s professionally encoded sounds perfect to me. Perhaps if your using stolen ripped tracks off the Internet it might sound poor ...

[Usarka]

MP3's just don't "feel" right to me.

I currently use Windows lossless (yes the devil and yes there are better but it's a combination of what plays on what). A decent quality digital file sounds / feels better than cds IMHO, and I'd be willing to pay for them. Bute even if a company started selling decent artists on FLAC or something I'd be stoked.

When the music industry starts selling their goods at high quality is the day I'll start purchasing music again.

An anology for the dumb arse music guys - what you're selling is coke that's cut to shit with baking soda that you don't notice in a club after 6 tequilas. Sit back in the quiet of your room with a mate and it makes you pissed off you trusted the dodgy dealer who said "I've been hearing good shit about this stuff, man".


PS - there have been studies comparing mp3 and CD, and they've shown that in some cases the mp3's sounded fuller and better because even though they were compressed, they were also taken off the master so still had full frequency range.

PPS - what about high-def audio that's appearing on blu-ray. Where the fuck is the high-def music?

[Cayman911]

If you actually want to buy it. and thought i wish i could find a place where i could pay less than the $1 per song on itunes and get way higher quality mp3's.

your wish is granted http://www.mp3fund.com/

good site, ive used it for the last 6 years. well im not really the have to buy it kinda person, well not at all. but if there is something i cant find which is on a paysite, id use that site. good as quality. trust worthy.

[dipshit]

No no, I said legal downloads.

I got feed up with purchasing legitimate downloads when they were copy protected so you got penalised because you couldn't transfer them to a new computer or they wouldn't run in different programs or hardware.

Now I don't give a rat's ass and only get free mp3s.

[Usarka]

I got feed up with purchasing legitimate downloads when they were copy protected so you got penalised because you couldn't transfer them to a new computer or they wouldn't run in different programs or hardware.

Now I don't give a rat's ass and only get free mp3s.

Exactly. I wouldn't pay for an MP3 but they won't sell me anything worth paying for so fuck it no one loses because there is nothing there I would have bought.

[yachtie10]

I got feed up with purchasing legitimate downloads when they were copy protected so you got penalised because you couldn't transfer them to a new computer or they wouldn't run in different programs or hardware.

Now I don't give a rat's ass and only get free mp3s.

+2

these companies that spend a fortune trying (and failing) to protect there products penalise the legitimate buyer annoy the fuck out of me

[avgas]

MP3's just don't "feel" right to me.
Don't you have valves to tune?
Good on you for speaking you mind - just next time ask if you don't know what your talking about.....
I suggest you start reading about these guys http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fraunhofer_Society and finish at inter-harmonics of the inner ear.

There are MP3's and there are MP3's. Just like CD's or records you can get a good copy or a bad one.

As for buying MP3's - yes the industry shot itself in the foot by trying to protect them. I buy CD's and just burn the CD (freerip or whatever ripper I can get my hands on). It feels better, you get an album book and you even get something to put in the car (for those of you who have old style cd stereos in your car).

You can rip lossless audio if you want - but my previous experience tells me that if I have the choice between 1 song on portable audio or 10 using a 95% codec.......I pick 10

[Usarka]

Good on you for speaking you mind - just next time ask if you don't know what your talking about.....
I feel I should argue but couldn't get passed the first line :lol:




You can rip lossless audio if you want - but my previous experience tells me that if I have the choice between 1 song on portable audio or 10 using a 95% codec.......I pick 10

When you've got a half terrabyte of disk storage (and uprgradeable) for the home media centre, why would you go for 256mp3?

[SMOKEU]

Why would anyone want to pay for music these days? You might as well burn $20 notes just for kicks.

[p.dath]

If you actually want to buy it. and thought i wish i could find a place where i could pay less than the $1 per song on itunes and get way higher quality mp3's.

your wish is granted http://www.mp3fund.com/

good site, ive used it for the last 6 years. well im not really the have to buy it kinda person, well not at all. but if there is something i cant find which is on a paysite, id use that site. good as quality. trust worthy.

This looks interesting. The sample clips are only encoded at 64kb/s. Are the purchased versions encoded at a higher rate?

Also, how the hell do you sign up for an account?

[Cayman911]

This looks interesting. The sample clips are only encoded at 64kb/s. Are the purchased versions encoded at a higher rate?

Also, how the hell do you sign up for an account?


all the music is high quality 320kbps. i love it. they dont compramise the quality at all for size. so you may have to download a song at even 12mb. very good.

and very good question. hmm... let me have a look :laugh: i made an account years ago

[Cayman911]

Also, how the hell do you sign up for an account?

i have no idea aye... :S what the hell..... there is no register button.

i would send an email to support@mp3fund.com they are rather quick to respond.
definitely a good site though, once you are in.

[piston broke]

i get all my music and any movies i want for free.
http://www.emule-project.net/home/perl/general.cgi?l=1

[Rockbuddy]

iTunes is out. iTunes sells you music in their copyprotected format, and you can't convert that to mp3 - and I'm not replacing all my devices just to use iTunes.


?

Not true itunes can convert to mp3 i do it all the time,

or you could try digirama

[p.dath]

i get all my music and any movies i want for free.
http://www.emule-project.net/home/perl/general.cgi?l=1

You mean you steal all your music and movies that you want.


Not true itunes can convert to mp3 i do it all the time,

or you could try digirama

Could you clarify that for me. I understand iTunes could convert to MP3 - but it will ont convert copy protected music that you buy from iTunes. So are you saying you can buy a track from iTunes, and then convert it to MP3?

Digirama. Good idea. I haven't looked at them for ages.

[rustyrobot]

You mean you steal all your music

Just so you know... for each track you pay to download from iTunes, the artist gets 9 cents US. If you download the whole album illegally and send them US $2 they will be making almost double.

[p.dath]

Just so you know... for each track you pay to download from iTunes, the artist gets 9 cents US. If you download the whole album illegally and send them US $2 they will be making almost double.

I thought it was 7 cents, but regardless, they are being rewarded for their work. I assume an artist can choose to go independent, do their own marketing, and get a higher cut from iTunes?

On the flip side, the artist gets a zero cut from stolen music - because stolen means you didn't pay.
I have never heard of someone sending the original artist $2 because instead of stealing a couple of tracks they stole the whole album. And what about the composer of the song, the guy on the mixing desk, and everyone else that contributed to the making of the song? Do they just get left out in the cold, or are you thinking everyone should send them money everytime they steal the songs as well?

[avgas]

Here is a free album for you.

http://shankgame.com/art/shank-soundtrack-available-now/

[jonbuoy]

Anyone know of a similar site for HD movies? I´d be quite happy to pay for quality and speed of downloads.

[SMOKEU]

I thought it was 7 cents, but regardless, they are being rewarded for their work. I assume an artist can choose to go independent, do their own marketing, and get a higher cut from iTunes?

On the flip side, the artist gets a zero cut from stolen music - because stolen means you didn't pay.
I have never heard of someone sending the original artist $2 because instead of stealing a couple of tracks they stole the whole album. And what about the composer of the song, the guy on the mixing desk, and everyone else that contributed to the making of the song? Do they just get left out in the cold, or are you thinking everyone should send them money everytime they steal the songs as well?

Then they should have thought of a better career choice. If I started sitting on the side of a road playing guitar all day long trying to earn money, then I started complaining on KB that I'm not earning much money then I would get no sympathy.

[avgas]

Anyone know of a similar site for HD movies? I´d be quite happy to pay for quality and speed of downloads.
More tv series than movies. But my friends all love www.megavideo.com

[p.dath]

Then they should have thought of a better career choice. If I started sitting on the side of a road playing guitar all day long trying to earn money, then I started complaining on KB that I'm not earning much money then I would get no sympathy.

Sure, potential musicians could potentially make career decisions about how much people are going to steal from them - but come one - that's hardly reasonable.

Of course you'll also have to consider the flip side. If every potential muscian decides not to enter their "trade" because of the level of theft then eventually there will be no good music to steal.

If you were playing guitar on the side of the road and earned nothing that's touch luck. If you were playing guitar on the side of the road and people kept taking your money - now that's a different story, and you would be bitching and complaining about it (and rightly so!).