Legal music download sites?

[Usarka]

Anyone know of good sites where i can download music?? I've finished "backing up" my 60CD's and now want a few individual tracks from here and there.


Legally
Not copy protected, ie so I can put on Ipod and/or play through windows media or ps3.
Reasonably high quality bitrate and format.


You'd think this'd be common place these days....?

I've read some old threads that haven't really answered my questions...

ta much.

[Big Dan]

Limewire is pretty good

you can save files and transfer them to iTunes

[Sam I Am]

http://www.sonarkollektiv.com/ has some cool stuff if thats your thing

or just itunes rocks, and burn a CD to remove copy protecion

[Usarka]

http://www.sonarkollektiv.com/ has some cool stuff if thats your thing
Didn't seem to have what I'm after....



or just itunes rocks, and burn a CD to remove copy protecion

Trouble it's encoded at AAC which doesn't work on my WM/PS3 media centre. And converting between lossy formats degrades the quality (i'm a bit of a quality snob on my home stereo, don't care so much on ipod or in car etc).

What bitrate do itunes encode to? Is it lossless?

Oh, and I checked out Limewire, but appears to be be P2P which I'm wanting to avoid at the mo.... The 'beta' store doesn't have half of what I'm looking for...

Any other ideas?

[Jeremy]

Amazon's mp3 service is good if you know someone in the US to buy them for you

[skidMark]

Amazon's mp3 service is good if you know someone in the US to buy them for you


Um didnt i tunes/apple bring out a full online thing for $1 a track? for NZ market?

i think you just goto itunes.co.nz then goto the store.

Buti gather he wants to get them for free and not pay the artist for thier work.

[vindy500]

Um didnt i tunes/apple bring out a full online thing for $1 a track? for NZ market?

i think you just goto itunes.co.nz then goto the store.

Buti gather he wants to get them for free and not pay the artist for thier work.

umm hes already said why he doesnt want to use itunes, because they are in a crappy lossy format at a low bitrate.

how about gbox?

[Marmoot]

try txttunes.com (http://www.txttunes.com)
You can pay through vodafone and/or telecom mobile account too.

[scracha]

try txttunes.com (http://www.txttunes.com)
You can pay through vodafone and/or telecom mobile account too.

last.fm with theLastRipper or StationRipper

[Big Dave]

umm hes already said why he doesnt want to use itunes, because they are in a crappy lossy format at a low bitrate.

how about gbox?

'You can also download iTunes Plus songs for just 99¢. These songs feature higher-quality, 256-Kbps AAC encoding — twice the standard bit rate — and no DRM (digital rights management). With 1 million indie tracks just added, there are up to 2 million iTunes Plus songs to choose from and play on any iPod, other digital music players, and an unlimited number of computers. For no extra charge.'

[riffer]

Didn't seem to have what I'm after....



Trouble it's encoded at AAC which doesn't work on my WM/PS3 media centre. And converting between lossy formats degrades the quality (i'm a bit of a quality snob on my home stereo, don't care so much on ipod or in car etc).

What bitrate do itunes encode to? Is it lossless?

Check out the advanced settings in iTunes. You can set the output type to mp3 and use any type of bit rate from 90 - 320kbps.

[CB ARGH]

iTunes all the way mate...

Apple has just upgraded their download format so it's an even higher quality format. Relatively cheap also... costs about $16 bucks for an entire album I think. Gotta have a credit card though ;)

Or just ride your bike into a music store and nick them all. Of course, I did not just say that. :crybaby:

[Forest]

umm hes already said why he doesnt want to use itunes, because they are in a crappy lossy format at a low bitrate.

how about gbox?

Almost all music on the Internet is encoded at a low bitrate.

[Usarka]

'You can also download iTunes Plus songs for just 99¢. These songs feature higher-quality, 256-Kbps AAC encoding — twice the standard bit rate — and no DRM (digital rights management). With 1 million indie tracks just added, there are up to 2 million iTunes Plus songs to choose from and play on any iPod, other digital music players, and an unlimited number of computers. For no extra charge.'

Only a mac fan would defend itunes. I used to look upon Mac fans as eccentric but harmless, but since owning an iPod and having to use iTunes i'm convinced you are all delusional and "touched" in a special way. :bleh:

1 - AAC is compatable with jack sheet except apple products.
2 - The cost is actually $1.29 for the + stuff, not 99c as you've quoted off the official website (they can't even get their own website accurate - or dont care enough to......) (btw those costs are in USD)
4 - there is f-all of the + content in iTunes at present(at least not in the music I've searched for)


All I'm after is music in a reasonable quality bit-rate in a portable format, OR music of in any lossless format.

FFS it's 2008! Is it really that hard? No wonder people are doing it illegally....... [goes and downloads limewire......]

:blank:

[fridayflash]

Limewire is pretty good

you can save files and transfer them to iTunes
ditto from me...limewire

[Big Dave]

Only a mac fan would defend itunes.

I got 4 iPods, best system and best gadgets ever. IPod Touch is simply amazing.
Everything I've wanted to buy at the store has been there - 1 click.

[Usarka]

I got 4 iPods, best system and best gadgets ever. IPod Touch is simply amazing.
Everything I've wanted to buy at the store has been there - 1 click.



lol I understand....it's prolly great if you use apple stuff only but do you also try to play that music through PC, playstation, car stereo etc...?

hence my frustration....

:crybaby::baby::Pokey::spanking::buggerd::niceone:

[Big Dave]

lol I understand....it's prolly great if you use apple stuff only but do you also try to play that music through PC, playstation, car stereo etc...?

hence my frustration....

:crybaby::baby::Pokey::spanking::buggerd::niceone:

Yeah I do - I run it from the iPod.
I even take a series of drum machine loops on it for portajams.
Jack plugs R us and Line-in is my friend.

[Usarka]

cool..... so how do i play through windows media player?

[Big Dave]

cool..... so how do i play through windows media player?

Akin to fitting Ford parts in a Holden? Just use itunes maybe or rip shit and burn of course.

[Forest]

lol I understand....it's prolly great if you use apple stuff only but do you also try to play that music through PC, playstation, car stereo etc...?

hence my frustration....

:crybaby::baby::Pokey::spanking::buggerd::niceone:

The iPod and iTunes support MP3 with no problems at all.

AAC is not an Apple format. Though the fairplay DRM is (if you buy DRM protected music).

[Forest]

Trouble it's encoded at AAC which doesn't work on my WM/PS3 media centre. And converting between lossy formats degrades the quality (i'm a bit of a quality snob on my home stereo, don't care so much on ipod or in car etc).

Install the ffdshow codec and you can listen to AAC through WM.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ffdshow



What bitrate do itunes encode to? Is it lossless?

If you're using iTunes to encode music, you can set the bitrate to anything you want (including lossless).

If you're buying tracks through the iTunes Music Store then they are 128k or 256k AAC. However be aware that at the same bitrate, AAC is better quality than MP3.

[Usarka]

Install the ffdshow codec and you can listen to AAC through WM.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ffdshow



Cool so how about the PS3?

sigh forced into the seedy underbelly of illegal downloads.....

[xwhatsit]

These days you can get DRM-free stuff from iTunes Music Store. If your hardware doesn't support AAC, you can transcode that into MP3 or whatever tickles your fancy, but you will suffer a quality loss (as with any transcoding). If you keep the MP3 as VBR 256/320 or something however, the quality loss won't really be noticeable, especially if you're playing it through shitty hardware like a PS3 or home stereo. However the file sizes will be bigger.

[Usarka]

if you're playing it through shitty hardware like a PS3 or home stereo.

you haven't seen my home stereo :2thumbsup


i still can't work out why i cant pay to download either portable format or cd quality songs off the internet.

i can take a cd and play it in all my hi-fi gear be it ford, holden, pc or mac. All these dumb proprietary formats and low bit-rates keep the archaic CD medium a necessity for anyone who digs good quality tunes.

humbug i says.

[xwhatsit]

Amazon lets you buy DRM-free MP3s; unfortunately, you can only do it in the US.

Napster (yes, they still exist, these days as a legitimate company) is now offering DRM-free music downloads. Not sure of the price, but you don't have to be a subscriber (although subscribers get the DRM-free downloads at a discount).

Yes, it's a complete bitch about the lack of good services. However, the tide is just starting to turn now -- iTunes is largely held responsible for this, as they introduced their DRM-free stuff, which sold like hotcakes. The labels previous got stressed out over anything DRM-free, as they thought everybody would just share it and steal it. However the sales have been phenomenal, so the labels have warmed up to licensing their music under such conditions. Thus you're now seeing people like Amazon, Napster, a few others begin to offer tracks in this way.

Only problem is they're still only shitty MP3s. Apparently the demand for music is a decent lossless format is still low. Most people just want to stick it on their iPod or DSE special and listen to it through those foul ear-bleeding earphones that come with the player.

[Usarka]

Nope not them either.........
We're sorry but you cannot purchase tracks from outside the United States.

[Big Dave]

Only problem is they're still only shitty MP3s.

Meh - I've got my computer hooked up to a nice stereo. They'll do.

[vindy500]

low bitrate music sucks balls bad.

(through a decent stereo)

[HondaLad]

Why don't you try http://www.digirama.co.nz

NZ owned and operated site :2thumbsup, a lot of their content is MP3 these days and DRM free. I buy all my music through the site, easy to use and the quality is good (unlike my experience with P2P sites where it may take 5 or 6 goes to get a decent copy). Certainly sweet with media player, shouldn't be any probs with your PS3 either?

[SPman]

What?

PAYING for music off the net?

Oh well....whatever........

I use Goldwave to change formats - from anything to anything else at whatever bitrate you want....

anyway, back to soulseek and carry on downloading todays 35 tracks of obscure music......

[Usarka]

Why don't you try http://www.digirama.co.nz

NZ owned and operated site :2thumbsup, a lot of their content is MP3 these days and DRM free. I buy all my music through the site, easy to use and the quality is good (unlike my experience with P2P sites where it may take 5 or 6 goes to get a decent copy). Certainly sweet with media player, shouldn't be any probs with your PS3 either?

Didn't have what i was after, most of the stuff i liked was DRM'd WMA at low BR.

ABCGFYWTFROFL

[Forest]

Cool so how about the PS3?

sigh forced into the seedy underbelly of illegal downloads.....

Talk to Sony. It is up to them whether or not to support AAC.

[Lias]

What?

PAYING for music off the net?


I concur..

Paying for music with the current system is just wrong.

I'll pay for music when:
It's 20 cents a track, of which 19 cents goes to the artist, 1 cent goes to the distribution website, and the RIAA/RIANZ are nothing but a distant memory.
It's high quality (CD quality at MINIMUM)
It's DRM free
It's provided in an opensource patent free format
It comes with a lifetime license to listen to, remix, resell, give away etc. Anything I pay for like this be it a song, a movie, software etc should come with the same legal rights to onsell as a book. With a book you don't own the copyright when you buy it, but you can do whatever the fuck you want with your copy, keep it, sell it, loan it out, rent it out, etc.

[xwhatsit]

Radiohead did something like that, didn't they?

I concur with Lias. There's a first :laugh: