Digital music opinions needed

[ChrisD]

I have been a loyal iTunes customer for more than 3 years now. I'm looking to upgrade my 2yo very basic phone to a Windows-based one -- which is also an opportunity for me to have one device for voice, message, and music -- so I'm looking for an alternative digital music store. (LOML already has an iPhone, so another one is really out of the question.)

For you non-iTunes, digital audiophiles: What is your preferred music store and why? I'm not really interested in subscription-based or free download/sharing services. I'm also not looking to download directly to my phone, but will continue to manage my music on the PC and sync the phone with it.

Thanks in advance!

[JimD]

Chris,

I do not buy music on-line (yet) but I got LOML a Phillips MP3 player that I have been pleasantly surprised with. It has FM radio, records your voice, and holds MP3 music files. It is 1 GB and was only $30. I got it mainly so she could take a French language CD with her in something little but it was nicer than I expected. I plugs directly into a USB port for managing files. I "ripped" CDs she already had and liked to put some CDs on it. Looks like it will hold around 10 CDs which will be plenty for her.

Jim

[ChrisD]

Jim,

Those things are nice, aren't they? I really don't understand why there aren't more devices with FM receivers. I guess radio as we know it is being killed systematically.

I've been an iPod bigot for a couple of years now (despite its lack of FM radio) and I know I will miss it when I get a new phone. I have a few podcasts that I now conveniently subscribe to, which I will have to start manually downloading. Worse, some of my podcasts are exclusive to iTunes (like "Bob Edwards Weekends").

Chris

[Tequila]

Why not stick with the iTunes store? Many of their songs are available for sale as non-DRM'ed mp3's, which should be directly playable on your new phone.

For those songs that aren't available as mp3's, you'll need to buy the AAC version, burn them to CD, then rip them as mp3's in iTunes just as you would with any other CD.

If you're happy with the Apple iTunes store, stick with it.

[ChrisD]

Joe,

I guess I can do that. I'm really trying to avoid the CD-burning step, and I believe EMI is the only label so far that has made their content available DRM-free on iTunes.

But now that I think about it, it's really not that big a deal. It's not that more 'tedious' than manually downloading podcasts.

Thanks,
Chris

[SwingKing]

Amazon sells MP3s

I've been using Amazon's new MP3 store recently. The audio quality is good and the prices are .99 per track. The biggest problem with Amazon is their current selection is a bit small, but if they have what you want it's a nice service.

-- Ken

[LinuxRandal]

I've been using Amazon's new MP3 store recently. The audio quality is good and the prices are .99 per track. The biggest problem with Amazon is their current selection is a bit small, but if they have what you want it's a nice service.

-- Ken

I think Amazon is up to two catalogs now, as Warner Music just jointed the DRM free Amazon downloads.

[SHADOWFOX]

Me and my wife just recently upgraded our MP3 players and bought these new line of Sony Walkman mp3 players. This MP3 player produces one of the best audio I've heard. We have thousands of CD's that we could upload to the player but just have not had time to rip them all. We did check out the free trial for the Rhapsody To-Go service and I loved it. Could put most of the new releases on our mp3 player.

Me and a friend actually share the Rhapsody To-Go service so we split the cost. Rhapsody allows you to authorize up to 3 pc's and players to sync with the service. So for a little over $7.00 I have access to over a million songs that I could upload to my player and pc.

Only thing I wish the player has is the ability to take flash cards.

[drumpriest]

Well, I'm an audiophile, certainly. I write and record music here with a couple of groups. I personally don't buy pre-compressed audio. I buy CDs and whenever possible DVD 5.1 and 24 bit mixes of music. I rip my CDs here and convert them to Ogg/Vorbis format. It's a compressed format that has better size to quality ratio than mp3. Certain pieces to to FLAC, which is lossless. My jet audio jukebox plays both of these higher end formats, which is why I bought it.

[atgcpaul]

I do like and listen to terrestrial radio. I also don't like being locked into one
company's format so I have always been anti-iPod/iTunes. I own a Creative
Zen which is getting outdated but has everything I want in a player. My
next player will handle video. I like the features in the Zune but don't
*need* one. I've started using Amazon's store which still doesn't carry
everything, but I'm sure they'll get there. I also got a Roku Soundbridge for
Christmas. It lets me stream music wirelessly from my computer to my stereo
and also streams internet radio wirelessly without having to have my
computer on. It doesn't handle iTunes purchased music, though.

[ChrisD]

I was really curious about Amazon's new service. I think the main challenge for iTunes' competitors is the UI. Apple has made theirs so intuitive, making it very convenient for the user to acquire and play songs. I have not tried Amazon myself yet but one review I read says the downloading experience is very similar to the "regular" checkout process.

I think I'll stick with iTunes and go the CD way to transfer DRM-protected stuff to Media Player. Once a week to catch up on my NPR podcasts ain't so bad.

Thanks,
Chris

[leehljp]

Unlike the MS Zune direction, the Apple philosophy has been and is geared much more towards to freedom of choice. That is why Apple makes a Window's version of iTunes, but MS does not make an Apple version of their format.

AMAZON: Amazon's new format will work on iTunes, iPods and others because it is DRM free, which is what Apple's philosophy has been all along. MS has NOT been fighting for that for sure; they are beginning to allow it but don't fight for it.

LOCKED INTO ONE SYSTEM: Remember it is the MUSIC INDUSTRY that demanded the DRM system, not Apple. But people's ignorance and misconceptions from MS's intent is to make it look like APPLE who is demanding DRM. Apple has just been beating music industry and especially Universal at its own game on behalf of all end users - for DRM free music. Because of Universal's Bronfman (sp?) hate for Apple's DRM Free push, 99 cent songs along with individual song choice downloads, they (Universal) are allowing DRM Free music via Amazon for 99 cents and maybe from others soon. It is because of Apple that this is happening, Not MS.

People who dislike Apple should at least acknowledge that it is Apple that is fighting the battle for them by trying to make music available totally across platforms in DRM free format, cheaper prices and individual song choices and without having to be locked into a particular format - be it Windows, Zune, SanDisk, Mac OS, Linux etc. MP3 and MP4 format, when properly done should play on any new music system when they are released. Apple doesn't want music locked to one format but MS does!

I don't understand people who say they don't want to get locked into one system when - if they get a Zune, they will be locked into that! Even early adapters to MS's format of Plays for Sure have been locked out with the new Zune. Doesn't make sense to me!

[LinuxRandal]

Unlike the MS Zune direction, the Apple philosophy has been and is geared much more towards to freedom of choice. That is why Apple makes a Window's version of iTunes, but MS does not make an Apple version of their format.

AMAZON: Amazon's new format will work on iTunes, iPods and others because it is DRM free, which is what Apple's philosophy has been all along. MS has NOT been fighting for that for sure; they are beginning to allow it but don't fight for it.

LOCKED INTO ONE SYSTEM: Remember it is the MUSIC INDUSTRY that demanded the DRM system, not Apple. But people's ignorance and misconceptions from MS's intent is to make it look like APPLE who is demanding DRM. Apple has just been beating music industry and especially Universal at its own game on behalf of all end users - for DRM free music. Because of Universal's Bronfman (sp?) hate for Apple's DRM Free push, 99 cent songs along with individual song choice downloads, they (Universal) are allowing DRM Free music via Amazon for 99 cents and maybe from others soon. It is because of Apple that this is happening, Not MS.

People who dislike Apple should at least acknowledge that it is Apple that is fighting the battle for them by trying to make music available totally across platforms in DRM free format, cheaper prices and individual song choices and without having to be locked into a particular format - be it Windows, Zune, SanDisk, Mac OS, Linux etc. MP3 and MP4 format, when properly done should play on any new music system when they are released. Apple doesn't want music locked to one format but MS does!

I don't understand people who say they don't want to get locked into one system when - if they get a Zune, they will be locked into that! Even early adapters to MS's format of Plays for Sure have been locked out with the new Zune. Doesn't make sense to me!

I can't speak as to if Apple wants its music linked to one player or not (never known anyone who has used another player with it), but that in itself is still DRM. DRM isn't a music industry idea, it is a software idea, that the music industry willingly adopted to fight the widespread adoption of MP3's and file sharing. DRM was started as a software "protection" and continues with mislabeled items like "plays for sure".

I hope Amazon gets more catalogs and offers more competition, it will help eliminate DRM.

[leehljp]

I can't speak as to if Apple wants its music linked to one player or not (never known anyone who has used another player with it), but that in itself is still DRM. DRM isn't a music industry idea, it is a software idea, that the music industry willingly adopted to fight the widespread adoption of MP3's and file sharing. DRM was started as a software "protection" and continues with mislabeled items like "plays for sure".

I hope Amazon gets more catalogs and offers more competition, it will help eliminate DRM.

DRM IS a software idea, yes. However that is not the total truth of it. It has been a legal requirement for Apple to be able to offer music via iTunes. Apple had almost been sued by a couple of European countries for its propritary DRM scheme and ordered to open it up. Apple lawyers finally convinced them that the only way they (Apple) was allowed to sell in those countries was to enter into a contract with music labels (industry) that required DRM. The law suits were dropped against Apple.

Apple doesn't mind competition and they don't mind if their iTunes music will work on a Zune or other. Straight MP3 and MP4s will go across platform and music device unless there is a built in software to prevent it. iPods only prevent other _DRMs_ because Apple refuses to pay a licensing fee to companies that make their own DRM such as MS does. iPods do not care where a DRM Free MP3 comes from. And conversely Apple is offering DRM free MP3 formatted music on iTunes that will play on any MP3 player that allows DRM Free music. It doesn't have to be an iPod!

To say "can't speak as to if Apple wants its music linked to one player or not," is to miss the very point of Apple's fight for DRM free music. "DRM Free" Certainly will go outside of Apples pocket and they know it and promote it as free competition and free enterprise. While other companies try to "corner the market" with things that only work on their device, Apple has been pushing to an open standard that is open to all.

Below is only one link of many that can be found that speaks to this issue of Apple as the one to open the market for downloadable music.

http://www.wired.com/entertainment/m...9/drm_part_one

"Like Amazon's DRM-Free Music Downloads? Thank Apple"

"Amazon's Tuesday launch of a DRM-free music store with some 2 million tracks represents the music industry's clearest repudiation yet of the elaborate copy-protection schemes it once staked its future on. And though it may not be obvious at first, it's Apple we have to thank."

"The irony of the industry's predicament was not lost on Steve Jobs, Apple's chairman. Jobs described the industry's sagging business model as self-created by EMI, Sony BMG, Universal Music Group and Warner Music Group, the so-called "Big Four" leaders of sales and label ownership, with control of 70 percent of the world's music distribution market."

"When Apple approached these companies to license their music to distribute legally over the internet, they were extremely cautious and required Apple to protect their music from being illegally copied," Jobs wrote Feb. 6 in a letter posted on the Cupertino company's website. "The solution was to create a DRM system, which envelopes each song purchased from the iTunes store in special and secret software so that it cannot be played on unauthorized devices."

DRM limiting music was not Apple's idea, but they are the one's fighting for DRM free multi platform, multi device music.

[LinuxRandal]

While Apple does now sell DRM free mp3's, they still sell according to the article you linked, they still sell Apple DRM laden mp3's which others who wish to control the DRM encoding itself, choose not to license.

I consider that a far cry from being "the one's fighting for DRM free multi platform, multi device music."

The ones fighting should sell NO DRM laden non freely encodable music (which means even the MP3 "standard"). The real ones who should be, and in some cases are, are the informed consumers who don't make their purchasing decisions based on the bunk marketing.

If other services weren't looking to get into the digital distribution of music, would Apple have even considered getting into the non DRM format, without the fights in France and Germany, or would they have enjoyed having a better designed user interface, to try to lock customers into buying from them? We can't know the answer to that.