Download options for iTunes Store?

mseydel

mseydel

truculent
I'm a bit of a Noob when it comes to paying for my downloaded music.
Most of my existing music files are in .mp3 format, encoded at minimum 160 kbps...lots of these are from a few years ago, when SoundJam was cutting edge(sniff). What's odd is that even some random junk I acquired
(mostly *****) at 128 kbps sounds better than the 128 kbps AAC files that I've purchased recently from the iTunes Store. I don't see any place to change the quality of the download I'm paying for, but so far, I'm hella disappointed. I thought at first it was just a few poorly recorded tracks, which I couldn't blame on iTunes...but my ears really notice the difference on every track I've gotten off the iTunes Store, and they're not happy.
I thought in theory, AAC was supposed to provided smaller files with richer sound quality. Right? :confused:
 
there is no way to change the dl quality from itunes. bummer for your sensitive ears. mine dont notice.
 
You might want to edit the reference to an app often used for warez before it's edited and you're slapped on the hand.
Many are hoping that a future update will allow for customizing rate quality for aac files. That said, the 128 are considered a good medium for most "average users".
 
of course, the only things acquired through ***** were already in the public domain or songs I already had personal right to by owning the CD.
 
But a word to the wise: even MENTIONING them here is against the rules, as you'd see if you bothered to read the board rules. :)
 
mseydel said:
of course, the only things acquired through ***** were already in the public domain or songs I already had personal right to by owning the CD.
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Does not matter. Consider yourself publicly warned.
 
What music files did you download from the iTMS? All of my 128k AAC files from the music store sound beautiful -- not exceptionally high quality, but high quality still. They definitely sound better than any MP3 encoded at 160k to me.

Sure, I wish I could get a better bitrate from the iTMS, but 128k seems to suffice for now. I usually encode all my music as 192k AAC files, but the one's I've pruchased from iTunes sound pretty damn decent.
 
or songs I already had personal right to by owning the CD.
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If you owned the CD, you didn't need to download them from someone else. And even if that were the case, owning a CD allows you to copy them for yourself, not to share them and not to acquire others' copies. Sheesh.
Anyway, Eldiablo's post hit surmised it perfectly.
 
I encode at 256k, with things like recorded books going in at 128k. Yeah, I know, excessive; but I have the space, and I have good headphones, so I like to hear the music at it's best. Besides, 256k isn't 100% larger than 128 :)
 
Most of the complaints i've heard about 128k AAC from audiophiles were complaints that acoustic music, especially acoustic guitar, sounded really naff. On the other hand the same people said 192k AAC (which i use to encode my cd's, i only really play back through my computer) was really good. While i understand that Apple don't offer the higher bit rate because of bandwidth costs, i think its a shame, and weakens the case for the AAC standard with the masses. Assuming iTMS ever makes it to me in europe, i'd pay a bit extra to have a decent bitrate. I don't know what the increase in costs would be, but say $1.09 rather than $0.99 would be fine with me.

On the other hand, given the lack of any online store of any quality here in europe, i don't download music from the net, and am dubious as to how much i would downlaod if iTMS was available, i prefer having whole albums than lots of isolated tracks, so i guess CD will remain my primary way of buying music.

I'd be interested to here some US people's experience with iTMS, how much you use it and whether this is more or less than you expected before it was launched. Was it a brief novelty that wore off leaving you back buying CDs, have you totally switched to iTS or is it a bit of both?
 
how much you use it and whether this is more or less than you expected before it was launched. Was it a brief novelty that wore off leaving you back buying CDs, have you totally switched to iTS or is it a bit of both?
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I've bought far more albums via iTMS than I have CDs in a long time. The ease is there, it's great to browse through at your convenience and you can get an entire album, or just a song.
When I buy a CD, I usually just rip it and put it on the iPod anyway, so it saves me a few steps.
I found the sound quality as very good but I guess that depends on one's listening tastes.
I've also found some music that I may not have originally bought by browsing and buy having the option to buy by album or by track.
It's not perfect and it still could widen its variety, but for an online store, it can't be beat.
 
It really depends on the type of music as to which encoding is better, and what bit rate you can get away with. That said, the iTMS is good enough for my need for singles.... but I still usually just buy whole albums in stores... I'm a big fan of the whole CD "experience" (liner notes, lyrics, cover art, and whatnot).
 
I'll have to agree that acoustic performances at 128k in the AAC format could stand some improvement -- sounds too "tinny"... too "treble-y" for me (quite evident with Beck's "Sea Change" album), but nothing I would consider "bad." Still outstanding quality for such a small file, and that's really the point -- it was never meant to sound like the original, just as close as possible, which I think the AAC format has achieved. If you're an audiophile, you shouldn't be using MP3 or AAC -- the iTMS is not for audiophiles -- it's for Joe Schmoe; the masses; the teeming millions; the regular people. Just as the JPG format is not suitable for creative professionals who work with design and print, MP3 and AAC aren't suitable for creative professionals in the audio industry or those with exceptionally high standards for quality of reproduction.

With that said, I'll next say that I've purchased far more digital, on-line albums and songs now that the iTMS exists. I haven't purchased a single CD since, but I would most definitely purchase a CD of an artist whom I really liked -- for quality, for the collectability and for archival purposes. A digital file would be nice for portability, though, and could easily be made from the CD.

I'll bet that a high number of iTMS customers are impulse buyers, as well. You see it online, it's only a buck, and all you have to do is click a button. The ease of use, low cost, and especially the accessibility of it (calm down, Europe, it's coming! :p) make it very tempting sometimes NOT to click and buy.

All in all, the iTMS totally surpassed my expectations in every way. I was a bit disappointed, too, in the beginning, when I learned that the files would only be 128k, but after purchasing an album or two and a few individual tracks, I was pleased with the quality and confident that my $1.00 was well spent.
 
Cheers for the opinions guys, very interesting. I look forward to checking out more than just the track previews when it makes it across the pond.
 
Like in Europe, here in Australia we don't have access to iTMS music purchases.
Browsing through the iTMS catalouge, however, I've not be impressed with the range of music.
European bands like Müm, Mike Paradinas (Kid Spatula, µziq) and even Richard D James (Aphex Twin) don't even get a mention!
and don't even dream of getting anything by popular Australian Bands like Spiderbait, Frenzal Rhomb, Custard or Regurgitator.
 
That has to do with the way music is licensed geographically and really does suck in the age of the internet. You will not find anything on the iTMS which is not from a US label/distributer because they are only legally allowed to sell them in the US at this time. If there is a smaller licensed distributer in the US then you still won't have much luck since they are usually only allowed to sell the physical CDs and could not make a deal with iTMS if the wanted to.

Maybe as more countries are added this level of BS will be reduced as people see how stupid it is, but it won't happen soon. Save your righteous indignation for the lawyers and politicians who really are the source of the problem.
 
iTMS is for the masses if your an audiofile (a lot of people claim to be but really arent) you need to buy the CD or buy the LP. (yes they still make vinyl)
 
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