WTB Lossless Audio Files Legally?

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MikeAqua

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#146727 27-May-2014 13:25

I'm sick of poor quality MP3 files from itunes, google etc. I'm after a place to legally purchase high quality or lossless digital audio files.

I've tried HD Music and a couple of others but their ranges seem limited - a lot of classical and jazz, but very little of the rock, hard rock and metal I like.

It seems to have been a while since this was discussed on GZ. Wondering if anyone has found a good site?

I want to store files on a NAS and play via DLNA on my Onkyo network receiver, and Sonos devices. I also want to be able to play a more limited selection from a USB device in the car/boat.

It's been suggested to me that I buy and rip the CDs. Seem expensive and I don't have an optical drive.

Mike

freitasm

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#1054347 27-May-2014 14:35

I posted a list of legal music downloads and legal movie downloads in New Zealand.

Check these and let me know of any changes.

MikeAqua

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#1054355 27-May-2014 15:08

Freegal, Mixtape and RCRDBL appear to be history.

Spinner links to AOL which says "not available in your area".

You could add HDTracks.com and HDMusic.co.nz

Mike

MikeAqua

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#1054358 27-May-2014 15:13

HD Tracks and HD Music both offer high quality tracks but limited artists/genres.

Linn similar story - they offer studio quality music but not much range

Spotify Premium streams at 320 kbps which I could live with, but doesn't solve car/boat needs.

Might have to buy the CDs.

Mike

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#1054364 27-May-2014 15:24

Thanks, updated the list.

jonathan18

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#1054373 27-May-2014 15:40

MikeAqua: Spotify Premium streams at 320 kbps which I could live with, but doesn't solve car/boat needs.

Can you not connect a mobile phone via USB (or bluetooth in a car?) to allow you to listen to Spotify in the car and/or boat? Spotify Premium allows one to save on up to three devices any music one wants for off-line playing.

Given the iPod input in my car (a 2013 Mazda 6) is SERIOUSLY @#$@#$ed (a well-known problem), I'm primarily using Spotify as my music source in the car and have to say I'm totally happy with the audio quality.

jarledb

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#1054415 27-May-2014 16:07

MikeAqua:
Spotify Premium streams at 320 kbps which I could live with, but doesn't solve car/boat needs.

If you have Spotify Premium you can do offline playlists and have that music available no matter if you are on broadband or not. (I am guessing that is the primary problem?)

It integrates well with Sonos as well.

MikeAqua

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#1054570 27-May-2014 19:47

With spotify can you copy talks onto a usb stick? I don't really want to take my smart phone on the boat. I have a cheapie for boating, mtb etc.

Mike

Dunnersfella

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#1054576 27-May-2014 19:57

Sonos and high res audio aren't a happening thing... are they?
B&W Society of Sound has a couple of albums worth your time, HDTracks is okay (improving slowly), but most likely, the next source of quality music files will be Pono. How good the masters are will, of course, dictate the quality you receive at the other end. But all things being equal, I hope they 'do the right thing' and get the best quality mix from the studios, not the one that's simply 'loudest and proudest'.

I have FLAC, AIFF and MP3 copies of all my music. Some is 24/192, some CD quality... and MP3's are low quality for car playback via MP3.

Glassboy

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#1054595 27-May-2014 20:22

MikeAqua: I'm sick of poor quality MP3 files from itunes, google etc. I'm after a place to legally purchase high quality or lossless digital audio files.

I've tried HD Music and a couple of others but their ranges seem limited - a lot of classical and jazz, but very little of the rock, hard rock and metal I like.

It seems to have been a while since this was discussed on GZ. Wondering if anyone has found a good site?

I want to store files on a NAS and play via DLNA on my Onkyo network receiver, and Sonos devices. I also want to be able to play a more limited selection from a USB device in the car/boat.

It's been suggested to me that I buy and rip the CDs. Seem expensive and I don't have an optical drive.

Hi there, you have just missed the Pono Kickstarter http://www.ponomusic.com/#home . But they'll be live soon.

jonathan18

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#1054620 27-May-2014 20:56

MikeAqua: With spotify can you copy talks onto a usb stick? I don't really want to take my smart phone on the boat. I have a cheapie for boating, mtb etc.

No, it doesn't allow files to be saved to a "dumb" device like a USB stick. That said, the Spotify app works fine on nearly any old mobile, eg my son uses my old and slow mobile. The audio can be easily saved onto a SD card on the phone do internal storage sim tan issue. You can easily just use some phone picked up from TradeMe or even use an iPod Touch or similar.

NZtechfreak

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#1054636 27-May-2014 21:39

Buy the CDs and rip to your lossless format of choice, it's really the only tenable way right now.

Twitter: @nztechfreak
Blogs: HeadphoNZ.org

MikeAqua

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#1054980 28-May-2014 12:21

I frequently use boat and car in areas that have no mobile coverage of any kind, and where there is cover, often data is very limited.

The smart phone with offline storage will work for the car, but that still leaves me stuck for the boat. It's not the place for an expensive phone.

jonathan18:
MikeAqua: Spotify Premium streams at 320 kbps which I could live with, but doesn't solve car/boat needs.

Can you not connect a mobile phone via USB (or bluetooth in a car?) to allow you to listen to Spotify in the car and/or boat? Spotify Premium allows one to save on up to three devices any music one wants for off-line playing.

Given the iPod input in my car (a 2013 Mazda 6) is SERIOUSLY @#$@#$ed (a well-known problem), I'm primarily using Spotify as my music source in the car and have to say I'm totally happy with the audio quality.

Mike

MikeAqua

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#1054985 28-May-2014 12:31

Glassboy:
Hi there, you have just missed the Pono Kickstarter http://www.ponomusic.com/#home . But they'll be live soon.

I may be misreading but it looks like Pono will only work on their device?

Mike

jonathan18

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#1054990 28-May-2014 12:34

MikeAqua: I frequently use boat and car in areas that have no mobile coverage of any kind, and where there is cover, often data is very limited.

The smart phone with offline storage will work for the car, but that still leaves me stuck for the boat. It's not the place for an expensive phone.

jonathan18:
MikeAqua: Spotify Premium streams at 320 kbps which I could live with, but doesn't solve car/boat needs.

Can you not connect a mobile phone via USB (or bluetooth in a car?) to allow you to listen to Spotify in the car and/or boat? Spotify Premium allows one to save on up to three devices any music one wants for off-line playing.

Given the iPod input in my car (a 2013 Mazda 6) is SERIOUSLY @#$@#$ed (a well-known problem), I'm primarily using Spotify as my music source in the car and have to say I'm totally happy with the audio quality.

As I mentioned in a post just a few up - it doesn't really matter what type of phone one uses for Spotify, as even old ones will do the job fine. Hence my suggestion about picking up a s/h one off TM just for the boat just for music. Or you could pick up a <$100 new smart phone, which could be running a relatively recent version of Android. Using a phone just for this purpose still leaves the posibility of two other devices on to which you can also be syncing offline playlists. And you can elect to download different bitrate files onto different devices (eg, you may not need the same quality on a boat, which I assume isn't an audiophile's listening paradise?).

MikeAqua

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#1054992 28-May-2014 12:36

Thanks folks. I'm going to go with spotify premium for home and smartphone and use standard MP3 files on the boat for now. As pointed out sound quality isn't as important on the boat. Will see how the market develops from there.

Mike