Buying DRM-Free Music On iTunes?

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Kaos Theory

macrumors member

Original poster

• Jan 16, 2009

• #1

Um, excuse my ignorance on this matter, but how do I buy DRM-free music on iTunes? Do I have to upgrade my current library to DRM-free before I can buy a DRM-free song? Is there a way of telling if a song is DRM-free, such as a icon in the corner? Because for the life of me, I can't seem to find any DRM-free songs, and I have iTunes 802...
Help would be greatly appreciated, as I am dying to buy new music. Again, I apologize for asking a completely moronic question. 😀

 

QuarterSwede

macrumors G4

• Jan 16, 2009

• #2

Kaos Theory said:

Um, excuse my ignorance on this matter, but how do I buy DRM-free music on iTunes? Do I have to upgrade my current library to DRM-free before I can buy a DRM-free song? Is there a way of telling if a song is DRM-free, such as a icon in the corner? Because for the life of me, I can't seem to find any DRM-free songs, and I have iTunes 802...
Help would be greatly appreciated, as I am dying to buy new music. Again, I apologize for asking a completely moronic question. 😀

Click to expand...

Look for the plus symbol in the price. It's called iTunes Plus.

 

maclover001

macrumors 6502a

• Jan 16, 2009

• #3

If the song has a little "+" icon next to the Buy Now button, its DRM-free.

You have to pay 30¢ a song to upgrade your current collection to DRM-free.

 

numbersyx

macrumors 65816

• Jan 17, 2009

• #4

... And after April every song will be DRM free according to Apple.

 

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Kaos Theory

macrumors member

Original poster

• Jan 17, 2009

• #5

Thanks!

Thanks for all the replies. The sound quality is noticeably better. 😀

 

Tomorrow

macrumors 604

• Jan 17, 2009

• #6

Kaos Theory said:

Thanks for all the replies. The sound quality is noticeably better. 😀

Click to expand...

Is the sound quality any different without DRM??? That doesn't seem to make sense.

 

Galley

macrumors 65816

• Jan 17, 2009

• #7

Tomorrow said:

Is the sound quality any different without DRM??? That doesn't seem to make sense.

Click to expand...

iTunes Plus tracks are 256Kbps vs. 128 for the DRM stuff.

 

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LightDemon69

macrumors member

• Jan 18, 2009

• #8

Galley said:

iTunes Plus tracks are 256Kbps vs. 128 for the DRM stuff.

Click to expand...

Which gives a slightly better audio quality, but doubles the file size. So say a regular DRM itunes song was 4 MB, the iTunes plus version will be 8 MB. All good things have some kind of drawback.

 

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mcb13

macrumors member

• Jan 19, 2009

• #9

Just bought my first songs since Apple announced the changes a couple of weeks ago.

Despite the + next to the songs, what I downloaded from iTunes tonight was 128bit DRM'd songs.

:/

Haven't spent the $100 they want to upgrade my existing library yet...not sure I want to spend 30 cents on at least 1/3 of the songs the wife and I bought over the years.