Amazon Launches Public Beta of DRM-Free Music Store

[NewSc2]

Bob: So amazon is knowingly baiting us with cheap mp3's, and then when we all bite, they're going to prosecute us all? I really doubt that. And you're not supposed to be sharing these mp3's anyway. So your point is moot, unless you're a pirate.

 

[dmelgar]

I'd rather have DRM-free AAC at 256kbps... newer technology, smaller files.

Not smaller files, if they're both at 256kbps, then they should be roughly the same size. However AAC is a much superior compression algorithm and the sound quality is typically much better with AAC than MP3 at the same bit rate.

In my personal listening tests, 128kbps MP3 sounds pretty bad, 192 is passable. I've heard some issues in 256 in particular passages of some songs that high bitrate may not resolve.

I haven't conducted extensive listening tests with AAC, but in the tests I have done, I haven't noticed problems even at very low bit rates such as 64kbps. An mp3 at that bitrate is virtually unlistenable. Its probably that I haven't discovered what AAC artifacts sound like. Once I hear it, maybe I'd recognize it. But as it stands I find AAC to be an excellent compression scheme.

 

[Eidorian]

Just got my first song in a few seconds.

195 kbps VBR using LAME 3.97.

Where's my 256 kbps, eh?

 

[redfirebird08]

No, LoganT, you're the dumbass.

Show me where Apple watermarking (on EMI songs only) is customer-specific with name and location - AND - show me where Apple has made that information available to the RIAA or the record labels.

You can't. Apple specifically said they won't do that. Amazon, however, has - and they've already done it with Unbox, stupid.

Also, the songs on Amazon MP3 are priced differently. I see singles on there for .89 on up to 1.97.

I have friends in the industry. If they tell me the labels are working an angle on this, I believe them. If you want to be a sucker, and trust Universal, just because the songs are cheap now, I guarantee you'll be hurting when they start raising prices.

So, in order to afford them, I suggest you get a real job and make some real money. It must suck being a broke, little whiner.

Here's a tip for you, get your facts straight. The songs that cost $1.97 are only available as "Album Only" on iTunes. Check it for yourself. It's all about the length of the songs. Longer songs are generally restricted on iTunes to "Album Only" whereas on Amazon they just change the price so you can either do "Album Only" OR buy it all by itself at a premium.

Have you purchased any of the Amazon songs? If not, then shut your mouth about the watermarks. It's the same as iTunes non-DRM songs. It's some text written in the comments section to trace the fact that it was purchased from Amazon. The customer's information is nowhere in the watermark.

Wow. Just, wow.

And please, link me to any single song on Amazon that costs $1.97.

More expensive songs on Amazon are more expensive because you get a discount for buying the album. They're more expensive because they are longer than normal. For instance, Pink Floyd's "Wish You Were Here" album has 3 songs on iTunes that are "Album Only," and on Amazon 1 of those songs is available at a premium of $1.94 with the other two being $.89. In fact, earlier tonight all three were $1.94 and now they've dropped the price on two of them to $.89 which is AWESOME.

 

[donlphi]

That's great!

If you like your music sounding like an old digitized LP.

mp3? Are you serious?

 

[Chris Welch]

That's great!

If you like your music sounding like an old digitized LP.

mp3? Are you serious?

You're used to encoding with iTunes, so I can understand why you think MP3s sound like crap, because the iTunes MP3 encoder absolutely sucks.

Amazon is using LAME encoding, which is considering by audiophiles to be the BEST MP3 encoder algorithm out there.

 

[boblobb]

Wow. Just, wow.

And please, link me to any single song on Amazon that costs $1.97.

Here. Link

 

[redfirebird08]

Here. Link

That same song isn't even available as a single purchase on iTunes. It's "Album Only."

http://phobos.apple.com/WebObjects/...bum?playlistId=257050746&s=143441&i=257050939

And look at the album price on Amazon vs. iTunes:

$8.99 vs. $9.99

Amazon is giving you TWO options. Pay a premium to buy a longer song as a single or buy the whole album and get a discount on it. Apple only offers the second option at the moment. This is because Apple does not believe in variable prices.

 

[armani]

Pretty sweet... and one of the first Mac-compatible stores outside iTunes?

Now... how much of the music is no-name or strictly EMI, we'll have to examine more closely...

Not really true, there are other websites that sell mp3 and better quality. One of them is www.mp3sparks.com. You can choose what quality you want, VBR or CBR and pay accordingly. And it is way cheaper. One song is about 15-20c. I think it is a Russian web-site and as far as I know it is legal there.

 

[Chris Welch]

And that's what you call getting owned.

But keep it up, boblobb! You're really showing us!

 

[Chris Welch]

Not really true, there are other websites that sell mp3 and better quality. One of them is www.mp3sparks.com. You can choose what quality you want, VBR or CBR and pay accordingly. And it is way cheaper. One song is about 15-20c. I think it is a Russian web-site and as far as I know it is legal there.

None of that money actually gets to the artists or labels. It's the same kind of thing as AllOfMP3.com. Legal by some ridiculous loophole.

 

[redfirebird08]

Not really true, there are other websites that sell mp3 and better quality. One of them is www.mp3sparks.com. You can choose what quality you want, VBR or CBR and pay accordingly. And it is way cheaper. One song is about 15-20c. I think it is a Russian web-site and as far as I know it is legal there.

Legal over there but illegal in the U.S.

 

[dmelgar]

Winterspan, I've seen some absolutely moronic posts on this board, but that might take the cake.

I mean... Jesus Christ.

I agree, this is a moronic post. I have no idea what you're trying to say.

Amazon does have a very onerous video download service. Universal is trying to stick it to Apple. It is likely that the low price is part of their test to see if they can break the control that Apple is exerting.

Who still uses P2P networks these days anyway?

P2P networks includes Limewire, Gnutella, and Torrents. They're more popular than ever.

 

[armani]

Let's see here…

Ben Harper - Live from Mars

iTunes Plus = $19.99
Amazon = $18.06

iTunes = $1.29 per song (21 of 25)
Amazon = $.99 per song (21 of 25)

iTunes = 4 songs are 'Album Only' presumably because they are over 8 minutes in length.
Amazon = Same 4 songs are $1.94 each.

Yeah, iTunes will now be my second choice.

Check this
http://www.mp3sparks.com/r2/Ben_Harper/Live_From_Mars/group_4997/album_7/mcatalog.shtml?albref=14

Ben Harper "live from mars" $5.60

You can find ANYTHING there, well mostly anything

 

[armani]

Legal over there but illegal in the U.S.

It is a legal internet site, nobody can restrict you from buying anywhere. It is up to you though..... The site pays to RAR agency which distributes royalties to artists, if record companies don't want to deal with that agency it is their problem. You probably read what has been written in US, try to see the other side of the story.

 

[redfirebird08]

So let me get this straight, Apple's $1.29 DRM-free tracks PLUS TAX is a good deal, which is $1.40 total in my state, is a better deal than Amazon's $.99 DRM-free tracks with no sales tax? Never mind their top 100 album deal. Pink Floyd's The Wall is the best album purchase I've made in quite a while. $8.99 for 26 tracks because it's in the top 100 on Amazon's album downloads. That's a hell of a deal for DRM-free, high quality songs. It would cost me $18.40 to buy it from iTunes including tax. Amazon is selling the actual CD for $19.99. Why in holy hell would I spend almost as much on something that has zero packaging and almost zero transporation costs (server space does cost a little bit but not much compared to shipping a physical product)?

Who cares, it is a legal internet site, nobody can restrict you from buying anywhere. It is up to you though..... But I think this is a fair pricing. I work in music business and thinks it is perfectly fair site.

The credit card companies blocked AllofMP3.com and they will likely block the one you're using. So yeah, you CAN be prevented from buying.

 

[redfirebird08]

Pink Floyd - The Wall, unless you already have it. $8.99 with no tax vs. $19.99 for the CD from Amazon. Hell of a deal.

 

[Chris Welch]

Haha.. The Wall is at #4 on the most downloaded albums list. Nice.

 

[armani]

So let me get this straight, Apple's $1.29 DRM-free tracks PLUS TAX is a good deal, which is $1.40 total in my state, is a better deal than Amazon's $.99 DRM-free tracks with no sales tax? Never mind their top 100 album deal. Pink Floyd's The Wall is the best album purchase I've made in quite a while. $8.99 for 26 tracks because it's in the top 100 on Amazon's album downloads. That's a hell of a deal for DRM-free, high quality songs. It would cost me $18.40 to buy it from iTunes including tax. Amazon is selling the actual CD for $19.99. Why in holy hell would I spend almost as much on something that has zero packaging and almost zero transporation costs (server space does cost a little bit but not much compared to shipping a physical product)?



The credit card companies blocked AllofMP3.com and they will likely block the one you're using. So yeah, you CAN be prevented from buying.

Yes, I remember that. I guess that's why they opened another one. It can be endless.

 

[Mackilroy]

Thanks, but I'm not into Pink Floyd. I like classical music, mostly.

 

[redfirebird08]

Haha.. The Wall is at #4 on the most downloaded albums list. Nice.

Hell yeah. Quite a few consumers are dumb, but obviously a lot of the Amazon downloaders aren't. It's the best value for your money of any mainstream album available on Amazon right now. The price on that thing is always jacked up and Amazon.com's CD price is lower than you'll find at Best Buy, etc. Physical stores usually have it for $23 to $25 before tax from what I've seen. This is one situation where it was nice to be a cheapskate and hold out.

Thanks, but I'm not into Pink Floyd. I like classical music, mostly.

Oh, OK cool. Good luck to you; hopefully you can find some good deals on there.

 

[Andrmgic]

Agreed. I'm not even that big of a pink floyd fan.. my old college roommate played it a lot, but for $8.99 for 26 tracks, there's no way I could pass it up.. especially DRM-free!

 

[redfirebird08]

Agreed. I'm not even that big of a pink floyd fan.. my old college roommate played it a lot, but for $8.99 for 26 tracks, there's no way I could pass it up.. especially DRM-free!

Yep, too good of a deal to pass up indeed! The entire reason I avoided buying it was because there were around 5 or 6 songs that I knew I enjoyed from the album, but the price was always so high that it just felt like a potential rip-off even though I had heard great things about it since forever of course. It's at #4 on there, which means it will stay in the top 100 for a really long time and thus at $8.99. When people see it's #4, they'll click on it and then see the price, then , then buy it!

 

[LoganT]

Not really true, there are other websites that sell mp3 and better quality. One of them is www.mp3sparks.com. You can choose what quality you want, VBR or CBR and pay accordingly. And it is way cheaper. One song is about 15-20c. I think it is a Russian web-site and as far as I know it is legal there.

MP3Sparks, oh you mean AllOfMP3's new name. Paying for music on MP3 sparks is essentially paying for something you could get for free. The money isn't going to the artists or the label.

Oh and another thing about watermarking. This is how it should have been from the very beginning. People are not going to upload tracks from iTunes Plus or Amazon to a P2P/bittorrent network.

 

[Poll Smoker]

Pink Floyd's The Wall is the best album purchase I've made in quite a while.

Jesus, we get it already! How many f**** times are you going to mention Pink Floyd in this thread?

Go back to your dorm, pull out the bong, put on Dark Side of the Moon and talk to your roommate about how "deep" it is.