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Apple Releases iTunes 7.2, Launches iTunes Plus (DRM Free)
- Thread starter zephead
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A pretty good update I thought that EMI/Apple where not going to keep to their word to release in May they just got it in an no more, but in the UK iTunes store when I go into the iTunes Plus area some music albums listed there are DRM free like Frank Sanatras but Blur is still DRM locked. It's not the giant leap for music that it should have been but a step in the right direction indeed.
I'm skeptical of iTunes Plus... will this really deter P2P users? So now they can get music without the DRM (DRM stopped me from using the iTune store), but it costs even more?
You also get double the quality...
According to Apple's press release:
"256 kbps AAC encoding for audio quality virtually indistinguishable from the original recordings"
Who are they trying to kid? Use a half-decent hifi and play any AAC file against the original CD and the difference is very apparent. Apple needs to offer lossless files if it really wants to compete with CDs
"256 kbps AAC encoding for audio quality virtually indistinguishable from the original recordings"
Who are they trying to kid? Use a half-decent hifi and play any AAC file against the original CD and the difference is very apparent. Apple needs to offer lossless files if it really wants to compete with CDs
Why Upgrade Everything?
I don't understand why the only option is to upgrade all the songs. Musical tastes change and I would prefer not to be forced to upgrade songs I no longer listen to.
BTW - the link provided does add the iTunes Plus button in the Canada store. I upgraded to 7.2 before trying the link.
Only ten songs
I don't understand why the only option is to upgrade all the songs. Musical tastes change and I would prefer not to be forced to upgrade songs I no longer listen to.
BTW - the link provided does add the iTunes Plus button in the Canada store. I upgraded to 7.2 before trying the link.
Only ten songs
Attachments
Give them some time, people...keep in mind it's only 8AM in Cupertino.
That said, I tried to go to Update My Library page and just got the "iTunes Plus" page. I wonder if that just means that I don't have any songs to upgrade, though. I noticed that free songs were not available for upgrade, and maybe a third of my purchased songs were got for free via the pepsi promos and other deals..
That said, I tried to go to Update My Library page and just got the "iTunes Plus" page. I wonder if that just means that I don't have any songs to upgrade, though. I noticed that free songs were not available for upgrade, and maybe a third of my purchased songs were got for free via the pepsi promos and other deals..
And guaranteed quality (unlike P2P, which could be crappy transcodes or rips from beat up CD's).
Apple isn't aiming this at the true pirates. It is aiming this at the people who will pay for music.
According to Apple's press release:
"256 kbps AAC encoding for audio quality virtually indistinguishable from the original recordings"
Who are they trying to kid? Use a half-decent hifi and play any AAC file against the original CD and the difference is very apparent. Apple needs to offer lossless files if it really wants to compete with CDs
Do a blind listening test and tell me if you can distinguish which file is playing.
Unless you have golden ears and are in a perfectly silent room with no noise at all, almost every person cannot tell the difference. Most people were perfectly happy with 128kbps to begin with.
For those who want individual songs, could you not enable the shopping cart, hit "buy upgrade", then pick the ones you want from the list in your cart?
Haven't tried, but don't see why it wouldn't work.
Haven't tried, but don't see why it wouldn't work.
Agreed, the page clearly says they are continually adding tracts and to check back. I still have EMI artists that weren't included in my initial 40 track upgrade.
Hmm, not bad. I'd like to hear an example of the quality really, but that seems to warrant the price increase more.
I don't think it's fair to charge 30% to upgrade an album. If you pay .30 to upgrade a song you end up paying the same price as someone just buying the iTunes+ track today. If you upgrade an album that you paid $9.99 for you end up paying $12.99 when someone just buying it today only pays $9.99.
I have done on several occasions with friends and we always spot a noticeable difference, even when doing blind tests.
According to Apple's press release:
"256 kbps AAC encoding for audio quality virtually indistinguishable from the original recordings"
Who are they trying to kid? Use a half-decent hifi and play any AAC file against the original CD and the difference is very apparent. Apple needs to offer lossless files if it really wants to compete with CDs
I have to dissagree with you there, I used to use a hifi for my music years ago before iTunes and even before playing music on computers was popular, I remmber tapes getting chewed and don't go near a magnet with them and CD's can get cracked and scrached, with iTunes I can have all my music in one place and easly buy more and don't have to worry about all the above, it's a big inprovement.
According to Apple's press release:
"256 kbps AAC encoding for audio quality virtually indistinguishable from the original recordings"
Who are they trying to kid? Use a half-decent hifi and play any AAC file against the original CD and the difference is very apparent. Apple needs to offer lossless files if it really wants to compete with CDs
The majority of people are not going to be able to tell the difference, even on a hi-5 system. Heck, I'm hearing impaired, and I can't tell the difference between a CD and 128 kbps..
Not so sure....
Not so sure about that. I don't have the Amos Lee CD in its hardware form, but I can say it sounds as good as anything I have and it would stand up well against SACDs I have in my more than half-decent hi-fi system.
Will need more time to look into it overall since I don't have regular CDs of the other dozen or so tracks as well but I'm impressed to this point with the 256K synergy in my system. I was waiting for this and am not disappointed.
Many CDs were not originally recorded very well anyway, especially all that compressed stuff in the 80s. And 44K is not worth putting up on a pedastel.
So that's my .02 cents of experience.
My system: NHT Xd, PS Audio GCP-200, Lavry DA-10, Grand Prix Monaco Modular Stand, PS Audio Premier Electric Regenerator, PS Audio P300 Electric Regenerator, Sony SACD SCD-777ES (twice modded), Apple Intel Mini (music server) via sonic wave glass tosslink to DAC.
According to Apple's press release:
"256 kbps AAC encoding for audio quality virtually indistinguishable from the original recordings"
Who are they trying to kid? Use a half-decent hifi and play any AAC file against the original CD and the difference is very apparent. Apple needs to offer lossless files if it really wants to compete with CDs
Not so sure about that. I don't have the Amos Lee CD in its hardware form, but I can say it sounds as good as anything I have and it would stand up well against SACDs I have in my more than half-decent hi-fi system.
Will need more time to look into it overall since I don't have regular CDs of the other dozen or so tracks as well but I'm impressed to this point with the 256K synergy in my system. I was waiting for this and am not disappointed.
Many CDs were not originally recorded very well anyway, especially all that compressed stuff in the 80s. And 44K is not worth putting up on a pedastel.
So that's my .02 cents of experience.
My system: NHT Xd, PS Audio GCP-200, Lavry DA-10, Grand Prix Monaco Modular Stand, PS Audio Premier Electric Regenerator, PS Audio P300 Electric Regenerator, Sony SACD SCD-777ES (twice modded), Apple Intel Mini (music server) via sonic wave glass tosslink to DAC.
Oh, I agree that it's a very convenient way of storing and using music, but there is a compromise on quality.
Not so sure about that. I don't have the Amos Lee CD in its hardware form, but I can say it sounds as good as anything I have and it would stand up well against SACDs I have in my more than half-decent hi-fi system.
Will need more time to look into it overall since I don't have regular CDs of the other dozen or so tracks as well but I'm impressed to this point with the 256K synergy in my system. I was waiting for this and am not disappointed.
Many CDs were not originally recorded very well anyway, especially all that compressed stuff in the 80s. And 44K is not worth putting up on a pedastel.
So that's my .02 cents of experience.
My system: NHT Xd, PS Audio GCP-200, Lavry DA-10, Grand Prix Monaco Modular Stand, PS Audio Premier Electric Regenerator, PS Audio P300 Electric Regenerator, Sony SACD SCD-777ES (twice modded), Apple Intel Mini (music server) via sonic wave glass tosslink to DAC.
I rip my CDs at 256 and they sound fine, but still not as good as the originals. I play through an Arcam Solo with a dedicated iPod link, and Castle speakers
Direct comparison:
I can tell you that I had an immediate difference in the 128 vs. 256K version of Amos Lee's self-titled album.
I had to play the album at a lower volume as it had more pop across the board in the overall sound and all the instrumentation.
And I dig that about 256K.
I can tell you that I had an immediate difference in the 128 vs. 256K version of Amos Lee's self-titled album.
I had to play the album at a lower volume as it had more pop across the board in the overall sound and all the instrumentation.
And I dig that about 256K.
I guess some with good hearing might beable to distiguish between CD and iTunes music, but a good set of speakers can hugely affect your music, for example my MacBook's speakers are not very good for music but my old earbud headphones are no match to my iPod ones so I think what you listen on can make a diffrence, but who knows in the future there might be better quality avalible.
Cd rip vs. online
I can understand how that would be possible. So far I don't have any Cds to do a comparison.
At this point, since most of my collection is from CD and hard drives are so much cheaper, I just go ahead and burn everything at AIFF anyway. But most of my original burnings were in AAC. Never detected a difference so never went back and reburned all the other CDs via AIFF.
I can understand how that would be possible. So far I don't have any Cds to do a comparison.
At this point, since most of my collection is from CD and hard drives are so much cheaper, I just go ahead and burn everything at AIFF anyway. But most of my original burnings were in AAC. Never detected a difference so never went back and reburned all the other CDs via AIFF.
Patience. Apple is still rolling this out. I would be surprised if there is no per song upgrade.