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Initial Impressions of "Apple Music"

A small point for comparison...

For those who are comparing these new files to your old mp3s, please be aware that the mp3 encoder in itunes is *not* a very good one. At bit rates this low AAC is not really better than a Lame+alt-preset encoded mp3. AAC encoding doesn't really begin to blow away mp3s from Lame until 224k... so I for one am concerned that Apple choose 128. Surely most of this was to make the service seem speedy for those on slower connections, but AAC 192 would have been much, MUCH better.

At least 128AAC is significantly better quality than FM radio.
 
one final thing

For those who are complaining about this service not working outside the US don't expect it soon. But not for the obvious reason.

Getting the big 5 local rights to distribute the music isn't the problem here, it is the payment system. For the life of me I still can't figure out how Apple got the credit card companies to sign on to such small transactions... they are the first to do so. Perhaps they only do special batches? Does anyone who has paid for a song have a .99 charge on their card? Usually transaction fees on this sort of thing would kill it dead. If the record companies are getting .65 of the .99 perhaps Apple is coughing up another portion for the CCCs? .4 per click?
 
I am annoyed that this service isn't available out side of the US. What annoys me more the music service is advertised on www.apple.com.au, even though no Australian can use the service.

iTunes 4 looks funny, the buttons are too big and bulgy plus the writing is all blocky and not smooth like in iTunes 3.
 
Originally posted by awulf
I am annoyed that this service isn't available out side of the US. What annoys me more the music service is advertised on www.apple.com.au, even though no Australian can use the service.

iTunes 4 looks funny, the buttons are too big and bulgy plus the writing is all blocky and not smooth like in iTunes 3.
Click to expand...

It isn't terribly difficult for a financially responsible adult in a non-US country to obtain a US-issued credit card. I have a large number of international business friends who have done so.

People residing outside the US are NOT restricted from using the service. CREDIT CARDS issued outside the US are restricted. Big difference to any financial system savvy person.

Any Australian with a US-issued credit card can use the iTunes music store.
 
Originally posted by MacWhispers
It isn't terribly difficult for a financially responsible adult in a non-US country to obtain a US-issued credit card. I have a large number of international business friends who have done so.

People residing outside the US are NOT restricted from using the service. CREDIT CARDS issued outside the US are restricted. Big difference to any financial system savvy person.

Any Australian with a US-issued credit card can use the iTunes music store.
Click to expand...

But the billing Address must be in the US
 
Now how ironic is this??? Seeing Alanis Morissette (joy and pride of canadian music) giving the thumbs up to the Apple music store and canadian fans not being able to buy from the store...This is ridicolous.
 
I dont really understand why apple is not able to cope with international orders, i mean after all, it is a credit card transaction. Why the heck do they need your billing address anyway? its not like the mp3 is going to be sent to your door like a cd, its digital. If companies like ebay can do it, i cant see why apple cant do it.
 
Well this answer came directly from Steve:

The problem lies with the music companies, not Apple. We are working to resolve them ASAP.

So the music companies seem to be creating the problem...its hardly a credit card issue. Its a marketing issue. Lets hope it gets solved soon!
 
As a finance and economics consultant, I can anticipate why Apple might have problems might have problems expanding the iTunes Music Service beyond the US. Credit card usage is indeed not the issue in many parts of the world. However, laws governing competition are. As the old adage goes, everything in the US is permitted unless it is specifically prohibited whereas in other parts of the world, everything prohibited unless it is permitted. Offering such a service will bypass many retailers and distribution channels, and in other parts of the world (most notably Continental Europe and Japan), the laws favor the producer rather than the consumer. Such laws keep prices of many goods (including CDs) artificially high. Thus, Apple might run into legalistic issues if they tried to offer the service for their overseas customers.

In the end, I wouldn't be surprised if Apple expands the iTunes Music Service on an ad hoc basis. Canada will most certainly be the next in line (their laws governing competition are similar to the US') with UK and Australia not too far behind. Apple might have problems with Continental Europe and Japan.
 
Impressions

I have very little confidence that the rest of the world will be getting this service soon if at all, judging my Apple past treatment of the majority of this planet.

Why should AppleMusic be any different?

If it did come to Europe, as example, the prices would be jacked up by the record companies for no good reason, just like they do with all music / film (movie) products.

The UK, would of course also get extra treatment by having %25 added on to the Euro price.

Record company - "but we need the money to invest, Oh, its the taxes, oh its this and that lame excuse for us being greedy".
 
I don't see why the record companies and movie don't release their products at the same time in other countries besides the U.S. With all of the file-sharing already going on, a lot of people overseas are getting the music/movies at the same time as everybody over here.
 
Thanks for the audio quality test Playfrsbee! I've got a pair of Tannoy R3's here, so I should do a test too, it's just.. I'm so darn lazy.
Maybe I'll do a quick one myself, if so I'll let you know.

edit:

If I compare 192 kbps MP3 to 192 kbps AAC, the AAC seems to have more "presence", more attack in high sounds like hi-hats and snares. Also vocals seem to sound somewhat brighter, clearer. MP3 seems to sound a bit rounded of, smoothed.
I couldn't detect a difference between the 192 kbps AAC and the original CD. I'll test some other CD's, perhaps I'll hear a difference then.

This could all be a psychological effect. I'm not an audiofile but I have always been playing and listening music and sound quality is important to me. For my ears, 192 kbps AAC is a good enough quality.

I have a Sony amp (QS series, I know it's not the best amp in the world.. I like to get a NAD someday) and Tannoy Revolution R3 speakers which are good. (very very good for my standards, so soft on the ears even at high volume, deep bass and very nice transparent high)
 
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