HDTracks is a dumb website

[wilro15]

How HDTracks make any money is beyond me. Their website is useless!

Page 1 of the Top 100 albums has 42 albums, Page 2 & 3 each have exactly the same results and only show 8 each. So that makes 58, not 100, and 8 of those are duplicates.

In the Top 100 albums is REM's Automatic for the People. Try searching for "REM" using the search box - REM isn't in the results! :rofl:

Then if you find something you like and try to buy it, you get a message saying "Selected required options are not available." So why did you show it to me in the first place?

Is there anywhere else that is UK based, which works, and has good music (other than classical as thats not my bag) ?

 

[BigH]

Yes its not very good and when you get an email about new albums, it then says not available on the website. The worst part is many albums are not available to UK residents.

Not sure if there are any UK ones.

You could try Linn but rather limited choice. Or there is a french site Qobuz that may have something of interest.

 

[wilro15]

Yeah I found Qobuz by following a link from Sony.co.uk's high resolution music section. It only had regional options of France, Belgium, Luxembourg and Switzerland so I wasn't sure if it would have the same unavailability message.

Update: Yup after trying to buy a couple of albums on Qobuz I was again told they are unavailable in your country.

WTF?

Why do WHF keep banging on about HD audio when you can't buy it?

 

[Tear Drop]

I suspect it is largely down to the record labels who decide which countries various recordings are licensed to. Various releases can be bought on Qobuz in the UK, it is label dependent. There are ways to get around the HDtracks regional issues, though I don't think they work with Qobuz (correct me if I'm wrong).

 

[BigH]

I did find this site which may help: http://www.24bit96.com/24bit96khz-download-sites/hd-music-download.html

Best site I have found is this: http://www.highresaudio.com

Its german but prices are in £s so should be OK, has a reasonable range of music, rock, jazz etc.

 

[luckylion100]

Regarding HDTRACKS, I've read plenty about the audio quality available there and whether you're actually getting what you think you've purchased. If you can't purchase from them, perhaps it's no great loss. Agreed the site is very poor.

 

[BigH]

Other options are cds from companies like Audio Fidelity about £15-£20 on Amazon, or Blu Ray Audio about £10-£15 but you will need a BD player.

 

[AlmaataKZ]

I wrote to them about the site usability issues as well as lack of provenance assurance abt two years ago. They replied along the lines of 'we will improve it in due course'. I do not think anything has changed since.

having fully explored hirez music (availability, sound quality, difference or not, technicall aspects eyc) I concluded that it is a waste of time.

 

[BigH]

I wrote to them about the site usability issues as well as lack of provenance assurance abt two years ago. They replied along the lines of 'we will improve it in due course'. I do not think anything has changed since.

having fully explored hirez music (availability, sound quality, difference or not, technicall aspects eyc) I concluded that it is a waste of time.

Certainly seems expensive and lacking in availability and some albums I can hardly tell the difference.

 

[Dave_]

The worst part is many albums are not available to UK residents.

You can't really blame them for that, that's purely down to the stupidity of the music industry.

 

[Clare Newsome]

It works brilliantly in the US - I download albums when I go there for business. But I only buy HD downloads I know have been tested to be true 24/192 files, and have been widely discussed online. Haven't bought many, but those I have are excellent.

I know HD Tracks (and other download sites) have plans to launch in UK, but expect they're facing the same rights nightmare every other service (even ITunes) has encountered; often different labels have rights to artists/albums in different territories.

 

[miles90]

Looks like HDtracks might be getting their act together. The search appears to be working well. Nothing I haven't been able to find yet. Is anyone else seeing this?

 

[BigH]

It does seem to have improved.

But seems even less is available for UK residents.

Still some problems, click on Melody Gardot as artist name and says there are no albums available but then they have her The Absense showing under classic 100 jazz albums.

 

[spiny norman]

But seems even less is available for UK residents.

All about licencing, I guess: eg Universal titles are available in the UK via LinnRecords, so I guess the deal means only Linn can offer them in the UK.

 

[DaveyBoy1980]

It works brilliantly in the US - I download albums when I go there for business. But I only buy HD downloads I know have been tested to be true 24/192 files, and have been widely discussed online. Haven't bought many, but those I have are excellent.

I know HD Tracks (and other download sites) have plans to launch in UK, but expect they're facing the same rights nightmare every other service (even ITunes) has encountered; often different labels have rights to artists/albums in different territories.

Clare, could you recommend or share your thoughts on a couple that would be worth listening to from those that you've purchased please.

 

[blair207]

If you email QoBuz and tell them your from the UK and want to buy an album which is coming up as blocked they will unblock your account and you'll be able to buy what you want.