I've been getting my mp3's from AllofMp3.com for a while now, using their Alltunes download manager. I've finally exhausted my balance, and am not able to refill my balance at present. I used to get the mp3's at 320kbps and they were DRM free. Can anyone suggest an alternative site, either in the UK or abroad that I could use as a replacement. I've looked at Play.com's new download service, which is ok, but I am really interested in getting all of the mp3's at 320kbps. Does anyone know of any sites that encodes the mp3's at 320kbps as opposed to 192 or 160 ?
MP3 download sites?
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Buy second-hand CDs from eBay/Amazon marketplace and rip your own at an even higher bit-rate? For your own, backup consumption of course.
Not a bad idea actually. I'll have a mooch about. Just seems a lot of hassle if i'm only after one song off a CD.
Just as an aside, Clare (or anyone else, that cares to help), you mentioned ripping them at a higher bit rate.
Forgive my ignorance, I thought the bitrate on an mp3 of 320kbps was CD quality. Am I wrong? I've got this into my head from the Alltunes download manager program. It says that, when you speicfy what bitrate you want the mp3 encoded at, that 320 is CD quality.
Would I notice much difference encoding at a higher rate? If so, what rate would you recommend?
Just as an aside, Clare (or anyone else, that cares to help), you mentioned ripping them at a higher bit rate.
Forgive my ignorance, I thought the bitrate on an mp3 of 320kbps was CD quality. Am I wrong? I've got this into my head from the Alltunes download manager program. It says that, when you speicfy what bitrate you want the mp3 encoded at, that 320 is CD quality.
Would I notice much difference encoding at a higher rate? If so, what rate would you recommend?
I am listening on a 60gb Ipod. I have it connected to the Onkyo TX-SR875 amp via an Onkyo Ipod dock. The speakers are the Dali Ikon 6 5.1 range.
If I did go down the road of converting Cd's into a 'lossless' format, do you think I would need to consider upgrading my Ipod to a larger capacity one?
I might just try it first on one CD, and see if I can hear a difference. There may well be a difference, but if I cant hear it, it doesn't seem worth changing from 320kbps.
If I did go down the road of converting Cd's into a 'lossless' format, do you think I would need to consider upgrading my Ipod to a larger capacity one?
I might just try it first on one CD, and see if I can hear a difference. There may well be a difference, but if I cant hear it, it doesn't seem worth changing from 320kbps.
You do, however, have to realise fr0g's otherwise excellent advice comes with a very anti-Apple bias! We'd always advise Lossless or WAV via an Apple iPod - you should hear the difference over 320kbps in your level of set-up.
Well, just to update you, i've ordered a CD from Play.com's equivelent of Amazon's marketplace for £3.50 including p & p.
I am going to try the 'Apple lossless' route to begin with and will let you know from if I hear a difference.
I am going to try the 'Apple lossless' route to begin with and will let you know from if I hear a difference.
[quote user="stucola"]I've been getting my mp3's from AllofMp3.com for a while now, using their Alltunes download manager.
I've finally exhausted my balance, and am not able to refill my balance at present.
I used to get the mp3's at 320kbps and they were DRM free.
Can anyone suggest an alternative site, either in the UK or abroad that I could use as a replacement.
I've looked at Play.com's new download service, which is ok, but I am really interested in getting all of the mp3's at 320kbps. Does anyone know of any sites that encodes the mp3's at 320kbps as opposed to 192 or 160 ?
[/quote]all that ive download from play.com has been 320kbps so far
I've finally exhausted my balance, and am not able to refill my balance at present.
I used to get the mp3's at 320kbps and they were DRM free.
Can anyone suggest an alternative site, either in the UK or abroad that I could use as a replacement.
I've looked at Play.com's new download service, which is ok, but I am really interested in getting all of the mp3's at 320kbps. Does anyone know of any sites that encodes the mp3's at 320kbps as opposed to 192 or 160 ?
[/quote]all that ive download from play.com has been 320kbps so far
[quote user="fr0g"][quote user="stucola"]Well, just to update you, i've ordered a CD from Play.com's equivelent of Amazon's marketplace for £3.50 including p & p.
I am going to try the 'Apple lossless' route to begin with and will let you know from if I hear a difference.[/quote]
Without wanting to sound in ANY way condacending... Make sure you try and double blind the test for yourself... If you know one format should (and can) sound better, it almost certainly will...even if it doesn't...m'kay
[/quote]
That is fair comment fr0g. I will do the test so that the tracks of various quality levels are shuffled.
I agree, that if you know that one 'should' sound better, you can convince yourself that it does, regardless.
I am going to try the 'Apple lossless' route to begin with and will let you know from if I hear a difference.[/quote]
Without wanting to sound in ANY way condacending... Make sure you try and double blind the test for yourself... If you know one format should (and can) sound better, it almost certainly will...even if it doesn't...m'kay
[/quote]That is fair comment fr0g. I will do the test so that the tracks of various quality levels are shuffled.
I agree, that if you know that one 'should' sound better, you can convince yourself that it does, regardless.
I agree with Fr0g, depends on your equipment as to the quality to use, and that includes your ears. Double blind tests are really useful for deciding the format and bitrate to use for different applications. You could have a great set up, but your ears may still not notice a difference, if thats the case, then congratulations, it means you can encode at lower quality, and get more music on your portable.
In most cases, music on a portable is fine in a well encoded lossy format as Fr0g said, and lossless is probably overkill. I usually use a high bit rate ogg file (about q6) on my portable player, 192kbps mp3 for my car stereo (I don't get any benefit of higher bit rates in my car due to engine/road noise and my car stereo doesn't play ogg), very high bitrate ogg (q8 - q10) on my computer (linked to my Hifi by optical s/pdiff), and original CDs in my HiFi. Those are the qualities that I have found to be satisfactory for my ears with each different bit of equipment, the key is just to experiment.
As for where to get the music, I buy it on CD so I can use it in whatever format/quality I want. Allofmp3 is running again as mp3 sparks now, and has a new licencing arangement, and so far, they don't seam to have gotten into too much controvesy so it may be worth trying that. The best thing about allofmp3/mp3sparks was that you could choose the format and quality of the music you downloaded which was very useful, its a shame none of the more mainstream services such as amazon or itunes don't offer the same level of flexibility and quality.
In most cases, music on a portable is fine in a well encoded lossy format as Fr0g said, and lossless is probably overkill. I usually use a high bit rate ogg file (about q6) on my portable player, 192kbps mp3 for my car stereo (I don't get any benefit of higher bit rates in my car due to engine/road noise and my car stereo doesn't play ogg), very high bitrate ogg (q8 - q10) on my computer (linked to my Hifi by optical s/pdiff), and original CDs in my HiFi. Those are the qualities that I have found to be satisfactory for my ears with each different bit of equipment, the key is just to experiment.
As for where to get the music, I buy it on CD so I can use it in whatever format/quality I want. Allofmp3 is running again as mp3 sparks now, and has a new licencing arangement, and so far, they don't seam to have gotten into too much controvesy so it may be worth trying that. The best thing about allofmp3/mp3sparks was that you could choose the format and quality of the music you downloaded which was very useful, its a shame none of the more mainstream services such as amazon or itunes don't offer the same level of flexibility and quality.
[quote user="fr0g"]Indeed... and I did mention mp3sparks...as for the car... 128 Kbps is MORE than enough for a car... unless you're in a Mercedes S-Class, or Bentley etc. P[/quote]
So you did, I was reading and typing quickly in a break at work so didn't notice. Lack of higher frequencies bugs me at 128k, even in the car (I notice when stopped at traffic lights etc). Maybe I should upgrade my Punto to a Bently for a better sonic experience though
P[/quote]So you did, I was reading and typing quickly in a break at work so didn't notice. Lack of higher frequencies bugs me at 128k, even in the car (I notice when stopped at traffic lights etc). Maybe I should upgrade my Punto to a Bently for a better sonic experience though
Steven Wilcox
Well-known member
MP3Sparks.com is not now accepting credit card payments, unfortnuately.
There's some variations of the MP3.Sparks.com type site out there including mp3fiesta.com but this only offers downloads at 128kbps.
I wonder if anyone has found any sites offering decent quality downloads at a raesonable price?
There's some variations of the MP3.Sparks.com type site out there including mp3fiesta.com but this only offers downloads at 128kbps.
I wonder if anyone has found any sites offering decent quality downloads at a raesonable price?
Hi Steven.
Ive since found a way of adding funds to my balance at Mp3sparks.com .
One of the payment options is to pay using a cmpass pin code. If you go to http://cmpass.com/
, register with them, you can get a pin code by calling one of a selection of different phone numbers, depending on how much you want to add. Rather than taking the money from your debit/credit card, it goes directly to your phone bill.
I tried it a couple of months ago, and it worked fine.
Ive since found a way of adding funds to my balance at Mp3sparks.com .
One of the payment options is to pay using a cmpass pin code. If you go to http://cmpass.com/
, register with them, you can get a pin code by calling one of a selection of different phone numbers, depending on how much you want to add. Rather than taking the money from your debit/credit card, it goes directly to your phone bill.
I tried it a couple of months ago, and it worked fine.
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