Comments on: Limitations/iTunes http://classicalconvert.com/2008/04/limitationsitunes/ A beginners guide to classical music, by someone who switched at 23 Thu, 20 Nov 2008 11:16:01 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.3 By: Maria http://classicalconvert.com/2008/04/limitationsitunes/#comment-3059 Maria Sat, 05 Apr 2008 01:57:49 +0000 http://classicalconvert.com/2008/04/limitationsitunes/#comment-3059 I would bet that at least 50% of iTunes market is buying 2 or 3 songs that are on the radio and putting them on their iPod. The stereotypical iTunes buyer is not interested in sound quality above 128kb and could strip the DRM if they wanted to. I think that the crowd interested in sound quality is buying music on CD still. When other companies can compete with iTunes I think you will see a great improvement in the products that market offers. I would bet that at least 50% of iTunes market is buying 2 or 3 songs that are on the radio and putting them on their iPod. The stereotypical iTunes buyer is not interested in sound quality above 128kb and could strip the DRM if they wanted to. I think that the crowd interested in sound quality is buying music on CD still. When other companies can compete with iTunes I think you will see a great improvement in the products that market offers.

]]> By: Dennis http://classicalconvert.com/2008/04/limitationsitunes/#comment-3056 Dennis Fri, 04 Apr 2008 16:52:00 +0000 http://classicalconvert.com/2008/04/limitationsitunes/#comment-3056 It is shocking to me that more people haven't bolted from iTunes given the increasing availability of DRM-free alternatives at higher bitrates. Probably more a marketing issue than anything - perhaps many people simply don't really know of the alternatives? On the other hand, everyone know iTunes, even people who have probably never used it and never will. While Amazon, eMusic, DG, and others using 256 or 320 kbps (though eMusic does sometimes go as low as 160) are a big step-up from iTunes' usuall 128kbps (i know they have some at 256 now, but not much), it's still far from adequate. If online distribution is ever going to fully replace store-bought CDs, artists (like Radiohead with their recent "online release" that turned out not really to be a a true online release as much as a PR tool for the forthcoming real CD) and distributors will need to start offering lossless CD-quality formats - WAV, FLAC, etc. I don't understand why these formats have not been made more readily available. Yes, it takes more bandwidth, and they would probably have to charge more to compensate for that, but it would be worth it to people who really care about sound quality. I do know of one UK-based site - though it's functionality is very poor and it is often down - that allow purchasers to choose their bandwidth - 128, 160, 192, 256, 320, or WAV - with price increasing commensurately as you move up the scale. This is the way to go. It is shocking to me that more people haven’t bolted from iTunes given the increasing availability of DRM-free alternatives at higher bitrates. Probably more a marketing issue than anything - perhaps many people simply don’t really know of the alternatives? On the other hand, everyone know iTunes, even people who have probably never used it and never will.

While Amazon, eMusic, DG, and others using 256 or 320 kbps (though eMusic does sometimes go as low as 160) are a big step-up from iTunes’ usuall 128kbps (i know they have some at 256 now, but not much), it’s still far from adequate.

If online distribution is ever going to fully replace store-bought CDs, artists (like Radiohead with their recent “online release” that turned out not really to be a a true online release as much as a PR tool for the forthcoming real CD) and distributors will need to start offering lossless CD-quality formats - WAV, FLAC, etc. I don’t understand why these formats have not been made more readily available. Yes, it takes more bandwidth, and they would probably have to charge more to compensate for that, but it would be worth it to people who really care about sound quality. I do know of one UK-based site - though it’s functionality is very poor and it is often down - that allow purchasers to choose their bandwidth - 128, 160, 192, 256, 320, or WAV - with price increasing commensurately as you move up the scale. This is the way to go.

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