Question BEST HIGH RESOLUTION MUSIC DOWNLOAD SERVICE

[spenna]

Hi there i wonder if anyone out there has any comments through there own experience on the best music download service out there for high resolution music downloads?.I know the one that keeps getting mentioned is HD TRACKS but they seem a little expensive to me.I wondered about the best for value, usability etc.Thanks.

 

[MartinH32]

I've used Quboz and it's ok. Seem to have a good selection - just don't assume because it's available though it's hi res! The website occasionally goes into French too!

 

[spenna]

Thanks for your reply. Do you have to subscribe to there top tier package though to allow physical music downloads and lower tiers you stream only?. Or have I got that the wrong way round.Yes some of the downloads/streams are cd quality aren't they.

 

[pRot3us]

Thanks for your reply. Do you have to subscribe to there top tier package though to allow physical music downloads and lower tiers you stream only?. Or have I got that the wrong way round.Yes some of the downloads/streams are cd quality aren't they.

They don't have everything in the highest quality, but you can see and select what format/quality you want for any particular track/album. If you're in the UK you'll have to drop them an email/request to unlock your account for access to HR content or you'll just get a 'not available in your country' type message when trying to buy.

 

[MartinH32]

I've not subscribed and the hi res content has been open to me - certainly the things I've searched for.

 

[pRot3us]

I've not subscribed and the hi res content has been open to me - certainly the things I've searched for.

They must have changed their policy since I signed up.

 

[JGM]

Qobuz is going into receivership on Monday. They're looking for a buyer.

 

[pRot3us]

Qobuz is going into receivership on Monday. They're looking for a buyer.

Bad news

 

[JGM]

Here's the editorial.

Why you should support Qobuz...

I'll have to see how much of my year's subscription I get.

 

[spenna]

Thanks for all the replys much appreciated.Going off track a little bit (but the following is sort of related).When and if I eventually decide on a high resolution music download service I know I have read plenty of articles about to play your downloads at the best quality is to get an outboard DAC because the one in your PC is built at cost so is a compromise. I was wondering save the expense of a DAC,I have a Sony experia Z5 which is high resolution audio capable I thought if I had high res music on my phone could I configure the phone and buy a bespoke lead to output the audio from the phone into my AV amplifier which has a perfectly good DAC and therefore bypass the phones DAC

 

[spenna]

Oh sorry should have mentioned you may think we'll why don't you try and output the audio direct from the PC direct into AV amp and why mention phone. The PC and AV system aren't in the same room so that's why thought if phone could work?.And alter things round if phone isn't viable so PC and AV are in same room as last resort.

 

[MartinH32]

Qobuz is going into receivership on Monday. They're looking for a buyer.

That's annoying. I'm arguing with Sony over a £75 Qobuz voucher that wasn't in the box when I purchased my player. I'm guessing I won't get to use it now when it arrives!

 

[overkill]

The HD sites are dictated to price wise by the record companies. As such prices are fixed. You might get something at £9.99 at one site and £10.99 at another but that's it. There is a list of sites on another one of the 'HD Download' threads on here.

I would treat all HD downloads with caution. What the poster meant by 'not all are HD quality' was not that the site does 16/44, but that 'hires' tracks are often upsampled 16/44. In other words not hires.

Another cause for concern is the complete lack of lineage of the original recording or what, if any mastering has been done. It's clear from many HD downloads an inferior source has been used. The Cream HDtracks downloads are case in point. Absolutely shocking.

HDtracks is about the best bet for quantity, the quality, as I say, is variable.

 

[spenna]

Thanks for reply.Yes your right I was thinking of that myself,it's all very well having a sampling rate of say 96/24 but if the original recording was poorly mastered it's not going to sound any better. And let's face it you know yourself there are some poor sounding cd's out there etc.Thanks.