dpganz

I only noticed a quick mention of allofmp3. Now, you can say its legaly questionable in the states, but even with that in mind its a pretty safe bet. I just started using it, and couldn't be happier. If you're worried about sound quality, then it doesnt get better. They offer online encoding, so you can download the music how you want it. Whether this means mp3, wma, or lossless encodes like FLAC or wav, you're set. Whats more is it only costs like... 1-2cents per meg, they don't charge by song. So this means I've been paying of average 1.75 per ALBUM. They even offer The Beatles, and Metallica, among other artists that don't offer online versions of their songs due to Russian copyright laws. Awsome deal, and I encourage you to check it out... this site will answer most questions you might have about it http://www.museekster.com/allofmp3info.htm

Kumar J

I been using them and I find them to have the best download and good choice of music!

Easy

Interesting. Thanks for the info.

Artman

Same for me. Only thing is not being able to find certain artists/albums...but they're really good at updating daily...so hopefully they'll show up eventually.

kvrdave

Oddly, after downloading from several sites, I have given it up. I think it is tough to beat something like yourmusic.com where I can have the entire cd for the cost of 6 songs, and not have to deal with the licensing crap.

atlantamoi

That is a great deal, but some of us are hopelessly addicted to owning every song ever made!

mike1978

Unfortunately, yourmusic.com is terrible for people with tastes that stray from the mainstream. After 2 hours of searching, I only found one album I wanted.

Toad

Man I cannot tell a difference b/w 128 and "CD quality". Every MP3 I've purchased from Napster is 128 and they all sound great.

Toad

Duh, then change your tastes to the mainstream!!

mike1978

I tried to change them, but they quickly went back to their old ways.

dpganz

A lot of that will depend on what you listen to those songs through. A $30 soundcard, and a $50 pair of speakers can only sound so good. Its not as though I have great speakers and such, but I want to start my MP3 collection out right for the future 'freakin awsome' setup I want.

Oh, and a bit more on allofmp3. I agree, the only drawback is the lack of certain artists/albums but its give and take. Having used Napster, and Rhapsody I've found stuff on allofmp3 that they didn't have, but its missing some of what the others do have. There's plenty there for now though to keep me happy, and I just hope they can keep up on new releases (as its based in Russia, I really don't want to wait two months before getting the new beck album for instance) Also, the other gripe is that one the my favorite things on Rhapsody is how they connect the artists to similar artists, and have genre listings. Best I can tell, allofmp3 uses alphabetical listings only, and top 100 listings. But amazon and other sites work well enough for finding new music, then just checking on allofmp3 to see if they have any of it. Its not a subscription based service, so its not like you can't get your moneys worth.

Toad

I don't listen to them on my computer at all, actually. MP3 player mostly, through headphones or connection to my stereo; or in the car via CDs I've made. All sound good as new.

dpganz

Well, I'm not hugely into audio components myself, but without assuming too much its doubtful that most people have at best a midrange sound system. If the headphones cost less than $100 consider them low end. The people who will debate the quality of a superbly encoded mp3 with that of a CD are those who spend ungodly amounts of money on their music system. Outside noise is also important to keep in mind, so when listening to music in a car or on the go its much less likely that even with great audio components one could hear a significant difference. I do the majority of my listening in the car, and on my mp3 player too, so more often than not a 128 mp3 like that off rhapsody is fine.
Basically all I'm saying is that there is a difference, just that for the majority its not enough to really come into account.

DVDTalker002

mp3's aren't cd quality..... Cds are WAV PCM files... The average file is 40 megs versus 3-5 of a mp3... You loose a ton of quality... Don't waist your money... Just sign up for bmg or something.

SubZeri

A local DJ and producer here in Dallas recently posted a spectrum analysis he did in his studio of mp3/vinyl/cd at different bit rates. At 160k mp3, you are losing alot of the audio spectrum between 16khz-20khz, with lower bitrates getting worse quickly. This is why mp3 tends to sound muddy compared to CD. I have a full JBL M-Pro club PA system in my house, and to say that mp3 sounds like sh!t would be a gross understatement of the facts.

kvrdave

I would agree. The best headphones will never rival the best speaker system, but it is amazing how important headphones are. I have about 6 pair for different uses, and when you really want to enjoy the music to the fullest, I pull out the Sennheiser closed ear ones.

However, I will say that the $30 Sony phontopia type have the best sound for the price that I have ever heard. They are also the best for listening while mowing the lawn etc. since they essentially act as an ear plug.

But don't skimp on the headphones.

Toad

Either way, I can't tell a difference.

The OP can't know if they are quality MP3s unless he buys one and hears for himself --- we can't tell him what sounds good to his ears.

dpganz

Well, as to dismissing mp3's as having poor sound quality.... I wouldn't. The problem with mp3's is that they can have such varying quality. If you make mp3's from your own collection of CDs they will rival if not equal the quality of a CD. Using lame 3.90.3 with the standalt command is generally agreed to be your best bet(its comparable to 192k variable bitrate). Some will argue sound quality is lost going from analogue to digital, and the same could be said going from uncompressed to compressed. But that aside a properly made mp3 is just as good as a CD in 90% of the situations, imo.

ravan

Topic says it all.. I know there are some sites that dont DRM their music that you pay for, but usually its niche or somewhat obscure stuff.

Are there any sites that give you non-DRM stuff and has mainstream stuff like moby, the killers, U2, stefani etc etc?

bdrules

No.

Well...I suppose that there's Allofmp3, but I don't really consider them to be legal. RIAA labels don't exactly embrace the idea of non-DRM music.

You could check out Emusic, I suppose. I've been a member there for the past three years or so, and I think it is fantastic. But, then again, my tastes aren't quite "mainstream" so...

benedict

Hopefully people will still be able follow up within the confines of this "one-and-only" thread which continues on from [PART 1].

The background to this restriction to more purely music-oriented topics is outlined in the sticky DOs & DONTs thread.

Jay G.

For those talking about allofmp3, here's an article about a recent investigation into it:

http://www.theregister.co.uk/2005/03...3-com_let_off/

So allofmp3 is only legal in the sense that the piracy it engages in is not currently covered by Russian copyright law, which only covers physical distribution.

Jack Straw

I d/l some CCR (lots), Bush, Smithereens, Todd Rundgren, George Harrison (tribute CD), Great White (Led Zep tribute), and Elliott Smith. Also, a lot of Joe Stump which I would have been all over had I not already bought the CDs. After d/l my 50 songs, I fairly promptly cancelled. There's not a whole lot there that would keep me coming back for more. There is also lots of George Carlin comedy CDs.

slop101

The best thing about AllOfMP3.com (besides quality sounding files and being cheap cheap cheap) is that they use pay-pal, and you don't have to give you're credit card info to some shady Russian.

chinolofus

allofmp3.com is only legal if you live in russia...but really who cares. and if you are gonna buy from them why not use bittorrent? and 10 bucks for a cd w/ no case or artwork..jeez the people who pay for that need to get their heads checked. i understand buying one or two songs (well not really since i can get almost any cd i want for free). but w/ that said the one or two song route is the only way to go. if you buy an entire cd than the company is giving you a good rear ending. so in closeing..thank god for bittorrent and p2p i havent wasted money on a cd in nearly a yr and i used to buy a few a week.