Sources for downloaded music

[Dave2002]

Do Chandos do so-called hi-res downloads - and if they do - does it make any difference anyway? Doesn't seem to me that they do - http://www.chandos.net/details06.asp...r=CHAN%2010859

[HighlandDougie]

Chandos's downloads are handled by an offshoot (classical shop.net), which offers a whole variety of labels, as well as Chandos. I've had a fair amount of bother with them in the past - their last upgrade/move of servers didn't seem to have gone very well - and their prices are higher than elsewhere (but not as high as Linn). As to the improvement in sound of 24/96 downloads over 16/48 CDs, only your ears will be able to tell the difference, although I did think that the 24/96 download of the Bavouzet/Noseda Prokofiev Piano Concertos sounded markedly sharper and with greater depth than the CDs. But, if you are after the Nielsen, here it is:

http://www.theclassicalshop.net/Details.aspx?CatalogueNumber=CHAN%2010859

[Dave2002]

HD msg 2

Thanks for that.

£24.97 for Studio Master level downloads does seem reasonably competitive at the present prices - for anyone who doesn't actually want to have physical CDs. Might also be of interest for anyone wanting to dip their toes into the water of hi-res downloads - though hopefully without the bother you mention.

Are most of the Chandos CDs now available in this way?

[jayne lee wilson]

Downloading from The Classical Shop tends to go better if you choose the Zip File option. Using their download manager works fine too, but the procedure can seem overcomplicated at first, as (on a Mac) you have to download the manager-software itself, then find it in your downloads folder, and open it by double clicking...

It does work OK after that though, as ever efficiency will depend on your broadband speed/stability. And as HD says, only your ears ( & your system, etc) can decide whether 24-bit ("Studio Master") works for you. But if you buy that option from TCS, eclassical or Qobuz, you get the lossless and mp3 thrown in free, so the comparison is there if you want it...[/I]

[HighlandDougie]

HD msg 2

Thanks for that.

£24.97 for Studio Master level downloads does seem reasonably competitive at the present prices - for anyone who doesn't actually want to have physical CDs. Might also be of interest for anyone wanting to dip their toes into the water of hi-res downloads - though hopefully without the bother you mention.

Are most of the Chandos CDs now available in this way?

Without checking, I'm pretty sure that most if not all of the Chandos catalogue is available to download. I'm also sure that they will have got over earlier glitches with the download process.

Having now listened to a couple of the symphonies from the new cycle in its CD form, I'm pretty certain that a certain muddiness in climaxes in the recording might be clarified in 24/96 format. The recordings were made in Media City (as with the Prokofiev PCs I referred to earlier) where the same slight shortcoming in the recording on CD largely disappeared with the higher resolution of the downloads. I have to admit that I was more impressed with the recording quality of the Bernstein Espansiva than of the new one. I like the new performance, though, especially the first movement.

[Bryn]

HD msg 5

Thanks for that.

£24.97 for Studio Master level downloads does seem reasonably competitive at the present prices - for anyone who doesn't actually want to have physical CDs. Might also be of interest for anyone wanting to dip their toes into the water of hi-res downloads - though hopefully without the bother you mention.

Are most of the Chandos CDs now available in this way?

That value is somewhat enhanced by the fact that if you purchase the 96/24 download you also get complementary 44.1/16 and mp3 downloads, so you can still conveniently burn you own CD-Rs etc.

[Nick Armstrong]

Chandos's downloads are handled by an offshoot (classical shop.net), which offers a whole variety of labels, as well as Chandos.

Downloading from The Classical Shop tends to go better if you choose the Zip File option. Using their download manager works fine too

I now do my downloads whenever possible from the Classical Shop, or failing that Prestoclassical. (I don't download from Amazon now - the 'Amazon Music' "app" has to be the worst, slowest, least intuitive piece of software recently foisted on the public - unusable without extreme irritation, I find; and without it, you have to download tracks manually, one by one)

I find the 'zip' option from The Classical Shop works just fine, no need for their 'manager'. An additional bonus is that the lossless downloads are offered in Mac-compatible format (.aiff) not just incompatible .flac - it's just that bit more convenient not to have to convert everything.

I've become a loyal client of The Classical Shop.

[Nick Armstrong]

Sources for downloaded music

This offshoot of the Chandos Nielsen cycle deserved its own thread, it seemed to me.

[Nick Armstrong]

On the subject of Apple iTunes compatibility, I'd be interested to hear from other Mac/iTunes users how they get around the inability to use .flac files.

If I can't download a lossless .aiff from The Classical Shop, I use this software

iSkysoft Video Converter (version 4.4.6) http://www.iskysoft.com/video-converter-mac.html

which despite its name has a comprehensive range of options for converting audio files, the one I use most being .flac to .aiff

I thought it was free but judging from that link I had to buy it.

Does the job very effectively I think. Just wish it wasn't necessary.

[richardfinegold]

On the subject of Apple iTunes compatibility, I'd be interested to hear from other Mac/iTunes users how they get around the inability to use .flac files.

If I can't download a lossless .aiff from The Classical Shop, I use this software

iSkysoft Video Converter (version 4.4.6) http://www.iskysoft.com/video-converter-mac.html

which despite its name has a comprehensive range of options for converting audio files, the one I use most being .flac to .aiff

I thought it was free but judging from that link I had to buy it.

Does the job very effectively I think. Just wish it wasn't necessary.

There are many programs that convert flac to mac compatible formats, such as audacity, j river, and others. The disadvantage is that afaik you have to exit itunes to play those files. Does your Airport Express only play itunes files or will it play such a program?

[Nick Armstrong]

There are many programs that convert flac to mac compatible formats, such as audacity, j river, and others. The disadvantage is that afaik you have to exit itunes to play those files. Does your Airport Express only play itunes files or will it play such a program?

Only iTunes...

[Stunsworth]

On the subject of Apple iTunes compatibility, I'd be interested to hear from other Mac/iTunes users how they get around the inability to use .flac files

I use a free program called XLD...

http://sourceforge.net/projects/xld/

It can convert to Apple format, and automatically copy the converted files to iTunes if required.

[richardfinegold]

I use a free program called XLD...

http://sourceforge.net/projects/xld/

It can convert to Apple format, and automatically copy the converted files to iTunes if required.

I use that program to. It seems to store the music in itunes but then it has to be played through XLD. Perhaps that is only the case for high resolution downloads, which are the only ones that I buy.

[Stunsworth]

I use that program to. It seems to store the music in itunes but then it has to be played through XLD. Perhaps that is only the case for high resolution downloads, which are the only ones that I buy.

All the music I've converted, regardless of resolution, plays fine in iTunes. I've never used XLD as a player.

[johnb]

I've just discovered that there are Hi-Res (24/96) and mp3 downloads on the LSO Live website. At the moment there are around 30 discs available for download, though perhaps that number might grow. What is odd is that the download prices for FLAC 24/96 vary between £5.99 and £9.99 (from the sample I have looked at). Even odder is that when, on some discs, you select FLAC it comes up with the message "Sold Out" ... for a download!!!!

Perhaps there is a a download quota or perhaps "Sold Out" means "not yet available in FLAC", but it does seem rather odd.