Of course I'm talking about after Lars Napster.

I'm curious what your thoughts are on it. Is it worth it, the $15 per month fee IYO?

I d/l it last night and my thoughts are mixed, more on the this is stupid side.

For example I searched for Metallica and Alice in Chains, and I was limited to a whoppin 0:30 seconds of audio sampling. Then I searched for STP and the first song was a sample but yet I could d/l all the others.

I felt a little better when I could d/l Queensryhce/Empire but that soon went out the door when I tried to burn it to CD. Two songs wouldn't burn because if I wanted those two in particular I'd have to buy the whole album.

I understand the tracks are DRM'd already and I'm pretty sure there are a number of ways around that but that's not what I'm looking to do at this moment.

So I told you my opinion, what's yours?

I use a combination of iTunes + CDs.

Well I use CD's too when I can get my hands on them (the way I prefer because I can set the kps).

I also like using amazon and I'm giving serious thought to buying used CD's on there because that's about the cheapest I can find an album anywhere.

I asked a friend his thoughts and this is what he sent back to me:

iTunes Plus = DRM-free

I also use Amazon sometimes when I can't find what I'm looking for on iTunes.

*Uses BitTorrent, is downloading a copy of "Theodicy."*

wow, that was unexpected

I use... ah hell... I'm a terrible terrible pirate


Arrrrr!

I don't use Naptser because Metallica said "Napster BAAAAAAD!"

*doesn't have a single Metallica song*

I can't listen to them anymore. The Napster thing, and them trying to copyright the E-F chord progression... just, no.

plus my interest in the band's music died with Cliff Burton

Did they record JFA with Cliff or Jason? *knows Jason was in One video*

Cliff Burton died after Master of Puppets.

I know everyone loves AJFA... I don't

I can't stand Metallica...

I used Amazon and CDs, when I can't find something on Amazon and don't feel like hunting down the disc, I use Rhapsody now that it is DRM free.

There's a bass track on JFA?

Yes, Bass drum and its heavy on that album.

The E-F chord thing is a myth. but it does sound like something they'd do.

OMG, bass drum and bass track are totally not the same thing [/music nerd-bass player]

(If you listen real close, you can almost hear the bass track. Sometimes. It doesn't help that it mostly doubles the guitar.)

(Mostly.)

It also doesn't help that the production suuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuucked on that album.

FLEMMING RASMUSSEN!!!!!!

i agree with what he said >_>

if i was buying music though, i'd buy through amazon, and only full albums, never individual tracks, but...



177gb and counting, piracy ftmfw!



paying a premium for DRM free music = fail

if you buy music you should be able to do what you want with that music. grant it, drm is extremely easy to beat (burn to cd then rip), but yea, you shouldn't have to work around it.

"What I want" is to listen to it on my computer. We don't have a stereo in our house anymore. So I guess if you want to make CDs of digital downloads (which makes no sense -- if you're buying it online, why not just buy a CD, and if you're pirating it, you're gonna have less than CD quality unless you can always find 320kbps+ songs), then okay.

More subscribtion music angst.

I get what they're trying to do (bundle restriction with a bow and fancy wording) but it still is not the same as just out right owning it and as we all know RIAA would like you to know you don't actually own it anyways.

Another story with Napster last night, I decided what the hell I'll burn a cd of the tracks that I can without purchashing a whole album and I'll deal with it. WRONG! up pops another window telling me my MC is going to be charged X amount of $.

After paying a fee I'd just like to listen to my music where ever I'm at. Upstair/Downstairs, work, car, ect...

DRM=Fail
Subscribtion music = FAIL.
P2P=FAIL

L33[h1ng=WIN
Bunch of buddies going in on a CD (split cost)/Borrowing CDs=WIN
Buying used CD (Pawn shops are good place to look)=WIN

Buying a CD at reg. price yourself=neutral/almost fail.

well, burning to cd to beat drm just means that you rip them >_>

also, you can burn to a cd image, mount the image and rip it.

also, JSYK, 320kbps CBR and 245 akbps VBR are pretty much scene standards. also, most stuff now is released in FLAC format, which is easily converted to mp3. every once in a while you'll get a 192, which is fine by me, but the moment i find it at 320 or vbr i'll replace it.

The Quintessential Guide to Creating High Quality MP3s by Chris Myden

meh, foobar2000 is alot easier to use. just dl lame_enc.dll and point to program at it and you're good to go. EAC is what most piracy groups use though.

VBR is awsm when it's encoded with LAME. sounds as good as 320kbps CBR, but is better compressed.

FYI, iTunes Plus songs are still $0.99 each

We don't appear to get iTunes + in the UK.
That said, the DRM is lost if you convert it to a CD and then import it anyway.

so is the quality...