Mp3 Downloads, Where do you get your downloads? Options

[akunthita]

I was just wondering where do you guys get your MP3 downloads for your Zaurus? I see a lot of free download sites but I'm afraid to use them as they seem to have a tendency to take over my desktop.

Then there are those who want me to download their own media player, or have a montly subscription fee. I really don't like either idea. I just want to buy some music and download it to my Zaurus. I don't want an other media player then what is on my computer already, I want no junkmail, spyware, adware, or whatever.

Can you recommend any sites where you can safely download MP3 (free or for a fee)? I don't mind paying if I know that the site is safe.

I actually really like walmart.com for music downloads as there are no strings attached but they only have donwloads in wma files.

What would you guys recommend?

Thanks a bunch!

[eji]

AllofMP3.com -- It's a Russian site (also in English) that charges a nominal fee based on encoded file size. At 320kbps AAC/MP3, you can pick up a CD for about $3. I use it regularly to pick up CDs I only halfheartedly want. Should be exactly what you're looking for.

eMusic -- Used to be recommended among my friends. Haven't heard much about it lately. I think it might be a subscription model, though.

Don't Buy.com and Amazon.com also do per-song non-DRM downloads?

[kopsis]

I'll second the AllofMP3.com suggestion. Dirt cheap, no DRM, and you get great control over how your music is encoded. Go into advanced mode when picking the encoding and you can actually pick your preferred encoder (I suggest Lame) and select from a wide variety of CBR, ABR, and VBR bitrates (your choice controls the size and quality of the encoded file). You can even choose lossless encoding for many albums if you want to pay the premium for the extra large download.

[Stubear]

No mp3s, but plenty of great lossless encoded (shorten, flac etc) songs from Jam bands - bands that let the crowd record during their concerts.

Checkout etree.org for more info (or bt.etreee.org if you are a bittorrent fan)

Stu

[akunthita]

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE SUGGESTIONS! IT IS A GREAT HELP!

[microsoft/linux]

is AllofMp3 legal? If it's based in russia, how is it that the artists get their royalty fees? How do we know this music is a legal copy?

[eji]

is AllofMp3 legal? If it's based in russia, how is it that the artists get their royalty fees? How do we know this music is a legal copy?

Were you the sort of person who reminded the teacher she forgot to assign homework?

Truth is, we don't know if the artists represented on AllofMP3.com get the royalty fees to which US/UK/etc law entitles them. But the website is 100% legal in Russia and sanctioned by their RIAA equivalent, and thanks the wonders of internet commerce, non-residents can shop there if they so desire and take advantage of that discrepancy.

[akpoff]

Don't forget places like Magnatunes. Magnatunes represents mostly indie bands. The music selection varies in quality but you get to preview everything you buy. I've had good luck with the jazz, classical and "world" music genres. The rock and pop are uneven.

The prices at magnatunes are right -- you pay what you think it's worth with a suggested price of US$8.00 of which the artist gets a full 50%. Even cooler, you pick the format(s) you want -- you can download just an mp3 copy or you can get wavs and say flac or ogg. There doesn't seem to be a limit to the number of formats. I tend to pull down the flac and re-encode to save them bandwidth but the option is there. Also, you can go back and re-download. It's not like the iTunes Music Store where you get one shot at the download. They also let you listen to almost the whole catalog in streaming format as mp3 radio. They've also just announced that you can give any album you buy to 3 of your friends. John Buckman, who started magnatunes, has a really refreshing philosophy to music -- very compatible with the Free Software movement.

There are also other places. Michael Robertson who started mp3.com started a new one called mp3tunes.com. Seems to be pretty much the same artists from mp3.com. Again, the quality of the music varies. The prices are pretty much in line with the "majors" like iTMS but unlike magnatunes you only get one format -- mp3. Also, the previews are snippets whereas those on magnatunes are full length. On the whole, I have a hard time getting excited about mp3tunes because you pay $8.88 for an album in a lossy format.

I haven't tried allofmp3.com but have walked their catalog. It's very nice and complete. I think I'd use it as suggested -- for marginal interest items. Anything I like I buy as a CD and just rip/encode to disk.

[brashley46]

I use CDex to extract mp3s from my own CDs. http://cdexos.sourceforge.net/ Pretty versatile, open source, no hassles. Windows only, unfortunately.

[polito]

Walmart is nice and though yes the downloads are WMA... you can just burn the WMA's to CD and then rip them using winamp pro... that's what I do... winamp pro rips'em quick and it's easy to deal with.

But yah, usually I get my mp3's from my music cd's

[specks90]

Does anyone know of a Limewire, Grokster type application that will run on the SL-C1000?

[mbagsh55]

I would thoroughly recommend Emusic.com, and have been a member of the site for over 2 years now.

Initially they were a subsription only model based on yearly unlimited subscriptions. They have switched this to monthly subscriptions for those that are worried they will not be able to find enough music in the 300,000+ tracks.

There is a 50 free tracks offer open to all new subscribers and the basic monthly cost is US$9.99 for 40 tracks. There is a 10-20% discount for annual subscribers and three levels of subscription if you start to get addicted.

If you are into Linkin Park, Madonna or some other tightly managed major artist and have no interest in trying something new, it probably isn't for you, but if you are interested in listening to some world-music, indipendant pop/rock, jazz or any of the vast variety of music available you are in for a treat.

It is also completely legal, offers MP3s for sale (not rent!) and unlike AllofMp3 the copyright holders are compensated for all downloads.

Cheers,
Marcus

[microsoft/linux]

does emusic have like, Billy Joel, Weezer, and some of the other 'medium name' artists(as in not big name)? I'm looking to expand my music collection, but I don't know what I like

[mbagsh55]

No Billy Joel or Weezer, although there is this:

"Elegy : The Great Peconic - London Symphony Orchestra : Conducted By David Snell, Composed By Billy Joel"

You can easily search without login via
Search page

For suggestions of music you might like, the message boards are the best bet in my opinion.

Message Boards

Cheers,
Marcus

-- Still choosig this months downloads, but almost certainly going to be an lounge-jazz/Reggee album, another CCR album and something the wife wants to listen to.

[hakujin]

is AllofMp3 legal? If it's based in russia, how is it that the artists get their royalty fees? How do we know this music is a legal copy?

I am pretty sure AllofMp3 does not pay royalties to the "artists" just like Gorbushka in moscow doesn't pay the artists. A $3 CD does leave much left in the way of money to pay out as royalties. But on the other hand, who gives a rats ass if the so called artists get paid to sit on their duffs and collect untold millions from their cash cows. Heavens forbid they should have to work in order to make a living. Ever wonder why so many rock stars are druggies? It's cuz they're bored with no work to do. So I figure the less you pay them the better off they are. And honestly when I sit at home worrying about how I can afford a single family home for my family, the plight of the poor "artists" sitting in their beverly hills summer homes crying about lost royalties rarely crosses my mind. So download download download.