Topic: Not Exactly EMusic but ... (Read 10529 times)

Charlemagne 8 · « **on:** October 31, 2002, 02:24:58 pm »

... It's along the same lines. This is about AudioGalaxy/Rhapsody.
I have a subscription to Emusic because I want to encourage good behavior on the part of the music industry.
I have a subscription to AG/Rhapsody (AGR) for the same reason. Rhapsody has a wonderful library of songs you can listen to, especially if you like rock. Old to new. A VERY large library. The sound quality is also very good across a DSL connection ... I don't know about a modem.
The service costs 10 bucks a month. Some here have said that without being able to download, it's not worth it. I'm not sure if I agree or not but, like I said, I'm trying to encourage Industry folks who are trying to get their heart in the right place.

Now to my point:

Recently AGR has added the capability to burn a large number of tracks from their aforesaid large library. The trick is it's $0.99 per track.
I guess the bottom line is that I'm paying $10/month for the privelege of paying $15 or so for a full CD. I supply the disk, I supply the jewel case and I supply the labelling if there is any.
Am I supposed to encourage this behavior?
We've always said that P2P is as strong as it is because there is no decent legal music deal. I concur. No one would want to mess with incomplete, artifact riddled and sometimes mis-named and/or with misrepresented bit rates if a high quality, legal alternative was available.
Someone help me through this dilemma. I want to do the right thing but I don't want to get ripped off.
CVIII

JimH · « **Reply #1 on:** October 31, 2002, 03:13:04 pm »

C8,
You are a good person. With patience, you will prevail.

Fortune Cookie

RAV · « **Reply #2 on:** October 31, 2002, 07:38:24 pm »

I just subscribed to Rhapsody. I tried it a few days during a free trial and was hooked to the huge library and very good Internet radio which is much better than anything else online for free. Sound quality is pretty good (near CD) and I like the option to buy songs to CD at 0.99 each which is decent considering you don't need to buy an entire album. Also the service IMO was worth $10 even before the started CD burning. The only thing I dislike is that I cannot play the streaming music with Media Jukebox. Could someone from JRiver contact listen.com (Rhapsody) because they would really compliment each other very well.

Charlemagne 8 · « **Reply #3 on:** November 01, 2002, 03:22:50 pm »

RAV,

Quote

... cannot play the streaming music with Media Jukebox. Could someone from JRiver contact listen.com (Rhapsody) because they would really compliment each other very well.

I have suggested something similar before. That's TWO, JimH ... And thanks for the kind words.

Update:
I went ahead and burned a CD just to see how I felt about it. I got Yes - Close to the Edge AND Yes - Fragile (most of it) on one CD and it cost $7.92. Seems that 18 minute tracks cost $0.99 just as 4 minute tracks would.
And the sound quality is excellent. AND I could turn around and rip to MJ immediately after. They use their own burning software. I forget the name. Next time I'll write it down.
There WILL be a next time because I realized that the listening part for $9.95/month and the burning part for $0.99/track are separate entities. I would pay ANOTHER service $0.99/track and still keep Rhapsody so why not pay Rhapsody for it?
CVIII

zevele10 · « **Reply #4 on:** November 01, 2002, 03:52:07 pm »

I will NEVER EVER pay a dollard for on song in any lossy format.
If i want the Yes album,i pay $25 a month unlimited downloads to a LEGAL site to get them at mp3 128 Fr.. encoder
Or i pay $ 0,01 the mb to get them in any format ,mp3 lame-Ogg or Wma at any bit size ,up to 320t o another LEGAL site.
There is something REALLY funny: look like people spending $$$ on any stream deal do not have money left to spend on TotalRecorder...Or they would never say here that Rhapsody AND TotalRecorder are a quitte good deal......

P2p may give you some work-not that much if you know how to use it- But at $1 the song ,they are still the best deal in town.
With songs at $1 ,look like they are here to stay

Beside this any song from close to the edge must cost $100 or death penalty.
Up to Fragile i may try to understand but after .....

Listening to: '50,000 Miles Beneath My Brain' from 'Cricklewood Green' by 'Ten Years After' on Media Jukebox

At $14,99 :1000x1 the song

Charlemagne 8 · « **Reply #5 on:** November 01, 2002, 05:01:19 pm »

Z,
How do you know it's lossy? It comes as CDA which translates to WAV but I understand that even a 96 KBPS MP3 can be reconverted into a WAV but how do we know? As far as I know, the ear is the only judge in this case.
I would like to be able to test to see what kind of sound it is. If you know of a way, please tell me.
P2P has the same problem, though. Just because a track is listed as 320 kbps doesn't mean it is. You can get very good quality songs from P2P and you can get very poor quality songs from P2P. You never know.
The ideal would be a place that you could buy, for a reasonable cost, a high quality music file. I'm looking for such an animal. If Rhapsody ain't it, I want to know.

From what I can see, some sort of combination of Rhapsody and Emusic with an option to get higher bit-rate songs (some people don't care) would be the Holy Grail. Does it exist? Will it?
CVIII

zevele10 · « **Reply #6 on:** November 02, 2002, 03:11:14 am »

OK
There is 3 things here

1-Emusic
A good deal ,no matter unlimited or let say 1000 a month.The main problem with Emusic is the terrible quality of the encoding.
Not only because it is Xing 128.Look for a cd you have and who is on Emusic.Download it and rip your cd with Xing at 128.Now select the 2 encodings and play it starting with the Emusic one ,when you play your encoding ,you jump.Like puting the level to +3 on your stereo.

2-Rhapsody
I do not have acces to it,but i use Yahoo! radio.
Not the same league,but the same principle. In fact it is not a radio but a play what you like 'a la carte'.
I may take Rhapsody if they catalogue REALLY hudge in rock.

Beside it ,there is this strange need to get more food than we can eat concerning music.
If you get 1000 songs a month from Emusic + your records -old ans new- + free music from places like mp3.com and free concerts from bands+ free streaming from House Of The Blues with hours and hours of live music + Rhapsody ,look like than even a 24/24 hours 365/365 days listening is not enougth.

3- Downloads at $1 the song
I cannot see wich albums there is on Rhapsody,only the artists.But let take 2 of them

Ryam Adam

Demolition-13 songs-cdnow at $11,99-Rhapsody at $13
Gold--------16 --------------------$ 15,49-------------------$16
Heartbreaker-15 songs---------$14,99--------------------$15

Adrverts
Crossing the read sea 25 songs-$14,99-----------------$25

With the real album -cheaper or same price than Rhapsody- you get full sound quality,sleeve,art work and artefact.
Beside this if you rip it to the format you want ,scan the art work,the next day you get money from the second hand shop when selling it.

So this price of $1 does not make a sens as a price to sell hudge quantitys of downloads.
It is ok if you want to make some compilation ,if you have ABB Eat a Peach on double lp and no the Fillmore cd second edition.For $1 you get the Mountain Jam in one piece.
But i do think that it is a small market.
I do not know if you get lossy or not.Size can tell you ,1 MB=1 minute at 128 kps [more or less].If it is lossless,let say that it is a great news! But still to expansive.

I know ,as you know, the problem with P2P, transcoding being a plague.On the top of it ,i care about full albums only. Not making things easy since Audiogalaxy not in town anymore ,and quitte slow with 'MadJewBernice' as you know.

But most of people on Kazaa and Imesh are kids who had allready a thousand spywares before they got any p2p on they machine ,who play they music on they 'all wild plastic comming with the computer speakers'.They do not give a dam to APE ,format and so on.And for them a 1$ song to download is just to much.

Because it is not Charlrmagne the 50 years old father who would make any kind of Emusic/Rhapsody a succes.
It is Charlemagne's three kids who will do it.

Have a nice after Hallowen week-end

By the way ,i understand your
Yes -Close to the Edge as a try to say the scarest thing on earth for Hallowen

michel · « **Reply #7 on:** November 02, 2002, 05:57:30 am »

AGR: 1$ a track => almost the same price that a "physical" album. It doesn't make sense.

EMusic and others "legal" sites: about 0,015$ a track.

Of course, I don't believe that sleeve, art work and reseller cost > 10 $.

Where is the truth ?

Also, why AGR is not available for non-american users ? A "normal" company would sell music to a maximum of customers, no it isn't ?

A personal opinion
(average) people do not decide to buy n albums/year, they decide to spend nx15$ /year.

If n is little (let say about 6) it is probable that (average) people will buy top50 albums which are probably produced by majors => almost all the money for the majors and a few artists.

I am not sure it is the best way to incentive the creation.

I am convinced that if music was much less expansive, people would buy more music (for the same amount of money). But if people can buy much more music they will buy also some more "indie" music => less money for the majors (in fact, when they say "less money for music industry, they think "less money for us") and the money would be distributed accross more artists (a few of them would win less money of course).

It is a better way to incentive the artistic creation, I think.

KingSparta · « **Reply #8 on:** November 02, 2002, 07:48:13 am »

>> A personal opinion
>> (average) people do not decide to buy n
>> albums/year, they decide to spend nx15$ /year.
I must not be "Normal"

I don't do either.

I buy on Impulse

Right Now it is Un-Real Tournament 2003, Getting Ready To Install It Now

michel · « **Reply #9 on:** November 02, 2002, 08:22:04 am »

You are lucky... Most people have to check their impulses against their revenue.

What I am trying to say is that (average) people with (average) revenue limit their purchases (drived by impulse or not) to a limited amount of money. And this amount of money can be used to buy 10 albums 15$ each or 100 albums 1,5$ each not 100 albums 15$ each. So... re-read my post again.

KingSparta · « **Reply #10 on:** November 02, 2002, 08:48:07 am »

>> So... re-read my post again.
Ok, Done

I Sill buy on Impulse, there was no change on my Impulse buying after re-reading.

zevele10 · « **Reply #11 on:** November 02, 2002, 09:14:09 am »

WHERE IS ANABELLE ?

Charlemagne 8 · « **Reply #12 on:** November 02, 2002, 02:18:18 pm »

Zevele,
You mentioned "Close to the Edge" twice so now I have to address it.
That album was the one that Rick Wakeman showed up on. OK, so he's an arrogant A..H... but he's really good on his Moog Synthesizer. That was a really new thing then with a lot of possibilities. I already liked "Yes" because of "Fragile" and my then-current girlfriend's father was a music professor at a local university who was VERY interested in the Moog, being a music professor and having actually known Robert (or Richard ... who cares) Moog. He took us to see the "Close to the Edge" tour and we had front-row seats. Whatever you think of "Yes", at that time they were Rick Wakeman's band (the next album was titled "Anderson, Bruford, Wakeman & Howe" ... same people but Wakeman got his name in there). And whatever you think of Rick Wakeman, he is a good musician in the medium he chose and he likes REALLY BIG sounds. Very impressive from the front row.

Anyhow:
1 - I have favorable memories of the girl and those times
2 - I have favorable memories of the girl and the concert
3 - The music evokes those memories

That particular track, 18 minutes or so, has to be taken as a whole, somewhat like Pink Floyd's earlier stuff, it's garbage unless taken as one cohesive project.

Opinions ... we all have one.

CVIII

BTW, I would still like to find a way to test a file's quality when it's received as a 1411 Kbps wav file. What did it start out as?

Quote

Because it is not Charlrmagne the 50 years old father who would make any kind of Emusic/Rhapsody a succes.
It is Charlemagne's three kids who will do it.

Too true. But a little encouragement that you're on the right track can't hurt.

RAV · « **Reply #13 on:** November 02, 2002, 04:43:52 pm »

I probably won't buy too many songs from Rhapsody, but I sure like the option. I uninstalled the P2P software from my machines so that I no longer need to worry about what my kids might download (viruses, porn, etc.) by mistake. Now we have an almost unlimited library for high quality streaming on demand. If we decide we need to take a song with us on CD, we have the option. If you are buying the entire album then you may not save much over going to the store, but you can have it NOW and only buy the songs that you want which could save you money considering that many albums only have a few decent tracks. Also as these services catch on the law of supply and demand will make the services compete and prices could be lowered. Rhapsody is far from perfect, but it is the first service that came along, that I got my credit card out for. Again, sure seems like a huge opportunity for JRiver to get in on the deal and make browsing/listening/CD burning available through Media Jukebox. Rhapsody software is OK, but I really hate to not use MJ.

zevele10 · « **Reply #14 on:** November 03, 2002, 08:18:31 am »

downloading some Yes right now.
Will tell you if still alive after listening to it.....

michel · « **Reply #15 on:** November 03, 2002, 08:29:41 am »

Be careful

michel · « **Reply #16 on:** November 03, 2002, 09:13:50 am »

I just tried to subscribe to Rhapsody giving a false address (I am living outside US) but I has been rejected (it detected through my credit card I am not resident in US).

Jazzwolf · « **Reply #17 on:** November 05, 2002, 03:43:07 am »

C8,

I got to agree with you on "Close to the Edge", it is still one of my favorite albums. You're also right about Wakeman, a total pompous ass but he did create some great solo stuff such as "The 6 Wives of Henry the VIII". A couple of other favorites are "Relayer" and "Going For The One"... Ahhhh, Classic Rock!

zevele10 · « **Reply #18 on:** November 05, 2002, 08:41:45 am »

Classic anything BUT NOT ROCK

Jazzwolf · « **Reply #19 on:** November 05, 2002, 04:49:39 pm »

Quote

Classic anything BUT NOT ROCK

This from someone who claims "Country the only real music?!!"

OK, Zev.. have another drink on me!

Charlemagne 8 · « **Reply #20 on:** November 08, 2002, 02:04:06 pm »

Zev likes Heavy Metal and "Indie Bands", whatever they are. I can only assume he's kidding about the country music.
CVIII

zevele10 · « **Reply #21 on:** November 08, 2002, 11:43:50 pm »

You get it Charlemagne !,was to tease some on this forum.

Beside this -as i said many times - i do love country.
But not the sh-sorry,snow of today

Hank Williams,the first Cash,Buck Owens ,Hank Thompson and many others
There is more Rock&Roll in they records than all the Peanutsbutter Presley records pass his 2 first.

I know ricans have a problem with country . You are wrong. This is part of your roots ,your culture.
If you think that better to leave it to Nashville and ultra-right groups ,you are very very very wrong.
Do not throught away your roots ,do not let bastard take it and mutilate it.
When punks took it,we got the only good rock music to had be in US since 10 years.
Uncle Tupelo,Son Volt ,Whiskeytown and some more bands.

Still to have to listen to Yes.But i'am sick with a virus acting as a kind of flu.

So ,one virus at the time

Concerning metal,i'am not sure. I never had a hard-rock record in my collection-well 3 or 5-
Metal is new to me,but not sure if i will stay with it.
There is a lot of circus a la Yes in metal......

Charlemagne 8 · « **Reply #22 on:** November 09, 2002, 04:55:25 pm »

Zevele,
You got me curious about bitrates and Rhapsody so I spent a couple of bucks on a CD burn on some songs I already had the CD for.
I can't tell the difference between the A/R download burn and the "store bought" CD. Additionally, I can't tell the difference between A/R listening, the bought CD and the burned CD. The listening part is a download into a secure WMA format that won't play unless you have A/R running but it's on your machine after listening to it once.
It still doesn't mean it's a higher quality than 128 but I'm assuming that my bought CD is higher than that. That may be incorrect. A lot of CD's made as copies of the analog tapes were not very good quality. This is an old album.
If I find a DDD in my collection anywhere and A/R has it, I'll try it that way but I'm happy for now. DDD's are rare at my house. Most of mine are AAD.
Hope you get to feeling better. When you get around to listening to Yes, maybe "And You And I" might be a better introduction than "Close to the Edge".
CVIII

PS, Johnny Cash is a "neighbor" of mine. He has an old ante-bellum house about a quarter mile from here. Nice guy. I met him and June in the hardware store. He owns several houses throughout the country and one in the Bahamas.

Jazzwolf · « **Reply #23 on:** November 10, 2002, 05:05:38 am »

>>I know ricans have a problem with country . You are wrong. This is part of your roots ,your culture. <<

Hey Zev,

I know that sometimes things get lost in the translation when you write something but can you please clarify this?
I am of Puerto Rican descent but BELIEVE me when I tell you that country is NOT part of my roots and culture at least not the country music that is played here. Our country or roots music is what they call jibaro music or mountain music which is a variation of indian and african music. Nothing like the country music that is played here which is a variation of irish, mexican and european influences. Trust me: It is like night and day.
I assume something got lost in the translation or maybe it was the extra guinness

JimH · « **Reply #24 on:** November 10, 2002, 05:57:43 am »

I think he means (Ame)ricans, not (Puerto )ricans.

Jazzwolf · « **Reply #25 on:** November 10, 2002, 09:29:25 am »

Quote

I think he means (Ame)ricans, not (Puerto )ricans.

I should have realized it was something like that, I always get a kick out of Zevele's posts. Here in NY when you say rican it can only mean one thing

zevele10 · « **Reply #26 on:** November 10, 2002, 11:12:26 am »

in french =americains
in slang with a sympatic feel we say ricains.
I try to shorten my typing .
As you know ,i know your name so i would not post anything 'twisted' .
Most of the ones here making a joke of country music are from europeen souche.
So country is they roots. Country is no more than a mix of europeen folk songs and yeddish jewish songs.
There is no raison to let it to rednecks and ultra right people.It is a mitake leading to a loss of freedom and democratie.

Anyway if even Puerrtos Max Kansa's addicts like 'close to the edge',i am loosing my faith in humanity.
This one is a joke ...
Have another Guiness
There is a place where i go to concerts who had a Guiness beer ,Kilkany ,Kilkanit? It is kind of Guiness very creamy .
I am mad about this beer

zevele10 · « **Reply #27 on:** November 10, 2002, 12:01:45 pm »

KarolusI do not need to be introduce to Yes.
I had the first one and the one with the green sleeve with manequins heads on it.
Not sure about the second one .
I remembe leaving a party -making a great scandal and noise of cause- because ;after they stupid 'listen to the fly from left to right 'on a waste pink floyd album ,they started to play the Yes live album.....
Last summer i did download Close to the edge ,it was a great shock of horror.
Just got it now to listen to it again ,after you post.

In my stupid life,when it was 'so in' to invite punks to a party ,i did through Yes and Pink Floyd records throught the windows of people giving the party.
Was stupid ,was not ? But was fun as well.
The price to pay to be 'in' and have punks at your party.
And records was just the start of the story ,i can tell you...

Concerning the songs ,i cannot tell you .It is wma or wav?
If wma ,can be the new lossless 9 format .
I know you have good ears.

Listening to a dreadfull X 1 million record; Chicago live.
Holly cow !! And you know what ?Idid buy this record !!!4 lps ,mind you!

I had stop acid at this time ,how it is possible to buy such a waste?
I may do like i did with pink floyd and yes records

Jazzwolf · « **Reply #28 on:** November 10, 2002, 01:31:53 pm »

>> As you know ,i know your name so i would not post anything 'twisted' .<<

I never thought you did, I thought something got lost in the translation.

Regarding Chicago: I also bought that LP when it came out, I believe that is the Carnegie Hall album and it cost me a fortune at the time and I thought it was "Great", I can't listen to it now. I still like the first 2 LP's when they were a rock band and before they became really boring. There are some records that after awhile you wonder "how the heck did I ever like that?" There were quite a few LP's that I had bought in my younger years when I was, shall we say under the influence of mind altering stuff that I find VERY boring now. Jefferson Airplane anyone?

zevele10 · « **Reply #29 on:** November 10, 2002, 01:50:16 pm »

I know it from your emails.
As you say if i bought it it is because i did like it ......
I have as you some records i find now let say 'gentle' but such a thing as this dreadfull Chigaco live four lp in a box They first is great ,i do not rmember they second.
Jerferson Airplane !!!!!!
Even Surealistic Pilots or the total acid rock monument 'after bathing at Baxter's'?
You have a deal with Charlemagne ,you want me to feel like i would keep my virus for ever ?!
Ok for all the second part -after Volunters.
But to this lp they are still today a great band to listen to .
I am waiting for my S. Pilots on 180 grammes vinyl mono version.May get it this week.
Sure i do not know what to do with some uriah Heep ,Artfull Daugther [?], Frost lps ,but i play the Plane very very often,up to Volunters ,not the ones after

under the influence of mind altering stuff

hey hey..i am still today not like before but i do more pot than hamburgers...

Charlemagne 8 · « **Reply #30 on:** November 10, 2002, 01:59:26 pm »

I found Surrealistic Pillow in the used CD bin at Cat's and excitedly bought it. I rushed home to play it and it really is not too good. Certainly not as good as I "remember" it. There are some good moments but it seems something is lacking when not "under the influence".
I wonder how many other things are not as good as my perception of them. I don't really want to know.
CVIII

JimH · « **Reply #31 on:** November 10, 2002, 02:07:10 pm »

Yeah, you can say that again.

"everything looks worse in black and white"

Listening to Kodachrome by Paul Simon on Media Jukebox 9.0.75

zevele10 · « **Reply #32 on:** November 10, 2002, 02:11:59 pm »

I do not' remember' this record because i never stoped to play it since i got it.
Under substance makes a good record a great record -sometimes - but NEVER a bad record a even acceptable one .
Beside it the Airplane records are not really records you need to be under substance. After Bathing ,maybe.
But only with a cup of milk ,After Bathing is one of the best rock album on earth

zevele10 · « **Reply #33 on:** November 10, 2002, 02:15:42 pm »

anyone to tell that Love Forever Change is easy listening?
Going to bed .
Black and white has more colors than this forum.
I am vey down

zevele10 · « **Reply #34 on:** November 10, 2002, 02:16:23 pm »

IT WAS A joke

Downloading Soft Machine 5 and 6.
Yes i really have a virus ........

zevele10 · « **Reply #35 on:** December 04, 2002, 01:23:45 pm »

using Rhapsody right now ..and MJ recorder ...

Sure the system is not bad,look like there is a lot of music to listen to .
But it is $120 a year for radio -ok a super plus radio-.
They stream in wma 128 kps ,so you may get the download to burn in lossless Windows format,in this case means you get the same quality than a cd .
Mind you at $1 a song ..it is the minimum.
I gave a try to MusicMatch radio -2 weeks free when you buy MM- really not bad,let say good.

If working on a computer away from home i may take one of this 2 services ,the cheaper one

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Author Topic: Not Exactly EMusic but ... (Read 10529 times)

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