Qobuz
Anyone using it? I've just started the free trial and downloading a couple of albums. It's a streaming service but you can download albums/tracks for offline playing. Which is good if your connection is flaky/slow.
The thing is the "Hifi" subscription is full CD quality. I think that, for as long as you keep subscribing and don't run out of hard drive space, you can keep adding them to your "offline library."
If you stop subscribing then you lose them. The subscription costs about $30/month. But, if you buy $30 of CDs per month anyway then the subscription works out cheaper...
They don't have a lot of stuff, but they do have a lot of stuff, if you know what I mean. Rdio has a bigger selection but I stopped using it because of the quality.
If you want to do the free HiFi trial, you have to put in a support ticket because it won't let you by default, but they'll enable you on request. Once subscribed, download and use the desktop program.
The other thing is that the interface is all in French. Hey, that's what Google translate is for...
Comments
Not heard of it but I'll have to look into it. Wonder if they have any Lo Jo?
Yes, they have Cinema el Mundo, Cosmophono, Fils de Zamal, and Mojo Radio.
I've since discovered that some albums are available for purchase but not streaming e.g. anything from Channel Classics, also the new Black Keys albums (i.e. samples only for streaming). However this seems to be relatively small, and presumably is the labels' wish.
Also, you do need to maintain the subscription, the downloaded files are not hard to find but they're unplayable, presumably encrypted.
Actually they also have Bazar Savant, Ce Soir La, L'Une des Siens, and Boheme De Cristal. So that's most of them. Must be whether or not you use the Apostrophe
Well, I think I'm sold. This changes everything. Seriously.
Listening to this: http://www.qobuz.com/fr-fr/album/vari-colored-songs-leyla-mccalla/3149028044829
So that's how they hook you. Maintain your subscription and you maintain access to your collection...all because you think it's yours. Damn that's good.
I'm not sure how I feel about it...
Heh, it's all yours! Yes OK as long as you pay the subscription... I listened to maybe 5 CDs today and sampled a few others. Well over $30 worth if I'd bought them. It caches them to save bandwidth if you replay - the download function means you can be sure you have access to them offline (or save pain if network is too slow to stream).
I'm starting to wonder if it's even worth buying hi-res now. How long before they are also available in this manner.
Sorry I sound like I'm trying to sell it to you... ! I'm not. I'm a kid in the candy store :-P
Good for you...don't rot your teeth!
Even after nearly 15 years of online music I'm still trying to adjust to the new paradigm...