Which MP3 download sites should you use?
I thought I was being really clever by systematically binning my CDs over the last few years. To me, it was a no-brainer ; MP3s are more portable and a lot more easier to handle than CD’s.So in combination, my unlimited MP3 download service and one of the cheapest portable MP3 players, I’m getting great value, up to the minute entertainment system.
However, the files you download have been compressed from their original format, so that they’ll fit on even the cheapest portable MP3 player.In other words, you’ll get a loss of sound quality.
Alas, the sound of these marvellously small MP3s just doesn’t sound that good on my MP3 player when connected to my new hifi.And although I’d been downloading a lot of music from Napster and putting it on to my cheapest MP3 player, the sound I got would have been much better had I stuck to CDs.
But all is not lost. I did some research and found out the quality of different MP3 download services. If I had made a compromise and used iTunes, I could have got a great sound with 320kps bitrate. That’ll give a great, full sound and still the convenience of MP3 downloads.
Below are some of the alternatives to Napster, and the bitrate you can download:
- Amazon – 256kps
- Walmart mp3 – 256kps
- Napster – 192kps unlimited downloads from £10 / month
- Beatsource/Beatport – 320kps
- Apple iTunes – 128 – 320kps (depends on the artist) file price from £0.79 per track
- Rhapsody – up to 160 kps
So if you want to stick to an all-you-can-eat download service, Napster is still probably the best value with the best bitrate for this type of service. But if you’re willing to pay per music file downloaded, then iTunes is well worth the investment for those high bit-rate songs.There’ll be no loss of quality even if you’re using one of the cheapest portable MP3 player.
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