RedM Posted March 30, 2008 Share Posted March 30, 2008 Does anyone buy a lot of music via digital download (itunes and the like)? How do you feel about burning the tracks to a cheap looking cd and having no liner notes and artwork? I've always felt that the booklet and being able to read the lyrics, notes etc is part of the experience of that record. However, I've just found that I can buy a load of music for about half the price of the physical CDs. I just feel a bit odd about it. Also, what's a good price per track? Is 50p per track okay? Thoughts? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RedM Posted March 30, 2008 Author Share Posted March 30, 2008 Also, is 192kbs a good conversion rate for mp3 files? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jake Posted March 30, 2008 Share Posted March 30, 2008 192kbs is the minimum for good sound quality IMO. With 128kbs you can really tell the difference and it's not good. Of course, like anything, you will have people tell you that 192kbs sounds like arse and that they cannot bear to listen to anything of such a low quality because they are such audiophiles blah blah yawn - but it sounds fine to me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charlotte Posted March 30, 2008 Share Posted March 30, 2008 You can make your own artwork, it's better. I tend to buy albums in a physical form if I really like the artist and know that I want something to keep. Otherwise, it's good to download to cheapo cds for my car then I can abuse them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RedM Posted March 30, 2008 Author Share Posted March 30, 2008 Cheers Jake. A few years ago I wouldn't have played an mp3 on my hi-fi as I was one of those anally retentive hi-fi purists. These days though I'm not so fussed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RedM Posted March 30, 2008 Author Share Posted March 30, 2008 You can make your own artwork, it's better. I tend to buy albums in a physical form if I really like the artist and know that I want something to keep. Otherwise, it's good to download to cheapo cds for my car then I can abuse them. I was thinking along those lines. I could buy the cheap downloads and then, if I want to later, buy the physical cd. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete Posted March 30, 2008 Share Posted March 30, 2008 I don't like paying for digital music instead of CD. You just can't beat actually having something physical that you've purchased. Even if I do only file hem away after converting them to iTunes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RedM Posted March 30, 2008 Author Share Posted March 30, 2008 You just can't beat actually having something physical that you've purchased. That's how I feel. I always appreciate the bands that put a bit of thought into the whole package. Is that worth double the cost though? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ivan Posted March 30, 2008 Share Posted March 30, 2008 Try here for your artwork Martin. http://www.cdcovers.cc/ or http://www.allcdcovers.com/ I find most stuff is on there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete Posted March 30, 2008 Share Posted March 30, 2008 Is that worth double the cost though? Fine by me. I still think downloaded music is over priced. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thorin Posted March 31, 2008 Share Posted March 31, 2008 MP3 releases to torrent sites are usually either 192kbs VBR (variable bit rate), or 320kbs CBR (constant bit rate). I used to buy a fair amount of CD's but I'd end up just ripping the tracks to MP3's and then never looking at the physical CD's again so they're kinda pointless IMO. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hogmaw Posted March 31, 2008 Share Posted March 31, 2008 Fine by me. I still think downloaded music is over priced. Overpriced? What makes you think that? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
michael Posted March 31, 2008 Share Posted March 31, 2008 Overpriced? What makes you think that? The price of it perhaps? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hogmaw Posted March 31, 2008 Share Posted March 31, 2008 The price of it perhaps? Yes things can be overpriced but I do understand that the sellers have to make a profit. I agree with profits - not profiteering - and at the moment the music industry is in a bad way and is LOSING money, so how can they be overprioced? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Multics Posted March 31, 2008 Share Posted March 31, 2008 Overpricing music has been a major issue for years and years where greedy middlemen (distris) where charging stupid amounts to shops and in their turn shops needed to make profit too. Digital formats got rid of them so I think 50p per track is a decent price to pay for the amount of effort and technicality put into the recording. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thorin Posted March 31, 2008 Share Posted March 31, 2008 at the moment the music industry is in a bad way and is LOSING money Good! I don't hear of many recording artists in the charts slumming it in bedsits, and we know they only get a small percentage of the money. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete Posted March 31, 2008 Share Posted March 31, 2008 the music industry is in a bad way and is LOSING money, so how can they be overprioced? They're losing money because people are copying music rather than pay for it. At the end of the day they're getting the same content in the same quality so I can see why people would copy. Not like buying a CD whereby you receive something physical. I've randomly picked a new album from iTunes. £7.99 for Supergrass Diamond Hoo Ha (Whatever that is). Usually £8.98 will buy you a jewel case, inlay, shiny disc and shipping from Amazon. How can the digital version only be 99p cheaper? I bought my first digital download the other day - NIN for £5. A fiver seems about right I reckon. Don't get me wrong - I have always fully supported buying music and have a collection of 500 or more CDs to show this. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
michael Posted March 31, 2008 Share Posted March 31, 2008 I've randomly picked a new album from iTunes. £7.99 for Supergrass Diamond Hoo Ha (Whatever that is). Usually £8.98 will buy you a jewel case, inlay, shiny disc and shipping from Amazon. How can the digital version only be 99p cheaper? Or more expensive http://www.bangcd.com/productDetail.aspx?prod_id=3479&zanpid=1091691352426554369 £1 less and they package it up, burn it to a CD and deliver it to your house, makes paying for a few 0's and 1's seem a bit expensive really. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete Posted March 31, 2008 Share Posted March 31, 2008 Or more expensive Point well proven, thanks M. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RedM Posted March 31, 2008 Author Share Posted March 31, 2008 Good! I don't hear of many recording artists in the charts slumming it in bedsits, and we know they only get a small percentage of the money. There are a great many bands that do 'slum' it to some degree. I rarely listen to music on a major label label and couldn't give a rat's butt about major label artists. FWIW the records (in whatever format) that I'm looking to get are on a small, independent label and so I wouldn't copy the music anyway and always be happy to pay whatever they feel for their music. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Multics Posted March 31, 2008 Share Posted March 31, 2008 FWIW the records (in whatever format) that I'm looking to get are on a small, independent label and so I wouldn't copy the music anyway and always be happy to pay whatever they feel for their music. The problem extends to small record labels too unfortunately has they have virtually no price negociation powers with their distributor(s). Often distris buy at a fixed price from all small labels and offer the same T's and C's on a "take it or leave it" basis. I've been there, I used to run a record label a few years ago, only releasing vinyl (500 to 1000 copies per single) and it was a nightmare dealing with distis. As a matter of fact, each vinyl (1000 copies heavyweigh 180gr) including CMYK cover print, including mastering, shipping and everything was about £1.60 to produce. Distris buy them at 2.50 and shops sell them £6. So, label gets 90p, artist gets half (usually on small labels) plus some mechanical reproduction royalties if the label is honest enough to pay them to the MCPS/PRS. CD's are an even greedier business as they cost a fraction of the price to produce comparing to vinyls (no metal mastering and CD mediums are dead cheap). Most record companies made a s***load of money in the 90's and if they failed to recognise digital medium as a threat early enough, I say too bad for them. So all in all, I think 90p per track and global exposure is a fair deal Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RedM Posted March 31, 2008 Author Share Posted March 31, 2008 The problem extends to small record labels too unfortunately has they have virtually no price negociation powers with their distributor(s). Often distris buy at a fixed price from all small labels and offer the same T's and C's on a "take it or leave it" basis. I've been there, I used to run a record label a few years ago, only releasing vinyl (500 to 1000 copies per single) and it was a nightmare dealing with distis. As a matter of fact, each vinyl (1000 copies heavyweigh 180gr) including CMYK cover print, including mastering, shipping and everything was about £1.60 to produce. Distris buy them at 2.50 and shops sell them £6. So, label gets 90p, artist gets half (usually on small labels) plus some mechanical reproduction royalties if the label is honest enough to pay them to the MCPS/PRS. CD's are an even greedier business as they cost a fraction of the price to produce comparing to vinyls (no metal mastering and CD mediums are dead cheap). Most record companies made a s***load of money in the 90's and if they failed to recognise digital medium as a threat early enough, I say too bad for them. So all in all, I think 90p per track and global exposure is a fair deal You neglect to mention the bands that own their own label(s) and distro their own products. Fugazi and Dischord Records Atari Teenage Riot/Alec Empire and Digital Hardcore Recordings to name just two. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Multics Posted March 31, 2008 Share Posted March 31, 2008 You neglect to mention the bands that own their own label(s) and distro their own products. Fugazi and Dischord Records Atari Teenage Riot/Alec Empire and Digital Hardcore Recordings to name just two. These are a minority compared to the thousands of record labels that don't have the powers to negociate directly with shops (being distributors in the same time). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charlotte Posted March 31, 2008 Share Posted March 31, 2008 There are a great many bands that do 'slum' it to some degree. I rarely listen to music on a major label label and couldn't give a rat's butt about major label artists. But that's the point, he said 'artists in the charts'. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hogmaw Posted March 31, 2008 Share Posted March 31, 2008 Good! I don't hear of many recording artists in the charts slumming it in bedsits, and we know they only get a small percentage of the money. Of course you don't hear of them, why would you? It's not exactly newsworthy is it? That's like saying 'all Arabs are millionaires'. Of course a few are, they are the ones you see. What about the millions of them on the poverty line? There are thousands of musicians out there, scraping a living. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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