alllossless.com -- Can someone please explain this to me/Comment on this???

[XB-70 Valkyrie]

While looking for lossless downloads, I found this site alllossless.com, which looks like an incredibly good deal--too good to be true, I'm thinking. In fact, you can download an album (hesitate to even call it a CD, as quality is better than CD for many offerings) for free if you're willing to wait the estimated 10 hours. No big deal I guess--just let it run in the background.

OTOH, if you're willing to pay 12.99 you can apparently download an hour-long album in 30 sec (or, limited by your connection speed) and download at least a few a day. Given that many of the discs (albums, whatever), I want on the site are priced at $18 each, this looks like a steal. Is it a steal? Is this legal or a legal gray area? What is the catch?

Does anyone use this site or a similar one? Any comments? Please help, I'm very skeptical about this. At the same time, I'm really tired of shelling out $18 per disc these days.

[Daverz]

This is not an "authorized" download site.  They are providing links to file sharing services where people (not the copyright owners) have uploaded the files.  If you want to fast downloads, you'll have to purchase premium service from the file sharing sites.  Consult your local ethicist.  Also be careful who you give yor credit card number to.  Note that Paypal does not allow payment to these kinds of file sharing sites.

[some guy]

How much do you shell out for a meal at a restaurant, and how long does that meal last? Can you eat it over and over again for the rest of your life for the same, single fee?

How much do you shell out for a concert, and how long does that concert last? Can you play it over and over again for the price of that one ticket?

[XB-70 Valkyrie]

So, if I buy a CD, does that mean I should only listen to it once? If I buy a painting or photograph, am I allowed to hang it on my wall for only one day?

In any case, I have never used file sharing services, Napster, or even borrowed CDs from friends. I have shelled $$ for everything in my collection or on my HD. I think it is important to support artists and the companies that produce the music (even though often the companies, iTunes et al. often  royally screw the artists, but that's another matter--laws and rules only apply to little people). I was just curious, and am new to the world of downloads. I have  downloaded a few MP3s here and there from Amazon, but only if a CD or lossless file was not available.

It seems likely that this site's claims of better than CD quality sampling rate and word length is BS. If someone ripped a commercial CD and specified a higher rate/bit depth, it would not improve sound quality, only increase file size.

On another note, as a music lover and long-time supporter of the artists and labels, I would find it very useful to preview a CD before shelling out $18 for it only to find I only like one track. If labels would allow short-term downloads or access to streams (ie. to expire after one or two listenings), it would be very much appreciated. I think EMI offers something similar. I have not ventured into Spotify, but may try it out soon.

[San Antone]

On another note, as a music lover and long-time supporter of the artists and labels, I would find it very useful to preview a CD before shelling out $18 for it only to find I only like one track.

There are several streaming services which allow you to do this.  And some don't even cost anything if you don't mind having the ads.

[some guy]

So, if I buy a CD, does that mean I should only listen to it once? If I buy a painting or photograph, am I allowed to hang it on my wall for only one day?

Wow, really? That's what you got out of what I said?

OK. I'll bite. The point I was making was that with a CD, as opposed to, say, a nice dinner in a restaurant, you can listen to it over and over again, all for that one time expense of only $18.

Allowed to hang a picture for only one day? What the eff?

[XB-70 Valkyrie]

There are several streaming services which allow you to do this.  And some don't even cost anything if you don't mind having the ads.

You got linky??? I think it would be in the interest of the labels to provide this without commercials, but if need be, I will put up with them. I will check out Spotify soon. Thanks.