iTunes DRM Solutions?

[mjb]

Well, my guess would be you can either re-buy them without DRM, or try iTunes Match. With Match, let it sync, then delete the DRM music, empty trash, and re-download them. I've found iTunes Match to be pretty good at identifying stuff. Note that the "matched" downloads are still linked to your AppleID, and thus "traceable", and it's very hard to remove. I've taken to buying second hand CD's for a few cents and ripping them.

[mjb]

6 hours ago, kirkmc said:

Why would you be worried about tracing them? Your Apple ID is still in the file - this can be removed, it's not very difficult - but unless you're planning to put them on file sharing networks, what's the problem?

Even though there's no longer any DRM in Apple's tunes, the purchasing account information is still embedded in the file, and its not easy to remove. This "personal information" may or may not be of concern to someone, who for example loses their iPod.

[mjb]

9 hours ago, cambridgehank said:

iTune as would not add songs that were 128 if the song was already in the album.  Nor would it recognize a 256 file as a replacement, so I had to delete the 128 and replaced the 256 into any playlist.

That's how "Match" works. Its a bit daunting at first, but you have to actually delete the local files - obviously after they've matched, before you can then download the matched (256k) versions. I noticed a welcome improvement over some of my old mp3's, but annoyingly the odd track from an album failed to match and I was left with my original lower quality version (which Apple helpfully uploads).

[mjb]

I think the easiest solution is to burn a CD, then re-rip it. The only flaw is making FLAC versions of AAC source files, eg not lossless copies of the 16bit 44.1khz recording, but lossless copies of the 256Kbps AAC rip. I'm not sure how bad all these conversions are... it's probably best to just buy a used CD, and rip it.