No obligation red book downloads!

[davidovada]

I (as well as others on this forum) speak highly of Qobuz. If you go to the website http://www.qobuz.com/ and register you can download four flac redbook quality albums - the current offerings are terrific - Hadouk Trio Live at FiP; Daniel Yvinec/Guillaume de Chassy; Karen Lano; and a decent Classical Sampler. Trust me. This is high quality, real music - not some audiophile freight train whistle. Check it out.

 

[Teresa]

As there an English version of the website?

 

[davidovada]

Ciao, Teresa! I don't believe it is available in English. I have google translate always running on my computer. It will help considerably on this site. If all else fails, I can walk you through the steps to get these downloads.

 

[4est]

The Hadouk Trio Live at FiP is a great record!

 

People ought to download that on at least. The trio plays about 30 different instruments, some of which are pretty unusual in the western world. They ought to check the videos out for it on youtube as well.

 

[Teresa]

Hi davidovada,

 

Using google translate I signed up and have downloaded all 4 albums, they sound excellent and some really great music.

 

I had a problem with installing the downloader on my Mac Mini as I got a message which translates: "Unable to write in your Applications folder". After trying everything I could think of I remembered something like this happened before and I had to sign in to my computer as System Administrator. So logged out of my name and logged in as system administrator and the downloader was installed in my Applications folder. Logged back out and then back in with my name and started the downloads. Usually new software just has me Authenticate with my Administrator password. I don't understand why there has to be two sign-ins for MAC, user and administrator.

 

Anyway their system knew I was a MAC user and my downloads were Apple Lossless, I am impressed as I usually have to convert FLAC to AIFF and then to Apple Lossless, since iTunes doesn't do FLAC.

 

[davidovada]

Ciao, Teresa!

I'm happy to hear that you were able to make this work. One of the things I like about Qobuz is that they are always teasing you with offers that are actually good deals. Today's offer was 20% off on their studio masters which are true hi-rez. They vary from 24/44 to 24/96. The sound quality is excellent. I live in Italy and sometimes I get a message that the download is not available in my country. I don't know your location. This may or may not be a problem. I've been introduced to a lot of great new music. The French label Bee Jazz is terrific and has some seriously good music. As mentioned by another poster, the live Hadouk Trio is killer. If you're into jazz check out the Guillaume de Chassy & Daniel Yvinec recordings. I also just purchased a Paolo Fresu double album that is the bomb. BTW, I always download the flac versions and then do a conversion with Max. I don't know that this is better. I came across the tip from someplace I can't remember. Maybe it was here?

 

[Teresa]

Hi davidovada,

 

I live in the USA.

 

I actually prefer high resolution downloads 88.2K-192K. I just got 5 DVD-Roms from MA recordings that are 96K and 176.4K that I will be reviewing for Positive Feedback. They sound fantastic!

 

But I do download a lot of free 44.1K files, mostly MP3s, it's hard to turn down free if I like the music.

 

After listening to the Qobuz downloads, I kept two and deleted two. I loved the "Hadouk Trio: Live at Fip", and the "Karen Lane" was pretty good. I didn't like a single thing on the "Onyx 2010" sampler, but to be fair in classical music I prefer large orchestral works. I also didn't like "Chansons sous les bombes" for Piano, bass and sometimes voice, for me Jazz really needs drums. But two free albums was worth the time downloading the four.

 

I also downloaded some high resolution 24/88.2K music files last night from Benchmark Media http://www.mastersfromtheirday.com/ and kept all three: Annie Lynch & the Beekeepers, The Library Is On Fire and Rubblebucket.