its about time downloads become cheaper
- Thread starter rich46
- Start date
darrenyeats
pfm Member
On the subject of music downloads I recently found a couple of things at 7digital that didn't show up on findhdmusic.com.
- a hi-res FLAC album cheaper than the same on Qobuz, I'll definitely check here in future
- a 16/44 FLAC album for £10 when the CD costs about £15 used everywhere - couldn't find the FLAC at any other sites
Here's my downloads site list - any other good suggestions?
7digital
Qobuz
bandcamp
Linn
bleep.com
hdtracks.com
boomkat.com
cdbaby
- a hi-res FLAC album cheaper than the same on Qobuz, I'll definitely check here in future
- a 16/44 FLAC album for £10 when the CD costs about £15 used everywhere - couldn't find the FLAC at any other sites
Here's my downloads site list - any other good suggestions?
7digital
Qobuz
bandcamp
Linn
bleep.com
hdtracks.com
boomkat.com
cdbaby
Last edited:
Natara
pfm Member
The cost of High Res files is disproportionate to physical media why does something that takes no materials to make cost between 75 - 100% of the cost of a vinyl or cd copy.
i.e. Gregory Porter - Nat King Cole and me
HD Tracks: 24/96 file inc pdf booklet - £19
Amazon: Vinyl double LP (inc free mp3) - £24.99
Amazon: CD - £10.99
i.e. Gregory Porter - Nat King Cole and me
HD Tracks: 24/96 file inc pdf booklet - £19
Amazon: Vinyl double LP (inc free mp3) - £24.99
Amazon: CD - £10.99
MotelBlues
pfm Member
On the other hand, some examples I’ve added to the bargain box sets thread:
Black Sabbath “The Ten Year War”
7Digital 24/96 £10.99
Amazon vinyl £240.77
Lou Reed “The RCA & Arista Albums Collection”
Qobuz 24/96 £22.99
Amazon CD £94.99
I’m not sure the big box with all the nice things justifies the extra expense in the above cases.
Isolated examples, obviously.
Black Sabbath “The Ten Year War”
7Digital 24/96 £10.99
Amazon vinyl £240.77
Lou Reed “The RCA & Arista Albums Collection”
Qobuz 24/96 £22.99
Amazon CD £94.99
I’m not sure the big box with all the nice things justifies the extra expense in the above cases.
Isolated examples, obviously.
The physical media cost is negligible, which is why the cost of files is so similar. Also, you're not just paying for a 'one-off' download, you're paying for the rights to have a single copy, so in the future, if your hard drive fails or whatever, you can download again.
Natara
pfm Member
Well it isn't negligible is it really? materials labour distribution, must all equate to a bit more than the difference in cost. Downloads especially those 'high red' files are over priced and over hyped.
JensenHealey
pfm Member
In this internet age you would expect physical stuff cost more than virtual. The information content of the two formats is the same.
Back of the envelope calculation - A CD plus Standard Jewel Case is about 10p in raw materials, 2p for the CD and 8p for the Jewel case. CD is 'ABS', Case is 'PS' but cost is about the same at around 1 Euro per Kg or less. Add in share of production costs (machinery depreciation, other overheads) and you can say maybe 20p all up and boxed ready to go. Finished with paper insert it will weigh about 100g, so not expensive to distribute as such - but see below.
Building, maintaining, renting server space, adding new data, building meta-data, maintaining subscribers, and marketing an online streaming service - probably more expensive than you think, since they are mostly humans who need paying. The actual distribution raw cost is piffling of course.
I reckon the real savings are to be found in the downloads not needing a physical supply chain.
uncl_nigel
pfm Member
When I visited cdbaby two or three weeks ago I could only find 320 mp3 downloads...