2 thoughts on “Which files do you get when downloading matched songs from iTunes?”
I have known this all along. I had a decent collection CDs that were ripped using the best possible method, it sounded great. Once I got it all matched up in iTunes Match, and deleted the local files and downloaded the match tracks, the quality was greatly reduced and I can clearly hear clipping.
Apple got your money, they don´t care if you get a sub-par version of the music you got matched. Not caring about those of us who purchased iTunes Match, moved our entire collection over and redownloaded the matched tracks. We´re stuck with a sub-par music library. I don´t want to re-rip my entire CD collection again, it´s too much work. I´ll rather live with this, and remember Apple for what they did.
At the Audio Engineering Society event in SF last year, Mastered for iTunes was demonstrated and was generally thought to be very well implemented. Apple is attempting to maximize the capabilities of the AAC format by starting with higher quality originals. Note that Mastered for iTunes is ONLY possible where higher bitrate masters are available, and is entirely up to the label providing the data.
That said, it isn’t clear what the source for any additional clipping might be. In the past, the only source for clipping was on the original CD – if you found clipping, that’s where it came from. With Mastered for iTunes, it is unknown if the new high bitrate masters are delivered with clipping, or if something in Apple’s conversion process results in more clipping.
My hunch: the labels are providing “hotter” tracks when they submit them for the Mastered for iTunes treatment.
I applaud Apple for making this technology available, as it can work very well. That, sadly, is no guarantee that others will use it well.
I have known this all along. I had a decent collection CDs that were ripped using the best possible method, it sounded great. Once I got it all matched up in iTunes Match, and deleted the local files and downloaded the match tracks, the quality was greatly reduced and I can clearly hear clipping.
Apple got your money, they don´t care if you get a sub-par version of the music you got matched. Not caring about those of us who purchased iTunes Match, moved our entire collection over and redownloaded the matched tracks. We´re stuck with a sub-par music library. I don´t want to re-rip my entire CD collection again, it´s too much work. I´ll rather live with this, and remember Apple for what they did.
At the Audio Engineering Society event in SF last year, Mastered for iTunes was demonstrated and was generally thought to be very well implemented. Apple is attempting to maximize the capabilities of the AAC format by starting with higher quality originals. Note that Mastered for iTunes is ONLY possible where higher bitrate masters are available, and is entirely up to the label providing the data.
That said, it isn’t clear what the source for any additional clipping might be. In the past, the only source for clipping was on the original CD – if you found clipping, that’s where it came from. With Mastered for iTunes, it is unknown if the new high bitrate masters are delivered with clipping, or if something in Apple’s conversion process results in more clipping.
My hunch: the labels are providing “hotter” tracks when they submit them for the Mastered for iTunes treatment.
I applaud Apple for making this technology available, as it can work very well. That, sadly, is no guarantee that others will use it well.