iTunes vs Amazon MP3 Download Service

[djones18]

I've spent a few hundred of dollars in iTunes over the last couple years and am hooked. However, I just gave Amazon music download service a try. Here are my observations:

1. Amazon songs/albums are cheaper...up to $3.00 cheaper for albums and $.10 to $.50 cheaper per song.

2. Amazon downloads are DRM free MP3 variable bit rate...211 to 256 kbps on the 20 songs I downloaded. They can be copied and moved any number of times and play fine in iTunes or Microsoft WMP.

3. Amazon download software is much less elegant than iTunes but will download directly to your iTunes library. I did loose one song during download because I pushed a wrong button but Amazon allowed a re-download within 12 hours after I emailed them.

4. I like the way Amazon displays songs following a search. They are easy to read, sample, and plenty of information is provided. If you decide to purchase a CD of the same music (new or used) Amazon has a link directly from the song page. Admitedly, this is a personal preference.

5. Amazon's player, library, playlist functions are limited or non-existent. This is a download only service primarily and doesn't have the functionality of iTunes.

6. Music quality is what you expect from MP3 VBR at 256kbps. That is, it sounds slightly better than iTunes AAC 128kbps music and on par with iTunes+ downloads. It is not CD quality in my view (and is not meant to be).

Summary:

Amazon has already sucked away $10.00 I would have spent in iTunes because the same songs were cheaper and DRM free on Amazon. Amazon could give iTunes a kick in the pants if people give it a chance. This competition might lead Apple to reconsider how it sells music (vary price per song, discount albums) if Amazon takes off.

Once you learn to use the download software (which is quite easy unless you avoid reading instructions as I did), Amazon is easy to use and fairly foolproof. If you have a problem they seem very willing to let you re-download.

Amazon's software will not replace iTunes because it is a download service only at this time. iTunes is still my choice for music management with my iPods and computer.

[moe_4eva]

Good to know. I've been looking into Amazon's DL service lately, and it seems like a better system to purchase music in (esp. with their tiered purchase system).

[bdb]

There's a fair amount of discussion about it in this thread.

I just hope Amazon sticks with this pricing. Most of the CDs I buy are $10-12, so there's no way I'd pay Apple about the same price for a lower-quality version that won't play on most of my players (without some silly process). $7 for a non-DRM version makes downloading a more reasonable proposition.

[djones18]

Originally Posted by bdb

There's a fair amount of discussion about it in this thread.

I just hope Amazon sticks with this pricing. Most of the CDs I buy are $10-12, so there's no way I'd pay Apple about the same price for a lower-quality version that won't play on most of my players (without some silly process). $7 for a non-DRM version makes downloading a more reasonable proposition.

Thanks for info on the thread...interesting how those threads sometime morf into technical areas beyond the intent of the original poster. My intent is to give the average iTunes buyer a baseline for comparing the two services.

Cheers.