Why are downloaded cd's so expensive? Is it a rip-off?

[MylesBAstor]

So to answer your original question why analog guys don't whine and complain about cost is
that to enjoy high quality vinyl they know you gotta pay to play.

Like Lotto! Pay to play!

 

[Johnny Vinyl]

So to answer your original question why analog guys don't whine and complain about cost is
that to enjoy high quality vinyl they know you gotta pay to play.

And own the physical product. No ones and zeros here.

 

[Phelonious Ponk]

Isn't it funny that digital people whine about paying $23 for a high quality, theoretically the best sounding version of the recording. Never hear that from analog lovers!

Porus logic. If there were a way to deliver analog to the consumer while eliminating the creation, duplication, packaging, warehousing, transportation, and physical retailing of the product, would analog lovers expect to pay the same price? Why?

Tim

 

[Phelonious Ponk]

Really stupid question: why are FLAC files so much more expensive than mp3's?

Perceived quality.

Tim

 

[caesar]

Perceived quality.

Tim

I think "perceived value" is the proper economic term. We don't want this sticky thread to go south, do we?

 

[Bruce B]

Actually HDtracks uses a 3rd party vendor to host their files. Once they have tagged and gotten all the files collated, they send it off to a download hosting site.

 

[caesar]

Actually HDtracks uses a 3rd party vendor to host their files. Once they have tagged and gotten all the files collated, they send it off to a download hosting site.

Thanks, Bruce. Can you give us an idea of remastering costs. Say, Alligator records called you and were willing to pull out Koko Taylor's master tapes of her 3 best selling albums from their vault and send them to you. How much would you charge per album?

 

[Orb]

With mainstream albums (not the niche players like FIM and MARecordings) another factor could be the lack of high-rez mastering studios, which is also keeping the price high. Two of the mastering studios I know do not do anything over 24/96 and are looking to upgrade their gear/software so that they can. That costs money - just ask Bruce how much money he has spent over the years building one of the best studios in the world and whether he's broken even. I'll bet that he's still financing our hobby.

It is interesting how 2L sell DSD (including 128) cheaper than DXD even though the studio master files are mostly DXD; now this makes sense from the storage/bandwidth cost model as both DSD options use less data than DXD.
Just to add I would say most of 2L releases are not mainstream albums, that said they are the label and distributor/publisher in this instance though, so this is probably a prime factor in these broad discussions.

Good point Gary about those who need to upgrade or use external services to create the higher rez download files as this is a further cost/logistics.
One major consideration though, it would be dubious IMO if anyone did upgrade/external service and used an existing digital master of say 96kHz to create a 192kHz/DXD/DSD - emphasis here is about lower "res/sampling rate" existing digital masters.

Cheers
Orb

 

[Bruce B]

Thanks, Bruce. Can you give us an idea of remastering costs. Say, Alligator records called you and were willing to pull out Koko Taylor's master tapes of her 3 best selling albums from their vault and send them to you. How much would you charge per album?

$1500/album

 

[Phelonious Ponk]

I think "perceived value" is the proper economic term. We don't want this sticky thread to go south, do we?

No, we don't. Just call it quality, then. But the cost of the HD space is negligible. The price of lossless is higher because people want lossless not because it is much more expensive to deliver than 320kbps.

Tim

 

[rbbert]

FWIW, Peter Gabriel's new double album released today is about 30% less as an Apple Lossless download than as a CD when ordering from petergabriel.com

 

[amirm]

I have just read the first page so hopefully no one has made this point already . One cannot compare the pricing to that of iTunes and Amazon. Apple sells tracks at slightly above cost as to sell their high-margin hardware. LIkewise, Amazon sells their tracks pretty close to their cost as to get you to come and buy other goods there. This is why hardly anyone can set up shop to sell (compressed) music to compete with the two of them. If there were real profits, others would get into the game.

The situation for HD Tracks may be different but in the old days, if you wanted a license, you had to pay upfront minimum guarantees and then recoup that from sales. In that situation, you would be motivated to charge full list price especially if you are the most known vendor in that space.

 

[MrAcoustat]

FWIW, Peter Gabriel's new double album released today is about 30% less as an Apple Lossless download than as a CD when ordering from petergabriel.com

Peter Gabriel new double album at CDUNIVERSE is $17.08 at CDJAPAN $22.56 and finaly downloads for both albums $27.66 and this is not Japan quality.

http://www.cduniverse.com/productinfo.asp?pid=9009580&style=music

http://www.cdjapan.co.jp/detailview.html?KEY=TOCP-66925

 

[wakibaki]

Basically, the contributors here split into 2 types, audiophiles (believers, conservatives, open-up-and-swallowers), and sceptics. Same as it ever was.

Downloads aren't cheaper because consumers aren't organised and determined. If they ever get organised, things will change. That's all she wrote.

w

 

[treitz3]

Basically, the contributors here split into 2 types, audiophiles (believers, conservatives, open-up-and-swallowers), and sceptics. Same as it ever was.

Downloads aren't cheaper because consumers aren't organised and determined. If they ever get organised, things will change. That's all she wrote.

w

Hello, wakibaki. I'll be honest here, you are not going to gain many friends here posting things like this. Also, please refrain from generalized statements. It is against the TOS which can be found here >>> http://www.whatsbestforum.com/showthread.php?1207-Terms-Of-Service

9. Where possible, please avoid generalizations which create heated arguments. Please don’t say “all amps sound the same” but rather, “all the amps I have heard sound the same to me.” Following this rule not only makes for a calmer atmosphere, but also saves you hours and days of aggravation while you try to defend your point of view!

Tom

 

[rbbert]

Peter Gabriel new double album at CDUNIVERSE is $17.08 at CDJAPAN $22.56 and finaly downloads for both albums $27.66 and this is not Japan quality.

http://www.cduniverse.com/productinfo.asp?pid=9009580&style=music

http://www.cdjapan.co.jp/detailview.html?KEY=TOCP-66925

the download in ALAC is $13.98, which is significantly less than any of the CD prices mentioned.

 

[MrAcoustat]

the download in ALAC is $13.98, which is significantly less than any of the CD prices mentioned.

True but filet mignon is always more expensive than bologna.

 

[rbbert]

True but filet mignon is always more expensive than bologna.

??
Staying on topic, I gave an example of a download price being less than the equivalent CD. Most audiophiles here and elsewhere would say the sound quality of the download equals or exceeds the CD.

 

[wakibaki]

Hello, wakibaki. I'll be honest here, you are not going to gain many friends here posting things like this. Also, please refrain from generalized statements. It is against the TOS which can be found here >>> http://www.whatsbestforum.com/showthread.php?1207-Terms-Of-Service


Tom

I'm accustomed to expressing myself in a straightforward and forthright manner, Tom, without circumlocution.

w

 

[Joe Whip]

They charge what they think the market will bare, pure and simple. Look at the cost of single MP3's on iTunes or albums even. They sell tons of them. Clearly, the market has set the price, hence the cost. The same is true for high rez downloads. Clearly, given the popularity of high rez downloads in the audiophile community, they are priced at what they think people will pay. Clearly they are right. Is it too much? I think so, but if I want some high rez versions of stuff from Reference Recordings for example, what other options do you have?