[Ashleyj]

I'm hoping that pastor can answer this question for me.

I have just seen that you have the new Duffy album Rockferry (Deluxe Edition) on your site, but I was disappointed to see that it is encoded at less than 320Kb/s.

Is it not your policy to encode all the new additions at the highest (320) rate?

Just wondering why that's all, not criticising.

[Gaucho]

Originally Posted by Ashleyj

I'm hoping that pastor can answer this question for me.

I have just seen that you have the new Duffy album Rockferry (Deluxe Edition) on your site, but I was disappointed to see that it is encoded at less than 320Kb/s.

Is it not your policy to encode all the new additions at the highest (320) rate?

Just wondering why that's all, not criticising.

You've hit the nail on the head there regarding MP3sale. I'd be joining the masses doubling their deposits at the moment if they offered 320kbps on everything.

[pastor39]

You should realise, that we can not encode all music ourselves, so we make searches on different sources. The situation is same as in every shop, you have different quality products, due to that some of them are more expensive then others. So for 320 bitrate let it be 25 cents, for 128 - 6-8 cents. We decided to make one price for all, so increased the price for cheaper products and reduced the highest quality one and made a good 10 eurocents offer for all music.

So that different quality music allow us to have big database.
If you're looking for 320kbps shop only - you know where to go. Millisong is the best choice. But keep in mind - that in this case, you'll find much smaller music database.

[Ashleyj]

Originally Posted by pastor39

You should realise, that we can not encode all music ourselves, so we make searches on different sources. The situation is same as in every shop, you have different quality products, due to that some of them are more expensive then others. So for 320 bitrate let it be 25 cents, for 128 - 6-8 cents. We decided to make one price for all, so increased the price for cheaper products and reduced the highest quality one and made a good 10 eurocents offer for all music.

So that different quality music allow us to have big database.
If you're looking for 320kbps shop only - you know where to go. Millisong is the best choice. But keep in mind - that in this case, you'll find much smaller music database.

Thanks for the reply pastor.

This was pointed out to me by someone else so I understand the situation now.

I do use Millisong to get some albums, as well as Sparks. I prefer to get everything in 320 format as I like to burn CDs as well as put it on my mp3 player. But I am grateful, as was also pointed out to me, that you do not deliberately re-encode to a false higher rate.

I will continue to get as much as I can from you at 320Kb/s, but sorry to say I might just have to go elsewhere for some items.

[NikoShark]

Hey pastor! That was not very patriotic sending people to other shop lmao.
Anyway pastor is right. We put our attention to 1) clients care 2) big database 3) good pricing and offers. It is our advantage.
Yes we some not highest quality albums in our store, but same moment we have highest quality clients support and we do care about our clients.

[Nightfly]

Originally Posted by NikoShark

Hey pastor! That was not very patriotic sending people to other shop lmao.
Anyway pastor is right. We put our attention to 1) clients care 2) big database 3) good pricing and offers. It is our advantage.
Yes we some not highest quality albums in our store, but same moment we have highest quality clients support and we do care about our clients.

Hey Niko,

That's more important to me personally than anything else.

Your new releases are of very good quality that I have downloaded.
Many at 256vbr,some at 320,and some at 192vbr.

I personally don't care about 320 or not,on my mp3player there is no
difference,neither is there on my PC.But anything below 192 I agree
with other members these days doesn't cut it.But Pastor explained about that.

Mostly I for one would like to thank your site for its recent efforts
and excellent customer service toward our member here..

[Ashleyj]

Originally Posted by NikoShark

Hey pastor! That was not very patriotic sending people to other shop lmao.
Anyway pastor is right. We put our attention to 1) clients care 2) big database 3) good pricing and offers. It is our advantage.
Yes we some not highest quality albums in our store, but same moment we have highest quality clients support and we do care about our clients.

Thanks for all you do anyway.

I suppose I am just being fussy and as Nightfly has so eloquently pointed out on an mp3player you can't tell the difference as long as it's over 192 anyway.

But I do like to put a lot of my stuff onto CD, and I have found that it does make a difference then.

Carry on the good work and I will continue to get as much as I can from you at 320Kb/s, who knows I might even be tempted to lower my standards just to keep you happy!

[johnnydoen]

Originally Posted by pastor39

You should realise, that we can not encode all music ourselves, so we make searches on different sources.

Funny stuff.

[Helios]

I remember that I read somewhere that 192kbps/VBR is as good as 320kbps/CBR and that 99% of people can't hear the difference between these two rates and original cd quality. However I am not sure about this, so correct me if I am wrong.

[Hirs Ute]

I must admit I was always in two minds about MP3Sale. No I'm not schizophrenic (apologies to any of our schizophrenic friends out there) but MP3Sale was always a bit of a lottery with many albums with tolerable bit rates but a significant number with such low bit rates that they were laughable. That said I have certainly noticed a conscious effort by the site to improve the bit rates of many of the more recent offerings.

In Pastor's own words they are clearly spending a little more time "making searches on different sources" rather than just settling for the first "source" they find. For that reason, despite taking a significant FX beating owing to being a sad holder of Her Majesties pound, I took advantage of MP3Sales "Black Friday" sale and am happy I did so. Well done Pastor - keep it up (as the actress said to the bishop)