[Wootz0r]

Pros:

1. Big catalog
2. Cheap ($.09 a song typically)
3. Software client for downloading
4. Free song each day
5. Some CDs release before US release date
6. MP3s are pretty good quality and tagged properly
7. Easy to add money through CC

Cons:

1. Unbelievably slow (I have only been LS for a few days and it was going 100KBps at best which was fine. Now it is only going about 8-10KBps and there is no chance this is my internet connection.)
2. Myriad of problems with the downloader software. (I believe most of the problem has to do with how slow their servers are. For example, sometimes the windows within the program display incorrectly and this is possibly due to it taking so long to load - not really sure but this might be because it's just taking a long time and will eventually correct itself. There are some issues with the program itself though as well. I have been getting a number of error messages from the prog.

For me the problems I have experienced would be acceptable if the speed ever picked up. We'll have to see if it improves in the near future. After all, I haven't used it that long so maybe they are just having some temporary problems.

As for now, I wouldn't recommend LS.com.

EDIT: After looking at another review I decided to try using DownThemAll and the website instead of the downloader. It seems to be much faster than using the downloader.

[solaris]

Originally Posted by Wootz0r

Pros:

1. Big catalog
2. Cheap ($.09 a song typically)
3. Software client for downloading
4. Free song each day
5. Some CDs release before US release date
6. MP3s are pretty good quality and tagged properly
7. Easy to add money through CC

Cons:

1. Unbelievably slow (I have only been LS for a few days and it was going 100KBps at best which was fine. Now it is only going about 8-10KBps and there is no chance this is my internet connection.)
2. Myriad of problems with the downloader software. (I believe most of the problem has to do with how slow their servers are. For example, sometimes the windows within the program display incorrectly and this is possibly due to it taking so long to load - not really sure but this might be because it's just taking a long time and will eventually correct itself. There are some issues with the program itself though as well. I have been getting a number of error messages from the prog.

For me the problems I have experienced would be acceptable if the speed ever picked up. We'll have to see if it improves in the near future. After all, I haven't used it that long so maybe they are just having some temporary problems.

As for now, I wouldn't recommend LS.com.

EDIT: After looking at another review I decided to try using DownThemAll and the website instead of the downloader. It seems to be much faster than using the downloader.

Hi Wootz0r and welcome to the forum

Strange that you have this impression of Legalsounds...

I personally think that the very best thing about Legalsounds IS their downloader and the download speed. I download with a minimum of 900 KB/sec., which means that a song takes 5-6 seconds max. to download. Much faster than I ever download using AllOfMP3, where it can take almost 20-25 seconds to download a track...

solaris

[Dave C]

Hi,
The only comment I have about the download speed is that it is about the same for me as allofmp3 (i.e ~70 - 140 (good day) KBps) nb I have a 2.2Mbps broadband connection. I have got to agree with Wootz0r about the legalsounds downloader software though; this has never worked for me. I have not let this bother me too much though as I have got used to using the generic 'free download manager' recommended by Kalvin Kleenex. To me legalsounds is a winner because of their good catalogue & cheap price.
Cheers,
Dave C

[solaris]

Originally Posted by Dave C

Hi,
The only comment I have about the download speed is that it is about the same for me as allofmp3 (i.e ~70 - 140 (good day) KBps) nb I have a 2.2Mbps broadband connection. I have got to agree with Wootz0r about the legalsounds downloader software though; this has never worked for me. I have not let this bother me too much though as I have got used to using the generic 'free download manager' recommended by Kalvin Kleenex. To me legalsounds is a winner because of their good catalogue & cheap price.
Cheers,
Dave C

Hi Dave.

I just tested the downloader again with Legalsounds free track of the day: Amy Winehouse - Rehab. It is 4.93 Mb large and it took exactly 5 seconds to download. Super downloader

solaris

[Wootz0r]

Originally Posted by solaris

Hi Dave.

I just tested the downloader again with Legalsounds free track of the day: Amy Winehouse - Rehab. It is 4.93 Mb large and it took exactly 5 seconds to download. Super downloader

solaris

Perhaps it's our distance from the servers? Are you closer to Russia by any chance? I've only gotten about 125KBps max through the website ONLY. The downloader is much slower.

[Lurker]

Hello,

On the west coast of USA I get 285KB average on a 300KB line using the download app with three connections.

I use it as a full album download alternative because of price. Admittedly their website navigation has been slow when I have visited.

When I put $20.00 in on June 17, 07... I received an undocumented “$4.50 first time replenishment bonus".

Competition is good. LegalSounds beats the allofmp3 family of sites in many ways such as price.

The allofmp3 family of sites has the choice of your preffered bitrates and their download program seems a bit more polished while not currently fully functional for me at mp3spparks.

LegalSounds bitrates offered are good for the most part and their Download program, while not as polished works currently better in my opinion.

Allofmp3 set the bar for quality, lets see if they can match the price of their competiors or if the competition can match their quality of service!

Lurker

[samwise]

Hi guys, noob here. I have a question about Legalsounds, which is basically this: If I download a song from their website, can I burn it onto a CD and listen to it on the CD player in my car? I know this seems like a crazy simple question, but I don't have an mp3 player, nor do i want on - too difficult for me to use. I'm a newcomer to the whole computer thing, and just recently learned how to burn a CD. I know, I know, and yes, I have been living under a rock.

Thanks

[solaris]

Originally Posted by samwise

Hi guys, noob here. I have a question about Legalsounds, which is basically this: If I download a song from their website, can I burn it onto a CD and listen to it on the CD player in my car? I know this seems like a crazy simple question, but I don't have an mp3 player, nor do i want on - too difficult for me to use. I'm a newcomer to the whole computer thing, and just recently learned how to burn a CD. I know, I know, and yes, I have been living under a rock.

Thanks

Yes, you can - no problem

[beth2shy]

Legal Sounds is ok, I coudn't find alot of music that I wanted. It will take me forever to spend all the funds that I have on it. Mostly older music. It's still cool though, since all songs are only 9 cents each.

[somoose]

Originally Posted by beth2shy

Legal Sounds is ok, I coudn't find alot of music that I wanted. It will take me forever to spend all the funds that I have on it. Mostly older music. It's still cool though, since all songs are only 9 cents each.

I've been lurking here for a while and thought this was a good thread to jump in on. I've been using legalsounds for a little while now, and it's generally been good. I was impressed the other day when I submitted a music request; I think it took them less than 5 days to send out an email that they had added the brand new album that I requested. So if there's something you can't find there, you might have decent luck requesting it.

Has anyone else noticed a sudden slowdown at legalsounds? I downloaded a full album yesterday at usual speed, but I today I'm having a hard time downloading a single song. I've tried both the downloader and the website, and my top speed has been 15.8 kb/sec.