[JohnnyBGoode]

Been downloading music since free Napster back in 1999. Eventually bounced around a few pay-as-you-go sites before finally discovering AOM3...then migrated to MP3Sparks when AOM3 went tits-up. I've explored a few others, but as you all well know, nothing else even comes close to MP3Sparks.

My kid brother, who is deployed to Iraq, recently E-mailed me a list of 190 songs that he wanted burned onto 12 different CD mixes and sent to him in the sandbox. Since MP3Sparks seems to have shit the bed for now, I roamed the dark hallways of the internet researching my other options for completing this project.

Tested a few, then found Mp3million.com - Download your favourite artists and soundtracks

They ain't AOM3, and the download process tends to be slow, but oh man, what a great library of music!!! Out of 190 songs, I only had to turn to Napster for 5 of them...MP3Million had the rest. Dirt cheap, too. Compression rates vary per song, but the files are good quality.

I put in $30, they matched me with $10 credit, and I've only used about $19 of it so far. Not too shabby.

Anyway, my apologies for the unsolicited testimonial, but if you're looking for a decent alternate download site with great variety and reliable service until MP3Sparks is resurrected...I thought you might be interested in that one.

That is all.

[MP3junk1E]

Every other site lags miles behind MP3Spark in terms of encoding and downloading. They're all so far behind, it's not even funny.

I'd try these other sites, but I've gotten used to 320kbps MP3s. I like the higher quality, I like not having to compromise.

I wish one of those other sites would catch up. And get a freakin' download manager!

[vikulenka]

Originally Posted by JohnnyBGoode

Been downloading music since free Napster back in 1999. Eventually bounced around a few pay-as-you-go sites before finally discovering AOM3...then migrated to MP3Sparks when AOM3 went tits-up. I've explored a few others, but as you all well know, nothing else even comes close to MP3Sparks.

My kid brother, who is deployed to Iraq, recently E-mailed me a list of 190 songs that he wanted burned onto 12 different CD mixes and sent to him in the sandbox. Since MP3Sparks seems to have shit the bed for now, I roamed the dark hallways of the internet researching my other options for completing this project.

Tested a few, then found Mp3million.com - Download your favourite artists and soundtracks

They ain't AOM3, and the download process tends to be slow, but oh man, what a great library of music!!! Out of 190 songs, I only had to turn to Napster for 5 of them...MP3Million had the rest. Dirt cheap, too. Compression rates vary per song, but the files are good quality.

I put in $30, they matched me with $10 credit, and I've only used about $19 of it so far. Not too shabby.

Anyway, my apologies for the unsolicited testimonial, but if you're looking for a decent alternate download site with great variety and reliable service until MP3Sparks is resurrected...I thought you might be interested in that one.

That is all.

Hi & welcome to the forum.

Mp3million is a sister site of Mp3sale.ru, a great store!

You might want to check out

http://www.aom3.org/forum/music-shop...ic-stores.html

as well as the, recently launched, sister site of this forum :-

Rutunes - MP3Fiesta, MP3sale, Legalsounds, Soundsbox, eMusic, MusicMP3 etc...

for detailed reviews of all the great stores you can browse.

By the way, the guys here really mind the proper use of language. So Johnny - be good! I'm saying that, as a lady!

[Nightfly]

Originally Posted by vikulenka

Hi & welcome to the forum.

Mp3million is a sister site of Mp3sale.ru, a great store!

You might want to check out

http://www.aom3.org/forum/music-shop...ic-stores.html

as well as the, recently launched, sister site of this forum :-

Rutunes - MP3Fiesta, MP3sale, Legalsounds, Soundsbox, eMusic, MusicMP3 etc...

for detailed reviews of all the great stores you can browse.

By the way, the guys here really mind the proper use of language. So Johnny - be good! I'm saying that, as a lady!

Good Advice Vik.....

And JohnnyBGoode welcome to the Forum....

[solaris]

Originally Posted by MP3junk1E

Every other site lags miles behind MP3Spark in terms of encoding and downloading. They're all so far behind, it's not even funny.

I'd try these other sites, but I've gotten used to 320kbps MP3s. I like the higher quality, I like not having to compromise.

I wish one of those other sites would catch up. And get a freakin' download manager!

Hi MP3Junk1e.

Then you can use MILLIsong - they only have 320 kbps files

[JohnnyBGoode]

I used inappropriate language? My apologies...

On a separate issue, and I claim no scientific understanding for the hows or whys of it, but there is a digital file conversion program called Sound Taxi that does an excellent job of converting lower bitrate .mp3 files (e.g. 120, 160, 192, 256 bitrates) into 320 bitrate .mp3 files.

My OCD does not allow me to possess anything other than 320 bitrate files, so Sound Taxi has been a saving grace for me during these AOM3-lean times. If you feel the same way, maybe you should try using Sound Taxi to convert your lower bitrate files to 320.

[squash54]

Originally Posted by JohnnyBGoode

I used inappropriate language? My apologies...

On a separate issue, and I claim no scientific understanding for the hows or whys of it, but there is a digital file conversion program called Sound Taxi that does an excellent job of converting lower bitrate .mp3 files (e.g. 120, 160, 192, 256 bitrates) into 320 bitrate .mp3 files.

My OCD does not allow me to possess anything other than 320 bitrate files, so Sound Taxi has been a saving grace for me during these AOM3-lean times. If you feel the same way, maybe you should try using Sound Taxi to convert your lower bitrate files to 320.

Hi JBG,
What is an OCD? I think you will find that you cannot improve sound quality by converting from a lower bitrate to a higher one. Also, at some of the online stores, bitrates can vary between tracks on the same album. Having to constantly check and then, if necessary, convert bitrates would be a pain. I think I would be getting a more reasonable 'OCD' (whatever it is)

Squash

[vikulenka]

Originally Posted by squash54

Hi JBG,
What is an OCD? I think you will find that you cannot improve sound quality by converting from a lower bitrate to a higher one. Also, at some of the online stores, bitrates can vary between tracks on the same album. Having to constantly check and then, if necessary, convert bitrates would be a pain. I think I would be getting a more reasonable 'OCD' (whatever it is)

Squash

Are you sure ?

Obsessive-compulsive disorder - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

[squash54]

Originally Posted by vikulenka

Are you sure ?

Obsessive-compulsive disorder - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

And here I was thinking it stood for 'Obstinate Compact Disc' or something really OBVIOUS.
As a recent post by RedSmurf make perfectly clear, JBG has been wasting his time, OCD or no OCD

[JohnnyBGoode]

Originally Posted by squash54

And here I was thinking it stood for 'Obstinate Compact Disc' or something really OBVIOUS.
As a recent post by RedSmurf make perfectly clear, JBG has been wasting his time, OCD or no OCD

'tis may be true, but when I look at my music library (I use MediaMonkey) bitrate details, all 5123 of my .mp3 files say "320"...

I really appreciate you guys setting me straight on the fact that the conversion does NOT improve audio quality. I would not have known otherwise. I just read the awesome post by RedSmurf on this issue and sure wish I'd known all that information when I started getting serious about my digital music collection!

On the other hand, on those odd occasions that I buy an obscure track from Napster, Sound Taxi does a great job of removing the DRM protection when it converts the file from .wma to .mp3.