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Topic: Google Music: Has anyone used it? Good quality MP3? Encoder/settings? (Read 6005 times) previous topic - next topic
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Google Music: Has anyone used it? Good quality MP3? Encoder/settings?

Hey guys, been a while....

Maybe a little bit off-topic, but has anyone tried the new Google Music store?  A new album I want just came out, and I'm trying to decide where to buy it from.  It costs the same on all 3 stores, iTunes, Amazon, and Google. 

I haven't bought from Google yet.  I know they use 320CBR for their bit rate.  Anyone who's used Google before, do the files sound good?  And what encoder do they use?

Thanks guys for the help !

 

Google Music: Has anyone used it? Good quality MP3? Encoder/settings?

Reply #1
Well, I answered the question myself, lol.....

Got the album from Google.  It was encoded at 320CBR using Fraunhofer, probably ripped through windows media player . 

The album was decoded with problems according to foobar2k's integrity verifier (it always is if you rip from WMP in my experiences).  The tags were id3v2.3 only, with slightly lower-quality album art (512x512 instead of 600x600), along with copyright information.  Google has disappointed me, I was hoping they'd be smart enough to use LAME, guess I was wrong.  And their tags weren't as perfected as Amazon or iTunes either. 

Don't think I'll be buying from them again.  The files sound just fine, but I don't like the encoder.  Looks like I'll be buying via iTunes from now on (since nobody else can figure out V0), if anyone cares.

I'm enjoying the new album though  !




Google Music: Has anyone used it? Good quality MP3? Encoder/settings?

Reply #2
Out of interest, did you ever try Play.com? It’s offered cheaper prices than Amazon on a few things I’ve searched for recently, which you might find relevant since your other topic was about the latter. Of course, the converse does happen too. And I’ve not checked which settings it uses—oops!

Edit: Aaand I’m going off-topic within a thread that I myself split for going off-topic… It’s going to be Inception all over again if we’re not careful here! I just thought I’d ask because you mentioned in both posts that you’re comparing different stores.

Google Music: Has anyone used it? Good quality MP3? Encoder/settings?

Reply #3
Out of interest, did you ever try Play.com? It’s offered cheaper prices than Amazon on a few things I’ve searched for recently, which you might find relevant since your other topic was about the latter. Of course, the converse does happen too. And I’ve not checked which settings it uses—oops!

Edit: Aaand I’m going off-topic within a thread that I myself split for going off-topic… It’s going to be Inception all over again if we’re not careful here! I just thought I’d ask because you mentioned in both posts that you’re comparing different stores.


I've never heard of Play.com....but it looks like UK only (I'm in US). 

And yes, lol, I'll be careful about staying on topic . 

I guess it's just the OCD part of me that wants all my downloads the same settings.  Good thing I got iTunes Match, I'm going to download an iTunes Plus version of this album, because I prefer the format/bitrate.

I just it may be helpful to post Google's encoding info in case anyone else is thinking about buying from them.

Google Music: Has anyone used it? Good quality MP3? Encoder/settings?

Reply #4
The songs bought from Google are they gapless ?

Google Music: Has anyone used it? Good quality MP3? Encoder/settings?

Reply #5
Got the album from Google.  It was encoded at 320CBR using Fraunhofer, probably ripped through windows media player .


Google seem to be a very Linux-centric company, so I'd be very surprised if they used WMP to rip.
Music washes away from the soul the dust of everyday life.