DSD downloads in Europe

[gdpr]

I am looking for DSD download sites available in Europe, that have a arge offering in different music categories (rock, blues, classical, ...)

 

The most well-known - Acoustic Sounds (superhirez.com) - does not allow me to purchase digital downloads :

See following error message :

 We currently cannot allow customers outside of the United States to purchase Digital Products. Please remove all Digital Products from your cart to continue. Please review the form below and make sure to complete any items in red. Thanks!

[#Yoda#]

6 hours ago, ddetaey said:

I am looking for DSD download sites available in Europe, that have a arge offering in different music categories (rock, blues, classical, ...)

 

Several not DSD exclusive multi genre sites like Highresaudio.com and HDtracks.com. Others are specialized on Classical music like Primephonic.com. Only DSD albums offers NativeDSD.com, mainly Classical and Jazz.

[gdpr]

Thanks for the reply. It is clear that the DSD download offering is very limited for popular (rock,pop, world,...) music in EU.

I am wondering why Acoustic Sounds is not able (willing ?) to offer digital downloads in the RoW?

Or why Qobuz is no into DSD? (As long as they do not offer MQA downloads, I can live without them offering DSD)

[#Yoda#]

34 minutes ago, ddetaey said:

Thanks for the reply. It is clear that the DSD download offering is very limited for popular (rock,pop, world,...) music in EU.

I am wondering why Acoustic Sounds is not able (willing ?) to offer digital downloads in the RoW?

Or why Qobuz is no into DSD? (As long as they do not offer MQA downloads, I can live without them offering DSD)

The answer is quite simple, DSD is a niche within a niche, the market is extremely small and today there is nearly no new Rock, Pop, World music recorded and mastered natively in DSD. Only some 70s and 80s albums had been digitally archived from the analog masters as DSD primarily from Sony Music, early this century. Some of this albums are available now as DSD, most as SACD.

 

It is not so easy for download services to offer content in many countries. It is an issue of digital rights and there is no cross-border sales. Not even within the EU there is a common market for digital rights for now. A download provider must negotiate the rights to offer an album, it's format, the maximum resolution and the basic prices for each country with the label, respectively the rightsholder. To offer music-downloads in CD quality or better on both sides of the pond is a tough challenge and many full-line providers failed so far. 

[firedog]

8 hours ago, ddetaey said:

I am looking for DSD download sites available in Europe, that have a arge offering in different music categories (rock, blues, classical, ...)

 

The most well-known - Acoustic Sounds (superhirez.com) - does not allow me to purchase digital downloads :

See following error message :

 We currently cannot allow customers outside of the United States to purchase Digital Products. Please remove all Digital Products from your cart to continue. Please review the form below and make sure to complete any items in red. Thanks!

Use a VPN with a US location to order album. Once it is ordered, you don’t need the VPN  and can download without it. 

[#Yoda#]

12 hours ago, firedog said:

Use a VPN with a US location to order album. Once it is ordered, you don’t need the VPN  and can download without it. 

Unfortunately this is not legal for downloads because of copyright infringement. Beside this, you usually need to register at least with an email address, what could be difficult with an European TLD.

[firedog]

2 hours ago, #Yoda# said:

Unfortunately this is not legal for downloads because of copyright infringement. Beside this, you usually need to register at least with an email address, what could be difficult with an European TLD.

It is technically not legal,  but you are paying royalties etc. Depends on your view of what's ethical. The minor illegality doesn't bother me - I see it as civil disobedience to an outmoded system - because it isn't piracy, as royalties are being paid. 

 

To me it is no different than crossing a street against a light when there are no cars in the vicinity - illegal, but no reason not to do it. If I get caught, I have to pay the price. That's okay. 

The "risk" of doing this is very close to zero. You can't be traced through the VPN and no one is looking for such activity anyway. 

 

It really isn't difficult to do; it's not exactly rocket science. The sites all work by reading the country code of your IP from your browser, so a VPN solves that problem. 

 

I'm not trying to convince you or anyone else to do it if the legal aspects bother you. Since I'm paying full price for the download, circumventing the rules doesn't bother me. Each person can decide for themselves how they want to relate to that. 

[#Yoda#]

7 hours ago, firedog said:

It is technically not legal,  but you are paying royalties etc. Depends on your view of what's ethical. The minor illegality doesn't bother me - I see it as civil disobedience to an outmoded system - because it isn't piracy, as royalties are being paid. 

 

To me it is no different than crossing a street against a light when there are no cars in the vicinity - illegal, but no reason not to do it. If I get caught, I have to pay the price. That's okay. 

The "risk" of doing this is very close to zero. You can't be traced through the VPN and no one is looking for such activity anyway. 

 

It really isn't difficult to do; it's not exactly rocket science. The sites all work by reading the country code of your IP from your browser, so a VPN solves that problem. 

 

I'm not trying to convince you or anyone else to do it if the legal aspects bother you. Since I'm paying full price for the download, circumventing the rules doesn't bother me. Each person can decide for themselves how they want to relate to that. 

I agree wholeheartedly! I'd tried to download music from the regrettably historical PonoMusic Store via VPN some time ago and failed because of the payment process with my localized European credit card number. Interesting to get to know how the "gateways" are locked today. ? 

[brucknerdoc]

One option that works pretty well on a site like this is to get localized members to purchase for you and then reimburse them for the files.

Obviously, there are plenty of US members that could help you with AcousticSounds.

I personally use VPN for mindlessly-restricted purchases outside the US, but do occasionally wind up with payment walls so the exchange method is a good work-around.

[#Yoda#]

8 hours ago, brucknerdoc said:

One option that works pretty well on a site like this is to get localized members to purchase for you and then reimburse them for the files.

 

I know it would be an option, but it is not fair to involve a friend if he/she is not aware of the consequences. Reselling a downloaded album is illegal because the purchaser do not own the product itself, the purchaser only get the right to playback and copy the downloaded file for his own personal usage. You cannot legally resell and not even bequeath the file to someone else. It is a fact that this rule is valid for nearly all purchases of digital goods e.g. music downloads and the lobbyists of music labels, entertainment corporations, broadcasters and publishing houses are doing their best to keep this status quo. 

[bmoura]

On 3/19/2018 at 1:41 PM, ddetaey said:

I am wondering why Acoustic Sounds is not able (willing ?) to offer digital downloads in the RoW?

1

 

The licensing agreements that Acoustic Sounds has signed with the major record labels (Sony, Warner, Universal) only cover the U.S. and Canada markets.  Hence the geographic restrictions on DSD Downloads from Acoustic Sounds.

 

In contrast, the smaller independent labels tend to license music downloads worldwide vs. by country.  That explains how NativeDSDMusic is releasing new Stereo and Multichannel DSD albums every Friday from over 50 different record labels.  

 

 

Quote

2 new DSD 256 Stereo & Multichannel recordings are coming your way on Friday, March 23, 2018 at the Native DSD Music store. These are DSD Exclusive, Not Available on SACD releases.

 

1. Antonio Lysy: South America from Yarlung Artists
Grammy Awards winning cellist Antonio Lysy performs with his father, the legendary Argentine violinist Alberto Lysy in the Kodaly Duo, and Coco Trivisonno (one of the last living members of Ástor Pantaleón Piazzolla ’s ensemble) performs bandoneon in three arrangements that Yarlung commissioned from him of songs by Carlos Gardel in this new DSD 256 Stereo and DSD 256 Multichannel recording. This is a don’t miss DSD release from Yarlung in Multichannel & Stereo DSD 64, DSD 128, DSD 256. Exclusively Available in DSD at NativeDSD!

 

2. Florilegium: Telemann - Essercizii Musici from Channel Classics Records
The latest album from Florilegium UK featuring Telemann’s Essercizii Musici. Recorded in Stereo and Multichannel DSD 256 and available to our listeners in DSD 64, DSD 128 and DSD 256 a month ahead of the album’s release date of April 20, 2018. Because you shouldn’t have to wait to hear music this good.

2

 

https://yarlungrecords.nativedsd.com/

https://channelclassics.nativedsd.com/