Published: Wednesday 4th November, 2009 | Author: Parm Mann
Companies: Microsoft (All Microsoft content)
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email to a friendMicrosoft has today opened the door to MSN Music, an ad-supported music streaming service with the option to purchase DRM-free tracks.
Originally expected to launch in July, MSN Music arrives some four months late, and remains at a beta stage. The service, launched as part of Microsoft's UK MSN portal, is available at downloads.music.uk.msn.com and offers around one million tracks from the four major record labels: EMI, Warner, Universal and Sony.
Despite delays in its arrival, MSN Music doesn't yet offer complete functionality. Consumers are able to purchase and download tracks, but a free ad-supported streaming service is currently only being offered to a select group of users invited to test the product.
Users choosing to purchase tracks, meanwhile, will find MSN Music's catalogue of around a million songs pales in comparison to the 10+ million tracks available on iTunes. Furthermore, MSN Music doesn't allow consumers to purchase music on a track-by-track basis. Instead, users are forced to purchase 10 credits at a time, priced at £7.99. One credit can then be used to purchase a single, whilst 10 will foot the bill for a complete album. Tracks are DRM-free and available in the MP3 or WMA format, encoded at 192 kbit/s.
Microsoft has confirmed that the technology behind MSN Music is taken form the U.S.-only Zune service, but adds that it isn't "a pre-cursor to Zune launching in the UK".
MSN Music is the latest in a long line of music-streaming services and arrives hot on the heels of a similar offering from BSkyB dubbed Sky Songs.
In related news, Microsoft has revamped its U.S. MSN portal. Although the new-look design isn't yet available to UK users, a preview can be viewed at msn.com/preview.
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Amazon is one of the few companies that seems to ever get it right when they offer (some) albums for £3-5 at 256kbps. I think play.com also does some fairly cheap at 256 and 320kbps.
If I can tell the difference between 192/256/320 or CD quality music is debatable but I don't want to take the risk, not for the same price. Id rather have FLACs for archival but I know thats not hugely practical.Quote
It's some cheek to sell an inferior product at the same price.
Saying that, I only buy CDs as I'm a bit of a hifi nut. I want to 'hear' everything. 320 mp3s are good, but still why bother when even if you dont hear it, you know it's missing.Quote
Give me back my dynamic range! I have ears and like you use them.Quote
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