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Saikosounds digital downloads, feedback required....
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saikosounds
Started Topics :
1
Posts :
25
Posted : Apr 15, 2005 14:52
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On 2005-04-15 10:48, KakoOlalaJwal wrote:
What about .ogg files ?
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The issue there is that since ogg is a lossy compression format it either has to be instead of, or in addition to, mp3. If it's in addition then it introduces another level of complexity and confusion, as well as choice, and if it's instead of mp3 then we confront the argument of whether mp3 is a good format to use or not, an argument which probably deserves it's own thread. Suffice to say for now that although mp3 is old technology and has a bad rep with some (anti downloading) people, it is very widely accepted and we think the latter argument should prevail, although we would easily be able to provide another lossy format such as ogg if and when it became popular enough.
I should perhaps point out again that we intend to have a lossless format and a lossy format available. The lossy format is likely to be mp3 while the lossless is likely to be monkey's or FLAC. |
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DETOX
Moderator
Started Topics :
296
Posts :
6194
Posted : Apr 15, 2005 14:54
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All sounds good as long as you just get rid of the 128 files.
I also have a dial up line but i still dont even accept demo mp3's in less than 192 quality.
I mean a tune in 128 quality just cant be considered a tune due to the loss of sound and quality from the original.
All in all a great idea and will support if for sure 
Way to go Saikosounds.
 Toodaloo Motherfuckers!!!!! |
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A.Rosengren
Solid Snake
Started Topics :
266
Posts :
4138
Posted : Apr 15, 2005 14:56
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Very good initiative, i will probably go by this unless i want a whole album
way to go!
A
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Spindrift
Spindrift
Started Topics :
33
Posts :
1560
Posted : Apr 15, 2005 15:11
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Good initiative!
I'll say go for FLAC instead of ape.
It's open source and supported by some hardware players. It can decompress streaming and is faster to comp/decomp.
Otherwise I think you are right to use mp3 and a lossless format. To provide for ogg and wma etc etc you would really need a solution like allofmp3.com.
Or you'll use a lot of serverspace and have to do a lot of compressing and tagging.
I agree the prices is a bit high.
For sure with those prices you need album discounts. Like EYB said it becomes a bit laughing matter if an album as 128k mp3 is more expensive than ordering the CD.
I doubt people will buy 128k and of course less formats is less work for you.
My suggestions would be something like:
192k VBR $0.90
320k $1.10
FLAC $1.50
I sell 320k for $1 and FLAC for $1.40 or an album with 10 tracks for $8 as 320k and $11 as FLAC.
I have a little bit more 320k sales than FLAC sales maybe about 60/40.
Best of luck ...
(``·.¸(``·.¸(``·.¸¸.·`´)¸.·`´)¸.·`´)
« .....www.ResonantEarth.com..... »
(¸.·`´(¸.·`´(¸.·`´``·.¸)``·.¸)``·.¸)
http://www.myspace.com/spindriftsounds
http://www.myspace.com/resonantearth |
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Dj Fx
Started Topics :
2
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37
Posted : Apr 15, 2005 15:18
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On 2005-04-15 07:00, saikosounds wrote:
Hello Isratrancers
../..
Pricing is not yet finalized, and we will have some discount incentives for the purchase of entire albums and also for the purchase of both downloads and CDs.
Greetings
Saikosounds team
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I think if you purchase the album you should download mp3 for free. It could be a commercial advantage for your site: I buy the CD on your shop, but I can download the track
as soon as I've paid, and listen the music before the post deliver me the CD. Excellent!
It's very good idea. Price are a little bit high (I mean for 128 K which is a poor quality). |
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saikosounds
Started Topics :
1
Posts :
25
Posted : Apr 15, 2005 15:48
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On 2005-04-15 15:18, Dj Fx wrote:
I think if you purchase the album you should download mp3 for free. It could be a commercial advantage for your site: I buy the CD on your shop, but I can download the track as soon as I've paid, and listen the music before the post deliver me the CD. Excellent!
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Yes, we will also be doing this, although some labels will not allow it. |
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HandA
Inactive User
Started Topics :
9
Posts :
890
Posted : Apr 15, 2005 15:48
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You should consider a pre-payment system for those people that don't have the means to pay via Credit card... Like people in Poor countries ect.
A bank transfer (or whatever) system where people can pay a certain pre-paid amount and then get a code for a fixed amount of downloads. If you don't do that I am sorry to say that I think you'll still see most people go to ftp's as usual. Even though I am sure many will anyway due to the fact it's free. But all initiatives are welcomed. |
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buzzee
IsraTrance Full Member
Started Topics :
64
Posts :
720
Posted : Apr 15, 2005 16:03
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That sounds as a good plan except for the price... |
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Redlink
IsraTrance Junior Member
Started Topics :
16
Posts :
581
Posted : Apr 15, 2005 17:07
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good iniciative, but i'm not paying to download mp3. i rather buy the cds!!!
Have a good time all the time! |
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EYB
Noized
Started Topics :
111
Posts :
2849
Posted : Apr 15, 2005 17:30
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On 2005-04-15 17:07, Redlink wrote:
good iniciative, but i'm not paying to download mp3. i rather buy the cds!!!
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Yep, me too.
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krelm
IsraTrance Full Member
Started Topics :
67
Posts :
648
Posted : Apr 15, 2005 17:32
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I'll echo what other people are saying - I think the initiative you are taking here is fantastic. This is something I've been wanting to see for quite awhile within the psy scene. It won't stop illegal downloading, but it will offer a nice alternative to people who only want a couple tracks off a CD.
My only criticism is that the pricing is IMO a little bit too high, at least for the mp3s. I think a good model to go on is the successful digital store Beatport (www.beatport.com). Their pricing structure is something like this:
$1.99 - exclusives (ie, pre-release or digital-only - price goes down upon release)
$1.49 - new releases (within 4 weeks of release)
$1.29 - most back catalogue (4+ weeks after release)
$0.99 - older back catalogue
The above is for 320kbps mp3 files (CBR) and 192kbps AAC (VBR). I find their price structure to be very fair for the quality offered. I think that $1.50 for a new release is totally reasonable, but for "older" tracks, a lower price ($1-1.25) is going to sell better.
Since you want to offer both 320kbps and 192kbps, I would suggest maybe making the lower quality a bit cheaper - $0.50 or something. Personally I don't care so much about that since I would never bother with anything below 256kbps. I think for lossless, charging $0.50 more than the hi-quality mp3s is completely fair. Again, it's not a big concern to me since I opt for the smaller filesize of a 320kbps mp3.
For buying an entire album digitally, I would seriously say $10 maximum. Personally, if I like more than 4 or 5 tracks on a release, I'll just get the CD. But if you expect some people to get an entire release digitally, you really need to give them a big price incentive. The $12 figure you said for a complete CD is really hardly a discount from your normal prices of $14-15.
Anyways, I hope you guys get this going soon! When there is a psy-digital store with a large selection, I will definitely be blowing a lot of money. 
-----------------
Dr. Krelm DJ Mixes and Broken Symmetry archives - http://www.krelmatrix.com
Broken Symmetry on MCast - coming in 2007.... |
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Dot Kite
IsraTrance Junior Member
Started Topics :
35
Posts :
431
Posted : Apr 15, 2005 17:58
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When there is a psy-digital store with a large selection, I will definitely be blowing a lot of money.
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Like you, the whole "trance" community will blow a lot of money...also the ones that now are refusing to accept the whole concept of buying MP3s ! |
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illusions
Erebus
Started Topics :
40
Posts :
626
Posted : Apr 15, 2005 19:48
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Finally there is a label starting to open up to music downloads. Good work Saikosounds.
The pricing - I think as everybody has mentioned seems a little too high. Companies like iTunes are charging 0.99$ for tracks (don't know what bitrate they are offering though), and I don't see how things would work for you if you were charging more than that.
I understand the costs of putting up such a system, where storage space as well as bandwidth prices will add up.
As a suggestion, you might consider offering this service just for people listening to music at home/car - where 192VBR or 256k would be sufficient.
This will largely cut down on your bandwidth/storage costs, and if people (DJ's etc..) require the higher quality versions, CD's should still be bought (which will probably still be happening anyway - as the price of (downloading + burning + cost of cd + cost of lossless mp3) would probably not be that much less than buying the CD.
I have personally spoken to many people that have been asking for this service for years now - they all want to be able to download a couple of songs at a time, and have no problem paying money for it. Not everybody is connected to some huge FTP site, or wants to spend hours searching for the right tracks on the P2P networks. And even if they did, there are still people out there that would like to promote their favourite artist.
Good job Saikosounds.
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VertigOA
IsraTrance Junior Member
Started Topics :
29
Posts :
341
Posted : Apr 15, 2005 19:52
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On 2005-04-15 07:00, saikosounds wrote:
Hello Isratrancers
Saikosounds will soon launch a paid digital download service in partnership with many well known labels and we would like to get some feedback on the format(s) that people are most interested in. Basically, we are considering the following options:
128k mp3 @ $US 1.00
192k mp3 @ $US 1.25
320k mp3 @ $US 1.50
lossless @ $US 2.00 (likely to be Monkey’s Audio)
Pricing is not yet finalized, and we will have some discount incentives for the purchase of entire albums and also for the purchase of both downloads and CDs.
There will be no copy protection / digital rights management.
Feedback can also be posted to our website here:
http://www.saikosounds.com/english/contact.asp [please select the “Digital Download Feedback” dropdown]
Greetings
Saikosounds team
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GOOD JOB!!
Stay ahead of the game.
Nice idea
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Shaqattack
IsraTrance Full Member
Started Topics :
71
Posts :
1381
Posted : Apr 15, 2005 20:02
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honestly..great job saiko sounds.. 
though i am little unhappy with the prices..the initiation of the idea is what counts...
and i have another doubt...cant 128 kbps files be converted to better quality (320)with the use of some programs...??
well i thought they could be converted ! if what am saying is true then wouldnt everyone buy the 128 kbps files iunstead of the better quality ones and sit at home and transform them...
lemme know if i am mistaken...
peacE |
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