So I’ve had my DMP-A6 for about a year and a half now and I have a question. What is the logic behind downloading albums? 1- do they stay on the streamer for ever even if I needed to cancel service (retiring next year/cost) similar to iTunes for example 2-Should I install extra hardware for this and which type/brand has the least issues/confects with the streamer Any other pertinent information that I should know about in this matter as to the benefits of downloading music. Cheers
It depends on the policy of the streaming platform providing you the "download" option. Some require the subscription to be active to be able to listen to downloaded content, some not. Apple, IIRC, was one among the formers (by means od encrypted content, decoded by the iTunes engine - and subscription). If I am allowed to bring some advice: buy the CD and rip it locally: nobody can take it away. Plus, be aware that one day some content will disappear from the streaming platforms, depending on their policy / content request / server room availability etc. etc. Your music, however, will always be there, no matter what; and, not less important... will be available even if, for whatever reason, you had an internet outage...
That makes sense I suppose. My subscription is with Tidal by the way. I never thought that a subscription might govern my long term access to downloaded music as I don’t pay for a subscription with iTunes. But of course, I buy the right to download from Apple. With retirement just around the corner, and the uncertainty of my future financial situation that that may bring, I’m wondering about what might happen with the streamer. If the situation demands that the Tidal subscription has to go, and downloaded material becomes inaccessible, the DMP-A6 becomes obsolete to me. But the next “stupid” question is once something is downloaded to my physical device, how would Tidal prevent me from accessing it on my physical card in the streamer. Am I not thinking this through properly? The other thing I don’t understand is why I would buy a CD and rip it to the streamer. I have the CD. I would simply play it on my CD player. That’s another point which has confused me since owning the streamer. Is that not an unnecessary redundancy?
Qobuz offers a CD and SACD download service, though naturally, there is a fee. You do not need to subscribe to Qobuz to purchase music from their service. There are also several other paid music download platforms available online.
The DMP can store upto 1000's of cd's. You have acces to all of them. Not just that single one in the cdplayer. The digital copies can be stored on usb-devices, nas or internal nvme-ssd. The latter is the most elegant way. (Safely and invisibly inside the machine). Unless you bootleg the tidal songs you will lose acces to them. Downloading a tidal song is only for preventing intenet problems. I was not aware the dmp can do it. I thought only a mobile device could
So if my internet is down I can access the files which I have previously downloaded. That’s handy. Ripping to iTunes makes sense to me as it is able to travel with me. I’m still not sure about ripping my CD’s to the streamer as it is a stationary device. I currently have direct access to all of my CD’s as they are on a rack one foot away from my stereo. I can’t see me making the effort to rip them to the DMP. All my humble opinion of course. But all good information of course. Cheers to that. I upgraded all of my stereo kit less than two years ago with the thought of retirement looming. I figured I would do so while still getting a regular pay check, and that the new stuff would carry me through (or was that the excuse for the wife?!) The DMP was something I thought I might like, and absolutely do. I’m fairly sure I will be able to continue on with the Tidal subscription but I just wanted to understand all the options and how they would function with or without.
I agree ripping CD's, DVD or Blueray is a stupid and enormous task . But my A6 can now play the Blu-ray of Yellow, followed by a Beatles DVD with even a multichannel version of revolution number 9 (bizarre!!!) and then a turn up the base CD. an SACD or DVD-A or DTS-CD is also a possibillity I don't need 3 devices; i use 1 A6 Every disk that enters my home gets ripped immediately. If there is a track that i don't have: i go to tidal. If I want to add it to my collection i buy the track at Qobuz.
downloads in streaming service are purely to allow playback on that device without internet. You cannot play then outside of their app they use encryption. All streaming services offer this as they are designed for mobile use where reception can be spotty or when air travelling and internet not available. They are not for long time keeping and as said cannot be played outside of their app or without a valid subscription.
