Digital Download Pricing Increases

Alley_Cat · October 5, 2019, 5:01pm

Many of us like to buy our own copies of digital media.

Qobuz prices seem to have risen significantly recently, especially for CD quality audio where there is no discount for being a Sublime/Sublime+ subscriber unlike hi-res, and many recordings are only available in CD quality.

This could be a sign Qobuz are struggling to stay afloat, but could it also be a drive from the labels to make us all stream if prices are rising across the industry with downloads becoming less and less affordable?

Have users of other services noticed such changes?

There are also albums with no physical copy purchasable these days, which in the past would have been mainly fledgling bands looking to distribute their wares digitally not on physical copies.

Off to Poundland!

frenchrooster · October 5, 2019, 5:07pm

yesterday i downloaded only one track from Qobuz, it costed 3 euros for a hirez. I usually see if the same album is not on Bandcamp, much cheaper.

Alley_Cat · October 5, 2019, 5:08pm

Are you saying that’s unusual for you and that you used to download much more from Qobuz?

Are the French prices higher too? (Before we consider it might be Brexit!)

AndyP · October 5, 2019, 5:10pm

Qobuz’s recent prices are crazy. I’ve gone back to HMV.

Sadly 7Digital has completely lost the plot - no updated site and gone are the halcyon days of their weekly new release offers.

Bandcamp prices have been creeping up and then you have to add VAT on top.

I’ve used HD Tracks with their usual weekly discount which goes someway to reduce the VAT and I think you get loyalty points.

I don’t want to go down the streaming route as I prefer some sort of ownership.

Alley_Cat · October 5, 2019, 5:16pm

I’ve not used 7digital for some time, and got a bit fed up with albums disappearing from the ‘locker’ or whatever it was called - most of my purchases were MP3s but I gather they offer better quality now. Last time I compared Qobuz was generally more competitive but that may be changing!

I assume you mean the physical or online HMV store - they don’t do digital downloads do they?

iTunes prices seem fairly static but ultimately it’s lossy AAC at present.

frenchrooster · October 5, 2019, 5:18pm

i think the prices are higher also in France. I have never paid 3 euros for a track before.

The last album i bought, Chris Lightcap, is at 15 euros at Qobuz in hirez, around 11 euros at Bandcamp. Very often Qobuz is 30% more expensive.
On cd only quality, Tidal download store is however the most expensive.

frenchrooster · October 5, 2019, 5:23pm

There’s also Highrezaudio for downloading. But you cannot by individual tracks. Sometimes i buy on Hdtracks, but most are not available here.
7 digital is mostly on mp3 but sometimes some 16/44 flac may be cheaper.

Alley_Cat · October 5, 2019, 5:24pm

I very rarely buy single tracks as I’m more of an album person, though oddly I did buy singles from iTunes quite frequently years ago.

Alley_Cat · October 5, 2019, 5:26pm

Another thing at Qobuz - their magazine entries have not been updated since 12th Sept and there were posts every 1-2 days prior to that.

frenchrooster · October 5, 2019, 5:35pm

i often buy the tracks i want really hear , so on individual albums, there are generally 2 or 3 tracks that i buy. It’s much less expensive too.

Guinnless · October 5, 2019, 5:49pm

I wanted to buy “Buddy Guy - Born to Play Guitar”. Qobuz were the most expensive, Hiresaudio a bit cheaper but 7Digital were the cheapest at 12.90.
Sorted

Svetty · October 5, 2019, 5:58pm

Unless I’m missing something I see the CD at £5.61 at Amazon. Ok so it isn’t Hi-Res but surely getting the CD and then ripping it is a viable option?

AndyP · October 5, 2019, 6:13pm

Yes walking into the shop - new releases are generally £9.99

A classic example of what is going on! is the recent pricing of the Liam Gallagher album Why Me? Why Not? The deluxe version which has a few extra tracks is £12.99 in HMV for the physical product and £20.49 for the 16bit download on Qobuz. Not that I have a burning desire to buy the new Liam Gallagher album it’s just - how does that work.Not much I do about it just like the debate of old on the pricing of CDs it’s just I would love to know the reason for the pricing differential.

frenchrooster · October 5, 2019, 6:14pm

What is HMW?

AndyP · October 5, 2019, 6:15pm

it’s HMV - His Master’s Voice - similar to FNAC

frenchrooster · October 5, 2019, 6:18pm

i see that album on MQA deluxe version for 16,50 euros on Hirezaudio.
So around 14GBP.

AndyP · October 5, 2019, 6:46pm

Then there is tax on top of the £14 which at least Qobuz absorb into their pricing.

frenchrooster · October 5, 2019, 7:19pm

16,50 euros with tax included. on highrezaudio for France.

Pete_the_painter · October 5, 2019, 9:24pm

I buy from HD Tracks (US) and although the conversation rate isn’t that attractive (US$ v AUS$) their weekly discount codes often help to soften the blow. They have a good range and so far the quality of the downloads have been excellent. If there’s something I can’t get from them I’ll use a local store or Amazon.

Alley_Cat · October 5, 2019, 10:35pm

Just looking at some HD Tracks (UK) titles it’s annoying to see albums I bought in hi-res on Qobuz are available at higher sample rates on HD Tracks. Prices for many titles are similar to Qobuz but the Sublime discounts for Qobuz hi-res can be up to 50%. What sort of offers to HD Tracks send?