FREE/BARGAIN — Media Deals (non-eBook/non-audiobook)

[koland]

Originally Posted by GtrsRGr8

Are you saying that MP3 files can be upgraded to FLAC if you rip them to FLAC? That doesn't seem possible. It seems like it would be like the standard DVD players that claimed that they could "upconvert" (I think that the word is) standard DVD's to the high resolution (I've forgotten the name of them, it is below blu-ray) DVD's. It just simulated the higher resolution.

No, that FLAC is the lossless format that is equivalent to what you get on an AUDIO CD (not an MP3 CD, which you never really see for sale, but people make at home - newer cars play these too, but older ones can't, sometimes).

MP3 is a lossy format - you lose the highs, some lows and perhaps get "averaged" sound sometimes. In your car, you probably won't ever hear the difference and definitely not on most earbuds or small speakers (like on your computer, unless you've added a nice high-end DAC and speakers).

[tubemonkey]

Originally Posted by GtrsRGr8

BTW--something y'all might find interesting. In the 1970's did any of you hear of "quadraphonic" (that may have been just the name that one particular company used) receivers? Supposedly they could convert stereo records or eight-track (Ack!) tapes to a 4-channel sound. I owned a system (it wasn't really expensive) that was described that way. I never could hear any difference, myself. Wonder what happened to that concept? I guess that the manufacturers couldn't deliver on what they promised . . . .

I remember that. I even considered getting it when I was shopping for a high-end stereo system while stationed in Korea. I rejected it and went with stereo. I never did 8-track, Betamax, or laserdiscs. I stuck with the more popular formats and generally waited for the dust to clear during format wars before deciding what to get.

[GtrsRGr8]

Originally Posted by tubemonkey

I remember that. I even considered getting it when I was shopping for a high-end stereo system while stationed in Korea. I rejected it and went with stereo. I never did 8-track, Betamax, or laserdiscs. I stuck with the more popular formats and generally waited for the dust to clear during format wars before deciding what to get.

Good choice to leave it alone.

My 8-track came integrated with the stereo receiver, which had the "quadraphonic" thrown in as part of the package deal. I used the 8-track player some; bought a few 8-track tapes--ex. Tommy James and the Shondells; one of the Osmond Brothers, I think; a tribute to Deep Purple (by who knows?); one of Bob Seger. I can't remember the rest right now. What choice did we have back then? The cutting-edge cassette tape medium hadn't started to be used yet for music. Eight-track was basically all that you had. The Good 'Ole Days.

[GtrsRGr8]

The free piece from YourClassical for today is Parsifal: Good Friday Music. It is a Richard Wagner composition.

Today is, of course, Friday. This is the last day of the week for YourClassical freebies. The next one will be Monday.

You can download the freebie from this webpage: http://www.yourclassical.org/story/2...d-friday-music.

[AnemicOak]

Originally Posted by GtrsRGr8

Are you saying that MP3 files can be upgraded to FLAC if you rip them to FLAC?

She's saying rip CD's to FLAC.

[GtrsRGr8]

How about some wonderful classical music to start your workweek (or whatever Monday may represent to you)?

YourClassical is offering Cecile Chaminade's (another composer that is new to me) Piano Trio No. 1: IV. Allegro molto agitato.

I said, "wonderful" classical music, and it is that IMHO.

Download it from this YourClassical dedicated webpage for the freebie.

Enjoy. I already have.

[curtw]

Originally Posted by GtrsRGr8

BTW--something y'all might find interesting. In the 1970's did any of you hear of "quadraphonic" (that may have been just the name that one particular company used) receivers? Supposedly they could convert stereo records or eight-track (Ack!) tapes to a 4-channel sound. I owned a system (it wasn't really expensive) that was described that way. I never could hear any difference, myself. Wonder what happened to that concept? I guess that the manufacturers couldn't deliver on what they promised . . . .

If they led you to believe that the system could "upconvert" stereo media, that was deceptive. You needed dedicated quadrophonic records or 8-track tapes to get the effect. And as for why it didn't stick around? It wasn't a failure to deliver, it was killed by competing formats (same old story). A lot of that stuff is being released on DVD as 5.1 audio now, so you can hear what what it was like.

[GtrsRGr8]

Originally Posted by curtw

If they led you to believe that the system could "upconvert" stereo media, that was deceptive. You needed dedicated quadrophonic records or 8-track tapes to get the effect. And as for why it didn't stick around? It wasn't a failure to deliver, it was killed by competing formats (same old story). A lot of that stuff is being released on DVD as 5.1 audio now, so you can hear what what it was like.

Yeah, the implication was that stereo media could be converted into 4-channel sound. I didn't believe it, even then, or at least was very skeptical. But, I didn't buy the system based on that expectation; it was because of other features (and price, I'm sure).

As I mentioned, I felt the same way when regular DVD players, starting maybe a decade ago, said that they could "upconvert" regular DVD media into high-resolution-looking video. Although I never bought one of those DVD players, I couldn't believe that that was true or even possible.

Everyone ought to believe the mantra, "if it looks too good to be true, it probably is."

[GtrsRGr8]

GARussell requested some jazz music when I could find it.

Of course, I was going to make sure that it was good jazz music before posting any.

You can get, free, about 4 or 5 studio albums and about 2 or 3 live albums of a group called Kneebody. The music is eclectic, but jazz is the dominant subgenre, I would say by far.

Kneebody is a fairly new group, but already has been GRAMMY-nominated! I listened to half a dozen or so pieces of their music, using my free Spotify account. I don't like jazz, but found this group's music very enjoyable. Maybe because it's smoother than most jazz than I've heard, I dunno.

Navigate to this webpage. They'll prompt you to leave a tip. Ignore that (I'm assuming that you wouldn't want to leave a tip; do whatever you want to). Click on "download." Follow another prompt or two.

They're MP3's.

This group is going places. Get some music of theirs free, while you can.

[GtrsRGr8]

At this writing (2:12 a.m. Eastern time USA), the YourClassical freebie of the day has not changed over.

I was under the impression that it always changed between 1 p.m. and 2 p.m. Maybe they ran into some problems with the queue or whatever. At any rate, I can't wait up any longer tonight for the new piece to arrive. I'll plan to post it early tomorrow afternoon.

Of course, anyone is welcome to post it. You can check the most recent post at http://feeds.feedburner.com/YourClassicalDailyDownload.

No change--2:19 a.m.

[GtrsRGr8]

1:51 p.m.

The YourClassical Daily Download still has not changed.

I may give it one more try before giving up for the day. However, I doubt that there is going to be a changeover for today, considering the fact that even if the free piece changed now, there would only be 12 hours left until the next scheduled changeover.

[GtrsRGr8]

Alexander Street newsletter subscribers: check your email.

This week's free classical download from them is now available.

It's the "symphonic poem" V srednej Azii (in Central Asia). It is a fairly slow piece, and the volume is generally low, but has parts where it is medium and parts where it is high (I hope that I didn't get too technical there. ha).

If you're not a subscriber to Alexander Street, you may be outta luck getting this free download. But you may want to subscribe right away and see what happens. What would it hurt? Besides, you'll be able to get the rest of their freebies, beginning with the next one, two weeks from now. Try signing up here.

[GtrsRGr8]

In reference to our discussions of supposed "upconverts," "four-channel sound from stereo," etc. I wanted to let you know about this piece that I got in my email today.

From a website called TechConnect is an article, "How to enable Windows Sonic virtual surround sound in the Windows 10 Creators Update." Yeah, right. Like you're going to get a surround sound experience from equipment that is incapable of producing the real thing.

Anyway, thought one or more of you might want to read that article. And if you believe what you read, I've got some prime alpine meadowland here in Florida that I'd like to interest you in.

http://www.techconnect.com/article/3...rs-update.html.

[GtrsRGr8]

Thanks to a rare bout of insomnia, I was able to get out of bed to check YourClassical's free download of the day, and to post it early in the giveaway period.

It is Cello Suite No. 5: Prelude. I think that you've probably heard of the composer--a J.S. Bach fellow.

I'm pretty much a happy camper. I happen to like the cello, although I don't generally care for Bach's music.

Here's a webpage with a link to, along with some other information about, the free piece. You might want to visit the webpage just to see the cover of the album that the piece is from, which cover shows an interesting piece of . . . uh . . . art from the Tippett Rise Art Center (it's in Montana, I think).

Guten nacht.

[GtrsRGr8]

Today's YourClassical freebie du jour is Gabriel Faure's Pelleas et Melisande: Sicilienne.

In case you are not familiar with the song (I don't even remember if I've heard Faure's name before), it is very becalming, and beautiful IMHO. I need to buy some of his works--I think that his music might help exorcise some of the demons in my life. ha, sort of.

A heads' up: the volume on this piece is not very high at all for some reason--I have to have the volume turned all the way up on my media player, and on my computer, to really be able to hear it well enough.

Find the linky to the free MP3 on this webpage.

Bonne nuit.