Lossless Music Downloads
Lossless music downloads are the future. This is especially true for classical music fans. Here you will find a running list of the best lossless music download sites. The best thing is that their prices are competitive and sometimes cheaper than iTunes or Amazon.
- HDTracks.com
- HDTracks is the best lossless music download site. Period. Their labels include: Labels include Naxos, ECM, Fatboy, Fonè, Delos, Ivory Classics, Klavier, New Albion, Nuscope, Prestige, Reference Recordings, Righteous Babe, SFS (San Francisco Symphony), Signature Sounds, Storyville, Verve, Xanadu and a ton more. For super hi-fi nerds they offer 96khz/24bit downloads as well.
- Deutsche Grammophon
- The legendary label for classical music has (nearly) its entire catalog available for lossless FLAC downloads. FLAC files will need to be converted to a different format for iTunes users. Mac users can use SoundConverter to flip FLAC to Apple Lossless. Despite the hassle, there’s a wealth of great music available here.
- iTrax.com
- iTrax makes the list because their catalog includes SFS Media (San Francisco Symphony), Harmonia Mundi, and Sony Masterworks. Unfortunately for iTunes fans the top quality track is WMA Lossless. There are converters available on the internet to convert WMA to something iTunes will play, but that’s an extra step.
- Music is Here!
- This site has a lot of weird and random music. Think steampunk but also the complete works of Messiaen for organ. I know, right?
- Gimell Records
- Gimell is doing something neat: they are offering their entire catalog for lossless download – sans middleman. Downloads are available in MP3, Lossless, Studio Master, Studio Master Pro, Studio Master 5.1, and Studio Master Pro 5.1. Studio Master Pro 5.1 is 96khz/24bit 5.1 surround sound of stunning awesomeness. The catch? Gimell sells in Renaissance and Medieval music only. The Tallis Scholars are their crown jewel and I highly recommend purchasing The Tallis Scholars Sing Thomas Tallis. The audio quality is superb and the performances are amazing.
- Pristine Classical
- Pristine makes the list because of their vast collections of historic recordings available for lossless download. If you are a wax-cylinder-nouveau kind of person, this is your place.
- Linn Records
- Linn has a big catalog with some surprising recordings. Their entire catalog is available for lossless download.
- BLEEP
- Blah, blah, blah, classical music is booooooooring! Let’s get some rock-and-roll goin’ on up in here. BLEEP is your place. They do carry some classical recordings too. I downloaded a great performance os Stockhausen’s SPIRAL a while ago from them. Not everything is lossless on BLEEP, but the MP3s are in 320kbs which is a lot more data than the meager 128kbs iTunes will sell you.
I will keep this list updated as best I can. If you find a site I have not linked to let me know.