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Digital Rights Management and iTunes


This topic has been mentioned in a few threads for various reasons.

It seems many of us are trying to better organize our digital music libraries on computers.

Although I like iTunes and the iPod interface, I do not like DRM complicating my life for files I have purchased and rightfully own.

Similarly, I am currently frustrated that the Apple "lossless" format is proprietary and therefore cannot be used on my new HiFiMan player as I try to migrate to that player for higher portable fidelity.

So for the first time last night thanks to a suggestion in another thread, I noticed that it is not so complicated to back up a purchased iTunes library by "ripping" to CD.

Then, if I take that ripped music, and RE rip my backup CD - presto - I get unencumbered WAV files on my hard drive?

I suppose that adds a step in the process, but otherwise pretty surprising that DRM is so easily defeated?

Again, I am only doing this with music and files I have purchased and paid for from iTunes.

Thanks for your thoughts and suggestions.
cwlondon
srwooten's avatar
srwooten
694 posts
 
The downloads you bought WITH DRM ripped to CD will not play IME. iTunes downloads are NOT CD quality or anything close to it. CD's are 16/44.1k iTunes are low res mp3's (basically). New iTunes downloads ARE DRM free, but still (very)low res and not CD quality.
cwlondon OP
1,210 posts
 
I understand that you can't turn an MP3 into a WAV file.

But my question also pertained to the Apple "lossless" format. To me, this is not a high quality service from Apple, only yet another DRM scheme which forces the customer to stay within an Apple environment.

Since that Apple format is supposedly "lossless" I was in particular wondering if that algorithm might be decoded when backed up to CD -- and might then be re ripped as normal WAV files.

Otherwise, if most iTunes music is low resolution and the back up files are also restricted by DRM codes, then why couldn't you back them up to any device, instead of being prompted to "rip" them to CD.

Because if the back up CDs dont play in normal devices than it isn't really a CD, it is simply an iTunes file backed up to a compact disc.

Used CDs are making more and more sense to me.

As an aside, I have started to use my Hifiman player with WAV files on my morning commute and the sound is dramatically better than what I was getting from my iPod.

I continue to be surprised that so many people seem willing to compress music, or think that portable players should somehow be exempt from higher fidelity.
tobuns
28 posts
 
Srwooten. MP3 files are also (generally) 16/44.1k (but can in fact be higher). You're confusing sample rates and encoding bit rates. Apple itunes downloads are 256kbps bit rate in an AAC encode (which provides for better resolution than a comparable bit rate MP3) To say they are not CD quality is true (by technicality), but to say they aren't "anything close" or "(very) low res" is just wrong. The days of lossy 128kbs mp3's are long gone.
srwooten's avatar
srwooten
694 posts
 
Well if you consider 256 close to CD qualitiy that is up to you. I do not. Plus 128kbs is the standard iTunes download unless you go iTunes plus. Most of my CD's are 650kbs or higher.
srwooten's avatar
srwooten
694 posts
 
"You're confusing sample rates and encoding bit rates."

You are right, I was :-)
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