Re: [mb-users] Are different digital downloads different releases?

On 2013 Jan 9, at 15:31, lixobix wrote:
> b) The release is available in two or more of the following formats: Lossy
> (any codec), standard lossless (16 bit 44.1 khz), hi-res lossless (>16 bit
> 44.1 khz). In such cases, retailers clearly sell two or more different
> things: Lossy, lossless, hi-res lossless, CD, and vinyl are almost always
> listed as separate items, at different prices. In such cases, a single MB
> release would have to link to more than one item, with different prices, for
> sale by one retailer. This would fly in the face of the notion of unique
> releases.
> 
> https://bleep.com/release/40685-rush-hour-presents-rush-hour-recordings-best-of-2012
> would have a lossy and lossless release
> 
> https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/a-love-supreme/id485525345 and
> https://www.hdtracks.com/index.php?file=catalogdetail&valbum_code=HD00602498010921
> would be separate releases, as the former is lossy, and the latter is hi-res
> lossless. Note the significant difference in price.
> 
> All lossy codecs are treated as equal by retailers who offer a choice, so
> they do not amount to separate releases. The same goes for the choice of
> wav, flac etc. for lossless.
> 

I'm still not happy with treating all lossy versions as equal.  Perhaps an .mp3 download from bleep.com can be considered equal to an .mp3 download from amazon.  But iTunes sells .m4a files, which are ... well.. different :)

Let's say I have a nice old fashioned boombox at home, it plays CDs and Cassette tapes.  I need to make sure I get a CD or tape release and not a vinyl release, because my device cannot play vinyl.

Similarly, if I have a nice old fashioned mp3 player, which plays mp3 but not m4a.  I need to make sure I get an mp3 version of the release, and not .m4a.

I still have a very hard time considering digital releases from different retailers to be the same release, when so many aspects of these versions are different from eachother depending on where you purchase it.

-- kuno / warp.