I'm currently Using the Napster music service & I pay $9.95 a month for unlimited downloads. I use Tunebite & re-encode the Napster music files to non-DRM 128kbps WMA so I don't purchase tracks. I download probably 40 songs a month on average. I want the service with the Best Quality music as in best sounding and overall the best. Would people who have experience in using any of these music services please comment on it.

My experience with Napster
Pro's
1. Browsing new music is easy
2. Downloading singles of a album before it is released in stores, Searched Yahoo music for new Staind song and it wasnt available on aug 6 but was on Napster
3. Easy to re-encode songs using Tunebite
4. Unlimited downloads

Con's
1. Error downloading sometimes, updates have fixed some of the problems but
I still get download time-out Errors, I have Highspeed DSL.
2. Slow home page and Radio Page load times sometimes.
3. 128kbps WMA isn't the highest quality WMA I have heard but its not
horrible either.

Here are the Music Service's Stats

Emusic / 192kbps mp3 VBR/ Web-browser/ 550,000+
40 tracks: $9.99/month
65 tracks: $14.99/month
90 tracks: $19.99/month

Yahoo / 192kbps WMA9/ Yahoo! Software/ 1,000,000+
$4.99-$6.99/month Subscription
$0.79-$0.99/track

Napster / 128kbps WMA/ Napster Software/ 1,500,000+
$9.95-$13.95/month Subscription
$0.99/track

Rhapsody/ 128kbps, 160kbps, 192kbps WMA/ Rhapsody Software/ 1,000,000+
$9.99/month Subscription
$0.89-0.99/Track

If you have any Info on any subscription Music Service that is not listed please post your info. Thank you for your opinion, reviews & help

I use Rhapsody, I'll go ahead and post all of what I know about it and relate it to other programs I've used


Pros -

Allows 25 free song downloads each month without having to give away credit or personal info. This is a good way to test out the program or really just to listen to 25 songs free each month.

356kbs streams. Your info is a bit wrong, rhapsody streams are pretty much lossless. They're higher quality than all other music programs I've used.

Album art, music vids and artist recommendations. This is a good way to get to know new bands. It's nice that you can listen to 25 songs free each month as a sample of bands you might have otherwise not have listened too or would have paid to listen too.

$10 a month for unlimted streams, this is a good deal imo. They have such a huge selection. I listen to music constantly while working and they pretty much have everything I'm looking for.

Cons

I really can't think of any at the moment. I think it's really well made software.

I got my info about Rhapsody here http://mp3.about.com/od/wheretobuymu...ll_profile.htm
&
http://www.mp3.com/tech/services_20050753_overview.php
Codec: WMA
Bit rate: Streaming - 128kbps
Permanent downloads - 192kbps
To Go - 160kbps
DRM: Protected

I do have a few Questions, what do you mean by 356kbps streams? Were did you discover this information? By streams you mean streaming off a server because Rapsody uses CBR WMA and the highest bitrate that CBR WMA can be encoded to is 320kbps so 356kbps is not possible at all. I think you might be confused. Thank you for your imput on Rhapsody.

This is no-doubt an old topic, though through searching the web, one could get seriously confused. I am a user of Rhapsody's 25 program (25 free plays a month - streaming). I use Rhapsody Player Engine to listen to the tracks I choose.

MY QUESTION(S) ARE THIS: WHAT IS THE BITRATE FOR THE FREE RHAPSODY 25 PROGRAM?

and

HOW DOES IT COMPARE TO STREAMING MUSIC OF OTHER RHAPSODY PLANS?

I got too many answers on google.

64, 128, 160, 192, 320...