Where can you buy hi-res music? Here are the top download sites
Want to build a library of high-resolution music merely don't know where to commencement? Whether y'all've merely just taken the plunge into hi-res audio, or are wondering what other online stores have to offering, we've rounded up some of our favourite hello-res download websites.
In its simplest terms, hi-res audio refers to music files that have a college sampling frequency and/or bit depth than CD (16-bit/44.1kHz), giving the potential for meliorate sound quality (with the advisable listening equipment, of course).
With major music labels such every bit Sony, Warner and Universal making their extensive music catalogues bachelor to these hi-res download services, in that location's a huge diversity of genres, file formats and download options available for fans of high-resolution audio.
We've focused on the biggest and well-nigh pop download sites that let y'all buy and download unmarried tracks and full albums in diverse hi-res formats. Each has its own distinct flavour, bitrates and features to offer.
You may ultimately finish up with a favourite get-to site, simply even and so, information technology's worth checking across the different sites for the aforementioned album or track, as well, every bit some stores can offering better prices than others.
Of course, if yous'd rather stream hi-res than purchase and download information technology, you lot can do then via Tidal, Amazon Music Hd, Qobuz and now Apple Music.
HDtracks
Hi-res sampling rates available: 24-bit/44.1kHz to 24-chip/192kHz
Hi-res file formats available: FLAC, WAV, AIFF, ALAC, DSD 2.8 and 5.6MHz
HDtracks is one of the more established hi-res download stores, and it's never been stronger.
We've knocked HDtracks in the past for shunning more than current or pop music in favour of jazz, classical and dad-rock, but glance at the home screen and the Superlative New Releases tab now includes the likes of Billie Eilish, Prince and P!nk remixes.
Y'all tin can't really buy individual tracks and how-do-you-do-res albums tin be pricey, but the interface is fuss-free and easy to navigate, and you tin can sample 30 seconds of any album rails before you buy.
Another plus is the format and bitrate selection on offer. Where other download sites oft offer FLAC equally default (and in some cases, merely FLAC is available), HDtracks lets you choose between FLAC, WAV, AIFF and ALAC formats – and the sampling rates within each – before downloading. There's a selection of tunes in DSD and double DSD, too, which is great for audiophiles.
One consequence is that HDtracks restricts purchases to certain countries, but that shouldn't prove besides difficult to work effectually with one of the best VPNs.
View the HDtracks website
Qobuz
Hi-res sampling rates available: 24-bit/44.1kHz to 24-bit/192kHz
Hi-res file formats available: FLAC, WAV, AIFF, ALAC
The download store attached to the Qobuz streaming service gets full marks for music discovery and forepart-end intuitiveness. And with more than than 220,000 albums available in hi-res 24-bit quality, it's worth taking a look.
Both the website and dedicated app are like shooting fish in a barrel to navigate. Howdy-res albums are clearly labelled, and you tin search past genre or new releases, which can be sorted by sample rate. Hi-res albums in 5.ane surround sound are available too. There is a strong Francophile focus, although the hi-res catalogue is growing more varied every twenty-four hour period.
It's worth noting that you lot choose the file format and sampling rate you want to download your hi-res album in after making your purchase, and as well that yous can't buy private tracks.
Pricing is competitive, and if you opt for the hybrid download-and-streaming Sublime+ service (£250/$250 per twelvemonth) you can get discounts on hi-res albums.
Read our full Qobuz review
View the Qobuz download shop
7digital
Hi-res sampling rates available: 24-bit/44.1kHz to 24-bit/192kHz
How-do-you-do-res file formats bachelor: FLAC
With a strong catalogue of hi-res music from all genres and a website that makes buying music easy, 7digital is a skillful all-rounder.
A helpful search bar runs beyond the tiptop of the interface to help you find exactly what you're after and the website is unproblematic to navigate. You can easily spot howdy-res recordings thanks to a yellowish '24bit FLAC' badge on an album or song'due south thumbnail, and at that place'due south also a dedicated hullo-res section for some focused browsing. Yous can preview xxx seconds of a song before ownership it, too.
1 drawback is that it just offers hi-res downloads in the FLAC format (while it's now possible to select 'MQA' equally a filter option, we couldn't find any tracks in the format). Prices are affordable, though, and you tin purchase individual tracks as well as total albums – something that not every site offers.
View the 7digital downloads store
Native DSD
Hi-res sampling rates available: DSD64 (2.eight MHz/64fs), DSD128 (5.6 MHz/128fs) DSD256 (11.2 MHz/256fs)
Hi-res file formats available: DSD, DXD, WAV, FLAC
If you recently purchased a portable music actor from the likes of Astell & Kern (plus an SD card to heave its storage) and y'all're primarily looking for classical music, this site may well become your new one-finish store. Equally the name suggests, Sony's proprietary mid-90s – but now very much back in fashion – Straight Single Digital (DSD) format is the focus here, merely in that location'due south a decent catalogue of WAV and FLAC files too.
Those who want tracks to play on iTunes may have to shop elsewhere, and don't wait to find Kanye West'due south latest piece of work here – Native DSD'south best-sellers include Vivaldi, Debussy and Beethoven – just search around and you can even download some free 'Starter Pack' selections, in two and v channels, in standard DSD64.
Not sure if your DAC can play quad DSD, aka DSD256? There'south a helpful DAC checker – and if yours comes up short, you tin even purchase one from Native DSD'due south gear tab.
View the Native DSD downloads store
MORE:
Adopt streaming? See Howdy-res music streaming services compared: which should you sign up for?
Confused? You need loftier-resolution audio: everything you know
...and how to play how-do-you-do-res music on your iPhone
Further reading: What is DSD audio? How information technology works, where to download files, and more
Tom Parsons has been writing near TV, AV and hi-fi products (non to mention enough of other 'gadgets' and fifty-fifty cars) for over fifteen years. He began his career as What Howdy-Fi?'s Staff Author and is now the Goggle box and AV Editor. In between, he worked as Reviews Editor and then Deputy Editor at Stuff, and over the years has had his piece of work featured in publications such as T3, The Telegraph and Louder. He's also appeared on BBC News, BBC World Service, BBC Radio iv and Sky Swipe. In his spare time Tom is a runner and gamer.
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