So what are the cheapest, easiest and best quality sites? It seems that many sites require you to install software. Is this really necessary? I don't feel comfortable about it. Napster appears to allow you to record CDs directly but not save to disk. I only want to pick up occasional tracks.

For cheapness www.mp3search.ru , perfectly legal and tracks cost 10 US Cents each. You basically create an account and add some credit, then search and download. No need to install software, just use IE. I have used this site frequently over the last few months with no problems.

For quality, http://allofmp3.com. Allows downloads at varying bit rates, upto CDDA and also features lossless compression, site works on the same theory as above but tracks are more expensive as you pay per MB downloaded.

I use both the above, and you dont have to download whole albums. You just pick the tracks you want from each, or download the whole thing.

I agree with Mannyo, allofmp3 is the one to go for. The prices went up earlier in the year but it's still a fraction of the cost of a CD. I go for mp3s at 320kb/s bitrate because my car mp3 player can't handle any higher and it's hard to distinguish it from an original CD on my separates system at home. If you are not willing to compromise then you can go for lossless but your broadband connection needs to be pretty quick and it will cost you up to 2/3 of the price you could get a CD for in the supermarket.

Downloads are easier using Allofmp3 Explorer which you install on your pc. It works a treat and downloads a database of albums from Allofmp3 on first installation for fast searching too. Using the site directly is a pain because you have to download the tracks individually and the track names all have to be changed to delete the bitrate information out of the track name.

IS IT LEGAL?

I think the Russian site wasn't exactly legal when it first started up but I read on their site after the price hike that they have obtained the rights to legally distribute the music they have available. The music industry in Russia must have settled for a reduced profit on the Allofmp3 album sales in a bid to reduce piracy which is so rife in the country.

Allofmp3 advise that cutomers are still bound by the laws regarding re-distribution of music applicable within their own country. To UK users that just means you can't share what you have legally downloaded with others or make anymore than 1 copy for your own use. If you legally buy music from a site in Russia, you haven't broken any laws and the UK music industry can't claim profit back from you directly because you have effectively walked into a Russian music store and bought a legal copy of an artist's CD.

That's my opinion, any thoughts

I'll "third" www.allofmp3.com ... I've been using it for well over a year and it's great. Yes the prices are higher than what they used to be, but DAMN, they're cheaper than iTunes et al.

Plus you don't have to put up with the rubbish 128kbps you get on iTunes... You can choose your bit rate

Thanks guys. allofmp3.com it is then. I signed up, paid $10 and have downloaded 2 CD quality CDs for under $6. Easy and cheap, with no software installation necessary.

Mp3's? Paying for them:eek:

There's Shifty living up to his name. Your IP address has been logged and your details forwarded to the appropriate authorities 'Piracy is a crime, do not accept it'

Only Joking!

My thought is why not pay a couple of quid instead of ten as the artist probably deserves at least that anyway. Why get caught and potentially fined over a couple of hundred low quality downloads that would have only cost you only a few quid to download legally in high quality. When it comes to audio, file sharing utilities are great for downloading:- talking books, Billy Connolly shows and the odd hard to find tune. Other than that I now find them a complete waste of breathing time.

With Allofmp3 i'm not at risk of being disconnected because some guy goes to bed or having my download cancelled because someone reckons i'm not sharing enough mp3's either. I also don't have my pc buzzing away in the corner day and night waiting for the last track on the latest Stereophonics album that I missed last time because some bugger decided to reboot his machine before the download finished.

Think about it, you know i'm right

Shifty, The link to your chippy doesn't work

Limewire does the trick for me. No Spyware or adware, and loads of tunes etc.....

Shifty, The link to your chippy doesn't work

It does, i just tried it. Maybe the server rebooted just as you were going to look at it. I have it hosted on someone elses pc who doesn't know. It's a bit hit and miss, but free.

(only kidding mate)

It is working now though.

Shifty, your fish & chip shop looks awfully devoid of food in the photo. Do you have any specialist dishes like deep fried mars bars or chicken ball suppers?

Limewire does the trick for me. No Spyware or adware, and loads of tunes etc.....

i second that. top notch.

For quality, http://allofmp3.com[/url']. Allows downloads at varying bit rates, upto CDDA and also features lossless compression, site works on the same theory as above but tracks are more expensive as you pay per MB downloaded.

Thanks for that just started using them after finally getting an MP3 Player

I have used ALLOFMP3 for about 3 years, and at 2 Cents per 1M of download, that means a 3.5M track is 7 Cents, where as these " popular " download sites are charging between 70p - 99p per track

SORRY allof is a winner in this price battle.

Easy and cheap, with no software installation necessary.

But easier if you do install the software. My tip is to select what you want using the web site but use their software to do the actual downloading. You could even select what you want at work and leave your home PC on downloading what you've selected.

You can select your files from the AllofMp3 software, but to do that it has to keep letting downloading updates to the catalogue, which isn't worth the hassle.

I have a question!...

I have read this thread and checked out and registered with allofmp3. I'm a bit concerned that there is a secure login however, it still shows http and not https? I have not entered any card details yet. I noticed the secure padlock flashed when I logged in but then disappeared does anyone have any thoughts?

You only go to a secure server when you actually go to add credit to your account. The actual browsing and downloading doesn't take place over a secure link.

any thoughts?

If you're concerned about security, you could always use Paypal to top up your account. That way, there's no need even to enter your card details.

There's a very useful guide to Allofmp3.com here.

Cheers for your advise, 2 things not mentioned before

1. I did start to put in my card details and it was not on port 443 https

2. the paypal option was not available last night

anyway thanks again, I'll go for it

My brother-in-law has just signed up to mp3musiclive.com, where you apparently make a one-off payment of