How To Buy And Download High Quality Music

Where can y'all buy hi-res music? Hither are the meridian download sites

HDtracks - Where can you buy hi-res music? Here are the top download sites

(Image credit: HDtracks)

Want to build a library of high-resolution music merely don't know where to starting time? Whether you've only only taken the plunge into hi-res audio, or are wondering what other online stores have to offer, we've rounded up some of our favourite howdy-res download websites.

In its simplest terms, hi-res audio refers to music files that have a higher sampling frequency and/or fleck depth than CD (16-flake/44.1kHz), giving the potential for better sound quality – with the appropriate listening equipment, of class.

With major music labels such as Sony, Warner and Universal making their extensive music catalogues available to these hi-res download services, at that place's a huge diverseness of genres, file formats and download options available for fans of high-resolution sound.

We've focused on the biggest and about pop download sites that allow you lot purchase and download single tracks and full albums in various how-do-you-do-res formats. Each has its own distinct flavour, bitrates and features to offer.

Yous may ultimately end up with a favourite go-to site, but fifty-fifty and so, it'due south worth checking beyond the unlike sites for the same album or track, besides, as some stores can offering better prices than others.

Of form, if you lot'd rather stream hi-res than purchase and download information technology, you can do then via Tidal, Amazon Music Hard disk drive, Qobuz and now Apple Music.

HDtracks

• Hi-res sampling rates available: 24-chip/44.1kHz to 24-bit/192kHz

• Hi-res file formats available: FLAC, WAV, AIFF, ALAC, DSD 2.viii and 5.6MHz

HDtracks is ane of the more established hi-res download stores, and it's never been stronger.

We've knocked HDtracks in the past for shunning more electric current or pop music in favour of jazz, classical and dad-stone, but glance at the dwelling house screen and Bestsellers tab at present includes the likes of Billie Eilish, Halsey, Muse and more than.

You tin can't really purchase individual tracks and hullo-res albums can be pricey, simply the interface is fuss-free and easy to navigate, and y'all can sample 30 seconds of any anthology rail before you buy.

Some other plus is the format and bitrate selection on offer. Where other download sites often offer FLAC as default (and in some cases, only FLAC is available), HDtracks lets you choose between FLAC, WAV, AIFF and ALAC formats – and the sampling rates within each – before downloading. There'due south a selection of tunes in DSD and double DSD, which is corking for audiophiles, and also new to the shop is the addition of MQA files.

One issue is that HDtracks restricts purchases to sure countries, just that shouldn't testify too hard to work around with 1 of the best VPNs.

View the HDtracks website (opens in new tab)

Qobuz

• Hi-res sampling rates available: 24-bit/44.1kHz to 24-fleck/192kHz

• How-do-you-do-res file formats available: FLAC, WAV, AIFF, ALAC

The download store fastened to the Qobuz hi-res streaming service gets full marks for music discovery and front-end intuitiveness.

Both the website and defended app are easy to navigate. Howdy-res albums are conspicuously labelled, and you can search by genre or new releases, which can be sorted by sample rate. Hi-res albums in 5.1 environs audio are available as well. While there will always exist a strong Francophile, classical and jazz focus, the hello-res catalogue is much more popular-leaning than earlier across all genres – latest releases from Kae Tempest and YUNGBLUD sit alongside Fleetwood Mac and Neil Young.

It'south worth noting that you cull the file format and sampling rate you desire to download your hi-res album in after making your purchase, and you lot can now besides purchase individual tracks.

Pricing is competitive, and if you opt for the hybrid streaming-and-download Sublime plan (£15/$15 per month or £180/$180 per year) y'all tin get up to 60 per cent discounts on hi-res albums.

Read our full Qobuz review

View the Qobuz download store (opens in new tab)

7digital

• Hi-res sampling rates available: 24-scrap/44.1kHz to 24-bit/192kHz

• How-do-you-do-res file formats available: FLAC

With a potent catalogue of hullo-res music from all genres and a website that makes buying music easy, 7digital is a practiced all-rounder.

A helpful search bar runs beyond the top of the interface to help you find exactly what you're later on and the website is unproblematic to navigate. You tin easily spot hi-res recordings thanks to a xanthous '24-flake FLAC' badge on an anthology or song'due south thumbnail, and there's also a dedicated hi-res section for some focused browsing. Y'all can preview 30 seconds of a vocal before buying information technology, too.

One drawback is that information technology but offers howdy-res downloads in the FLAC format. While it'southward possible to select 'MQA' and 'MQA Studio' as filter options, there are no tracks that turn up in those formats. Prices are affordable, though, and yous tin can buy individual tracks as well as full albums – something that non every site offers.

View the 7digital downloads store (opens in new tab)

Native DSD

• Hi-res sampling rates available: DSD64 (ii.8 MHz/64fs), DSD128 (five.half-dozen MHz/128fs) DSD256 (xi.2 MHz/256fs)

• Hi-res file formats available: DSD, DXD, WAV, FLAC

If you recently purchased a portable music player from the likes of Astell & Kern (plus an SD card to boost its storage) and you're primarily looking for classical music, this site may well get your new one-stop shop. As the name suggests, Sony'due south proprietary mid-90s – but now very much back in style – Direct Single Digital (DSD) format is the focus here, but at that place'south a decent catalogue of WAV and FLAC files also.

Those who want tracks to play on iTunes may take to shop elsewhere, and don't look to notice Kanye Westward'southward latest work here – Native DSD's all-time-sellers include Beethoven, Vivaldi and lots of jazz – but search around and y'all tin can even download some complimentary 'Starter Pack' selections (opens in new tab), in 2 and five channels, in FLAC and standard DSD64.

Not sure if your DAC tin can play quad DSD, aka DSD256? In that location's a helpful DAC checker – and if yours comes up short, you can even buy one from Native DSD's gear tab.

View the Native DSD downloads store (opens in new tab)

More:

Prefer streaming? Run across Howdy-res music streaming services compared: which should you sign up for?

Confused? You need high-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

Kashfia is the Hi-Fi and Audio Editor of What Hi-Fi? and first joined the brand over ten years ago. During her time in the consumer tech industry, she has reviewed hundreds of products, been to countless trade shows across the world and fallen in love with hi-fi kit much bigger than her. In her spare fourth dimension, Kash can be plant catching upward with Television set shows, tending to an e'er-growing houseplant drove and hanging out with her cat Jolene.