Audio Downloads

There are a large number of media players available online, and virtually all of them are free to download. Most computers come with one pre-installed, but you can of course install a different one and use it instead.

Different media players have different strengths and weaknesses - the following list is by no means exhaustive, but we hope it will be a useful overview of the options available for getting the best out of your downloads.

*But does not support smooth gapless transitions between FLAC tracks.

1. On the page for the album/piece you're interested in, you will notice an option on the right hand side (similar to the image below)

2. Click on the format you would like to download - currently MP3 (320kbps) or FLAC. FLACs are available in CD-equivalent 1644.1 quality, and selected albums are also available in Studio Quality FLAC format (with higher bit depths and sampling rates, mostly 2496) what are these?

3. If you are simply looking to purchase the complete album, please click 'Add download to basket'. If you would prefer a singular track/excerpt, click on the shopping basket icon next to the piece or work as shown below - this will add the items to your basket/cart.

4. If you've finished adding items to your basket, click "Proceed to Checkout".

5. If you've downloaded from us before, log in with your email and password; if not, you'll need to enter an email address and password, followed by your address.

6. Click on "Continue to checkout"

7. Select payment method and enter card details

8. Then click on "Complete payment".

9. You'll be taken to a page confirming the order and showing a link to your account page; this will list the tracks you've purchased. You can now download them. Where PDF booklets are also available for the album(s) you've purchased, you will also be sent an email detailing the location of your items.

10. Happy listening!

Downloads are an alternative way to purchase recorded music without the need to physically send recordings in the post. The music is transferred electronically to your computer's hard drive, and can then be played on your computer or transferred to a separate device.

We list over 260,000 classical & jazz downloads. We also offer over 50,000 Hi-Res Studio Quality downloads. You can view all our audio downloads here, for classical and jazz

All of our downloadable items will have the standard MP3 (320 kbps) and FLAC (CD quality, 44.1 kHz, 16 bit) versions to choose from. Some items will also have Hi-Res FLAC (lossless, usually 96 kHz, 24 bit) or even Hi-Res+ FLAC (lossless, usually 192 kHz, 24 bit). We use the family of PCM (pulse code modulation) formats, the conventional method for converting analogue audio into digital audio. These include WAV, FLAC and ALAC. We do not currently offer the DSD (direct stream digital) format. 

Over 80,000 download albums include a booklet. Where a booklet exists it will state this on the relevant album's product page, within Downloads, with the message "This release includes a digital booklet". Where booklets are available, we include them with purchases of complete albums or individual works and tracks.

As with booklets, we include cover art with purchases of complete download albums or individual works and tracks. They are supplied as .jpg images. We also embed the booklet image into individual track downloads

The purchase of downloads for gifting is not currently available due to copyright laws. We do offer vouchers that can be gifted. You can find our gift vouchers here

Some record labels restrict which countries and territories their downloads are available in - usually due to copyrights of the recordings or licensing agreements

If you wish to use downloaded music for commercial purposes, please contact the record label or rights holder to discuss this further. We may be able to point you in the right direction or suggest someone to speak to.

Since downloads are not a physical product, it is not possible to return a download. However, if your product is faulty then we will source a replacement for you.

Some record labels discontinue the physical versions of older or less popular albums, leaving only the download version available. Conversely, some record labels only release their albums digitally and there is a growing number of small, independent digital-only labels, whose releases won't be available on disc. If you prefer to have your music on physical discs rather than just as files on a drive, you can burn a CD of the files once you've downloaded them, if you have the required hardware.

MP3

We offer our MP3 audio format in the highest bitrate available, 320kbps. MP3s are extremely widely used, so pretty much all music players and programs can play them.

The file size is relatively small, due to the compression of the file, so they are quicker to download and take up less memory, whilst offering near-CD quality sound). This also means they are cheaper. The sound is of a lower quality than FLAC audio.

MP3s are inherently unable to move seamlessly from track to track; this means that if you have a continuous work split into more than one MP3 track, you may be able to hear the "join" between one track and the next, regardless of what device or program you are using to play them.

FLACs

Our downloadable FLACs are at least equal in quality to CDs, at 16-bit 44.1kHz sampling resolution. We also offer 24 bit Studio Quality FLACs (Hi-Res at 96 kHz and Hi-Res+ at 192 kHz); these are higher-quality files (mostly with a bit depth of 24 bits, ie with each sample containing 24 bits of information as opposed to 16, and a sampling rate of 96kHz), which are superior in quality to CDs and are the closest quality to the master files used in the studio.

FLACs are a "lossless" audio format, meaning the sound quality is higher than it is in "lossy" formats such as MP3.

Despite being lossless, FLACs are nevertheless compressed - but in such a way that no audio data is lost. This means that you get some of the advantages of a compressed file - quicker transfer, smaller size - while losing none of the quality.

For customers who have ordered a FLAC file, they can now choose to download in uncompressed WAV format. This is only available at full resolution, and the audio will be the same.

Unlike MP3s, FLACs support perfectly seamless playback, though some audio playing programs nevertheless have difficulty moving seamlessly between FLAC tracks.

Because they are not as compressed as MP3s, FLACs are somewhat larger, and therefore more expensive as well as being slower to download. Studio Quality FLACs in particular are substantially larger than MP3s.

While very common, FLACs are not as ubiquitous as MP3s, and some media players and devices are unable to play them - in some cases you might need to download and install an extension.

Yes - we have a wide selection of Studio Quality and Hi-Res downloads available. You can find all our Hi-Res downloads here, for classical and jazz

Yes - please select ALAC or WAV in the dropdown on the order download page. WAV is only available at the highest audio quality.

If you haven't purchased from us before, then simply add the download to your basket, and checkout. One of the steps in the checkout process will prompt you to register an email address and password, which will become your login details for our website.

Once you have purchase your download and payment has gone through, you can go to your account page, where your files will be available to download within My Downloads. You will also receive a confirmation email containing a link to this page, where your purchased downloads are listed. You can then download your audio from here. For subsequent purchases, you'll be prompted to log back in with your email and password. This link will also direct you to downloads within your account when signed in: My Downloads

Yes; all the tracks you have purchased will be available to redownload from your account page here, so even if you accidentally delete a track you will be able to replace it without having to purchase it again.

The files are listed on your account page, and can be downloaded at any time. Most files will remain listed indefinitely. Others, depending on the supplier, will only be available for a number of months after purchasing. Either way you'll have plenty of time to download your files. Similarly, if your hard disk fails, or you lose your purchase files for another reasons, your files will be available from your user page for some time after you purchased them. You can also stream your download products, for free, on our Presto Music Streaming service. Download the Presto Music streaming app and log in using the same details as your account on our website. You will be able to access all full album purchases here. You can then access your purchased items by going to Collection > Purchased.

This is dependent on your own connection speed and bandwidth. The faster your connection and the higher your bandwidth, the faster your download will complete. As a general rule, for an average-sized single track of 3-4 minutes, DSL broadband users should expect a download time of about 60 seconds. The time will be proportional to the size of the file. Please note that the download versions of very large box-sets - containing dozens of CDs' worth of music - can take a long time to download, even on a fairly fast connection.

Yes, we have our own Presto Music Download Manager. You can read all about it here. Also, depending on how you listen to your music, and which operating system or browser you are using, we have further information for you about our Download Manager here

Please follow these steps so as to download and install our Download Manager applications

From the account page, go to My Downloads. Then click ‘View download options’

 

This should popup. If you have previously downloaded the app select ‘open’. If you haven’t, you will need to ‘download the Download Manager’.

Once it has downloaded and installed, go back to the web page and click on the yellow ‘open’ button (shown above).

In this example these are the steps for going through this the first time, after downloading the Download Manager app. 

Windows: When the file Presto-Music-Latest.exe has been downloaded to your downloads folder, run this file and allow the installation of your download manager.

Mac: When the file Presto-Music-Latest.dmg has been downloaded to your downloads folder, open this file, then drag the Presto Music icon to your Applications folder to install it.

Linux: Download and run the file Presto-Music-Latest.AppImage.

The next window will have opened in the background. You will need to enter your email and password used for logging into your account on our Presto website.

Then click the yellow ‘download in download manager’ button.

We are very sorry to hear you are having trouble with using our Download Manager. Please could you email us with more information as follows, as this will help us to pin point the issue and solve it quicker for you:

1) Let us know what device your are using to download e.g. laptop, mobile or tablet

2) The email address that you use to sign into your Presto account

3) If you are using our Web or App Download Manager

4) Please give us some more details about the issue that you are experiencing, giving as much information as possible.

We will then look into this for you and come back to you as soon as possible.

Yes - you can also download directly in the browser. You can find more details about doing this here here

If iTunes is set to be your default music playing software then simply drag the audio files (or the entire folder) into the iTunes window and they will be added to your library.

Please note, however, that this will only work with files in MP3/ALAC format; iTunes doesn't support FLAC, so if you try to add FLAC files to your library it will simply ignore them.

A growing number of devices support Hi-Res playback, including our Presto Music streaming app. When listening through our Presto Music app, you can listen to Hi-Res download as follows:

Listening on your desktop computer using our streaming app - you can listen to your album purchases in Hi-Res using our desktop streaming app available for Windows and Mac. Once you have downloaded and installed our application and logged in, you can access your purchased items by going to Collection > Purchased.

Listening on your mobile phone or tablet using our streaming app - you can listen to your album purchases in Hi-Res using our streaming app available for iPhone, iPad and Android. Once you have downloaded and installed our application and logged in, you can access your purchased items by going to Collection > Purchased

There are also other ways of playing your Hi-Res downloads. The examples given below are not endorsements of a particular company's product. It's a matter of personal taste, budget and various other factors, and it depends on where and how you're intending to listen to your Hi-Res files

If you have the files stored on your hard drive and want to listen to them via your computer - you'll need to connect your computer to a USB DAC (Digital Audio Converter) that supports Hi-Res formats, then plug that into your speakers/headphones. Quite a variety of products exist that will do this - the Arcam irDAC, the Naim DAC-V1 and the T+A DAC 8 are just three examples. Some headphone sets also have the necessary DAC built in, meaning you can bypass this step. Note that the Sonos system does not support Hi-Res audio - it only goes up to 16/44.1 (ie CD quality).

You will also need audio playing software that is capable of playing the files. Most software can do this but there are some notable exceptions, such as Apple's iTunes (which doesn't support FLAC files). Compatible programs include VLC, Winamp, Media Monkey and Songbird (Songbird is for MACs; the other programs are for PCs).

If you are an iTunes user then you can play Hi-Res files, but you'll need to select the ALAC format rather than FLAC when you download your files - see below under 'working with FLAC files'

If you want to listen to your music on an external storage device - you'll need some specialised equipment - a network music player and some good speakers to go with it. Various manufacturers exist - Cambridge Audio, Marantz, Linn and Sony all offer a range of network music players and accompanying speakers. You can either plug the speakers in or, increasingly, stream the music wirelessly from the storage device to speakers elsewhere, for example.

If you want to play your music on your mobile device or personal media player - then this depends what model you have. Some modern smartphones support Hi-Res audio - the Samsung Galaxy Note 3 and the LG G2, for example - but the majority do not. There also exist specialist Hi-Res personal media players - various models are available from Sony and Astell & Kern.

Finally, it's equally important that your listening environment and the rest of your equipment are suitable - there's obviously no point in listening to Hi-Res audio files on a noisy train, for example, no matter how good your device is. To get the most from Hi-Res audio, make sure your loudspeakers or headphones are of a similar standard to your DAC hardware - otherwise you won't get the benefit of the superior recording techniques. 

We try to tag our download files in the most intuitive and consistent way possible. However, many people have their own preferred method of tagging their music so as to navigate their collection as easily as possible, and our method may not be the same as yours.

Fortunately, if you'd like to re-tag your downloaded files to bring the metadata in line with your preferred labelling method, there are many programs available that will do this. MP3tag is one - despite the name, it can re-tag both MP3s and FLACs, though it is not free software. Alternatively, many free-to-download music playing programs (for instance Winamp and FooBar2000) can edit tags as well.

Desktop (PC) computers do have a simple option to edit metadata tags - By double clicking on the folder to show all audio files then (shift+right mouse click) - this will then show a pop up menu - click on properties, then details. This will then allow for a value to be added for the specific title.

Most modern media players will happily play FLAC files; however, it is best to check which formats are supported by your preferred player or program before purchasing them. One notable exception is Apple's iTunes software, which has never supported FLAC.

If you are an iTunes user and your order is in CD quality, Hi-Res or Hi-Res+ (ie anything other than MP3 quality), then you'll need to select the ALAC format rather than FLAC (which is the default) when downloading the files. This is because the FLAC format isn't supported by iTunes. Alternatively, you can download in FLAC - but you will then need to convert the files to ALAC with a conversion program before they will play in iTunes.

To copy your downloaded music to a CD, you will need:

Some files you wish to put on CD

Some blank CDs
 

CD-writer hardware

A package of CD-burning software. Windows Media Player and iTunes can both burn CDs; professional packages also exist, such as ImgBurn, Nero Burning ROM (not free, but free trial period) or Roxio Toast (Mac only, not free).
 

A program that can convert audio files between formats, such as Winamp (even though this is first and foremost a media playing program, it also functions as a conversion utility). iTunes also has this functionality - see here for further details.

For MP3s:
While you can in theory burn a CD of MP3 files, such discs are geared towards data storage rather than playback (ie they're best used as a backup of files). They are often incompatible with commercial CD players and car stereos - so if in doubt, it's probably best to convert the MP3 files into WAVs, which will enable you to burn a CD that will work with any player.

For FLACs:
Some programs can burn FLACs to CD; it's worth noting that Windows Media Player, at least, will not. Two programs that do support this are dBpoweramp (not free) and Burrrn. Alternatively, it's quite common to convert the files to WAV format first and then burn those to CD. Since FLAC and WAV are both lossless formats, you can freely convert back and forth between them as many times as you like with no loss of quality.

If you are using a phone to play an offline enabled track or album, your phone doesn't need to be offline to be able to do this. Please see the instructions below to enable offline playback:

1) Find the album and click into the product.

2) Click the toggle switch and allow the track to fully download whilst connected to either a mobile network or home WIFI network.

3) Once this has completed, the album will be available when not connected and also connected to a network, whether that be mobile 4G or a home broadband connection.

Please be advised that clicking the 'save for offline' should not be thought of as downloading - the Presto Music streaming app is a streaming service rather than a download-to-own facility. Our system, along with all streaming services will use an available connection to stream even if the item is 'made available for offline usage', but will offer the convenience of playback when out of network signal.

We are sorry that you have a fault with your download. If your downloaded file has a fault such as audible glitches, the metadata is incorrect or the music is incorrect, then please contact us and we will request a replacement version from the supplier. When contacting us please supply your order number and the catalogue number or barcode of the product.

Please be aware that these replacements can sometimes take a while to arrive and be processed. You may wish to try a fresh download of your purchased track(s) from your Account page first, as sometimes the problems can originate in the download process itself.