DRM Music Converter Software

Anyone here ever use DRM music converter software to convert files from Spotify, Tidal, etc. into FLAC, MP3, etc.?

I've played around with the trial of the Spotify version from DRmare here: https://www.drmare.com/ and it seems to work well. It can convert at up to 48kHz and over 320kbps.

The resulting bit rate seems to depend on the source file. Some that I converted came over at 800-900kbps, and others up to well over 1,000kbps. The trial version will only convert one minute of music, and the FLACs I converted varied in size from ~6-8MB for the one minute tracks. I have Spotify Premium, so not sure if that makes a difference in what bit/sample rates you can get.

Conversion happens at 5X speed, so typical song takes less than a minute to convert. It retains ID tags during the conversion, and also brings in album artwork. You can select individual songs, or choose an entire album or playlist to convert in a batch.

DRmare has a Tidal version as well, but I haven't tried it. They have PC and Mac versions of the software. Spotify version costs $29.95, and Tidal is $34.95.

They have other conversion products as well, including one that converts those pesky M4P files...and practically any other format. That's actually how I found them. I got a new portable DAP that doesn't play M4P files, so I needed something to convert all the old iTunes files from YEARS past.
"This may not matter to you, but it does to me for various reasons, many of them illogical or irrational, but the vinyl hobby is not really logical or rational..." - member on Vinyl Engine
"Sometimes I do what I want to do. The rest of the time, I do what I have to." - Cicero, in Gladiator
Regarding collectibles: "It's not who gets it. It's who gets stuck with it." - Jimmy Fallon

Comments

  • Clipdat
    Clipdat Posts: 12,559
    Isn't this skirting the fine line of copyright infringement?
  • jdjohn
    jdjohn Posts: 2,987
    Perhaps...but tell me this: do you have to 'subscribe for life' to justify listening to music that you've paid good money to hear online...or have the RIGHT to hear? Of course re-selling downloaded tracks, or using them towards your own profit, is the primary infringement violation...not listening to music that you have paid for THE RIGHT to hear and download.

    And there's the thing - if you download a file to listen 'offline' via their app, why can't you convert the file to another, more universal, format?
    "This may not matter to you, but it does to me for various reasons, many of them illogical or irrational, but the vinyl hobby is not really logical or rational..." - member on Vinyl Engine
    "Sometimes I do what I want to do. The rest of the time, I do what I have to." - Cicero, in Gladiator
    Regarding collectibles: "It's not who gets it. It's who gets stuck with it." - Jimmy Fallon
  • Clipdat
    Clipdat Posts: 12,559
    Might want to read Tidal's EULA.
  • Nightfall
    Nightfall Posts: 10,042
    Deja Vu
    They didn't speak a word of English, they were from South Carolina.

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  • mhardy6647
    mhardy6647 Posts: 32,926
    edited November 2019
    Clipdat wrote: Β»
    Isn't this skirting the fine line of copyright infringement?

    Since you brought it up -- I don't think it is "skirting" at all, FWIW. :|
    I believe that the purpose of DRM is to discourage piracy.
    That said.

    1) it's not my place to tell others what to do or not to do.
    2) I reckon that any s/w products that enable copying of copyrighted material that employs DRM will state in their EULAs that it is the end user's responsibility to ensure that all applicable laws and regulations are complied with in the use of the s/w. What the end user does with the conditions of the EULA is a risk management decision. The RIAA (e.g.) is not likely to go after an individual... but it has happened.

    As @Clipdat notes, the EULA of the streaming/download service in question should state what rights the end user has and doesn't have vis-a-vis content hosted on the service. Generally, I thought that one of the benefits (on the supplier side) of the business model of the streaming services is to dissuade end users from copying/downloading the content.

    Even with physical media (CDs & records), one purchases the physical media and a license to use the copyrighted content contained thereupon -- one does not own the content, only the medium.

  • Clipdat wrote: Β»
    Isn't this skirting the fine line of copyright infringement?

    πŸ˜‚πŸ˜‚πŸ˜‚πŸ˜‚
    "if it's not fun, it's not worth it & remember folks, "It's All About The Music"!!
    *****************************
  • OleBoot
    OleBoot Posts: 2,065
    Wow, I'd better stop using my DVR before there's a dawn raid.
  • erniejade
    erniejade Posts: 6,288
    @OleBoot Is your dvr owned by the cable company or by you?

    If owned by the cable company, once you stop paying for the service the movie or show goes away. Same as Tidal.
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  • msg
    msg Posts: 9,308
    Clipdat wrote: Β»
    Isn't this skirting the fine line of copyright infringement?

    πŸ˜‚πŸ˜‚πŸ˜‚πŸ˜‚
    THJ says, "Hahaha, Amateurs!"

    I disabled signatures.
  • OleBoot
    OleBoot Posts: 2,065
    @OleBoot Is your dvr owned by the cable company or by you?

    If owned by the cable company, once you stop paying for the service the movie or show goes away. Same as Tidal.

    It was a mindless joke, but very good point.
  • jdjohn
    jdjohn Posts: 2,987
    So, an honest question: Why would this product still be allowed on the market if it were considered illegal? It's even had a positive review from C/Net FWIW.

    Also, is sharing hi-res files (from whatever source) between forum members an infringement?
    "This may not matter to you, but it does to me for various reasons, many of them illogical or irrational, but the vinyl hobby is not really logical or rational..." - member on Vinyl Engine
    "Sometimes I do what I want to do. The rest of the time, I do what I have to." - Cicero, in Gladiator
    Regarding collectibles: "It's not who gets it. It's who gets stuck with it." - Jimmy Fallon
  • jdjohn
    jdjohn Posts: 2,987
    I've made my decision, spammer. You make yours.
    "This may not matter to you, but it does to me for various reasons, many of them illogical or irrational, but the vinyl hobby is not really logical or rational..." - member on Vinyl Engine
    "Sometimes I do what I want to do. The rest of the time, I do what I have to." - Cicero, in Gladiator
    Regarding collectibles: "It's not who gets it. It's who gets stuck with it." - Jimmy Fallon
  • Sounds good. I will try it. Thanks.
  • Gardenstater
    Gardenstater Posts: 4,136
    If I recall correctly you can only download TIDAL files with the mobile app but not the desktop one. I'm sure removing the DRM is against the EULA but I don't see any harm in it personally, if you don't share it with anyone else. It is definitely a slippery slope though. They want you to lose access to the files when you discontinue your subs of course. As far as the effect on the artists goes, that would be another question. They probably only get paid once, when you make the download.

    There is another way also. The high res stream can be recorded with programs such as Audials 2016 (I have this), that take the stream after it goes through your kernel mixer of your operating system and copy it. Is it bitperfect? I doubt it because I hear a very slight loss of fidelity or openness so there must be a re-sampling involved. This is legal as far as I know.
    George / NJ

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  • pitdogg2
    pitdogg2 Posts: 24,477
    Moleeee reported
  • rooftop59
    rooftop59 Posts: 7,952
    Mianji reported
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  • freya
    freya Posts: 4
    I have used TunesKit Spotify Music Converter, but I have not used the Tidal converter.
    Regarding the bit rate, it seems that the software you used cannot be adjusted, but TunesKit can be adjusted according to your preferences, including channel and sample rate.
  • jdjohn
    jdjohn Posts: 2,987
    Regardless of the spammer above, I doubt I'll be using this product anymore.

    Spotify disabled my account a couple of days ago for "unauthorized content download". Honestly, I have probably only downloaded maybe a dozen albums over the two years since purchasing the software, with the latest download occurring about two months ago. I'm not sure why just now the flag happened.

    Anyway, once I pinky-promised not to do it anymore, Spotify reinstated my account quickly.

    I contacted the software vendor about it, and they basically just said don't download too many at a time, and it should be fine. Wrong answer!
    "This may not matter to you, but it does to me for various reasons, many of them illogical or irrational, but the vinyl hobby is not really logical or rational..." - member on Vinyl Engine
    "Sometimes I do what I want to do. The rest of the time, I do what I have to." - Cicero, in Gladiator
    Regarding collectibles: "It's not who gets it. It's who gets stuck with it." - Jimmy Fallon
  • I haven't used the one you mentioned. I am tring AMusicSoft Spotify Music Converter. It is good. The sound quality of the converted files is okay.
  • jdjohn
    jdjohn Posts: 2,987
    reported
    "This may not matter to you, but it does to me for various reasons, many of them illogical or irrational, but the vinyl hobby is not really logical or rational..." - member on Vinyl Engine
    "Sometimes I do what I want to do. The rest of the time, I do what I have to." - Cicero, in Gladiator
    Regarding collectibles: "It's not who gets it. It's who gets stuck with it." - Jimmy Fallon
  • pitdogg2
    pitdogg2 Posts: 24,477
    Baron reported
  • jdjohn
    jdjohn Posts: 2,987
    edited February 2022
    reported...I wish I had never created this thread...admins can feel free to take it down
    "This may not matter to you, but it does to me for various reasons, many of them illogical or irrational, but the vinyl hobby is not really logical or rational..." - member on Vinyl Engine
    "Sometimes I do what I want to do. The rest of the time, I do what I have to." - Cicero, in Gladiator
    Regarding collectibles: "It's not who gets it. It's who gets stuck with it." - Jimmy Fallon
  • BlueFox
    BlueFox Posts: 15,251
    LOL. This thread is a spam magnet.
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