# Defective FLAC download of Kocsis/Debussy set



## Guest (Aug 19, 2019)

This is annoying, I bought the FLAC 44.1 kHz download of the Debussy/Kocsis set on Philips from Prestoclassical. I bought it a year ago, but only got around to listening carefully yesterday. There is something wrong about it. There is a "swish-swish-swish-swish..." sound superimposed on it (a bit like a guitar phaser or chorus pedal, if you know what that is). It is not audible on the samples, only on the FLAC download.

If I had to guess, I'd say someone converted some other format (maybe MP3) to FLAC 44.1 kHz and made a hash of it (which should not be possible, since the lossless FLAC should be a bit-for-bit copy of the data on the CDs). I've emailed them just now and said I feel entitled to a refund. I will report what they reply.

https://www.prestomusic.com/classical/products/7943399--debussy-piano-music


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## jegreenwood (Dec 25, 2015)

Baron Scarpia said:


> This is annoying, I bought the FLAC 44.1 kHz download of the Debussy/Kocsis set on Philips from Prestoclassical. I bought it a year ago, but only got around to listening carefully yesterday. There is something wrong about it. There is a "swish-swish-swish-swish..." sound superimposed on it (a bit like a guitar phaser or chorus pedal, if you know what that is). It is not audible on the samples, only on the FLAC download.
> 
> If I had to guess, I'd say someone converted some other format (maybe MP3) to FLAC 44.1 kHz and made a hash of it (which should not be possible, since the lossless FLAC should be a bit-for-bit copy of the data on the CDs). I've emailed them just now and said I feel entitled to a refund. I will report what they reply.
> 
> https://www.prestomusic.com/classical/products/7943399--debussy-piano-music


As I recall, I had a problem with the hi-rez Klemperer Magic Flute. I only discovered long after I downloaded the album. I contacted Presto. By then, I guess, it was a known problem and Presto had gotten a new master file. They simply let me download it again.

I hope you are as fortunate.


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## Guest (Aug 19, 2019)

Thanks for the good wishes.

If they don't refund or rectify the situation I think I am done with them. They are convenient because they have downloads of a wide variety of labels. One stop shopping. But getting a defective product is not convenient. I can probably find a place to download whatever I might buy from them, eclassical.com, the Decca and DG sites, etc.


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## Guest (Aug 20, 2019)

FWIW, after one business day Presto has not bothered to respond to my email.

I think I am done with them.


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## Larkenfield (Jun 5, 2017)

In all fairness to them, I would have asked for a re-download and not a refund—not after a year.


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## Guest (Aug 20, 2019)

Larkenfield said:


> In all fairness to them, I would have asked for a re-download and not a refund-not after a year.


You can download anything you have bought from them in the past just by going to your purchase history. I re-downloaded it yesterday to see if the problem was fixed and it was still defective, and I pointed that out to them. I would be perfectly happy if they would provide valid FLAC files.

This is the second time they sold me a defective download. The first was a BIS CD of Kokkonen string quartets. The original CD had pre-emphasis (treble boosted and a flag set to tell the CD player to apply a compensating filter) and they provided FLAC files in which the pre-emphasis was uncorrected. I had to buy a physical CD to sort that out.

In this case I will be patrolling amazon marketplace to find used copies of the original Debussy/Kocsis CDs.


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## premont (May 7, 2015)

During the last two years I have purchased a number of FLAC downloads from Presto, maybe 300 in all. Among these there were in four of the downloads one defective file. In all four cases I sent Presto a mail about this, and they told me that they would ask the label to send them a new flawless file. Only in one case the label sent a new file, and Presto could not do anything about the others. So the problem may not be with Presto but with the labels.


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## Guest (Aug 20, 2019)

premont said:


> During the last two years I have purchased a number of FLAC downloads from Presto, maybe 300 in all. Among these there were in four of the downloads one defective file. In all four cases I sent Presto a mail about this, and they told me that they would ask the label to send them a new flawless file. Only in one case the label sent a new file, and Presto could not do anything about the others. So the problem may not be with Presto but with the labels.


That is perfectly reasonable. However, I still think I deserve the courtesy of a reply, maybe that will take more than one day. And they are still selling was seemed to me to be obviously defective files. I purchased from them because it was convenient. It no longer seems more convenient than buying used CDs and ripping.

Another annoyance, in the past I have purchased FLAC files directly from Universal Music Group (DGG and Decca). It seems like they have discontinued that service, and only forward you to iTunes to buy compressed files.

Besides eclassical.com, are there other sites that sell lossless audio files of classical music?


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## jegreenwood (Dec 25, 2015)

Baron Scarpia said:


> That is perfectly reasonable. However, I still think I deserve the courtesy of a reply, maybe that will take more than one day. And they are still selling was seemed to me to be obviously defective files. I purchased from them because it was convenient. It no longer seems more convenient than buying used CDs and ripping.
> 
> Another annoyance, in the past I have purchased FLAC files directly from Universal Music Group (DGG and Decca). It seems like they have discontinued that service, and only forward you to iTunes to buy compressed files.
> 
> Besides eclassical.com, are there other sites that sell lossless audio files of classical music?


Tidal will sell you lossless FLACs, but their prices are not always competitive. They have the Kocsis for $41.39.

If you have Tidal, you can probably listen in advance to see if it has the same problem.


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## Guest (Aug 20, 2019)

jegreenwood said:


> Tidal will sell you lossless FLACs, but their prices are not always competitive. They have the Kocsis for $41.39.
> 
> If you have Tidal, you can probably listen in advance to see if it has the same problem.


Well, Presto charged me about $25. The CDs are long out of print and finding used copies is a wild goose chase. I've never used tidal and I don't think I am sufficiently interested in the recordings to pony up $41.39.

I will give Presto more time to respond, but they are not doing themselves any favors by keeping my $25. They have given me the impression that their downloads are not to be trusted, and I've just gone off and purchased two used CDs that I would otherwise have purchased as FLAC downloads from them. They've already diverted about $25 worth of business to their competitors.


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## D Smith (Sep 13, 2014)

Qobuz sells FLAC and ALAC. I've had no problems with them.


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## Guest (Aug 20, 2019)

Do you have to be a streaming subscriber to buy from Tidal of Qobuz?


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## jegreenwood (Dec 25, 2015)

Baron Scarpia said:


> Do you have to be a streaming subscriber to buy from Tidal of Qobuz?


Not from Tidal, as far as I can see.

https://store.tidal.com/us/


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## Guest (Aug 21, 2019)

Just had this note from Presto:



> Hi Arthur
> 
> Thanks for your message; I'm sorry to hear your download wasn't satisfactory. I've just had a listen to these tracks for myself and I see what you mean; the files are indeed faulty. I apologise for this fault; fortunately I've been able to find alternative versions of the same files elsewhere on our system and use these as replacements. They will replace the old versions even in existing orders such as yours; all you need to do is go back to your account page (https://www.prestoclassical.co.uk/account) and re-download the affected files. You won't need to order or pay a second time.
> 
> ...


I've downloaded and listed to the new files, and they are perfect.

Bravo Presto!


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## Joe B (Aug 10, 2017)

Baron Scarpia said:


> Just had this note from Presto:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


I'm glad to hear they cleared this up for you. I am currently waiting for them to acquire a new file for me to 're-download'. Sounds like there's hope now.


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## CnC Bartok (Jun 5, 2017)

I've never had any problems with Presto, so the response you got seems par for the course. They're good chaps there, but well done on getting your issue sorted. Kocsis' Debussy is well worth having!!!


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## Guest (Aug 23, 2019)

CnC Bartok said:


> I've never had any problems with Presto, so the response you got seems par for the course. They're good chaps there, but well done on getting your issue sorted. Kocsis' Debussy is well worth having!!!


Agree about the Kocsis Debussy. It is very fine, so the stakes are high. It's been a roller coaster:

Finding it exists.
Finding it's long out-of-print.
Finding Presto has a reasonably priced download
Finding the download is defective.
Getting a corrected download.


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## Guest (Apr 14, 2020)

Baron Scarpia said:


> Besides eclassical.com, are there other sites that sell lossless audio files of classical music?


There are many: HD Tracks, Hi Res Audio, ProStudioMasters, NativeDSD (no FLAC, just DXD and DSD files), and AcousticSounds come to mind.


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## premont (May 7, 2015)

CnC Bartok said:


> I've never had any problems with Presto, so the response you got seems par for the course. They're good chaps there, but well done on getting your issue sorted. Kocsis' Debussy is well worth having!!!


I have had four defective downloads from Presto among about 250 downloads in all. Only in one instance they were able to provide a corrected file.


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