# What's the best mp3 player and subscription service for classical music?



## davidmigl (May 27, 2007)

I'm a classical music aficionado and am loving a 2-month trial of napster to go that I got with a new cell phone. However, Napster isn't quite up to offering a good service for classical music.

Here's the problem: the tagging system is set up around the assumption that composer=artist. While that's fine for the pop/rock scene (admittedly probably 99% of Napster's subscription base), it's definitely not fine for classical. Under the "artist" category, for example, I have one soloist's name listed seven times, each time followed by a different conductor or orchestra. Very messy.

I could rant on about how us true music lovers, classical, are constantly neglected by blah monolithic companies blah blah that pander to the mindless masses blah blah blah....... but here's my simple request:

I need a subscription service that has music properly tagged by composer, soloist(s), conductor, and orchestra, etc. Bonus points for organizing by work, movement, and opus #. I need an mp3 player that can browse by any of those, too, and not just album, artist, and genre.

I won't give any further criteria. I already have a feeling that my choices are going to be extremely limited, if not nonexistent. So, fire away your recommendations - they are greatly appreciated!!

Thanks!!
David Migl


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## Evan Roberts (Apr 20, 2007)

Have a look at eclassical.com


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## Morigan (Oct 16, 2006)

I know this will sound trendy, but I love my iPod and itunes for that. The iTunes store has a fabulous classical music section where you can buy almost all the recordings you'd find in a real store, and generally for less. My 30 gig iPod is filled with classical music.

iTunes' interface is excellent for managing tags. I don't know how I'd live without it.


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## Keemun (Mar 2, 2007)

Morigan said:


> I know this will sound trendy, but I love my iPod and itunes for that. The iTunes store has a fabulous classical music section where you can buy almost all the recordings you'd find in a real store, and generally for less. My 30 gig iPod is filled with classical music.
> 
> iTunes' interface is excellent for managing tags. I don't know how I'd live without it.


Ditto!

If you are looking for a subscription service where you rent the music instead of purchasing it (and have to keep paying every month or you can't listen to the music you downloaded), iTunes won't work for you. My advice is to dump the Napster subscription service and purchase the music from iTunes instead.

I don't know if you will find an MP3 player that will allow you to browse by work, movement or opus number, but I love my iPod and wouldn't consider buying anything else.


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## Azathoth (Feb 28, 2007)

You can find different software to put on your mp3 player, I'm considering doing it for mine. I'm getting tired of spending an entire day wrestling with tags.


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## musicalvegan0 (May 29, 2007)

*Rockbox*

Really good mp3 player software is Rockbox. It works for most iPods as well as numerous other brands of mp3 players. It's also very customizable, so if you're looking for something to help you browse by movement, composer, or whatever, check Rockbox out.


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## SixFootScowl (Oct 17, 2011)

I just ordered one of these. 
https://shop.westerndigital.com/products/mp3-players/sandisk-clip-sport-go#SDMX30-032G-G46R
I don't think the memory is expandable, but it is 32 GB so not bad. I have a Sanza Zip Clip (4GB with 16GB card) that has served me well but a little more memory would be useful.


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