finding decent mp3 files...

[dnevets]

I've been using baidu to download mp3 files, but it is really frustrating that the quality of files is so random. I might download 10 different songs yet only 2 or 3 are actually of good quality. Problems include low bitrate (poor sound quality), truncated files that just randomly stop before the end of the song, and crappy versions of songs that are more like radio plugs for the song (tracks are covered in annoying chatting about the song I'm trying to listen to).

Any ideas how I can waste less time when downloading music? Does anyone know a way to sort the songs by their bitrate? At least that would eliminate the ones with crappy sound quality. I should add that I don't really want to download entire albums by any particular artist - I usually just pick my favourite single tracks from whoever I like at the time.

On a separate but related topic, does anyone know if there's a Chinese version of the "NOW! That's what I call music!" style compilation CDs that we have in the UK, that are full of current popular songs? (Ideally, minus plodding piano numbers with shrill-voiced females whining about love - I prefer slightly more pop-y, up-tempo stuff, something a bit noisier!)

[陈小乐]

try 酷狗~

[oriada2003]

Instead of using Baidu's morally suspect and quality-challenged mp3 search, try using Google.cn/music - heaps of stuff, all free, all good quality, and all legal believe it or not.

[semantic nuance]

Perhaps you can try www.xiami.com. That's where I find music I need to post music links to my lyrics translations on my blog. Seems like they've got a lot of music there.

[imron]

heaps of stuff, all free, all good quality, and all legal believe it or not.

And unfortunately only available in mainland China :angry:

[cababunga]

Last time I checked (long time ago, actually) Google was serving music hosted by top100.cn. At that time, in addition to blocking by Google, top100.cn was refusing to serve files outside of China. However, It looks like recently they (top100.cn) had a major infrastructure update and access to mp3s is not restricted at the moment. http://www.top100.cn/

[dnevets]

Thanks for the rapid replies folks... but I'm only finding new problems.

top100.cn seems great, but I can't download anything. The download links don't even appear to be linked to mp3 files - I just get 404 page not found. Right click/save as doesn't work either.

xiami.com is different, but no better. Clicking to download just opens a new tab, which contains the exact same page that I was on!

I've tried Chrome and IE, results are the same. Is this because I'm outside of China now? I once had to use proxies to get outside of the great firewall... is there such a thing as a proxy to get back inside it?!

[cababunga]

Ah, right. For top100.cn you need to add the following lines to your "hosts" file:

60.217.249.207 file1.top100.cn file2.top100.cn file3.top100.cn file4.top100.cn

60.217.249.207 file5.top100.cn file6.top100.cn file7.top100.cn file8.top100.cn

60.217.249.207 file9.top100.cn file10.top100.cn file11.top100.cn file12.top100.cn

60.217.249.207 file13.top100.cn file14.top100.cn file15.top100.cn file16.top100.cn

To find where the file is located on your system look here:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hosts_(file)#Location_in_the_file_system

[dnevets]

Success! Cheers cababunga, much appreciated.

[martin_r]

There's a fair bit of chinese music on Spotify - traditional, patriotic and pop. Its streamed though, not mp3's.

[cababunga]

Unfortunately it's only available in 7 European countries at the moment.

Finland

France

Norway

Netherlands

Spain

Sweden

United Kingdom

[zenmonk]

You can use eMule to download them. Just search the keywords(in Chinese) in eMule.

Another good way is RaySource, follow me:

1. Go to download their client on http://static.rayfile.com/en/client/ or download directly by clicking http://download.rayfile.com/media/client/RaySource_Setup_V2.2.0.1.exe.

2. Install their software.

3. Search "fs2you:// + keywords" or "rayfile.com+ keywords". (fs2you:// is used for call the client, and you may use Chinese words as the keywords)

4. Then download it. Many people are sharing music.

For example:

1. Search "左小祖咒 fs2you:// rayfile.com" on Google.com, you will get: http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&newwindow=1&safe=off&q=%E5%B7%A6%E5%B0%8F%E7%A5%96%E5%92%92++fs2you%3A%2F%2F+rayfile&aq=f&aqi=&aql=&oq=

2. Then, the fifth result is this: http://tieba.baidu.com/f?kz=684275179

3. Open the url above, you will see many URLS of "rayfile.com". Click one, the first: http://www.rayfile.com/files/d80138c0-e91f-11de-b3e3-0014221b798a/

4. Remember to change rayfile.com/zh-cn/* to rayfile.com/en/* .

5. Click the "Download" button, the you will get a fs2yo:// link.

6. Clicke the "fs2you://" link, the client will start and you can begin download it .

Note:

1. "fs2you://" is the permanent link of that file, you can use it anytime even the page on rayfile.com has became a 404 error page.