Editing AllOfMP3 (section)

== About the services ==

The sites offer [[Russian language|Russian]] and [[English language|English]] user interfaces. All functions, except for the buying of songs and full length song previews, are available to unregistered users (and full length preview of songs is restricted to individuals who have spent a total of $50 or more on the website). Registration is free. The store maintains an account balance for each user; while a user's account has a positive balance, they can continue downloading music. To do so, the user selects the files for download from the store's catalog.

===Pricing model===

Unlike some US-based music stores such as [[Apple Computer|Apple]]'s [[iTunes Store]], MediaServices' sites charge for the volume of data downloaded, not for individual songs.

This price is often reduced by a complicated system of discounts based on cumulative usage, promotions, and type of payment.

===Payment methods===

The sites operate using a pre-paid balance method. Users fund their account using a [[Credit card|credit]] or [[debit card]], in increments of US$10 or more.

However, action taken in late 2006 by [[Visa (company)|Visa]] and [[MasterCard]]<ref>"[http://news.cnet.com/Visa+halts+its+service+for+allofmp3.com/2100-1027_3-6127168.html Visa halts its service for allofmp3.com]" [[CNET]], October 18, 2006</ref><ref>"[https://www.theregister.co.uk/2006/10/19/allofmp3_attacks_visa_and_mastercard/ Blacklisted AllofMP3 slams 'capricious' Visa and Mastercard]" [[The Register]], October 19, 2006</ref> made it impossible for users to fund their accounts at the main AllOfMP3 site.

Users outside UK and US can also pay using a variety of credit cards at ChronoPay processor. ChronoPay had announced on March 20, 2007, that they would no longer be processing payments from online Russian music stores that only hold a [[Russian Organization for Multimedia and Digital Systems|ROMS]] license (e.g. AllOfMP3), but this does not apply to MP3Sparks which has an [[:ru:ФАИР|NP FAIR]] license.<ref>"[http://www.chronopay.com/en/content/view/218/121/ JSC ChronoPay accepts Russian music stores with NP FAIR license only]" ([http://www.chronopay.com/ ChronoPay] press release)</ref>

Between April and June 2007, it had become difficult for users to fund their AllOfMP3 accounts themselves, and a number of users and sites began selling AllOfMP3 gift vouchers on the Internet. However, in May 2007 a man who had been selling vouchers was arrested in London,<ref>"[https://arstechnica.com/news.ars/post/20070521-allofmp3-voucher-operation-shut-down-in-europe.html AllofMP3 voucher operation shut down in Europe]" [[Ars Technica]], May 21, 2007</ref> and this led many other voucher sellers to shut down their operations.

===Download formats===

AllOfMP3 (and now MP3Sparks) allows users to choose from a variety of [[audio codecs]] for audio files. Lossy formats are offered in [[constant bitrate]]s up to 320&nbsp;kbit/s or [[variable bitrate]]s up to maximum quality in the following formats:
*[[MP3]]
*[[Windows Media Audio|WMA]]
*[[Ogg Vorbis]]
*[[Advanced Audio Coding|MPEG4-AAC]]
*[[Musepack|MPC]]
Select albums are also being made available in [[Lossless data compression|Lossless audio codecs]] in the following formats:
*[[FLAC]]
*[[Pulse-code modulation|PCM]]
*[[Monkey's Audio]]
*[[OptimFROG]]
*[[Windows Media Audio#Windows Media Audio Lossless|WMA Lossless]]
Most music is encoded straight from source, which is dubbed ''Online Encoding Exclusive'', so gapless albums could provide [[gapless playback]], unlike most other music services. There is no extra charge for using the Online Encoding Exclusive service. The user sets the codec parameters, including the desired bitrate, allowing for superior quality over other music download services such as iTunes and Napster.

Downloaded files do not contain [[digital rights management]] information, allowing unrestricted use between multiple computers and [[digital audio players]]. This differentiates AllOfMP3 from many other music download services, which limit the use of the music the user may purchase and the platforms on which it may be played.

The websites also offer free, full album previews, streamed at a bitrate of 24 kilobits per second (roughly equivalent to analog [[telephone]] audio quality). Registered users who have spent less than $50 have access to 90 second samples, and unregistered users have access to 30 second samples.

==== Music for Masses ====

In late 2006, AllOfMP3 experimented with a feature called "Music for Masses" which allowed users to download [[digital rights management|DRM]]-protected music for free.<ref>"[https://www.nytimes.com/2006/10/18/technology/18musiccnd.html?hp&ex=1161230400&en=b3505998b2c3b2a7&ei=5094&partner=homepage Moscow Music Site Defends Free Downloads]" [[The New York Times]] October 18, 2006</ref> The files were encoded in a proprietary MP3 format (.mp3x) that could only be played in the Music for Masses player, and could not be transferred to a portable media device. However, the DRM protection was cracked within a week.<ref>"[https://www.engadget.com/2006/10/25/musicforme-cracks-allofmp3s-drm-hilarity-ensues/ MusicForMe cracks AllOfMP3's DRM, hilarity ensues]" [[Engadget]], October 25, 2006</ref> Although AllOfMP3 released a compulsory update to the player software which rendered the original crack unusable, they eventually removed the service in December 2006.