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I'm playing around with iTunes Radio. The interface is good and finding stations that I like pretty easy. Their algorithm for playing related tunes that I enjoy is also pretty good.
So far I've played with it mostly on the iPhone and AppleTV and a little on my laptop. I believe they are streaming 256kbps AAC which sounds pretty decent for a streaming service. It's obviously not the highest bitrate for a streaming service out there but combined with it's functionality and ease of use I like it.
Mog sounds nice but was a PITA to use for me. Pandora's interface is my favorite and at 192Kbps it's not bad in the car or as background music. iTunes Radio sounds better and the interface is also pretty good.
I'm also playing with iTunes Festival on the AppleTV for a bunch of live streamed and on-demand free concert videos out of London.
iTunes Radio
Follow Ups:
over the weekend. Started with "Jazz" then "If you like....Miles Davis".
I liked it....glad it's free. Ads seemed to be few and far between, lasting only about 10 secs.
I'll definitely try it again. I've been with Pandora One for a couple years and MOG for about one year. MOG sounds the best and I've learned how to get what I like from its interface.
fwiw, I spoke with an Apple Care tech today. Asked him what the bitrate was. He said it was "variable from 128 to 192"....depends on the station and a few other variables.
Yeah, it takes a bit of work. Especially if searching for classical titles, as they are indexed based on key words given to them by the record companies and those sometimes make no sense at all.
I've tried to convince MOG to include 'record label' as a search term and they claim it's on the to-do list.
Sometimes I just search for the title on Amazon and when I find it there I cut and past the key words used by Amazon into MOG and manage to find it that way.
Interesting 'cuz I read that the bitrate is 256 AAC which would make more sense as iTunes Radio is integrated with iTunes Match if you have a Match account. I'll have to look into this.
I'm liking it so far but Pandora One is still easier to use, or maybe I'm just more familiar with it.
128-192 or 256.....I'd be interested in what you find out. I wonder if the rate is based on whether you have the paid "Match" acct, like going from 128 to 192 when you upgrade to Pandora One.
Agree, I like the way Pandora works the best but the way I use MOG, it's getting closer.
because my Son and Son-in-Law, both in the early 30's, choose MOG over ITunes Radio. Sometimes it's an generational or age thing. Personally, I can't compare. I gave them both MOG as a continuous Christmas/Birthday presents. Hmmm, maybe they like it better because I pay for it....;)
Edits: 09/30/13 09/30/13
Spent time last week listening to Beatles "channel" and was not impressed with the sound. It seems anything from the 60s is off ... like the bass has been removed. Weird. Tried Iron Butterfly and the same thing.
And speaking of the Beatles channel ... the playlist I've heard seems to really emphasize the early stuff.
I created a Bruce Cockburn "channel" and Gordon Lightfoot keeps popping way too much in the mix. After several hours, only two Bruce Cockburn songs were played. Weird.
And then those ads. They pop up infrequently, but they are often unrelated to music stream I'm playing and are coming across as pretty jarring to the soundscape.
Overall audio quality ... just so-so. I've seen several mentions of it being 256k, but ...
iTunes Radio is really convenient, though, and I like having it on the iPad, too. But more work on the sound and playlists may be in order.
Well 256kps AAC is no where near even true CD quality but neither is 192kbps from Pandora One. I just started playing with iTunes Radio and may have to do a side-by-side A/B audio comparison vs. Pandora One.
For my intended use, it mostly comes down to which one is easier to use on the iPhone or in the car, and which one pops up tunes that make sense for the station I have selected. The ads are there but I don't find them too intrusive or too frequent so far. It's certainly not perfect but it's only been officially on the air for a couple weeks now. They have a ways to go. We'll see.
Have you played with iTunes Festival yet? I have on the AppleTV and it's pretty decent if you find an artist you like... and of course, it's free.
Personally I think VBR 256K AAC sounds pretty good to me and close to CD on headphones.
I also thought iTunes radio sound quality wasn't good at first.
I then realized that iTunes has its own software (and probably mediocre) volume control. Turn it all the way up.
Then if you're on Windows, go into preferences and change the output to use Windows Audio Session. Take off all audio processing.
Restart iTunes.
It sounded decent for me. MOG is still better with catalog by far, but its web based interface can be slow compared to a real application.
I wouldn't pay extra money for itunes radio but as I already subscribed to Match it's a freebie for occasional use.
For a time MOG did not support MAC and Windows apps but now they seem to have them again.
PLUS 320kbps streaming (even on mobile?) makes for decent sound.
Search functions are weak, but with a bit of work I can find what I am looking for at get it onto my favorites list.
Use it mostly with a MacBook Air/USB DAC and cans or streaming to SONOS in the kitchen.
No music stored on my iPhone nor do I usually stream to it.
nt
Cut-Throat
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