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0 pointsbuzzert6y ago0 comments

If you have a big collection of obscure/foreign music (video game music is a great example), then nothing beats Apple Music + iCloud Music Library and iTunes match.

You can use iTunes match to provide cloud-based high quality versions for music ripped from your CDs (or collected during your teenage Napster years).

Even better, being able to mix content from your iCloud Music Library and streamable content from Apple Music is a huge plus.

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3 comments · 1 top-level

thirdsun6y ago· 2 in thread

Does it touch my original files in any way? I have a huge selection of rare and obscure music not available via iTunes or any streaming service. Obviously I don't want any service to touch, modify or replace these or any of my more popular release. I'm wary about auto matching. Should I be?

auduchinok6y ago

Apple Music without iTunes Match will upload it to iCloud and will make it available on your other devices. IIRC it'll convert it to 256 kbps AAC

ValentineC6y ago

Lossless files are stored as 256kbps AAC in their cloud. I believe lossy MP3s and AACs are uploaded as-is. (I'm glad that Apple is aware that transcoding is generally a bad thing.)

iTunes also doesn't upload files that don't have a minimum bitrate of 96kbps [1].

[1] https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT203564

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