Opera Chic, proudly, does not own a iTunes account because she's not a fan of poorly-ripped, DRM-laden music (unless there is no other choice, and in that case it'd better be free). So we're not particularly excited by the news of the new DG online music store. Which will contain about 2,400 albums (600 of them are currently out-of-print) ripped @ 320 kbps, with single tracks selling (and that's quite steep) for about US$ 1.29 1.29 euros, which is about 1.90 dollars, which is like, a lot: it's as of now password-protected, but a few hours from now the Deutsche Grammophon version of iTunes will is now open for business
^^^update^^^
First impressions: it took DG so long to finally go digital, and it's fitting that their website is hardly revolutionary. The interface is pretty easy to use, if quite ugly; much of the out of print material that is offered is kind of "meh". And what's in print mostly costs more in mp3 format than in uncompressed, CD format -- especially once you consider that 320kbps is better than the superlame 128, but it's hardly uncompressed. I mean, assuming you like Roberto Alagna, why spend 20 bucks on the DG mp3s (plus pdf booklet) of our dear Roburto's Opera Arias when you can get the cd for less than bucks?
Keep in mind, DG has been a pioneer of the CD era (thanks to cranky old money-hungry Herb) but this very late entry into the digital online market is disappointing — but then, those were the pre Universal-Vivendi years.
Maybe it's the supereuro's fault, but this DG thang isn't rawking our D&G tights