Windows 7 - Music CD downloads

I probably haven't done enough homework!

I want to buy the odd music CD by download. Not mp3 etc and not the physical CD since shipping cost is high and takes time.

Any suggestions for a legitimate site?

I am not 100% sure but to download them and have them on your computer they would have to be an MP3 MP4 etc. for them to work.
Jerry

It may be a copyright issue.
You can make a legit .bin/cue file from your physical CD as backup easy enough.
You can then burn a CD.
By buying the .bin the artist, producer etc get their fair dues.

Yeah I haven't heard of anyone selling actual CD images (legally). They are all MP3, AAC, MP4 files etc. I.e. Amazon sells 256kb VBR mp3 files. Not as good as FLAC, but better than some others in quality. My ol ears can't tell the difference any more though I could have when I was 25...

Amazon and Rhapsody are the two that come to mind.

There's always the Apple store, but I refuse due to my anti-Apple attitude that is a result of Apple's attitude.

Those are all mp3/aac etc. It sounded like the OP was wondering if you could buy like an uncompressed raw CD image... unless I totally misunderstood.

Yup, I went right by that. I am unaware of anything like an image.

Are there FLAC sources?

It's puzzling.
Stores selling CDs here are getting fewer.
Raw CD PCM quality is the best.
600MB download once or twice a month is no big deal for many (not all).
It would encourage me to part with money and put more money in the artist's pocket.

There was a particular CD I was interested in. I could buy hard copy for ~$9 = Fine! but + $9 shipping + delay = not Fine.
Say it was $6 to download I'd buy a reasonable amount.

Yeah, I would bet $$$ that the reason they don't sell raw PCM or FLAC is simply because that would allow anyone to make "perfect CD copies" of the material

Though your right, the Physical CD is all but gone the way of the record and cassette tape. Soon there wil be NO WAY to get a quality copy of the material at all... We'll probably be stuck in a quaoity hole for several years before they fully embrace digital distribution, then maybe we'll actually start getting some 24bit/96Khz, FLAC or a tleast super HQ MP4a files for sale.

Heck it might be cool if they say charged 50 cents for an mp3 and 1.50 for a super HQ mp4a of the same material! Man there are so many things they COULD do to make music buying more attractive and lower piracy if they would just go whole hog on embracing the "future". We ARE in the 21st century now!

The puzzle is that you can buy physical CDs ok online. A music CD is as secure as leaving your front door unlocked so I already have the PCM source if I have the CD.
The annoying part is I believe a large number of people would buy the .bin/cue files and burn their own CD. Factoring in the inevitable theft loss the music business would make more money. The loss risk is already there anyway.
It's a pity music industry people don't read these threads.