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Download FAQs

Why is CORO providing downloads?

  • Meeting customers’ needs:
    We offer high quality audio downloads which provide great sound quality (equivalent to that of a CD or better). Although many of our customers would like high-quality lossless downloads, these are not always available from the leading digital platforms such as itunes. We hope to fulfill this customer need by providing high quality downloads. We are providing our customers with download technology without compromising on quality.

  • Allow faster access to our music:
    Convenience and speed are just some of the many advantages that the customer can benefit from when buying downloads. A lot of computer users now have fast internet connections rather than dial-up, meaning that music can be downloaded quickly. For example, a losslessly compressed album will take less than 5 minutes to download on an 8 MB/s connection.

  • Reach the global audience:
    By making all of our catalogue available for download the entire world that has access to computers can enjoy our music without having to rely on postal services. 

  • Make available albums that are out of stock:
    From time to time CDs go out of stock. As this doesn’t happen with downloads you will always be able to purchase a download and have instant access to the music.
  • What download formats is CORO offering?

    CORO offers six different download formats on this site: MP3, AAC FLAC, studio master FLAC, ALAC and studio master ALAC. If you are new to downloading, do not be afraid of these foreign terms as all is explained below. This section will help you decide which download quality and file type is best for you.  Also, we recommend downloading our free test files to help you decide which is best for your needs and compatible with your computer.

    MP3

    (high quality, small files, some loss of detail) 
    MP3 is a high-quality VBR (variable bitrate) file. Our MP3s use VBR which creates files of equal audio quality to 320kBps while allowing a file size some 25% smaller. This type of file is lossy, which means it has been compressed by reducing the detail of certain parts of sound that are deemed beyond the hearing ability of most people. It reproduces near-CD quality with a much smaller file size.

    If the download speed of your internet connection is a concern then this file may be best for you. This type of download file is the only one to consider if you have a dia-up internet connection. The other formats are much too large to download over a dial-up connection.

    This file type is very compatible and works with virtually every portable audio player and mobile phone. It works on all computer types including PC, Mac and Linux. MP3 VBR is cross-platform and will play correctly on all but the very oldest of portable MP3 players.

    A range of test files is available free of charge so please do try out the format to see if it works on your computer before purchasing.

    AAC

    (high quality, small files, some loss of detail but less than MP3 files)
    Advanced Audio Coding (AAC) is a standardised compression and encoding scheme for digital audio. Designed to be the successor of the MP3 format, AAC files are generally higher quality and slightly smaller than MP3 files.

    Although AAC is less widely supported than MP3, it does work in iTunes and with iPod, on Microsoft's Zune, and on the Sony Playstation 3 and Playstation Portable, as well as some mobile phones.

    A range of test files is available free of charge so please do try out the format to see if it works on your computer before purchasing.

    FLAC

    (CD-quality, large files, no loss of detail)
    FLAC (Free Lossless Audio Codec) is an audio format similar to MP3, but lossless, meaning that audio is compressed without any loss in quality. Lossless is a type of format that allows the file to be compressed without losing any data, i.e. sound. It works by ‘zipping’ the file before compression, creating a smaller file but without loss of data. The sound quality is exactly the same as on a CD, with no deterioration, but the file size is roughly half that of a normal CD. Download times vary between half an hour on a 1mb/s internet connection to only five minutes for an 8mb/s connection for an average CD. Needless to say, lossless is ideally suited to classical music which requires the best possible sound quality. This format ensures that you get all the benefits of a full bandwidth audio performance, but with a file size that is around half that of a normal CD. If CD sound quality is what you want then this file may be best to suit your needs. 

    Some of our albums are available as high definition FLAC files which provide better than CD sound quality; please see the studio master section below for more information. 

    FLAC files can be imported and played on a variety of media players, such as the Klimax DS digital music player. Please note: Some media players (including iTunes and Windows Media Player) do not currently support this format, particularly on the PC platform. FLAC files can be played back flawlessly on Macs in OS X. 

    A range of test files is available free of charge so please do try out the format to see if it works on your computer before purchasing.

    ALAC

    (CD quality, large files, no loss of detail)
    Apple Lossless Audio Codec (ALAC) was developed by Apple for lossless data compression of digital music. Apple have restricted itunes to a narrow set of file types, such as ALAC and hardware such as iPods. ALAC can therefore be played directly in iTunes (unlike FLAC). If you want CD quality which plays in iTunes, then this file may be best for you. It is of CD quality and is a lossless file format.

    Some of our albums are available as high definition ALAC files which provide better than CD sound quality; please see the studio master section below for more information. 

    A range of test files is available free of charge so please do try out the format to see if it works on your computer before purchasing.

    What is a studio master?

    A studio master download is a file that has been created directly from the producer’s master copy to provide the highest quality sound. It is the closest the listener will get to hearing the music exactly how the artist intended because it hasn’t been compressed or manipulated to allow it to ‘fit’ a smaller file size or physical object, such as a CD. Our studio masters are 24-bit/96kHz and are available in either FLAC or ALAC formats and are listed on the website as ALAC-HD and FLAC-HD. Please read the information above and use our test files to make sure you choose the file type that best suits your needs.

    Please note that in most cases, iPhones, iPods and iPads are unable to play 24-bit/96kHz files. If you would like to listen to your download on various devices, you can download the studio master ALAC files and use iTunes to create an AAC (lower bit-rate) or MP3 file which will play on your mobile devices. 

    At the moment, it is only possible for us to offer studio master downloads for our new releases. The first of our recordings to be offered as a studio master was The Earth Resounds (COR16098).

    What does the download include?

    Each of our download albums are downloaded as a zipped folder which contains:

    • One audio file per track
    • CD booklet with liner notes and texts and translations where appropriate (PDF)
    • Cover artwork (JPEG)

    I have never downloaded music before, what should I do?

    Just follow our simple guide below and you can enjoy the convenience, speed, flexibility and quality of CORO digital downloads. This service is suitable for Mac, PC and Linux users.

    1. Choose your music
    All of CORO’s albums are available for download. Unfortunately we are unable to offer digital downloads for the UCJ and Decca CDs we currently sell on our website. Browse the catalogue and once you have decided which album(s) to download you will need to choose your file type from the format drop-down box displayed underneath the album title on each product page.  

    2. Choose your file type
    Please read about the different file formats (MP3, AAC, FLAC, ALAC, studio masters ALAC-HD and FLAC-HD) above to help you make your selection. Before clicking on the ‘Add to Cart’ button for any of these files, please make sure that you have made the right choice of file format by using our free test files.

    3. Use the test files
    Click on the Test Files page. We recommend that you download a test file before you make a purchase. This will ensure you have chosen the correct file type for your computer system.

    4. Purchase and Download
    Once you have added items to your cart, review your order and click on ‘Checkout’ when you are happy. If you make any changes to the details on this page, please make sure you click on ‘Update Cart’ before proceeding to the ‘Checkout’.

    Once on the Checkout page, login if you already hold an account with us, otherwise, fill out the details as requested. (You can create an account with by clicking on log in and then ‘Create account’.)

    If you have a discount code, please enter the code in the discount box on the right-hand side and click on ‘Apply’.

    When you have finished entering your details, click on ‘Continue to payment method’ and follow the onscreen instructions to enter your payment details. When payment is complete, click on the ‘Download now’ button and enjoy the music! You will also receive an email with a link to your download.   

    Please note that you should not navigate away from or close your browser whilst downloading. If you do experience a problem whilst downloading, you can start the download again by clicking on the link in the download confirmation email.

    The downloads may take a considerable time depending on the size of file(s) you have ordered and your broadband connection. Please contact us at coro@thesixteen.com if you are having any difficulties with your downloads and we will be happy to assist you.

    Can I download direct to my iPad (or other tablet)?

    Unfortunately, we are unable to offer downloading music directly to your iPad. You must download the files using a PC, MAC or Linux (see above) and transfer the files to your iTunes (or other music player). Sync your iTunes library on your iPad to ensure the music appears on all your devices.