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Is iTunes Match Worth The Cost Now?

D

davidg4781

macrumors 68030
Original poster
Oct 28, 2006
2,926
451
Alice, TX
Sorry if this has been addressed but I didn't see anything.

Now that Apple has taken away the iTunes Radio stations we had ad-free, I'm only using iTunes Match to keep my CD collection in the cloud. To me, it just doesn't seem worth the $25. I have AT&T and something like 35 GB/month in data. While we don't use all of it, I keep all my music on my mini and downloaded to iPhone to avoid excess data usage.

What other benefit do I have? I have the physical copies of the CDs so I can rip them at whatever bitrate I want.

Am I missing something? Or is this service outdated? If I do decide to cancel will I need to re-rip my CDs since the music on my mini is an iTunes Match version?
 
Personally, I only use iTunes Match to make my music library available across devices just like you. I also enjoy the fact that even if I lose a copy the CDs I ripped into my library, I still can download it again with having DRM attached to a file. If you only have Apple Music subscription, your downloaded music off the service cannot be played after you opt out.

Guess that's what Apple means when they said that Apple music and iTunes Match are separate but they compliment each other.
 
See, I have 3 other Macs but I can just download the music from my main over the home network. So that doesn't matter to me.

I have a feeling it's a service I don't need.
 
Only person that can decide if it's worth it for you is you. But it's only $25 a year to never have to worry about access to your library; seems worth it to me.
 
$2 a month for easy access to my music library from all my devices is a no brainer for me. Never having to sync my iPhone with my computer is icing on the cake.
 
Google Play Music gives you that for free. iTunes match is a good deal to do once, for a year, to get high quality copies of all the stuff you've ripped horribly badly over the years. Saves you a lot of time re-ripping!
 
GP is limited to 50,000, iTunes match is 100,000 tracks, which I need.

AllieNeko said:
Google Play Music gives you that for free. iTunes match is a good deal to do once, for a year, to get high quality copies of all the stuff you've ripped horribly badly over the years. Saves you a lot of time re-ripping!
Click to expand...
 
I opted to add the 24.99 charge to amazon that allows you to upload up to 250,000 tracks in addittion to prime music, mainly so I can use my library with my Echo's
 
doolittle27 said:
Personally, I only use iTunes Match to make my music library available across devices just like you. I also enjoy the fact that even if I lose a copy the CDs I ripped into my library, I still can download it again with having DRM attached to a file. If you only have Apple Music subscription, your downloaded music off the service cannot be played after you opt out.

Guess that's what Apple means when they said that Apple music and iTunes Match are separate but they compliment each other.
Click to expand...

So this is actually on-topic for a concern I've had. I have a lot of music that I've added to "My" Music on iTunes/Apple Music. Imported CD's, live albums, etc. My issue is that I want all my family members that are on my Apple Music plan to be able to access those files on their libraries. Since my ID is the one logged into my Mac, with the afore-mentioned files... they don't have a way to do so.

Apple support recommended iTunes match, but I don't think it would work, due to many of my albums not being available on most matching databases. So my unfortunate workaround in the meantime is having my two family members logged into Apple Music / iTunes with MY log-in info.

Just want to see if there is a better way.
 
Mess-I-Ah said:
So this is actually on-topic for a concern I've had. I have a lot of music that I've added to "My" Music on iTunes/Apple Music. Imported CD's, live albums, etc. My issue is that I want all my family members that are on my Apple Music plan to be able to access those files on their libraries. Since my ID is the one logged into my Mac, with the afore-mentioned files... they don't have a way to do so.

Apple support recommended iTunes match, but I don't think it would work, due to many of my albums not being available on most matching databases. So my unfortunate workaround in the meantime is having my two family members logged into Apple Music / iTunes with MY log-in info.

Just want to see if there is a better way.
Click to expand...

If you used iTunes Match, you would be having the same problem you are right now. In order for you to see your Match library, you have to be signed into iTunes with the Apple ID that did the library match. You can only share purchased files on Family Sharing because of licensing agreements with the record companies.
 
tjwilliams25 said:
If you used iTunes Match, you would be having the same problem you are right now. In order for you to see your Match library, you have to be signed into iTunes with the Apple ID that did the library match. You can only share purchased files on Family Sharing because of licensing agreements with the record companies.
Click to expand...

Thanks for the follow-up. This is not pleasing. Ugggghhh.
 
I was thinking iTunes Match would be great if it matched my DVD collection. I just got the new Apple TV 4 and was thinking how nice it would be.
 
I'd say its worth the cost if streaming is not important.

a matching service for video ? nah,, i think Apple just wants u to stream of iTunes.
 
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