Upgrading Protected AAC songs through iTunes-Match

[Hrothgar]

I've got a whole lot of songs in my iTunes that are Protected AAC. I'm trying to figure out how to upgrade these to 256, non-DRM. It seems that I have to subscribe to iMatch to do this. But I'm not sure exactly what the procedure is.

If I pay the $25, will I be able to upgrade all of my Protected AAC files on my iTunes to 256 non-Protected?

Is the upgrade done automatically, or do I need to do each song or album one at a time?

After the upgrade, are my files permanently 256 AAC, or is there some caveat that they can go back to DRM? What if I stop paying for Match?

Will the non-protected filed reside on my computer or in the cloud? that is, can I play them with audiophile software, such as Amarra or Audivarna?

Thanks.

 

[Julien]

After the songs are Matched you need to delete the DRM songs from iTunes. Then download the DRM free songs from iCloud/Match?

 

[Rigby]

I've got a whole lot of songs in my iTunes that are Protected AAC. I'm trying to figure out how to upgrade these to 256, non-DRM. It seems that I have to subscribe to iMatch to do this. But I'm not sure exactly what the procedure is.

Delete the protected files and download the matched versions. See here:

http://support.apple.com/kb/ht1711

If I pay the $25, will I be able to upgrade all of my Protected AAC files on my iTunes to 256 non-Protected?

Yes.

After the upgrade, are my files permanently 256 AAC, or is there some caveat that they can go back to DRM? What if I stop paying for Match?

If you cancel the Match subscription, the matched songs will no longer be available for download/streaming from the cloud. But you can keep already downloaded files of course, and they are DRM-free.

Will the non-protected filed reside on my computer or in the cloud?

Both.

 

[alkalifly]

It will work fine as long as iTunes Match is able to actually match the songs.

It seems to be a well-documented experience of many that iTunes Match has trouble matching songs that iTunes itself has ripped from CDs (so people end up with albums that are partially matched and partially uploaded).

But I have also experienced songs that I purchased from iTunes not getting matched!

 

[JackieInCo]

This is the best way with iTunes Match.

There may be sings that never were upgraded on iTunes to ever have a 256Kbps copy. I have many from when I purchased the Complete Depeche Mode several years ago. Most of the songs got upgraded when I subscribed to Match but there were still about 30 or so songs that were never upgraded just because there never was a better version on iTunes and the Complete Depeche Mode was no longer for sale on iTunes. Most of the 128Kbps were the rare ones.

 

[alkalifly]

This issue that JackieInCo describes can definitely be annoying, regardless of whether the music is purchased through iTunes or ripped from a CD. If an album contains some songs that are on a "best of" compilation or something similar, and the compilation is available in high-quality on iTunes while the album itself is not, then you will end up with an album where some songs are matched and some are uploaded. This is just a limitation of what iTunes Match offers; everything is still working "as advertised"

But the issue I described above is even more annoying, and is an example of iTunes Match completely and utterly failing to do what it is supposed to do. The album, which I purchased from iTunes, is definitely available in high quality, and iTunes simply fails to match two of the songs on the album. The entire album is definitely available; the songs that were matched (all but two) are not on a compilation or any other album, and the whole album SHOULD be matched, but the matching algorithm fails hard, and I end up with a a partially matched album. It makes iTunes Match far less worthwhile, and I will probably stop subscribing, unless iTunes Radio impresses me enough to keep paying $25/year

 

[Rigby]

I used Match to upgrade a few dozen albums (128kbps with DRM) that I had bought from iTunes. Match identified all of them perfectly. It does occasionally fail to match music from other sources (mostly CD rips) though, even if it is available in the store.