Buy Classical Music Downloads from Passionato

Frequently Asked Questions

Registration

How do I register?

To register, click on register now. This will take you to the registration page. Enter the required information and click on the Submit button. Registration is free-of-charge. You will then receive an e-mail confirming your registration with Passionato, once you have received this email, you are ready to start downloading your favorite music.

Why do I have to Register?

You need to register before you can purchase Passionato downloads. You need to do this because some of the music on the site is not available for download in certain countries. Only after you register can we determine if the music you wish to purchase is available in your country. To register, click on register now, which will take you to the registration page. Enter the required information and click on the Submit button. Registration is free-of-charge.

I am trying to register, but it says my email address is invalid?

Please contact our Customer Service team by emailing support@passionato.com or on these numbers 0844 800 7104 (UK residents) or +44 (0)207 490 4563 Monday to Friday - between 9am and 5pm.

Is there a subscription fee?

Passionato does not have a subscription fee, therefore there are no hidden charges and you are only charged for the music that you download.

Getting Started

Can I buy individual tracks as well as albums and work?

Yes, you can purchase individual songs by clicking the track name and selecting FLAC or MP3. To purchase an album, or work, click on the FLAC or MP3 link next to the album, or work description.

Why is everything not available in FLAC?

The Passionato store is regularly being updated with new recordings and we are constantly updating the store with FLAC files. Passionato aim to have all recordings in FLAC version available in our store in the near future.

What are Cookies? Why do I need them?

Cookies are used for authenticating, tracking, and maintaining specific information about the way you use our website. They are neither spyware nor viruses, they are pieces of text to enable our system to recognise you whenever you return. You should ensure that cookies are accepted and enabled as we use them to allow you to make a purchase and check that our system is working correctly.

How can I search for specific composers / orchestras?

For the Basic Search, simply enter a search term into the search box at the top left of every page. This can be part of the title, or a composer/orchestra name. Click ‘search’ to start searching and you will be presented with a page listing the items found. If you are having difficulty find a recording on the Passionato store, please contact Customer Services, who will search the site for you.

What is the difference between FLAC and MP3?

Free Lossless Audio Codec (FLAC) is a compression technology applied to CD audio. The benefit to using FLAC is that, as a lossless format, FLAC does not remove information from the audio stream, compared with other compression formats such as MP3. FLAC reduces the full audio to about half its original size rather than 1/10th the original as with MP3; however, no bits are discarded.

What is DRM?

DRM stands for Digital Rights Management and is a technology that can help protect the copyright of artists and record labels by helping prevent illegal and unauthorised copying. Customers who buy tracks from Passionato are authorised to make personal CD copies of all tracks purchased and can also transfer them to their portable music players, including iPods.

What type of computer do I need to download music?

You can use a PC or Mac with a broadband connection and any of the following browsers: Internet Explorer, Firefox, Safari or Opera. At Passionato we do our best to ensure that our site is optimized with every major browser, but occasionally browsers are updated in a way that stops them working with some websites. If you experience any problems, please let us know and we will try to rectify the problem. You should also consider contacting the browser developer.

Do I need any kind of licence to manage my music files?

When you purchase any recordings from the Passionato store, our system will automatically issue you with a personal license enabling you to play your music on up to 3 computers as well as burn the track to CD and transfer to a compatible portable music player.

Start Downloading

What bitrate are Passionato downloads?

All downloads in the Passionato store are of variable bitrates which can be up to 320k, however there is no compromise in the audio quality of the downloads. The main advantage of variable bitrates are that they produce a better quality-to-space ratio compared with constant bitrates file of the same size. This means that you still enjoy the highest-possible quality, without having to download unnecessary large files.

Why do some of your MP3 320k files appear with a lower bitrate in my media player?

Our labels use one of two formats for encoding MP3 files, Constant Bit Rate (CBR) or Variable Bit Rate (VBR) – both at 320k. However, due to the way in which MP3 bitrates are reported in some media players the bitrate for a particular track may be shown as less than 320k if the file was encoded using VBR (although the 320k rate will be reported correctly if the file is viewed in Windows Explorer, for example). This does not mean that the sound quality has been compromised, however.

320k MP3 VBR encoded files will use up to a 320k bitrate, but less if the music source is less complex. This has the benefit of producing a smaller file size that requires less storage space and is quicker to download than a CBR file, but actually delivers the same sound quality as a 320k MP3 CBR file. To use a simple analogy for VBR v CBR you could put a pint of water in a pint glass (“VBR”) or in a bucket (“CBR”) – both would hold the complete pint of water, but the bucket uses a lot of unnecessary space – in the same way VBR encoding produces the same quality recordings but without using unnecessary file space.

How do I download Music?

Once you have completed your purchase, you will be presented with a 'Download Tracks' button, please click on it. Once you have done this you will be taken to your download manager, where you will be able to check the boxes next to the tracks you want to download or click on 'tick all' to download all the tracks in the list and then click on 'Download all Selected' to start downloading. Are you new to downloading? click here for a step by step guide.

Can I preview a download before I decide to buy?

Yes, all tracks feature a 60 second sample preview so that you can listen to any music before purchase.

How long is a download available to me?

Your download files are available indefinitely. However, once you start downloading a track you will need to complete your download within 14 days. This will give you a chance to ensure that there are no problems and will enable you to download the track again, should the download fail for any reason. Once the download has been completed on your computer, the music is yours to keep forever. We recommend that you back-up your personal Passionato downloads.

How long does it take to download a piece of music?

Downloading time mainly depends on the actual bandwidth or the capacity of Internet connection that you are using. The higher your bandwidth is, the faster your downloading will be. For example a 10MB file would take, approximately; 5 seconds at 20Mbps (very fast broadband), 20 seconds at 4Mbps (average broadband), 2 minutes and 40 seconds at 512kbps (slow broadband), 25 minutes at 56kbps (old modem).

Passionato Player

What are the Passionato Player's minimum system requirements?

A computer running Windows 2000/XP/Vista (XP/Vista recommended) - (Note: this could be an Intel Mac with Parallels or BootCamp.)
Internet connection for importing files (broadband recommended)
Screen resolution 800x600 or greater, in 16-bit colour (32-bit recommended)
Keyboard, mouse and speakers/headphones

Do I need a specific program to start downloading the Passionato Player?

No, all you have to do is register your details and click on the link to Download The Free Passionato Player, this will then start to download the player for you, which you can save or run as required.

Will it make a difference if I am using a Mac or a PC?

The Passionato Player is designed to enhance your Classical Music experience, but is not essential if you simply want to purchase music from Passionato. The Player is currently not available for download on a Mac. We are currently working on developing this, so please keep checking the main site for updates on when this facility will become available.

BachPod

What does my Bach iPod include?

• A limited edition 120GB Apple iPod Classic
• 175 hours of Masterpieces by J.S. Bach pre-loaded in 128KB AAC digital sound
• Three back-up DVDs, containing the audio files for the complete Bach Edition to protect against any possible loss of data
• Headphones
• Presentation Box

Methods of payment

Passionato accepts all major credit and debit cards including Visa, MasterCard, American Express and Switch. We also accept debit cards issued by Visa or MasterCard, as well as payment through PayPal Express.

Ways of making payment.

You can make payment by calling the Customer Service number on 0844 800 7104 (UK residents) or +44 (0)207 490 4563. Our Customer Service lines are open 9am - 5pm, Monday to Friday, excluding UK bank holidays and public holidays.

Is it secure?

The highest standards of security are employed to safeguard customer payments. Your transaction will take place within a totally secure payment system. We use Secure Socket Layer (SSL) technology, a standard supported by all major Internet browsers. All of your personal and card details are protected using 128-bit encryption when transmitted over the Internet.

How will it be delivered?

Your Bach iPod will be sent via recorded delivery, a signature will be required from the recipient upon receipt. A confirmation email will be sent to you on dispatch from Passionato.

How long will it take to arrive?

The Bach iPod will usually be dispatched in 3-4 working days, when in stock. Delivery times are dependent on availability of the item requested and the time of year but if you’d like further advice please speak to one of our Customer Service team on 0844 800 7104 (UK residents) or +44 (0)207 490 4563 who’ll be happy to help with any enquiries.

I’ve paid for my Bach iPod but it hasn’t arrived yet

Please call Customer Services on 0844 800 7104 (UK residents) or +44 (0)207 490 4563 and they will find out where your order is.

Delivery areas

Passionato defines the UK as including England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales.

We do also deliver outside the UK, please contact our Customer Service on 0844 800 7104 (UK residents) or +44 (0)207 490 4563 for further information.

The Passionato Range:

...with more being added all the time.

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Portions of Content Provided by All Music Guide © 2009 All Media Guide, LLC.
All Music Guide is a registered Trademark of All Media Guide, LLC.
© 2008 Passionato Ltd. Passionato and the Passionato logo are registered trademarks in the UK and other countries. All rights reserved.
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