New stereo. USB port... Where to download music these days?

[newerwesty1987]

Installed a new Alpine CD player. Love the features. The USB port on the front for a thumb-drive needs to get some use!

I'm out of it these days... since iTunes is gone, where do you get a wide selection of music to download as mp3's? Someone said Spotify... or Soundcloud?

Just want a similar system with tons of selection that allows downloading (not just streaming)

[jimf909]

Things are getting complicated...or simplified these days. I primarily use Spotify for music outside of my house. Spotify streams music but it also allows you to download it. I download it to my phone from which I send it to the car stereo via bluetooth when Spotify is not available to stream from a cell network. I don't know if Spotify would allow a user to transfer those downloads to a usb drive, or what the benefit of putting it on a usb drive would be.

In short, Spotify has tons of selection and allows downloading (at least to a device that runs spotify).
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- Jim

[wcdennis]

Amazon offers MP3s. For older music, buy used CDs and rip your own MP3s.

[Silverghost500]

My radio has Bluetooth pairing to my phone. I typically just rip CDs to MP3s and load them to the phone via connection to computer to play that way, or use a music streaming service to listen to genres or create playlists.
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1986 Volkswagen Vanagon Westfalia "Von Westy"
Honda K24A converversion-Road Testing Phase
3-Speed Automatic

Von Westy YouTube Channel
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCbhyZYxJEQrUuLnMbLleeIA

[markswagen]

do you have music on your phone, or pandora or what ever, a lot of the new strereos you can bluetooth music as well as phone calls to through the stereo.
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markswagen {mobile mechanic} san diego area all early VW's cared for.

619 201 0310

[newerwesty1987]

Thanks. No, I dont use my phone for anything other than a phone or maybe a text. I dont want to rely on it for music.
The thumbdrive would be easier for how I use it and its simple, reliable, no wireless issues to deal with, and so on. Im also often without a signal in remote areas.

By the way, I recommend not relying on your phone too much. My last one, which was only 9 months old, suddenly locked up due to some kind of battery or charging circuit failure and can't be revived without major fees, if at all (said the repair techs I took it to).

[pnwkayaker]

I'm not sure I understand your comment about iTunes being gone - every Mac being sold has either iTunes or its replacement (Music.app)

If you're refering to iTunes for Windows, you can download it from the Microsoft Store (see https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT210384 for more information.

Personally, I have most of my personal CDs ripped in iTunes, and it's straightforward to copy them into a USB thumb drive and use it in my van.

[newerwesty1987]

Oh I saw a news story about iTunes being phased out a while back. Guess I need to check that.

[mikemtnbike]

I'll just say Spotify Premium is totally awesome and worth the small monthly fee. With minimal effort, you can download all the music you need to be available offline and then also have the ability to actually hear new artists, genres through channels and other options. I hear you on not wanting to be dependent on a phone, but it really is a great service.
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1991 Vanagon GL 2.1 AT Westfauxlia. "Frankie" Totaled https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=764510&highlight=carnage
1995 Eurovan Camper "Marzivan"
2020 GTI SE manual

[Abscate]

[shagginwagon83]

I've been a Spotify user since 2015. I love the 'discover weekly' playlist they make for you based on music they recently added. You can find some awesome playlists on there. Plus you can start a 'radio' on a certain song to find similar music.

Also I pay for Spotify family and provide premium for 5 friends/family for price of $15/month.

But if I need to download something I use SoulSeek with a VPN.
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Brandon
"Jo Ann" - '83.5 Westfalia EJ22e w/Peloquin
Instagram @joannthevan

[joetiger]

I still have an old Ipod Classic 160g that I have all of my music on; it stays in the van and is run through a slightly-older Pioneer deck with Ipod controls. (It could also be connected through the Aux port on any stereo.)

It's an antiquated by still effective way to have all of my music with me all the time. When the little hard drive finally fails, I'll convert it to solid state. I just really love the old Ipod with its jog wheel and menus.

I also use Spotify on my phone for playlists via Bluetooth.
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Joe T.

'86 NAHT Vanagon GL Syncro/ supercharged ABA 2.0 "Pigpen"
'04 GTI 1.8T
'04 Golf R32

"get metaphysical with it. if it's simply a means to get to and from places, it will let you down. if it becomes your zen, it can't fail you." -dabaron

"Still, it's good to be afield."--VWagabond

Available Now! Vanagon to Louisiana--A Two-Lane Reckoning Through Past and Present

www.josephtrussell.com

[shagginwagon83]

[joetiger]

[rmcd]

Just bought another classic iPod Off fleabay and loaded 31,000 songs via my old Mac running iTunes. . My last one was stolen out of my car. Plug it into a portable speaker and go.
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VW LT40 build. Like a Vanagon but 30% larger in every direction and 40% slower even in metric.
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=749359&highlight=

[brokengun]

I did a good amount of noodling on how to play MP3s in my van without too much hassle and expense. I was surprised how much MP3 players still cost honestly. Here is a solution that works for me using a modern USB c smart phone that supports "USB C host mode".

Depending on your radio, it may have an aux in or bluetooth available as well. For me I wanted to keep it simple, not carry too much extra stuff or deal with trying to select some mp3 from a flashdrive using my single DIN radio LCD interface. 128GB flashdrives can be had for less than $20 these days.

I ended up buying a USB c hub with "pass through" charging capability similar to this one: https://www.amazon.com/Adapter-Charging-Headphone-Compatible-MacBook/dp/B07XBRHT5X


I can plug my charger from the cigarette lighter into the hub and with another female to male USB C, I can plug the other end into my phone.
https://www.amazon.com/Faracent-Extension-Charging...s9dHJ1ZQ==
Then, I got a cheap USB flash drive and filled it with my music. Bingo, everything is connected and my phone can still charge (I have a Pixel 3, definitely research if it works for your phone).

From there you can connect the aux in (headphone jack) to the radio directly or use bluetooth to connect to play the tunes on your radio. It works great using an app called "foobar" I'm able to easily scan through music using my phone and the best part is I just leave the whole setup in the van and plug my phone in to charge and access music.
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.foobar2000.foobar2000&hl=en_US

My only compliant is using the aux in connection to my radio, it isn't amplified much so it can only go so loud. Amplifier options are clunky and apparently can add distortion using USB C. Might have better luck using bluetooth if you're trying to play loud music, YMMV. Just another option to consider if you have a usb C style smart phone.
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1984 Vanagon Adventurewagen with EJ22 conversion
1975 Beetle - Big whole in the floorboards
1974 Westy - Will be on the road one day!
1973 Bus - sold

[Abscate]

With seven women in the family we always had a slew of last generation phones from upgrades and the occasional break

I have about a dozen Iphone 5 and 6s

You can just load music onto them and use it as a player with WiFi and Cell turned off to maximize battery life
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.ssS!

[Yellow Rabbit]

[Glenn]

https://us.napster.com/
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Glenn
74 Beetle Specs | 74 Beetle Restoration | 2180cc Engine
"You may not get what you pay for, but you always pay for what you get"

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[tjet]

I just use Pandora+ now. A side note, it runs with Waze simultaneously. Really good combo to warn you of the popo hiding down the road while you are listening to your jams.