Amazon Music HD is a new tier of premium quality music. The quality options are available in High Definition and Ultra High Definition which is even beyond CD quality. Music bit depth and sample rate can reach 24-bit, 192 kHz, which is more than 10 times the bitrate of standard definition. This new kind of high-quality music is formatted in FLAC in Amazon Music.
Undoubtedly, it is good news for people who are fond of music. However, this service is only available for Amazon Unlimited users. Both Amazon Prime and Free users will need to upgrade to enjoy these features. So, how to download Amazon Music HD/ Ultra HD with an Unlimited membership? In other words, how to download Amazon Music to FLAC format for Prime and Free users?
To unravel the mystery, we've written this article to help you know about the FLAC format employed by Amazon Music. To help you enjoy Amazon Music songs in FLAC, we will share with you two methods to convert songs: using TuneFab Amazon Music Converter and Amazon Music.
Part 1. Amazon Lossless Music Format (FLAC) vs. Common FLAC Format
Some of you may notice that the FLAC format of Amazon HD Music is a bit different from the common FLAC format. The following is about the difference between these two formats.
Amazon Lossless Music Format (FLAC)
Amazon lossless FLAC format is a proprietary audio format produced by Amazon Music. The format is provided in High Definition and Ultra-High Definition sound quality on Amazon. These songs are encoded in the lossless FLAC codec, limited to use exclusively on the Amazon Music app.
However, it is important to note that only 70 million out of their 100 million music library are available in these higher qualities. To access Amazon Music FLAC, a paid subscription to Amazon Music Unlimited is required. For Prime users, a monthly subscription starts at $9.99. Free users, however, will need to pay $10.99 per month.
FLAC Format
FLAC stands for Free Lossless Audio Codec, using lossless compression of digital audio. FLAC musical file format offers bit-perfect copies of CDs with only half the size of an uncompressed WAV or AIFF format. This format is compatible with common software programs such as VLC Windows App, VLC Store App, JetAudio app (Android devices), etc.
Quick Look at Differences between Amazon Music and Common FLAC
| Format | Amazon Music FLAC | Common FLAC |
| Audio Quality | Lossless | Lossless |
| DRM Protection | Yes | No |
| Compatibility | Limited to the Amazon Music app and authorized devices | Widely compatible with most media players and devices |
| File Size | Smaller | Larger |
The major difference between Amazon Lossless Music Format and normal FLAC format is that Amazon's proprietary FLAC is DRM-protected. This is also the reason that leads to playback failure on some devices.
Best Way to Download Amazon Music to FLAC
TuneFab Amazon Music Converter comes with a built-in Amazon Music web player, capable of converting songs from the 100 million music library to FLAC format, unlike the official Amazon Music app, which limits access to HD sound quality for only 70 million songs. This recommended tool can download and convert Amazon music to MP3 and WAV as well, offering higher compatibility. In terms of downloads, it won't waste your time waiting for the download process to finish, for its converting speed reaches more than 5X faster, and sound quality is not affected during the process.
TuneFab Amazon Music Converter: Get Lossless FLAC Downloads
• Download and convert Amazon Music to popular audio formats like FLAC, MP3, WAV, and M4A.
• Convert Amazon Music songs, playlists, albums, and podcasts in batches at up to 5X faster speed.
• aintain the original audio quality of Amazon Music songs during conversion.
• Offer higher compatibility, making Amazon Music FLAC songs playable on all devices and players.
• Serve as the greatest solution for Free, Prime, and even Unlimited users to download songs from Amazon Music
to FLAC for permanent offline playback.
Next, let's move on to learn more about how to extract lossless music from Amazon Music using TuneFab Amazon Music Converter.
Step 1. Launch TuneFab Amazon Music Converter
After you download and launch TuneFab Amazon Music Converter, please sign in to your Amazon account or create one to log in. Regardless of whether you have a free Amazon account or a Prime membership, you can use TuneFab Amazon Music Converter to download your favorite songs from Amazon Music to FLAC format to your computer.
Step 2. Choose a Playlist of Amazon Music FLAC to Convert
Now you can begin to choose a playlist you want to download and add it to the converting list. The blue button on the right side is the "add" icon.
Step 3. Set Output Folder and Output Format
When you finish selecting and adding the playlist to the converting list, you can choose an output folder on the bottom-left of the converting page. The output format can be changed to the top-right of the page. Just select FLAC for output.
Note:
You can also click on the settings icon in the upper right corner of the interface, and then select "Preference". Then, switch to the "Advanced" tab, and you can customize the bit rate and sample rate settings flexibly.
Step 4. Convert Amazon FLAC Music
After all the preparation is done, just wait for the conversion completed. Songs that are successfully converted will be placed in the "Finished" column. You can click "View Output File" to check the offline files on your device.
When all the steps are done, you will get the FLAC music files stored on your own device. You can listen to them whenever you want. Likewise, if you downloaded songs to MP3, then you can easily transfer Amazon Prime Music to any MP3 player for playing. Just remember which folder you choose to save them!
Part 3. Official Way to Get Amazon Music FLAC
If you are a subscriber of Amazon Unlimited and intend to continue your subscription, the easiest way to download Amazon Music HD/Ultra songs is by using the Amazon Music app. This provides a lossless music experience in FLAC format. However, if you are an Amazon Prime or Free user, you will need to upgrade to Amazon Music Unlimited to access HD/Ultra quality song downloads.
Additionally, Amazon's music library offers only 70 million songs with HD/Ultra HD sound quality. This might not include all your favorite songs. HD songs from Amazon can only be accessed on the Amazon Music app.
NOTE
If you wish to listen to Amazon Music FLAC songs offline on any player or play any song in FLAC, you can consider using TuneFab Amazon Music Converter to download Amazon Music songs to DRM-free FLAC audio files.
In the following, we will provide detailed instructions on how to download Amazon Music to lossless FLAC songs.
How to Adjust Best Quality Settings for Amazon Music HD
Step 1. Launch Amazon Music and Ready for Set Settings
Open the Amazon Music app on your computer. The settings are set in the "Preferences" section. You can find it in the user column.
Step 2. Change the Setting for Listening to HD Music
After clicking "Preferences", you will find two sections – "General" and "Advanced". Go to the "Advanced" section and find "Audio Quality". Switch it to "HD/ Ultra HD" mode.
Tips: For casual listeners, you can turn on "Loudness Normalization". But if you pursue perfect music quality, just turn it off. Then Amazon Music software won't have a negative impact on your listening experience anymore.
Step 3. Adjust the Setting for Downloading HD Music
When you finish the former step, you then can listen to HD music. If you want to download them in the same quality, just find "Download Settings" and choose "Best Available (HD/ Ultra HD)".
After the 3 steps, you can listen to and download HD/ Ultra HD music on Amazon Music. But given the inconvenience that you can only use FLAC music within the Amazon Music App, you may seek a way to enjoy Amazon Music more flexibly. Then third-party Amazon Music converter should satisfy your needs.
FAQs About Getting Amazon Music FLAC
You may have questions beyond how to convert Amazon Music to FLAC in lossless quality. To help you better understand Amazon Music FLAC, we've compiled answers to frequently asked questions, hoping to clear up any doubts you may have.
Can you upload FLAC songs to Amazon Music?
Sure. However, the sound quality may be impacted if you are not an Amazon Music Unlimited subscriber. This is because Amazon Music offers HD/Ultra quality only for Amazon Music Unlimited users. Prime and Free users will experience standard audio quality. Additionally, it is worth noting that the lossless music library of Amazon Music comprises only 70 million songs available. Uploading FLAC audio outside this library might result in compressed playback.
Can you buy lossless music on Amazon Music？
Unfortunately, the answer is no. Music files purchased on Amazon Music are generally saved in MP3 format, which is a compression format that can provide smaller file sizes and good sound quality, suitable for playback and transmission on a variety of devices.
While you can still enjoy lossless audio streaming in FLAC format provided by Amazon Music, if you want to get Amazon Music FLAC downloads for permanent offline playback, it is recommended to use TuneFab Amazon Music Converter as a solution.
Related Articles: How to Convert Amazon Prime M4A to MP3 (Full Guide)
Conclusion
Amazon Music's lossless FLAC songs have been welcomed by music lovers. However, it is important to note that HD audio quality is only available to Amazon Music Unlimited subscribers without extra cost, and only 70 million songs come with CD quality. Therefore, if you are a Prime member or a free user who wants to download Amazon Music to lossless FLAC songs, you may need to pay extra to upgrade or look into other solutions.
One convenient option is to use TuneFab Amazon Music Converter, which can help you convert Amazon music to FLAC format for permanent offline playback. This tool is not only useful for Prime and free users but also for Unlimited subscribers who encounter limitations in downloading specific songs in HD/Ultra HD quality. Additionally, TuneFab offers a free trial for beginners to explore its features. Give it a try and see if it works for you!
