Help Page

Just follow our simple guide below and you can enjoy the convenience, speed, quality and flexibility of Linn Records digital downloads. You can even download the original album artwork. This service is suitable for Mac, PC and Linux users.

Choose your music

All titles in the Linn Records' catalogue are available to download, even if a title is out of stock. You can download an entire album or particular tracks. If you are not sure where to start why not browse our Discover page to find out what’s new? All Studio Master and CD quality albums come with a free MP3 as standard.

Choose your quality and file type

Studio Master: The Ultimate Download

A 24-bit Studio Master download is the highest quality music file on the market. They have a bit depth of 24-bit, and at a sample rate of up to 192 kHz - which gives you over six times the music data you get on a CD.

Available in a choice of digital music formats, Studio Master music has the same quality as the original recording, which means it has a far higher resolution than formats such as CD or MP3.

Studio Master FLAC (Free Lossless Audio Codec):
Do you want to hear music as it sounded in the recording session? Then this format is best for you.

Studio Master FLAC downloads offer true studio quality. These lossless downloads are suitable for all computer users, but please check the compatibility of your equipment before downloading, especially for 192kHz files.

Studio Master ALAC (Apple Lossless Audio Codec):
Do you want to hear music as it sounded in the recording session? Then this format is best for you.

Studio Master ALAC downloads offer true studio quality. These lossless downloads are suitable for all computer users, but please check the compatibility of your equipment before downloading, especially for 192kHz files.

iTunes supports playback of 24-bit Apple Lossless (ALAC) files but iOS devices (iPad, iPhone, iPod) can currently only play 16-bit Apple Lossless (ALAC) files.

CD quality FLAC (Free Lossless Audio Codec):
Want a download that is identical to a CD? Then this format is best for you.

FLAC files are lossless which means the audio has been compressed without any loss in audio quality so your downloads will sound just like a physical CD. You can easily burn a copy onto a CD-R.

CD quality ALAC (Apple Lossless Audio Codec):
Want a download that is identical to a CD? Then this format is best for you.

ALAC files are lossless which means the audio has been compressed without any loss in audio quality so your downloads will sound just like a physical CD. You can easily add ALAC files to iTunes or burn a copy onto a CD-R.

MP3:
Want to add music to your iPod or other portable player? Then this format is best for you. Linn offers the highest quality of MP3 possible at 320kbps.

MP3s are a type of music file that has been compressed. The benefit of MP3s is that these are very small audio files, so they're faster to download. MP3s are suitable for all computer users and most portable devices.

Check you have made the right choice

We recommend that you download a test file before you make a purchase. This will ensure you have chosen the correct quality and file type for your system.

Purchase and download

Now you are ready to checkout! When you have purchased your download(s) you will be given the option to 'Download Music'. Click on this link and your download(s) will be displayed. Use the bespoke Linn Download Manager (LDM) to download multiple tracks or albums and artwork together.

Enjoy!

Our free test files are available for you to test which audio format is compatible with your system. You can choose between ALAC, FLAC, CD Quality and MP3 formats and Studio Master (also known as HD, hi-res or high definition) formats from 192kHz, 96kHz and 44.1kHz sample rates.

The tracks in this test file collection are taken from three very diverse but equally beautiful albums. 

Award-winning pianist Ingrid Fliter performs one of Chopin's 3 Ecossaises, the Grammy nominated Dunedin Consort provide Bach's Organ Prelude Vom Himmel kam and we have Meine Rose from the great Schumann song interpretations of James Gilchrist.

Click here to visit the test files album page.

Studio Master FLAC/ALAC

If absolute sound quality is what you want then this file is best for you.

Studio Master files are lossless at various high sample rates, for example, 44.1KHz, 48KHz, 88.2KHz, 96KHz and 192KHz (check each title for actual details). The format will be dependent on the actual recording method we used originally. These files offer true studio quality and are far higher in quality than can be achieved on CD.

Where a 192KHz Studio Master is offered, this is the true recording master. Because the majority of soundcards and some media players are only capable of playing back at sample rates of up to 96KHz, we also make a 96KHz Studio Master available for these albums so all customers can still enjoy the benefits of hi-res sound.

Please note also that the 192KHz files are approximately twice the size of a 96KHz Studio Master and may consequently take up to twice as long to download.

FLAC/ALAC files can be imported into many media players, such as any Linn DS digital music player. All the Linn DS players are fully 192KHz compatible and will be able to play these files as easily as the 88.2KHz Studio Masters.

There are many other players available: iTunes supports ALAC and Songbird, Media Monkey and Foobar support FLAC. Microsoft does not yet support high bit-rate FLAC/ALAC, so you will need to convert the files if you wish to use Windows Media Player. There is free conversion software available on the web.

Before making any download purchase is very important to check using the test files to see whether your system is compatible.

All Studio Master albums come with a free MP3 as standard.

CD Quality FLAC/ALAC

If CD sound quality is what you want then this file is best for you.

FLAC/ALAC are lossless formats which allow us to compress the music in a lossless manner ensuring that you get all the benefit of a full bandwidth audio performance, but with a file size that is around half that of a normal CD.

FLAC/ALAC files can be imported and played on a variety of media players, such as any Linn DS digital music player. There are many other players available: iTunes supports ALAC and Songbird, Media Monkey and Foobar support FLAC. Microsoft does not yet support high bit-rate FLAC/ALAC, so you will need to convert the files if you wish to use Windows Media Player. There is free conversion software available on the web.

Before making any download purchase is very important to check by downloading our free test files to see whether your system is compatible.

All CD quality albums come with a free MP3 as standard.

MP3

This file type should work with all computer types including PC, Mac and Linux. This is similar to what most other download sites refer to as "CD" quality. In fact, what they normally mean is that the file is digital, most other compressed music delivery sites deliver very poor audio quality. The audio that we offer is compressed but only to the point that sound quality doesn't suffer unduly (320kbps compared to other sites which are 128kbps).

If the download speed of your internet connection is a concern then this file is best for you. This type of download file is the only one to consider if you have dial up, the others are much too large to download over a dial up connection.

LinnRecords.com is a digital only website which means we only sell downloads.

Most of Linn's recordings are also available on CD and you can find these from all the usual online and high street retailers. If a title is available on CD we include a 'Buy CD' link underneath the sleeve image on the album page. This link takes you to our partner website Outhere Music which offers free worldwide shipping. You can view our CD catalogue on Outhere here.

There are thirty second sound samples available for every track on LinnRecords.com. To start listening to a track simply hover on the track and a little play button will appear. Click to listen.

The three dots to the left of the play button will reveal full track information such as soloists, conductor, orchestra etc.

If you would like to listen to longer samples all of Linn's music is available to stream on Apple Music, Spotify and other streaming sites which would give you the option to hear the tracks in full.

Visit the album page of your selected album by clicking on the title link or the album image.

You will see the option to 'Buy the album' and the price displayed in yellow. Next to the 'Buy the album' button you will find a dropdown box with all the different qualities and file types that are available for that particular album.

Click into the dropdown to choose from options including MP3, CD Quality (FLAC or ALAC), Studio Master (FLAC or ALAC) at 192KHz, 96KHz, 88.2KHz, 48KHz or 44.1KHz. For more information on which quality level is best for you please click on the topic called 'Beginner's Guide to Choosing a Download'.

Only the options that are available for that particular album will be shown. Select the one you would like.

Click the 'Buy the album' button for your chosen quality.

The album will be added to your basket.

If you wish to remove items from your basket you can do so by clicking 'My Basket' and amending the quantity. Once you have selected all your items for purchase click on ‘My Basket’ and then ‘Basket’ to proceed through the checkout (for more information please click on the topic called 'Completing a Purchase').

Once your payment has been accepted you will then be able to download the available artwork and your tracks, using the link provided or the Linn Download Manager app.

You will not be charged for shipping on any download purchase.

Visit the album page of your selected album by clicking on the title link or the album image.

You will see the option to 'Buy the album' and the price displayed in yellow. Next to the 'Buy the album' button you will find a dropdown box with all the different qualities and file types that are available for that particular album.

Click into the dropdown to choose from options including MP3, CD Quality (FLAC or ALAC), Studio Master (FLAC or ALAC) at 192KHz, 96KHz, 88.2KHz, 48KHz or 44.1KHz. For more information on which quality level is best for you please click on the topic called 'Beginner's Guide to Choosing a Download'.

Only the options that are available for that particular album will be shown. Select the one you would like.

Ignore the yellow 'Buy the album' button and instead click the 'buy' button next to the track you would like to buy.

The track will be added to your basket.

If you wish to remove items from your basket you can do so by clicking 'My Basket' and amending the quantity. Once you have selected all your items for purchase click on ‘My Basket’ and then ‘Basket’ to proceed through the checkout (for more information please click on the topic called 'Completing a Purchase').

Once your payment has been accepted you will then be able to download the available artwork and your tracks, using the link provided or the Linn Download Manager app.

You will not be charged for shipping on any download purchase.

If you are purchasing downloads for the first time, please ensure that you have chosen the correct format and quality for your system by downloading the  free test files. 

When you have added all the music you wish to order to your basket, simply click on the 'My Basket' button at the top of the screen and then ‘Basket’.

This will open your basket and give you the option to 'Checkout'.

If you are not already signed in you will be directed to ‘Login’ or if you are a ‘New Customer’, to create an account.

The ‘Order information’ page asks you to complete your address (this must be your billing address at which your payment card is registered) and payment details.

If you have a discount code you should enter it in the appropriate box and click 'update'. If the discount code is for a free album, and you are not buying anything else, then you will not be asked for any payment information, only address information.

If you are paying by PayPal you will be redirected to your PayPal account to complete payment.

If you are paying by card you should input your card number, expiry date and security code (CVC).

You can either ‘Select a billing address’ from a previously saved order or click the dropdown to select ‘+ Enter a new billing address’.

When you enter a new address first select your country alphabetically from the dropdown and then fill in the fields below. Required fields are marked with an asterix and must be correctly formatted. If you enter a new address you will be given the option to ‘Save to my address book’ which will allow you to select the pre-formatted address next time you place an order.

If you choose a saved address that is not correctly formatted you will be asked to fill in or correct any missing fields.

Once all your information is correct you can click ‘Continue to review’. If you are happy to place your order please click ‘Pay and complete checkout’ which will process your order.

You will receive confirmation of your order to the email address provided during checkout, or, if you paid via PayPal, the email address associated with your PayPal account.

Once your payment has been accepted you will then be able to download any associated artwork and your tracks.

We recommend that you use a download manager if you are downloading several tracks. This enables you to leave your computer to download all the tracks together. We recommend that you use the bespoke Linn Download Manager (LDM), but you will also be given the option to download a zip file.

We accept Mastercard, Visa Credit and American Express. You can also pay by PayPal. 

Credit card data is saved securely by our payment processor Stripe. Linn has no access to this data. The card transaction is handled by our credit card service provider and no credit card data is held by Linn at any time.

If you wish to amend, update or remove card data you can do this by logging in to 'My account' and clicking on 'Payment methods'.

Payment will be taken in the same currency that is displayed, based on your location: British Pounds, Euros or US Dollars.

LinnRecords.com will appear on your statement as Outhere.

Linn Records discount codes can be used to obtain a discount on a purchase at LinnRecords.com.

When you receive your discount code you will be informed which titles, artists, genres and formats it applies to.

Some discount codes are valid for more than one use, while others are valid for a single use. If it is valid for a single use you should ensure you purchase all the items you want in one transaction.

Add your chosen items to your Basket (keeping in mind that for the discount code to work your music must be eligible and the discount code mustn't have expired).

On the ‘Order information’ page you will see a prompt which reads ‘Enter your discount code here'. Click this before you enter any payment information.

Once you have entered your discount code click ‘apply discount code’ and the basket will recalculate the total due.

If the discount applied by the discount code leaves a zero total due you will not be asked for any payment details, only address details.

Proceed to complete your purchase as normal. Please note only one discount code can be used per transaction.

To log in click on 'Log in' in the top right hand corner of the website. Enter your email address and password.

If you have not logged in at all since we re-launched our website in 2018, you may need to re-set your password. You can do this by using the 'Forgot your password' link. (And don't worry if you've got your current password memorized, you can use the same one again.)

If you have not visited before you can click 'Create new account'.

You can also log in during the checkout process.

If you are signed in to your account at LinnRecords.com you can manage your personal information, your address book, your payment methods and more.

To view your account, log in and click on your name (in the top right hand corner). These are the options that are available to you.

My account

This shows your profile and name and address details.

If you click on 'Change settings' you can update your password and other information.

If you click on 'Change preferences' you can subscribe or unsubscribe to our newsletter.

Address book

Your address book will save the addresses that you have previously used for orders. You can edit or delete addresses here. If you have more than one address you can set one as your default address, which means it will be pre-selected for future orders.

Payment methods

Purchases made from October 2020 will securely save card details for a more efficient checkout. Credit card data is saved securely by our payment processor Stripe. Linn has no access to this data. If you wish to amend, update or remove card data you can do this here. 

Orders

You can find download links for your previous purchases here as well as complete order history. If you have any queries about any previous orders you can find the order number here prior to emailing us.

There are two ways in which we recommend you download your music.

You can use the Linn Download Manager app or you can download a zip folder. Both options will appear immediately after purchase and in your confirmation email.

You can also find the Linn Download Manager (LDM) links on the footer of the homepage. There are links for Windows and Mac users. Please choose the correct one and follow the automated install process. There is more information about the LDM app on the Help page.

If you download the zip folder you can open it by double-clicking on it.

You can also visit your account page at LinnRecords.com and find a link to ‘download files’ in the ‘Orders’ tab. This will download a zip folder containing your files.

Please note that all Studio Master and CD quality albums come with a free MP3 as standard.

If you are looking for older purchases or you receive an error message which trying to access your previous purchases please contact us for assistance.

All lossless album downloads include the embedded sleeve artwork.

If there is additional artwork available to download, such as a booklet or inlay, you will be able to download these after your have purchased the album by visiting the album page and clicking on the link. In order for the website to recognise that you have purchased the album and are therefore entitled to download the artwork, please make sure you are logged in.

You can find the Linn Download Manager (LDM) links on the footer of the homepage. There are links for Windows and Mac users. Please choose the correct one and follow the automated install process. Please note the old Linn Download Manager will no longer work, so please delete it from your machine.

The LDM has been created to enable you to download multiple tracks, albums and sleeves together and organise your music library so that you can always find your music. Using the LDM saves time and effort in comparison to downloading each track and album sleeve individually.  For this reason when downloading a full album or several tracks we recommend you use the LDM.     

Once you have installed the LDM you can log in to your account. You must have firstly created and activated your Linn account. If you do not have one, you can create one here. Once you are logged in please set your 'Download Location'. The default folder is usually your Music folder, but it can be any location you wish. To update it simply click on the current location and it will open a browser window where you can select your preferred location. Once you have done so click 'OK' to save your preference.

You will see two headers: 'New Downloads' and 'Previous Downloads', plus a cloud type symbol which allows you to download 'All Available' downloads with one click.

You can also choose to download only certain tracks or albums at a time by selecting each one and then using the download selector at the bottom of the app.

If you do not see your new downloads immediately just hit 'Refresh' at the top of the app to refresh the list.

If you cannot access your music in this way it is likely because you have used up your download allowance or you are trying to download a purchase made before November 2018. In either of these cases we can simply re-set your download for you. To ask for a re-set please contact us at info@linnrecords.com.

You can access a missing track in several ways.

You can use the Linn Download Manager (LDM) and find what you are looking for in ‘New Downloads’ or ‘Previous Downloads’.

You can visit the album page and amend the ‘Quality’ to match the one you ordered, which should change the ‘Buy’ option to a ‘Download’ option.

You can download the zip folder from the link in the order confirmation email or by visiting visit your account page at LinnRecords.com and using the ‘download files’ link in the ‘Orders’ tab.

If you cannot access your music in any of these ways it is likely because you have used up your download allowance or you are trying to download a purchase made before November 2018. In either of these cases we can simply re-set your download for you. To ask for a re-set please contact us at info@linnrecords.com.

Here are some solutions if you encounter a problem downloading your music.

Access Denied message

The 'Access Denied' message usually appears if you are not logged in. If you click the download link in your order confirmation email it could be that it opens by default in another browser - one in which you are not logged in. If you are definitely logged in, it could be that your download allowances require a re-set. You can contact us to request that.

Only the booklet downloads

This is typically because of a setting in Safari's browser preferences. If you click 'Safari' then 'Preferences' whilst you are in that web browser, you will see an option at the bottom called 'open "safe" files for downloading'. If you untick this it should solve the problem. If you are not using Safari, please contact us for assistance.

Want to know more?  Visit Linn.co.uk