MP3 Panda Review
Contents:
The Scoop on MP3 Panda
MP3 Panda have been around since 2008 and are by far the most unusual site with their oriental site design, and who knew pandas liked mp3s? You learn something new everyday… The site is jazzy, colourful and full of music. The search box is easy to find and use, you can get to new releases, charts and genres all very easily. Our Verdict: The site is a breath of fresh air, something different with a nice design, it’s simple, does what you want it to and very easy to use. But best of all, it’s so cheap!
Signing Up
Signing up to MP3 Panda is very quick and easy, you just need an email address and a password and you can start downloading straight away. They do not offer newsletters or anything like that so you can’t be hassled too much like some mp3 sites do. MP3 Panda do not offer customers anything for signing up with them, just good old fashioned cheap mp3s! At 15¢ each, they are practically giving away their music anyway!
Payment Options and Offers
MP3 Panda take Visa as payment to your account. Their minimum top up varies on where you are, which is a little bit odd… If you are in the UK, you will see the minimum top up as $29.95, which is quite high, so you might be better off with a site like MP3va whose minimum top up is $14.95. If you are anywhere else, you will see the minimum as $20.00, so it’s a great deal, with songs being so cheap too! Either way, the minimum amount applies everytime you want to top up your account.
Prices
Track prices across the site are 15¢ each, making them one of the cheapest site out of all the sites we review! Most albums, however, are a set price at $1.49, so you can grab some real bargains!
Music Selection
MP3 Panda have over 2,485,700 tracks on the site to download; new, old, charts, rare, everything you can think of. MP3 Panda do not offer a music request service like other sites, but I’m sure if you asked they would do it! The site has extensive album art, some of the artist images are a bit wrong, but it always nice to have something to laugh at! The site allows previews of music to make sure you’re getting what you want. However, the preview is low quality, the actual download will be much better. MP3 Panda are one of the sites that offer ‘clean versions’ of tracks, so if you want clean tracks, MP3 Panda is the site for you.
Search Facility
MP3 Panda has a good search facility, the results are clear; it generally gives you what you searched for. It does seem to have trouble finding tracks, but as long as you know the artist or album it’s from it will more than likely find it for you. Once you have found what you want to download, you can buy individual tracks or the whole album. MP3 Panda do not offer an album discount, but they are very cheap so you’re not losing out.
Getting Tracks to your PC
MP3 Panda have a download manager that can help you with your downloads. Read about the manager, how to install it and how to use it here: MP3 Panda’s MP3 Downloader. You do not have to use their manager however. To get tracks from MP3 Panda to your pc, hit ‘download’ on the songs or album you want. As with most mp3 download websites, the mp3s you download are stored in your ‘Downloads’ section of your account which is found at the top of the site. From the downloads section, you need to click download again, this will save it to your pc. You will be asked where you want to save it to. It is best to save it either in ‘My Music’ or in ‘My Downloads’ on your pc. You can then use them as you would any other mp3 on your pc. They can be transferred to mp3 players, phones etc. Also, from the MP3 Panda ‘downloads’ section, you can see all your previously downloaded tracks, so you can re-download them if you lose the originals, or just see what you bought and when. However, albums only stay on your account for 48 hours, so make sure you download them from the site within this time, or you will need to re-download them.
File formats & Bitrates
Quality on MP3 Panda is varied, it goes up and down and there doesn’t seem to be a medium. One album may have qualities ranging from as low as 120kbps to 150kbps, other albums may be much better at 256kbps for each track. This doesn’t seem to match the age of the tracks or albums either, it’s not as if older albums are poor quality and all new ones are high, it is just completely random. So, be careful when you are downloading. Don’t just click ‘Download Album’ without having a quick scan of the qualities on the album, as 120kbps is low for an mp3 and you might be better off with a different mp3 site. See full descriptions of: DRM Free Music and Quality
Will it work with my iPod/iTunes?
Yes, downloads from MP3 Panda will work on your iTunes, iPod and anything else you have. All music is DRM free so it can be played on any mp3 device you have and there is no limit to how many copies you can keep lying around. Read how to put you’re downloads into your iTunes Library here: iTunes Guide.
Just music?
MP3 Panda lists audiobooks as well as mp3s.
Date: 20th December 2009
I was very sceptical at first and did as much research as I could on this site. After deciding it was safe and legal I went for it.
I am a rabid collector of music so I was like a kid in a candy store. Only hitch so far was when I hit 1000 downloads, the downloader seems to have stopped working.
I still have full access and don't get an error message but nothing happens when i try an download something.
I'm waiting on a response to fix this problem. But otherwise, even if I lose the $8 I have left it would be completely worth it. I've downloaded almost a 100 albums for $30.
Date: 5th January 2010
Date: 16th January 2010
Date: 14th January 2010
Low lights:
Takes some few weeks before u get the newly released albums
Register now and enjoy downloading
Date: 13th February 2010
Date: 7th February 2010
reply from mp3obsession.com:
The MP3 Panda free album of the day has been replaced by a current offer. As soon as the offer is over, the free album will be back as a regular feature. Find out more about the MP3 Panda Offer here.
Date: 13th March 2010
So far i've spent about $8 and i got over 140 songs, even though the free album everyday isn't in effect right now. Your money lasts forever here.
Date: 24th April 2010
Date: 28th March 2010
With albums at between 50c and $1.50 I've downloaded all sorts of stuff that I would never have thought of listening to before, like musicals and country.
Date: 30th March 2010
Date: 12th April 2010
Date: 16th May 2010
Date: 14th May 2010
(follow up)
I complained on their support page about the problem I had making payment and they responded in under and hour to tell me that they had "done something to" my account and I should try again.
Well I logged in again and it worked! Cheap and good quality mp3s, so I can't complain now.
Date: 19th February 2010
Date: 21st April 2010
Date: 28th March 2010
Date: 16th March 2010
Date: 20th April 2010
Used to be with GoMusic but am a well kept happy customer now.
Leave your review here:
Summary:
Min Top Up:
Album Discount:
Registration Bonus:
Music Library:
Payment Methods:
$20.00
20%
None
2,485,700
Visa
