ClassicsOnline: A Hi-Res Streaming Haven for Classical Music Lovers

ClassicsOnline combines extremely high-quality audio, a carefully curated catalog, and an exceptional search engine into one platform designed for classical music fans.  It’s the only dedicated streaming and download platform built specifically for classical music, with all its variety, complexity, and exquisite sound.

The platform comes out of Naxos’ decades-long devotion to bringing as much high-quality classical music to as many listeners as possible.  Its first foray into streaming began  more than a decade before streaming became popular.

“Naxos has always been a leader in new musical platforms,” says Naxos founder and head Klaus Heymann. “We introduced music streaming on www.naxos.com in 1996 and www.naxosmusiclibrary.com in 2002, long before subscription streaming services became fashionable.”

With ClassicsOnline, Naxos has perfected the art of High-Resolution streaming and downloading, giving listeners the full audio experience of great classical music. Users can stream in CD or High-Resolution sound quality ranging from 16-bit, 44.1 kHz all the way up to 24-bit, 192 kHz depending on the recording. Hi-Res technology achieves a much broader dynamic range and increases the amount of detail the human ear can hear, making the experience even more dynamic. ClassicsOnline utilizes a proprietary music player and codec that allows quality playback even when the bandwidth is fluctuating.

ClassicsOnline adds more content every week to its growing catalog from labels such as Naxos, Sony, Chandos, BIS, Harmonia Mundi, and many more. Finding pieces in a catalog of over 80,000 albums is remarkably simple using ClassicsOnline’s advanced search that allows for a variety of search criteria not available on most music sites. Users can look for all recordings in their favorite boutique label’s catalogue, or every piece by a Portuguese composer. Avid listeners can find everything from the same country and era as their favorite composer, or find pieces that feature a particular instrument.

“Our search engine is constructed by classical music experts, who understand that classical music requires more than just the name of a band or album name,” explains ClassicsOnline’s General Manager Steven Singer, a classical music industry veteran. “Along with the wonderful audio quality, this capability sets our platform apart. Classical music listeners can find what they want, or discover new music without needing to know the complete information in advance.”

This level of search is possible thanks to Naxos and ClassicsOnline’s curatorial team, who classify recordings’ metadata. “Our curators are trained musicologists who build on what Naxos has already created over many years: a comprehensive multi-layered database of classical music,” Singer says.

“ClassicsOnline is proof of our commitment to making a wide range of classical music available in state-of-the-art sound with a sophisticated search capability utilizing the vast data base of our various classical music services,” notes Heymann.

About ClassicsOnline

ClassicsOnline began operations as a worldwide music download destination website in May 2007. From inception, the site was designed to give classical music fans the best possible experience. In November 2014, Naxos announced plans to launch a new high-resolution, CD quality streaming and download platform version of the site. Designed with the discerning listener in mind, the proprietary adaptive bitrate streaming technology means that listeners receive the highest possible sound quality, ranging from 16-bit, 44.1 kHz all the way up to 24-bit, 192 kHz, allowed by their connection with no buffering or loss of signal. http://classicsonline.com