| Service | Available Albums | Resolution | Purchase Model | |---------|----------------|------------|----------------| | Qobuz | ~15 studio + 6 compilations | 16/44.1 or 24/96 | Per album | | HDtracks | Tea for the Tillerman (24/96), Teaser (24/96) | 24/96 | Per album | | 7digital | Full back catalog | 16/44.1 FLAC | Per album | | Presto Music | Many Cat Stevens/Yusuf titles | 16/44.1 or 24/96 | Per album |
Total cost for full studio discography (lossless): Approximately $120–150 USD. cat stevens discography flac top
For those wanting a shotgun blast of hits, the 2023 high-res remaster is the top choice. Songs taken from different albums have been leveled for volume without sacrificing dynamics. Private trackers (REDacted) have verified FLACs but require
| Source | Quality | Notes | |--------|---------|-------| | Qobuz | 24-bit up to 192kHz | Often has the 2020 remasters. Downloadable FLAC. | | HDtracks | 24/96 | Same remasters. Watch for sales. | | Presto Music | 16/44.1 FLAC | Classic albums in CD-quality, DRM-free. | | 7digital | 16/44.1 or 24/96 | Reliable, less known but legit. | | Bandcamp | (Yusuf/Cat Stevens) | Some live/rare releases in FLAC. | | Service | Available Albums | Resolution |
⚠️ Avoid “free FLAC” torrents. Many are upscaled MP3s. Verify with Spek (spectrogram) — true FLAC shows full frequency response up to 22.05kHz (for 44.1kHz) or beyond.
If you own the original A&M or Island CDs from the 1980s, rip them to FLAC yourself. Those pre-loudness-war masters have dynamic range scores (DR) of 12-14. The 2020 remasters are beautiful but slightly compressed (DR 9-11). Both have merit — keep two FLAC versions for different moods.
So, build your FLAC collection starting with Tea for the Tillerman (24/96), then Teaser and the Firecat (SHM-CD rip), then chase Saturnight. Your ears — and your favorite headphones — will thank you.