How do I dowload higher rez songs on iTunes?

You do know that you can just "rip" songs from your cds right? This is when you would make sure the importing setting are on Apple Lossless before you start. I still occasionally talk to people who think you have to download everything you put on an ipod.

Even iTunes + ('higher' res) downloads are only 256K mp3.
That's somewhat better than their sadly inadequate 'standard' downloads, but not satisfactory for most audiophiles.

As Synthfreek said, stick to ripping music from your own cds. I would save iTunes for downloading spoken word podcasts, or perhaps for downloading selected songs as 'trials' before buying them on physical cds.

iTunes 'standard' downloads are only 128k.

A brief rant (sorry if I'm off topic):

To me, this is the biggest crime against music and audiophilia. A whole generation of people are growing up without ever hearing even 'cd' quality music. With broadband becoming almost universal, there is no longer a need to decimate the sound in the name of download speeds. Would authors stand for 'abridged' versions only of their books sold on Amazon? Would movie producers/directors stand for lopped off edges of their films on all versions rented on Netflix? Musicians and music consumers need to demand better from iTunes and other digital download sites!