Some questions about capturing from NPR Thistle Radio on demand stream

[jimdagys]

If you go to:
http://thistleradio.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=572&Itemid=109
(or google "Thistle and Shamrock")
and click on a red entry and then click on the "play" arrow, a NPR Media Player window opens up and you can listen to these 55 minute music shows. If you use Stream Transport (and it doesn't crash), you can download the 55 minute show in just a couple of minutes. However, if you use IDM to download the show, it takes the full 55 minutes to get the show.
Question #1
What is the technical reason that one software can download in just a few minutes, while another software only downloads in "real time"?
Unfortunately, on some Windows 8 computers, Stream Transport crashes ( Windows has to close error message).
Question #2
Is there another way (or software) that can be used to quickly download this show (on those computers where Stream Transport crashes)?

[nullacht]

http://thistleradio.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=572&Itemid=109

[...]

Is there another way (or software) that can be used to quickly download this show (on those computers where Stream Transport crashes)?

The Thistle & Shamrock: Irish Pairs

http://www.npr.org/player/v2/mediaPlayer.html?action=1&t=1&islist=false&id=470702544&m=470713724

http://api.npr.org/query?id=470702544&mediaId=470713724&fields=show,audio,multimedia,parent,titles,teasers,dates,song,album,product,text&apiKey=MDAzMzQ2MjAyMDEyMzk4MTU1MDg3ZmM3MQ010

http://pd.npr.org/anon.npr-mp3/npr/thistle/2016/03/20160316_thistle_01.mp3

http://pd.npr.org/npr-mp4/npr/thistle/2016/03/20160316_thistle_01.mp4

http://ivideo-i.akamaihd.net/i/npr-mp4/npr/thistle/2016/03/20160316_thistle_01,,.mp4.csmil/master.m3u8

http://hls.npr.org/nprhls//npr/thistle/2016/03/20160316_thistle_01/master.m3u8

livestreamer "hlsvariant://hls.npr.org/nprhls//npr/thistle/2016/03/20160316_thistle_01/master.m3u8" best -o 01.ts
[cli][info] Found matching plugin stream for URL hlsvariant://hls.npr.org/nprhls//npr/thistle/2016/03/20160316_thistle_01/master.m3u8
[cli][info] Available streams: 32k (worst), 48k, 64k (best)
[cli][info] Opening stream: 64k (hls)

MP3 = Audio: MP3 44100Hz stereo 256kbps [A: mp3, 44100 Hz, stereo, 256 kb/s]