Article: High Resolution Audio Isn't Coming Soon From Apple

[theoctopus]

As a highly subjective article, this is a fun read. However, as someone who makes records for a living, I can tell you: Apple is going to offer 96k 24bit downloads, at some point in the future, probably when they have a significant catalog . How do I know this? Because I regularly deal with many of the world's top mastering engineers, and they tell me. Also, some of the albums I have worked on in the past were decently successful, and as a result, I have been contacted by artists who are trying to track down their master tapes so that they can remaster the album at 96k, expressly for this purpose. Everyone seems to be trying to keep it kind of quiet, but they aren't really trying very hard.

 

So, yes, it's fun to talk about the good and bad points of iTunes, or to try and read the tea leaves in your glass, or you could just ask people who are making records. It's not even much of a secret at this point, so I'm kind of surprised to see so much conjecture.

[gone26]

The PONO is coming this fall along with an increased demand for Hi-Rez audio...

for a completely new audience, so whether it is Apple or HDTracks or HDNapster, the content will find it's way to the public.

 

AT&T, Apple and other content providers should learn a lesson from the early days of pirated content and make it easy and affordable to get this content.

 

BTW, the miniSD card may turn out to be the new CD. If the big boys don't find a way they may well leave the $$ on the sidewalk while the pirates rule the HD seas.

[The Computer Audiophile]

There is no deeper meaning. I am just laughing at the Freudian slip.

Huh?

[The Computer Audiophile]

As a highly subjective article, this is a fun read. However, as someone who makes records for a living, I can tell you: Apple is going to offer 96k 24bit downloads, at some point in the future, probably when they have a significant catalog . How do I know this? Because I regularly deal with many of the world's top mastering engineers, and they tell me. Also, some of the albums I have worked on in the past were decently successful, and as a result, I have been contacted by artists who are trying to track down their master tapes so that they can remaster the album at 96k, expressly for this purpose. Everyone seems to be trying to keep it kind of quiet, but they aren't really trying very hard.

 

So, yes, it's fun to talk about the good and bad points of iTunes, or to try and read the tea leaves in your glass, or you could just ask people who are making records. It's not even much of a secret at this point, so I'm kind of surprised to see so much conjecture.

If I received a dollar for every time I've been told this is be retired on the beach. People have been saying this for so many years.

[The Computer Audiophile]

The PONO is coming this fall along with an increased demand for Hi-Rez audio...

for a completely new audience, so whether it is Apple or HDTracks or HDNapster, the content will find it's way to the public.

 

AT&T, Apple and other content providers should learn a lesson from the early days of pirated content and make it easy and affordable to get this content.

 

BTW, the miniSD card may turn out to be the new CD. If the big boys don't find a way they may well leave the $$ on the sidewalk while the pirates rule the HD seas.

Is AT&T a content provider?

[The Computer Audiophile]

That's for sure, I bet a lot of the "DAC"/ speaker/amp manufacturers would love to have a dead business product like the iPod.

But Apple is far from the normal DAC manufacturer. When sales continue to slip 52% year over year it's time to cut one's losses.

[new_media]

BTW, the miniSD card may turn out to be the new CD. If the big boys don't find a way they may well leave the $$ on the sidewalk while the pirates rule the HD seas.

 

SanDisk already tried this once with "slotMusic." I haven't seen any remnants of it lately so I assume it failed miserably.

 

[palehillrider]

I suppose. Although if it was high res capable? Which would you want if they were equal in sound quality?

 

[ATTACH=CONFIG]13260[/ATTACH]

 

[ATTACH=CONFIG]13261[/ATTACH]

 

Seeing as the iPod is 160GB as opposed to 128GB for the PONO.

 

No contest, Pono wins this one. iPod 160 is a mechanical hard drive.

It's Apple's closed system with no memory card swaps possible.

I wouldn't buy a camera that worked this way.

 

Other reasons? The form. Maybe the Pono will be a bit bulky to walk around with, that's not my intended use.

On a table in a stereo setup, it's angled screen should work better than flat.

 

And the interface will use a touch screen versus the rotary dial of the iPod.

 

Assuming a good outcome with the audio portion, look at what you will not need for a good sound system.

A computer, a DAC, and the cable between them (how much discussion is there on CA about just USB cables).

And, all the other discussions regarding power supplies may be moot as well.

 

This from a long time and current user of iPods in all flavors....

[mav52]

But Apple is far from the normal DAC manufacturer. When sales continue to slip 52% year over year it's time to cut one's losses.

 

I just don't see Apple cutting iTunes not yet. And sure Apple is a lot bigger than all the Dac manufactures combined but it appears their main goal is challenge Samsung . Now if Apple fails at that then we see Apple cut ones losses and iTunes won't be the only item going. I see the Mac mini as a cut not to mention employes.

[The Computer Audiophile]

I just don't see Apple cutting iTunes not yet. And sure Apple is a lot bigger than all the Dac manufactures combined but it appears their main goal is challenge Samsung . Now if Apple fails at that then we see Apple cut ones losses and iTunes won't be the only item going. I see the Mac mini as a cut not to mention employes.

I hear ya Mav.

[drez]

I think there will be a time when Hi-Res makes sense for apple, I would expect it would be a necessary part of differentiating between streaming and downloadable content. Unfortunately I think this might be a case where there just aren't enough people who are interested in Hi-Res, and to be honest I can understand why. It also takes a very good system to show any real advantage in Hi-Res, and personally I don't see the new Apple Thunderbolt earphones being at anywhere near this level of fidelity. So if Apple starts supporting Hi-Res, but doesn't sell the gear capable of taking advantage of it, then they are kind of shooting themselves in the foot .

[new_media]

iTunes isn't going away because people still sync their iPhones and iPads to them.

 

But Apples's stand-alone music player business is dwindling. Apparently the iPod Classic is no longer available as a refurb, which is the first sign of it dropping out of the supply chain. Not to mention the fact that it's the only model not to get upgraded with a Lightning port.

[DRB]

The PONO is coming this fall along with an increased demand for Hi-Rez audio...

for a completely new audience, so whether it is Apple or HDTracks or HDNapster, the content will find it's way to the public.

 

AT&T, Apple and other content providers should learn a lesson from the early days of pirated content and make it easy and affordable to get this content.

 

BTW, the miniSD card may turn out to be the new CD. If the big boys don't find a way they may well leave the $$ on the sidewalk while the pirates rule the HD seas.

 

The Pono got less than 20,000 people to sign up in a month. Apple has over 800,000,000 iTunes account holders. Do the math. Pono is only going to take some of the Astell & Kern marketshare, which is also VERY small in comparison. The number of people downloading 24 Bit files isn't that many. It's definitely about 1% of the market. Apple is probably the most likely candidate to actually get 24 Bit actually sold to the mass market, but there are two distinct reasons why it will be slow to adopt.

 

1. Availability of content.

2. Price.

 

The masses barely pay $.99 or $1.29 a song now and it's less likely they'll pay twice that amount.

[new_media]

It's definitely about 1% of the market. Apple is probably the most likely candidate to actually get 24 Bit actually sold to the mass market, but there are two distinct reasons why it will be slow to adopt.

 

1. Availability of content.

2. Price.

 

The masses barely pay $.99 or $1.29 a song now and it's less likely they'll pay twice that amount.

 

Maybe I'm being naive, but I still think that hi-res could take off with the right marketing. The going rate for new releases on vinyl these days seems to be about $25, and people are apparently more than happy to pay that. I'd much rather pay $18 for 24/96 myself.

 

I don't know how the vinyl industry managed to convince everyone and his mother that "analog always sounds better than digital," but the message certainly seems to have stuck. I've even seen people touting the sonic benefits of cassette tapes because they are analog.

[kirkmc]

No it doesn't. You're thinking of something else.

[kirkmc]

T-Mobile will do almost anything to get customers now. It's has been close to death and acquisition many times including right now with sprint.

 

Doesnt sway my opinion :~)

 

Other carriers in Europe do similar things: here in the UK, with certain contracts, I can stream free from Deezer; other countries give free Spotify streaming, and it doesn't affect your data. Don't just look at the US to see how the carriers act; often the innovations are tested in Europe first (such as a carrier here planning to offer wifi calls for areas with poor cell coverage).

 

Kirk

[kirkmc]

The iPod is done. People used to use them everywhere. I haven't seen one in the wild for a couple years. It's all about iPhone and iPad now.

 

I still see people running with them. I wouldn't know what devices people are using when I see someone walking around with headphones and a device in their pocket though.

 

Kirk

[kirkmc]

But Apple is far from the normal DAC manufacturer. When sales continue to slip 52% year over year it's time to cut one's losses.

 

It's not a fair comparison. Much of the drop in iPod sales is going to iPhones and iPads. I think we need to think of the iPhone as an iPod that makes phone calls, not a totally different device.

 

Kirk

[kirkmc]

iTunes isn't going away because people still sync their iPhones and iPads to them.

 

But Apples's stand-alone music player business is dwindling. Apparently the iPod Classic is no longer available as a refurb, which is the first sign of it dropping out of the supply chain. Not to mention the fact that it's the only model not to get upgraded with a Lightning port.

 

A minor quibble, but the iPod shuffle doesn't have a lightning port either.

 

Kirk

[The Computer Audiophile]

It's not a fair comparison. Much of the drop in iPod sales is going to iPhones and iPads. I think we need to think of the iPhone as an iPod that makes phone calls, not a totally different device.

 

Kirk

I disagree.

 

The iPod is dead.

 

The iPhone is what Apple cares about.

 

They are two different products.

 

The iPod is dead due to the iPhone.

[The Computer Audiophile]

Other carriers in Europe do similar things: here in the UK, with certain contracts, I can stream free from Deezer; other countries give free Spotify streaming, and it doesn't affect your data. Don't just look at the US to see how the carriers act; often the innovations are tested in Europe first (such as a carrier here planning to offer wifi calls for areas with poor cell coverage).

 

Kirk

I get my lossless streaming from Norway (WiMP). I do watch what's going on in several other countries.

 

I get my Beats subscription through AT&T Wireless. Lossy content is fine with AT&T.

[The Computer Audiophile]

Maybe I'm being naive, but I still think that hi-res could take off with the right marketing. The going rate for new releases on vinyl these days seems to be about $25, and people are apparently more than happy to pay that. I'd much rather pay $18 for 24/96 myself.

 

I don't know how the vinyl industry managed to convince everyone and his mother that "analog always sounds better than digital," but the message certainly seems to have stuck. I've even seen people touting the sonic benefits of cassette tapes because they are analog.

The analog uptick in sales is because vinyl is in fashion right now. Very little to do with sound quality for the majority of consumers.

[new_media]

Oh, I agree that the vinyl resurgence is a fad. I even know people who collect vinyl and don't even own turntables; but I still wish I had a nickel for every person that has robotically repeated to me that vinyl always sounds best because it is analog.

 

If only 24/96 could become the next fad...

[realhifi]

If I received a dollar for every time I've been told this is be retired on the beach. People have been saying this for so many years.

 

Really? I must be in a very different circle. I never hear this from friends or relatives. Only on blogs or maybe at a very specialized hifi show. Even the clients I work with are mostly oblivious to the rumors. Except of course the few fringe high end customers.

[The Computer Audiophile]

Really? I must be in a very different circle.

Ah ok then.