Apple Music Hi-Res??

[Ponch0069]

Hello,

I have a hypothetical question. Let's say Apple announced that they will start streaming Hi-Res 96kHz, 24bit sampling rate for its Apple Music service in the fall. What would Apple need to do to allow the 96kHz, 24bit music to stream from iTunes on an iMac/PC to an Apple TV? Or would they need to come up with new Apple TV or similar device that has toslink out or USB out to allow connection to a DAC or Preamp or receiver?

[new_media]

Hello,

I have a hypothetical question. Let's say Apple announced that they will start streaming Hi-Res 96kHz, 24bit sampling rate for its Apple Music service in the fall. What would Apple need to do to allow the 96kHz, 24bit music to stream from iTunes on an iMac/PC to an Apple TV? Or would they need to come up with new Apple TV or similar device that has toslink out or USB out to allow connection to a DAC or Preamp or receiver?

 

My Apple TV 3 downgrades 24/96 ALAC to 16/48, and I'm not sure if the hardware is capable of going any higher even with a firmware upgrade.

 

I returned the Apple TV 4 because I don't have a DAC or a receiver that can pass HDMI audio. Maybe it could pass 24/96 PCM over HDMI with a firmware upgrade? The Apple specs page doesn't give any details about bit depth or sampling rate support.

 

If they did offer 24/96 streaming and sold a dedicated streamer with USB or optical audio output, I would buy it in a second.

[blownsi]

Hello,

I have a hypothetical question. Let's say Apple announced that they will start streaming Hi-Res 96kHz, 24bit sampling rate for its Apple Music service in the fall. What would Apple need to do to allow the 96kHz, 24bit music to stream from iTunes on an iMac/PC to an Apple TV? Or would they need to come up with new Apple TV or similar device that has toslink out or USB out to allow connection to a DAC or Preamp or receiver?

 

They need to revamp their airplay service as it's currently not capable. I don't know if this is a hardware or software limitation.

[gmgraves]

Hello,

I have a hypothetical question. Let's say Apple announced that they will start streaming Hi-Res 96kHz, 24bit sampling rate for its Apple Music service in the fall. What would Apple need to do to allow the 96kHz, 24bit music to stream from iTunes on an iMac/PC to an Apple TV? Or would they need to come up with new Apple TV or similar device that has toslink out or USB out to allow connection to a DAC or Preamp or receiver?

 

If Apple's 24/96 downloads were to be as lousy a quality as are their MP3 rips, then I hope their decision to stay out of the high-resolution music business is a permanent one. I admit that I have bought very little music via iTunes, everything that I have bough has sounded simply terrible. Case in point. I wanted the Alan Silvestri's score for "The Mummy Returns" so I nought it from iTunes. It was unlistenable: distorted, no real highs, no bass; a real disappointment. I mentioned this to a friend and he said that he had the CD and why didn't I borrow it and rip it at home. After all, I had already paid for the album on iTunes, so I already had a license to the performance. I borrowed his CD ripped it to ALC, and compared the "how-made" version to the Apple version, and it was almost impossible to believe that they were from the same source material. I have noticed this on other iTunes downloads as well. Needless to say, I haven't bought anything from them in a number of years.

[Paul R]

If Apple's 24/96 downloads were to be as lousy a quality as are their MP3 rips, then I hope their decision to stay out of the high-resolution music business is a permanent one. I admit that I have bought very little music via iTunes, everything that I have bough has sounded simply terrible. Case in point. I wanted the Alan Silvestri's score for "The Mummy Returns" so I nought it from iTunes. It was unlistenable: distorted, no real highs, no bass; a real disappointment. I mentioned this to a friend and he said that he had the CD and why didn't I borrow it and rip it at home. After all, I had already paid for the album on iTunes, so I already had a license to the performance. I borrowed his CD ripped it to ALC, and compared the "how-made" version to the Apple version, and it was almost impossible to believe that they were from the same source material. I have noticed this on other iTunes downloads as well. Needless to say, I haven't bought anything from them in a number of years.

 

Sure you are talking about Apple there? I don't believe they sell any MP3s at all...

[johndean]

My Apple TV 3 downgrades 24/96 ALAC to 16/48, and I'm not sure if the hardware is capable of going any higher even with a firmware upgrade.

 

I returned the Apple TV 4 because I don't have a DAC or a receiver that can pass HDMI audio. Maybe it could pass 24/96 PCM over HDMI with a firmware upgrade? The Apple specs page doesn't give any details about bit depth or sampling rate support.

 

If they did offer 24/96 streaming and sold a dedicated streamer with USB or optical audio output, I would buy it in a second.

 

No kidding . I'd buy it in a second too . I'm just not sure what would push Apple into hi -res . Maybe the MQA talk ?

[gmgraves]

Sure you are talking about Apple there? I don't believe they sell any MP3s at all...

 

OK, I misspoke, they're AAC, but that's still a lossy compression algorithm and very similar to MP3. Every AAC file that I have ever purchased from iTunes has been unlistenable as far as I'm concerned. It's not the CODEC either, it's just poor quality ripping by whoever is doing it, I suspect.