Article: Apple Music Lossless, High Resolution, and Dolby Atmos Announced

[Rexp]

The wireless transmission element is most interesting to me. If they've come up with a way of wirelessly streaming CD res from a mobile device to a receiver chip without using wifi then I would subscribe. 

[Rexp]

29 minutes ago, wklie said:

I can only tell users to use AirPlay for Apple Music - at this time I am not aware of another way of supporting Apple Music on our products.

 

We are full speed ahead on adding support for Spotify HiFi though.

Maybe they'll use a new bluetooth codec? 

[Rexp]

7 minutes ago, ChipotleCoyote said:

 

They will not. :) Apple confirmed to The Verge that lossless audio is not supported on any model of AirPods, which use AAC over Bluetooth; if they're not bringing it to their own Bluetooth hardware, they're definitely not bringing it to anyone else's. (To be fair, I don't think they could bring it to anyone else's, since I don't think there are any lossless Bluetooth codecs, period; even if Apple came up with one, both ends would need it.) According to MacRumors, not even the (no longer made) HomePod or the (still made) HomePod mini will work with Apple's lossless audio, although MacRumors is living up to their name and quoting "unnamed sources" on that -- it's documented that AirPlay is at capable of CD-quality lossless ALAC streaming, but reports are fuzzy as to whether it can currently do higher resolution.

 

As I mentioned earlier, I'm less pessimistic than some others about the potential of Apple opening this up -- on their video streaming service, they've taken a "the more the merrier" approach to third-party clients, and there are a few third-party Apple Music clients out there, and even first-party clients for Android and Samsung TVs. But "less pessimistic" isn't the same as "optimistic." I'm pretty sure that personally, the only way I'll get it on my living room system is through my Apple TV hardware. (My A/V receiver has BluOS in it and could almost certainly be upgraded to support Apple Music with proper API support, but -- based on my experience with NAD/Bluesound so far -- I wouldn't be holding my breath for them to do that any time soon, even if Apple not only gives the okay but Tim Cook personally delivers API documentation to them.)

Oh well, hopefully someone else will develop it in the future. 

[Rexp]

1 hour ago, seeteeyou said:

Bluetooth should be a dead end for streaming Hi-Res audio via lossless CODECs, pretty much like Apple Music is a dead end for 3rd party developers

 

https://toolstud.io/video/audiosize.php

 

https://www.silabs.com/documents/login/presentations/tech-talks-evolution-of-bluetooth-5-5-1-5-2.pdf#page=4

 

https://www.silabs.com/documents/login/presentations/tech-talks-evolution-of-bluetooth-5-5-1-5-2.pdf#page=5

 

No, Bluetooth cannot deliver hi-res audio
https://darko.audio/2020/11/no-bluetooth-cannot-deliver-hi-res-audio/

 

The ultimate guide to Bluetooth headphones: LDAC isn’t Hi-res
https://www.soundguys.com/ldac-ultimate-bluetooth-guide-20026/

 

Bluetooth codecs 101: Everything you need to know
https://www.androidauthority.com/bluetooth-codecs-997074/

 

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And then they've gotta update AirPlay 2 or something, otherwise we'll have to wait for stuff like AirPlay 2.5 or 3 etc.

 

https://www.forbes.com/sites/marksparrow/2019/10/23/bws-formation-wedge-sounds-awesome-but-needs-some-polish

 

https://www.technologyfocus.net/can-airplay-2-support-hi-res-audio/

 

Not promising at all, therefore not an appealing option for audiophiles then.

 

Since they really can't care less about 3rd party developers, we audiophiles could simply stick with Spotify HiFi / TIDAL / Qobuz etc.

Thanks, what's your definition of hi-res? Above 16/44.1 or 24/44.1

[Rexp]

30 minutes ago, new_media said:

 

I think Apple is just making this move to keep up with Spotify and Amazon. They seem fully committed to wireless audio, both with AirPlay and their high-end headphone options. I'd be surprised to see anything in the Apple Store that would compete directly with them.

 

I can only see them releasing a lossless Bluetooth codec, at least in the short term, if existing AirPods can utilize it with a firmware upgrade. The aren't about to make $550 headphones that were only released 5 months ago suddenly obsolete.

The new airpod launch has been delayed so..