Article: Apple Music's Lossless and Hi-Res Mess

[Marco Klobas]

Thanks @jhwalker.

[Marco Klobas]

Just to add that at least Apple Music allows now to upload hi-res music (tested up to 192 kHz).

 

Prior to the lossless introduction, any song over 88 kHz wasn't accepted. I had to create a temporary 88 kHz (or less) file, wait for uploading/matching, quit Music app and replace locally the temporary song with the original counterpart in the library's folder structure.

[new_media]

1 hour ago, Marco Klobas said:

Are any Apple Music subscribers here who uploaded/matched their CD-ripped albums before Apple Music lossless was introduced?

 

My albums streams in AAC (without the lossless icon). Even if I download the songs I can't get the ALAC version.

 

I even tried to delete a song from my library, add it again and wait for uploading/matching. It still streams as AAC.

 

It's as if the "old" AAC version is kept on Apple's servers without replacing it with ALAC.

 

Yes, I have the same issue. CD-ripped albums that I previously matched (as well as iTunes purchases) only stream in AAC. However, albums that I have matched since lossless went live do stream in lossless/hi-res.

 

My solution: I share an Apple One Family Plan with my wife and daughters, which can include up to 6 family members. So my dog now has her own Apple ID, Apple Music Account, and iPhone (my old iPhone 7) so that I can use an account with a clean slate.

 

It does appear that I can stream anything losslessly through the Apple TV, and I don't even have to use my dog's account. Albums I play from my own library stream as AAC, but anything I search for in Apple Music streams as lossless or Dolby Atmos, even if it's an album that's already in my library.

 

[Marco Klobas]

Thanks @new_media. Usually I listen to lossless at home only, so I play directly my local files (either through Music app or Roon).

 

I just wanted to compare the streamed version with the local counterpart with shairport-sync and unfortunately with this issue I can’t.

 

Who knows, maybe Apple will rematch our songs again in the future with ALAC versions.

[Marco Klobas]

I tried to replicate the shairport-sync test:

 

• Run shairport-sync in writing mode (shairport-sync -u -o stdout > 'file-name.wav')
• Streamed from iPad a 16/44.1 track to my Mac running shairport-sync
• Imported the raw audio file written by shairport-sync in Audition (PCM 16/44.1 stereo)
• Imported the same 16/44.1 ALAC original track I own in Audition
• Trimmed silence at the start and at the end of both tracks to match the duration
• Inverted the original track
• Added the two tracks in multitrack Audition

 

Here's the imported raw WAV after trimming:

 

 

Here's the original ALAC after trimming:

 

 

Here's the inverted original ALAC:

 

 

Here's the nulled playback:

 

[vortecjr]

MK this shows that Shairport can be bit perfect. Now compare that track streamed from Apple Music.   

[Marco Klobas]

@vortecjr Sorry, I don't follow you. I already compared the original song with the song provided by Apple Music.

 

Apple's server -> iPad (Music app  – Apple Music lossless stream) -> AirPlay (shairport-sync on Mac) -> File 1

 

The same ALAC song I bought elsewhere -> File 2

 

File 2 is inverted

 

File 1 – File 2 = 0

 

I tried another test where AiPlay isn't involved, rerouting the Music app output on my Mac to Audition using Loopback. It somehow worked (I successfully recorded the song). Problem is that unfortunately the recorded song doesn't match with the original one: after a few seconds they seem slightly out of tempo ruining the whole comparison process.

[vortecjr]

Happy Fathers Day to all the dads!

 

Test #3 Comparing locally stored track playback with Apple Lossless for the same track

1. Apple Lossless at 24/44.1 streamed via Apple Music App to Apple Airport Express.  

2. Apple Airport Express (Toslink) -> AP with output to 24/44.1 wav file (40 second capture).

3. Compare captured wav files from test #1 (local rip) and #2.

 

 

More to follow...

[vortecjr]

4 minutes ago, Marco Klobas said:

@vortecjr Sorry, I don't follow you. I already compared the original song with the song provided by Apple Music.

 

Apple's server -> iPad (Music app  – Apple Music lossless stream) -> AirPlay (shairport-sync on Mac) -> File 1

 

The same ALAC song I bought elsewhere -> File 2

 

File 2 is inverted

 

File 1 – File 2 = 0

 

I tried another test where AiPlay isn't involved, rerouting the Music app output on my Mac to Audition using Loopback. It somehow worked (I successfully recorded the song). Problem is that unfortunately the recorded song doesn't match with the original one: after a few seconds they seem out slightly out of tempo ruining the whole comparison process.

Okay.

[vortecjr]

Test #4 Comparing locally stored track playback with Apple Lossless for the same track

1. Apple Lossless at 24/44.1 streamed via Apple iPad mini (camera adapter) to Sonore ultraDigital.  

2. Sonore ultraDigital -> AP with output to 24/44.1 wav file (20 second capture).

3. Compare captured wav files from test #1 (local rip) and #2.

FYI The AP reported 24 bit playback not seen with Apple Airport Express or Shairport. 

 

[Marco Klobas]

I successfully recorded a routed audio coming from Apple Music. This time I didn't use Loopback:

 

• Streamed on my Mac a lossless song in Music app
• Set output to my RME Babyface Pro audio USB interface
• Routed inside RME's Totalmix mixer the output as an input
• Recorded in Audition the routed input
• Trimmed as usual the silence at the start (at the end actually isn't necessary)
• Loaded the original ALAC song I own
• Inverted the original song
• Added the two tracks in multitrack Audition

 

Here's the scheme of the routing:

Here's the nulled playback:

 

[vortecjr]

What is the track you are streaming?

[Marco Klobas]

It’s Donegan’s Gone – Shangri-La – Mark Knopfler.

[AudioDoctor]

Has anyone seen this yet?

Apple Music boss says 98 percent of people can't identify lossless audio, but he thinks spatial audio is a "game changer"  Have to say, I disagree. Maybe he's using airpods...

 

https://audiomediainternational.com/apple-music-boss-says-98-percent-of-people-cant-identify-lossless-audio/

[The Computer Audiophile]

10 minutes ago, AudioDoctor said:

Has anyone seen this yet?

Apple Music boss says 98 percent of people can't identify lossless audio, but he thinks spatial audio is a "game changer"  Have to say, I disagree. Maybe he's using airpods...

 

https://audiomediainternational.com/apple-music-boss-says-98-percent-of-people-cant-identify-lossless-audio/

I saw that. 
 

He may be right, but he is also speaking as a representative of Apple who wants to make money from its products. Pushing Spatial Audio is expected because it’s easy to hear and it’s a differentiator. Pushing lossless doesn’t make sense because others have it and Apple doesn’t charge a premium for it. 

[wklie]

On 6/20/2021 at 12:02 AM, vortecjr said:

1. Apple Lossless at 24/44.1 streamed via Apple Music App to Rendu in Shairport output mode. 

 

I suggest using Apple Music Lossless 16/44.1 for testing bit perfect delivery for now.  Some versions of, if not all, shairport works only at 16/44.1 for the AirPlay1 delivery.  Even if one changes the implementation to allow for 24 bit, it's still up to the sender to decide whether it wants to send 24 bit over AirPlay1.  I also have a suspicion that iOS 24-bit to 16-bit is dithered, not truncated.

 

I have not read all of mikebrady's post (will try to catch up), but at least one post linked from here specifically stated 16 bit.

[wklie]

15 hours ago, Marco Klobas said:

Run shairport-sync in writing mode (shairport-sync -u -o stdout > 'file-name.wav')

 

This looks really useful.  I'll see if I can make use of this technique and do further tests that are better than Apple Music MQA CD authentication, in order to further prove Apple Music Lossless 16/44.1 can be bit perfect over AirPlay1.

[vortecjr]

48 minutes ago, wklie said:

 

I suggest using Apple Music Lossless 16/44.1 for testing bit perfect delivery for now.  Some versions of, if not all, shairport works only at 16/44.1 for the AirPlay1 delivery.  Even if one changes the implementation to allow for 24 bit, it's still up to the sender to decide whether it wants to send 24 bit over AirPlay1.  I also have a suspicion that iOS 24-bit to 16-bit is dithered, not truncated.

 

I have not read all of mikebrady's post (will try to catch up), but at least one post linked from here specifically stated 16 bit.

 

I was able to test a Apple Lossless 16/44.1 track and it was bit perfect with my local rip of the same track. M.K. had similar results with his tests with a different track.

These are the results from DeltaWave on the track I used:  

Files are a bit-perfect match at 16 bits
Files are a bit-perfect match at 24 bits

Bit Perfect! 100%

 

Our shairport-sync implementation is 16 bit only.

 

The output of the iPad via the Lighting to USB adapter was 24 bit yet look at the Spectrogram of that in the post above:

https://audiophilestyle.com/forums/topic/63174-article-apple-musics-lossless-and-hi-res-mess/?do=findComment&comment=1142694

[AudioDoctor]

1 hour ago, The Computer Audiophile said:

I saw that. 
 

He may be right, but he is also speaking as a representative of Apple who wants to make money from its products. Pushing Spatial Audio is expected because it’s easy to hear and it’s a differentiator. Pushing lossless doesn’t make sense because others have it and Apple doesn’t charge a premium for it. 

 

I actually don't think he is right at all. I have a friend who was over at my house once and he asked me why I bother spending the money on audio equipment when an MP3 at 320 kbps sounds to him unidentifiable from any other. So I found an album that I actually have locally in both 320kbps MP3, lossless, and in Qobuz as high res and I played them in order. The look on his face when the lossless file played after just listening to the 320kbps file was enough reason to end the experiment. I will acknowledge that most people don't listen on anything other than regular consumer level ear buds, a Bluetooth speaker, computer speakers, and cars, and I m sure it's impossible to tell the difference on any of those items. But when shown the difference on a real stereo, the difference is immediate and obvious. I bet it's also those use cases where spatial audio has the most impact. I don't want it, and why I am positive this Apple Lossless isn't for us here.

[Rsbrsvp]

Apple music lossless has the same basic complaints as amazon HD.  No "exclusive mode" or a exclusive mode which does not automatically adjust sample rates.

 

I know Spotify is entering the lossless arena as well.  I believe if one of the three does the exclusive mode right, the others will jump in in order to compete.

 

We need to be patient.  Within a maximum of three years- I cannot believe all of them will not have proper exclusive mode along with over 125,000,000 songs....

 

Also- I hope Audrivana can get rights to stream these services because their program is magic.  

 

Things will open up..  We need to wait......

[The Computer Audiophile]

Apple has always purposely excluded an exclusive mode option. It can hurt the overall user experience when a call comes in or sound is expected from the main speakers rather than the connected audio device. 

 

I know this is completely different from what us audiophiles like, but Apple is catering to its base. 

[The Computer Audiophile]

I've been trying to follow the recent tests of bit perfection, but having a hard time while in Los Angeles and sneaking peeks from my phone when I can. I'm now back and can look further. 

 

I think people running tests should capture at a minimum 30 seconds of the track. In my testing, I found the bit perfection to be hit and miss throughout each track. This makes the service Apple Music not lossless if it can't deliver an entire track bit perfect. 

[Marco Klobas]

True.

 

Apple should at least offer an option to activate it – even hidden somewhere, you know, for those who are interested in it.

[The Computer Audiophile]

Just now, Marco Klobas said:

True.

 

Apple should at least offer an option to activate it – even hidden somewhere, you know, for those who are interested in it.

Agree.

[AudioDoctor]

17 minutes ago, Marco Klobas said:

True.

 

Apple should at least offer an option to activate it – even hidden somewhere, you know, for those who are interested in it.

 

I also agree. I simply don't understand why that's not an option when it is so easy with other apps to send system sounds through, for example, my monitor speakers, and use the USB DAC specifically for one app.