Popular Post Marco Klobas Posted June 24, 2021 Popular Post Share Posted June 24, 2021 Thanks for your time for this thorough testing. What really surprised me (and disappointed) is the following part: On macOS Apple's Music App, lossless streaming content, AirPlay 1 to AirPort Express 1st Gen - NOT bit perfect. Apple's Music App, lossless streaming content, AirPlay 1 to Sonore Rendu (ShairPort) - NOT bit perfect. wklie and The Computer Audiophile 2 Link to comment
Popular Post Marco Klobas Posted June 24, 2021 Popular Post Share Posted June 24, 2021 Ah, this is even more disappointing: iOS Notable Apple's Music App, lossless streaming content, USB output with CCK - not bit perfect at 44.1. I forgot to ask: on macOS, did you always choose AriPlay within Music app? Have you tested choosing AirPlay through volume menu bar (system-wide) instead? Jud and The Computer Audiophile 1 1 Link to comment
Marco Klobas Posted June 24, 2021 Share Posted June 24, 2021 8 minutes ago, The Computer Audiophile said: I will update the article! Thanks, Chris. I know it's not AirPlay-related: don't you find the lossless streaming from iOS/iPadOS through USB CCK not being bit perfect particularly disappointing? Jud 1 Link to comment
Popular Post Marco Klobas Posted June 25, 2021 Popular Post Share Posted June 25, 2021 3 hours ago, new_media said: I was thinking that I would need to do something to prevent email alert notification from interrupting the music, but as long as there are no other open apps with audio output, I assume the signal should remain bit perfect for 16/44. In macOS -> Preferences -> Sound -> Sound Effects you can choose where to play alerts, which can differ from the main sound output. You probably have set to play on internal speakers. I'm afraid that sound alerts not controlled directly by the operating system continue to play through the main sound output. For example, a Slack notification coming from a browser session could play via AirPlay. Anyway, I remember @wklie suggesting to use Do Not Disturb mode (plus other things like disabling Sound Check, EQ, Dolby Atmos and set AirPlay volume to max). easp, Bevok and new_media 1 1 1 Link to comment
Popular Post Marco Klobas Posted June 25, 2021 Popular Post Share Posted June 25, 2021 Inspired by the Chris' tests I tried to find a match with his results. I already shared here the tests using a Mac as an AirPlay receiver and recording what the computer was receiving from an iPad. The recordings were compared with the original track I own inverting its phase. The results were: muted sound – the tracks nulled each other. Two software receivers were used: AirServer and Shairport Sync (both AirPlay 1). My previous tests confirmed that the incoming streams from iPad to a Mac acting as an AirPlay 1 device were bit perfect as Chris has shown. Now I repeated the test adding a "Mac self AirPlay streaming": the Mac streaming to itself. Both AirServer and Shairport Sync are visible in Music app. They are not via the volume menu (system-wide). Actually it makes sense: why would a Mac act as a transmitter and receiver at the same time. It's strange that Music app ignore this. To simplify the reading I prepared a scheme with the results: As you can see, when a Mac streams to an AiPlay 1 device (within Music app) the tracks don't null. The last column includes the loopback recording (no AirPlay – simply the Mac recording what is receiving directly via Music app). Basically I can confirm the tests Chris has done regarding the Mac to AirPlay bit perfect issue (AirPlay chosen within Music app). wklie and One and a half 2 Link to comment
Popular Post Marco Klobas Posted June 25, 2021 Popular Post Share Posted June 25, 2021 A quick visual recap of Chris's tests: wklie, Jud and BitPerfect_ 1 2 Link to comment
Marco Klobas Posted June 25, 2021 Share Posted June 25, 2021 4 minutes ago, The Computer Audiophile said: Via USB, Apple Music isn’t bit perfect on macOS. Sorry, Chris. You're referring to your first test, isn't it? I've updated the image. Link to comment
Marco Klobas Posted June 26, 2021 Share Posted June 26, 2021 This is a 192 kHz track: https://music.apple.com/us/album/blues-to-elvin/962196097?i=962196098 What Apple Music displays is what Apple Music offers, which is not necessarily what the user hears. For example I can listed to the above 192 kHz song with my AiPods Pro. The app shows 192 kHz even though I clearly can't listen to 192 kHz due to the limitation of AirPods Pro. AirPlay audio (1 and 2) is a 44.1 kHz protocol. Everything over 44.1 kHz is downsampled. It's not clear if your Yamaha WXC-50 is AirPlay 1 or 2. You stated "using Airplay2 to Yamaha WXC-50, Airplay1". Is it 1 or 2? BitPerfect_ 1 Link to comment
Marco Klobas Posted June 26, 2021 Share Posted June 26, 2021 Since you stream from your iPhone and being the Yamaha WXC-50 an AirPlay 1, it will get a 44.1 kHz bit perfect audio, which is the maximum for AirPlay 1. The AirPlay icon on iOS/iPadOS is currently always shown as AirPlay 2 even when an AirPlay 1 device is involved. I used both AirPlay logos to make visually a better distinction. BitPerfect_ 1 Link to comment
Popular Post Marco Klobas Posted June 26, 2021 Popular Post Share Posted June 26, 2021 That's up to the receiver. I don't think the WXC-50 will upsample. On the Yamaha page is written up to 96 kHz (emphasis is mine). For example, Apple TV resamples everything to 48 kHz because that is its fixed output. JoeyGS and BitPerfect_ 2 Link to comment
Marco Klobas Posted June 26, 2021 Share Posted June 26, 2021 I chime in even if I'm not Chris. 🙂 Unfortunately BitPerfect app doesn't work with Apple Music contents. Only local files (owned) are handled. The Computer Audiophile 1 Link to comment
Marco Klobas Posted July 3, 2021 Share Posted July 3, 2021 11 hours ago, iamoneagain said: Have you tested the IOS 15 beta yet? It seems that nothing has changed: https://community.roonlabs.com/t/apple-music-high-res/159869/1249 Link to comment
Marco Klobas Posted July 4, 2021 Share Posted July 4, 2021 Indeed. The same video was shared on Roon forum and I replied that he showed the sample rate matching which is automatic on iOS and iPadOS. The bit perfect issue isn't covered. Moreover he claimed two times that 48 kHz is possible via AirPlay which isn’t true for audio only streams. Link to comment
Marco Klobas Posted October 10, 2021 Share Posted October 10, 2021 That's strange. With the exception of Apple TV, it's the first time I hear that an AirPlay receiver provides a resampled output. Link to comment
Marco Klobas Posted October 28, 2021 Share Posted October 28, 2021 Just to inform that the recently released macOS Monterey changed nothing (as expected 🙄...) about automatic sample rate switching in Audio MIDI Setup. Actually, I guess that it's specifically the Music app that should be updated to offer the exclusive mode rather than the operating system. An interesting added feature is that a Mac can now act natively as an AirPlay receiver. I've not tested yet the bit perfect side of this new feature. wklie 1 Link to comment
Marco Klobas Posted October 28, 2021 Share Posted October 28, 2021 A follow up from Roon's forum: I made the usual Apple Music AirPlay recording/comparison test with a Mac acting as a receiver (via macOS Monterey) and the result is still not bit perfect. The AirPlay receiver in Monterey is seen as version 2; thus the result is unfortunately expected. Interestingly, another user claimed that the bit perfect test is passed when a hi-res audio is sent through AirPlay to Monterey with Audio MIDI Setup properly set (Apple Music is not involved in this case). He used an RME ADI-2 DAC to prove it. @The Computer Audiophile, have you already installed Monterey? Could you verify if a hi-res AirPlay audio is really possible with macOS Monterey? Link to comment
Marco Klobas Posted October 28, 2021 Share Posted October 28, 2021 OK, understood. Thanks. Link to comment
Marco Klobas Posted December 1, 2021 Share Posted December 1, 2021 Speaking of bit perfect playback, AirPlay 1 – as you have noticed from the tests – is somehow the least worst choice right now. AirPlay 2 is even more compromised. I guess Auralic offers AirPlay 1. Lossless streaming is achievable, hi-res no. AirPlay – or I should rather say Music app/iOS/iPadOS – is lately showing other annoyances: Gapless playback sometimes is broken After ~8 minutes of an AirPlay session I experience sometimes a short hiccup in the audio stream Now, I don't hold my breath waiting Apple offering hi-res audio via AirPlay or even fix the bit perfect issue. I hope Apple will fix the gapless and the hiccup issues eventually, though. It worked fine before the latest software updates... MgP2804 1 Link to comment
Marco Klobas Posted December 2, 2021 Share Posted December 2, 2021 11 hours ago, Dutch Daniël said: But strangely enough only the combination of Apple Music App on my iPhone with AirPlay to the AURALiC has this gapless issue. Yes, it seems a specific Music app AirPlay handling issue rather than AirPlay per se. Link to comment
Marco Klobas Posted December 13, 2021 Share Posted December 13, 2021 As Chris said: Quote macOS Notable Apple's Music App, lossless local content, AirPlay 1 to AirPort Express 1st Gen - bit perfect at 44.1. UPDATED: Apple's Music App, lossless local content, AirPlay 2 to Bluesound Node 2i - bit perfect at 44.1 only if the system-wide AirPlay device is set. If AirPlay device only selected in the Music app, the output is NOT bit perfect. UPDATED: Apple's Music App, lossless local content, AirPlay 2 to AirPort Express 2nd Gen - bit perfect at 44.1 only if the system-wide AirPlay device is set. If AirPlay device only selected in the Music app, the output is NOT bit perfect. Apple's Music App, lossless local content, USB output - bit perfect at 44.1. It means that your old AirPort Express – which is AirPlay 1 – will always get bit perfect local ALAC playback. The bit perfect is lost when an AirPlay 2 device is used and when the AirPlay is chosen within Music app. Link to comment
Marco Klobas Posted January 14, 2022 Share Posted January 14, 2022 Yes, as shown in this scheme, Apple Music through AirPlay 2 on macOS is bit perfect only if the AirPlay destination is chosen system-wide (menu bar/control center): The Computer Audiophile 1 Link to comment
Marco Klobas Posted January 14, 2022 Share Posted January 14, 2022 Ah, sorry. I don't know if there's a difference. Another variable added... 😉 Link to comment
Marco Klobas Posted January 14, 2022 Share Posted January 14, 2022 In this very thread, @Gus141 mentioned something about the difference between AirPlay via Music app and via Control Center. The reported article is about HomePod, though: Link to comment
Marco Klobas Posted May 3, 2023 Share Posted May 3, 2023 Thanks @tgp-2 for your AirPlay-related recap. I found it useful. Link to comment
Marco Klobas Posted August 19, 2023 Share Posted August 19, 2023 @Rijckholt My setup didn't change so, unfortunately, I can't run more advanced tests than those I have already done. I'm still hoping Apple will improve Music/Classical-AirPlay combo in both aspects: the bit perfect side and the hi-res side (or, at least, one of them). Or maybe an Apple/Roon deal... 🤪 Link to comment
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