How to play Hi-Res Apple Music on Hi-Fi

[Entrigo]

Apologies if this has been already asked - had a quick look and couldn't find a definitive answer.

In short, what is the best way for me to stream from Apple Music in hi-res?

I understand that using Air Play (to my Wiim Pro Plus) limits resolution to 256kbp.

I am currently playing it from either my phone or Macbook Air via the headphone out into the line in of my amp.

Is there a better way to do this (better and easy - meaning that doesn't necessarily require me buying a £1k piece of equipment just for this)?

Thanks.

 

[skinnypuppy71]

The apple eco system is a pig for trying to get a quality stream into third party equipment.....I got rid as soon as I found this problem for myself....I reckon probably a 3rd or 4th gen Apple tv ( the one with a optical out) into the optical in of the wiim......even then you'll still need to have the ATV hooked up to the TV for viewing music library.....your far better just cutting your losses and getting tidal or Qubuz.

 

[nInCanada]

I asked this very question 3 years ago. A really nice guy from England helped me out and it went like this in the very short abbreviated form:

go buy ad Denefrips rec locker there are 2 versions pick one

Then go buy one of their DACs I bought the middle of the road one and there is now an even better one available 15th

Then plug your hi end usb cable from your computer (mac mini) to the reclocker.

Then plug a high resolution HDMI cable from the rec locker to the DAC they call it I2S

Then plug in a cable from the DAC to your preamp.

Sit back and you will be blow away, like that Maxell Tape poster I used to have as a kid!

by the way, there is a sister company called Vinshine Audio that sells high end cables....

I promise you, you will be blown away!

 

[nInCanada]

The apple eco system is a pig for trying to get a quality stream into third party equipment.....I got rid as soon as I found this problem for myself....I reckon probably a 3rd or 4th gen Apple tv ( the one with a optical out) into the optical in of the wiim......even then you'll still need to have the ATV hooked up to the TV for viewing music library.....your far better just cutting your losses and getting tidal or Qubuz.

honestly this not an accurate opinion of apple's high resolution capabilities. I am sorry that you see it this way but if you read the below comment even you will be blown away with those 2 boxes from Denafrips.... honestly blow away. For instance my fellow canadian company Blue Sound Node, isn't close to a comparison....

 

[skinnypuppy71]

....Anf

honestly this not an accurate opinion of apple's high resolution capabilities. I am sorry that you see it this way but if you read the below comment even you will be blown away with those 2 boxes from Denafrips.... honestly blow away. For instance my fellow canadian company Blue Sound Node, isn't close to a comparison.... how's muc for those to lovely boxes

honestly this not an accurate opinion of apple's high resolution capabilities. I am sorry that you see it this way but if you read the below comment even you will be blown away with those 2 boxes from Denafrips.... honestly blow away. For instance my fellow canadian company Blue Sound Node, isn't close to a comparison....

Fortunately /Unfortunately we don't all want a mac/pc in the chain for music listening and the denafrips kit isn't exactly on the budget end of things either....so yes apple music is a pig to integrate into the average music system....and I stand by that view.

 

[Vincent Kars]

go buy ad Denefrips rec locker there are 2 versions pick one

Then go buy one of their DACs I bought the middle of the road one and there is now an even better one available 15th

Care to explain what the relationship is between the question (Airplay2 downsampling to lossy AAC) and your answer, buying boxes from Denafrips?

 

[manicm]

The simple way is to get Sonos equipment, and the only way for Dolby Atmos. The hard way is everything else.

But the other great way is Eversolo.

 

[nopiano]

Just in case it helps, this is what Apple says. However, I too can’t understand why they make it so complicated and obscure.

About lossless audio in Apple Music - Apple Support

Learn about lossless audio in Apple Music and how to turn it on or off for your device.

support.apple.com

 

[nInCanada]

....Anf



Fortunately /Unfortunately we don't all want a mac/pc in the chain for music listening and the denafrips kit isn't exactly on the budget end of things either....so yes apple music is a pig to integrate into the average music system....and I stand by that view.

I didn’t really want a computer in my chain either hence the Blue sound experiment. Unfortunately things cost money and as an early adopter of technology, I wanted great sound. In the end it didn’t really cost much for a hobby. ($3000usd aprox) First of all you don’t need to buy brand new, you can buy the 12th edition of those pieces.

The last point is, you need to understand what is happening behind the scenes, there is a connection to the internet to acquire these massive audio files, buffers, data storage, then transport it to a usb output. You can buy a hardware piece that does just that but with a computer you can easily change things moving forward. For instance , larger storage, faster connection to the internet all the things a Blue Sound or Sonus can’t do other than buy the next model (almost like the Denafrips stuff btw) A computer may be a pig in your eyes but in mine I can add software and hardware easily while even changing operating systems. So is it a pig? I see it as a pickup truck and it can do nearly anything while still getting you from A to B

For clarity I don’t work for any of the above companies, I do come from an electronics background but none of the above is anything more than what a casual reader could figure out themselves.

 

[nInCanada]

Care to explain what the relationship is between the question (Airplay2 downsampling to lossy AAC) and your answer, buying boxes from Denafrips?

This question is rather tricky, mostly due to Apple bs and their marketing division.

AirPlay = wireless = limited bandwidth/latency issues/ blah blah. I say stay away from it

AAC = ALAC = Dolby = decoders. Someone at wiki has put a lot of work into decoders in Apple. Here is the link

Apple Lossless Audio Codec - Wikipedia

en.m.wikipedia.org

You don’t have to buy a Denafrips, I actually started with the Apple made decoder , then to a Chord then to a Blue Sound and finally a Denafrips.

The purpose of the first box is to clean up the input. Maybe if your device that acquires the sound files is cleaner you don’t need it. I don’t know. What I did notice was, what I call the sound stage is immensely larger as in really noticeable. Those I2S connection cables made a difference.

Buying those boxes are only useful for these large data (1’s and 0’s) files that are available from various sources in achieving the greatest possible sound results. If you are dabbling in Airplay , Bluetooth, Dolby stuff, I don’t think you will benefit a lot by having those boxes.

Hope this helps, it probably creates more questions than answers. Then again I never ever said I was a good writer.