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.

 

[RayP]

I was having similar problems today and then discovered that on my iPhone music settings the default for WiFi streaming was High Quality ( the lowest quality!). By changing it to Lossless I now have up to 24-bit streaming.

I also switched the AirPlay option to my Bluesound Node 2i rather than my Arcam AVR.

The music now goes into my Naim amp and to the speakers instead of via the AVR. A big improvement in sound quality. 😀

Sadly, hi-res Lossless remains unavailable.

 

[nInCanada]

Sadly, hi-res Lossless remains unavailable.

RayP, all you need is a DAC and you will have hi-res.... the big question is which DAC and how far you want to go down the rabbit hole

 

[Vincent Kars]

I think it is possible to install UPnP on iPhone or Mac.
Don't know if you can use UPnP in combination with Apple Music.
If you can, you have a lossless streaming protocol able to do 24/192 max.

 

[RayP]

RayP, all you need is a DAC and you will have hi-res.... the big question is which DAC and how far you want to go down the rabbit hole

I’ve since found out that using AirPlay 2 with my iPhone or my Bluesound streamer as the source everything is downgraded to 256kbps. What a load of rubbish. Giving up with Apple Music once my free three months is up. Switching to Tidal and the Bluesound will be fully compatible up to 24-bit.

I’m considering the Bluesound Icon as a potential upgrade.

 

[nInCanada]

RayP, you still will be disappointed by the bluesound streamer. I love Tidal, especially the fact they give more to the artists/content makers. Apple is 2nd in that category. What ever provider you use, you are going to need a reclocker and then a dac. It is so simple once you have it. I personally like a small pc and would have taken a raspberry if I didn't have a mac mini sitting around. with a pc, you can run linux or download the add-ons that are particularly interesting to you.....

This is my last post on this subject matter....

 

[RayP]

What ever provider you use, you are going to need a reclocker and then a dac.

You appear to be out of kilter with the reviewers who never mention needing a reclocker whatever one of those is. The Icon gets very good reviews from multiple reviewers so it’s currently top of the list. It also has a better DAC than the Gen 1 Node.

I’m aware of the laws of diminishing returns. Never more so than in hi-fi. Spend double or triple your budget and get a tiny improvement. The middle ground is where most aim for. Decent improvement for a reasonable outlay.

 

[nInCanada]

I am a user RayP, nothing more.... to get where I am today, I wasted so much time, money and energy trying other stuff... I would have gladly had some Nick guy, come along and just say buy this.... and you will be happy. Furthermore, I don't know the Icon that you mentioned at all. I just found that the Denafrips DAC from a user on a mac music board. The first purchase was amazing and when I bought the second box which reclocked the signal after my mac mini captured the sound files, the sound stage doubled.... Sonically the sound was breathtaking and I found what I had been missing since I sold my LS3 5/A, turntable and exposure amps.... If you already have some high end stuff and already have the sound stage you are happy with, the outcome might be considerably less.... but for me, it was night and day.

What every you decide to do, yes, I agree there is a lot of stuff out there and it can be really disappointing having spent money and only marginally hear improvements in the sound.

Any how, that is it from me, Good luck and may Miles grace your sound stage playing What Up....

 

[RayP]

Furthermore, I don't know the Icon that you mentioned at all

Strange given it’s made in your country. Google Bluesound and see what they produce.

I read reviews from multiple sources before buying anything. I’m going to listen to Spendor loudspeakers tomorrow. Great reviews. Let’s see if they live up to it.

 

[nInCanada]

Naturally I know Bluesound, that was my3 or 4th jump into a Node 2i, I think it was. I just don't know the Icon. Spendor is nice middle of the road speaker that I am sure you will like.

 

[RayP]

@nInCanada , the Icon is their latest streamer. 999UKP. If 5.5K GBP only gets me middle of the road speakers that would be disappointing.

 

[nInCanada]

well, I went from Rogers to Dalia to Neat but if someone had just said go buy the ATC 150scm or a Wilson.... I could have saved a lot of money and time.....

 

[Bubble]

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.

This is a definitive answer.

Firstly, you must have an external DAC.
Secondly, be aware that High-Res files are few and far between on Apple Music. The overwhelming majority are 'CD quality.' The good thing about the solution explained below is that you can see the resolution and bit-rate that you are streaming on the device.

The best way, and the only way that does not involve purchasing non-standard hardware, is this:
Source: iPad (or iPhone) with High-Res Lossless selected in Audio Quality settings on the iPad. Connects to ...
Adapter: Apple Lightning to USB adapter (about £45). Get the genuine Apple one. It has a socket for a Lightning charging cable too. Connects to ...
Cable: USB A to USB B cable to go from the above adapter to your DAC. Connects to ...
DAC: the better DAC you use the better the sound quality you can expect. Connects to ...
Amplifier.

It is intuitive to think that using a MacBook in place of the iPad would be better on the basis that a MacBook is a more substantial and powerful device. But this isn't so.

I am using this solution now, as I write, with a Naim DAC-V1. The sound is excellent and, as a bonus, the iPad can be controlled (pause, track forward, track back) with the Naim remote. Any DAC that has a USB connection would work. The other high-quality DAC I have is a Chord QUTEST and that works wonderfully with this solution too.

Please be aware that there is no wireless way of achieving bit-perfect, hi-res streaming with Apple Music because Apple AirPlay does not allow it. Neither does Apple TV.

The only other alternative is to purchase one of two or three devices which will allow hi-res streaming of Apple Music, such as the Eversolo DMP-A6. But the iPad solution works perfectly. You may have an old iPad (or iPhone) which you could dedicate for the purpose of streaming, or even buy a new one for much less than the cost of one of these non-standard devices.

Hope this helps.

 

[Entrigo]

This is a definitive answer.

Firstly, you must have an external DAC.
Secondly, be aware that High-Res files are few and far between on Apple Music. The overwhelming majority are 'CD quality.' The good thing about the solution explained below is that you can see the resolution and bit-rate that you are streaming on the device.

The best way, and the only way that does not involve purchasing non-standard hardware, is this:
Source: iPad (or iPhone) with High-Res Lossless selected in Audio Quality settings on the iPad. Connects to ...
Adapter: Apple Lightning to USB adapter (about £45). Get the genuine Apple one. It has a socket for a Lightning charging cable too. Connects to ...
Cable: USB A to USB B cable to go from the above adapter to your DAC. Connects to ...
DAC: the better DAC you use the better the sound quality you can expect. Connects to ...
Amplifier.

It is intuitive to think that using a MacBook in place of the iPad would be better on the basis that a MacBook is a more substantial and powerful device. But this isn't so.

I am using this solution now, as I write, with a Naim DAC-V1. The sound is excellent and, as a bonus, the iPad can be controlled (pause, track forward, track back) with the Naim remote. Any DAC that has a USB connection would work. The other high-quality DAC I have is a Chord QUTEST and that works wonderfully with this solution too.

Please be aware that there is no wireless way of achieving bit-perfect, hi-res streaming with Apple Music because Apple AirPlay does not allow it. Neither does Apple TV.

The only other alternative is to purchase one of two or three devices which will allow hi-res streaming of Apple Music, such as the Eversolo DMP-A6. But the iPad solution works perfectly. You may have an old iPad (or iPhone) which you could dedicate for the purpose of streaming, or even buy a new one for much less than the cost of one of these non-standard devices.

Hope this helps.

Hi, now sorted. Purchased a cheap Topping E30 DAC, managed to connect my Mac, then realised that:
1. As you said, there are very few really Hi-Res files on AM. So ended up purchasing Tidal (which I could have accessed through my Wiim anyway).
2. I could have plugged my Mac into my Marantz SA8005CD player - I had read about the USB being compatible with iPhone and iPad only - but it referred to the front port. There is a port at the back that the Mac cab be plugged into.

So - in very short, I did not need there Topping E30. Thought I genuinely like being the sample rate showing in the front, so playing Tidal on my Mac through it instead than through the Wiim haha