Apple lossless official announcement

[DavidMcRoy]

Query on Apple Music Casting Through Google Chromecast

Currently Chromecast Audio supports Apple Music casting through its Android app only. So, we do have a solution like Spotify Connect but not through iOS. ,

Here are my questions on this route:

a. Are there good streamers which support Chromecast? I’ve seen a cheap Xiaomi Mi Box - reviewed on Darko - which has a Chromecast option and optical out. Chromecast Audio is discontinued now.

b. Is Chromecast possible on a raspberry pi?

c. Chromecast does not support ALAC. https://developers.google.com/cast/docs/media

So, will Apple Lossless work on Chromecast or will it remain AAC (lossy 256 kbps) ? Which other formats can Apple stream to a Chromecast device?

d. Google Chromecast TV supports Atmos.
https://www.tomsguide.com/reviews/chromecast-with-google-tv

Does this mean that we can use it to cast Apple Music Dolby Atmos streams using its Android app?

I’ve seen no information on this so far and posting these questions here to benefit from the knowledge of this community.

The press release doesn’t have any language that excludes Android users who are Apple Music subscribers from access:

“Availability

• Spatial Audio with support for Dolby Atmos and Lossless Audio will be available to Apple Music subscribers at no additional cost.

• Thousands of tracks will be available in Spatial Audio with Dolby Atmos at launch, with more added regularly.

• Apple Music’s catalog of more than 75 million songs will be available in Lossless Audio.

More information, including a comprehensive list of compatible devices, is available at apple.com/apple-music.”

The implication to me is that you will have some means of access available to you.

The steps required of Apple Music subscribers to access the new services appears pretty straightforward:

“To start listening to Lossless Audio, subscribers using the latest version of Apple Music can turn it on in Settings > Music > Audio Quality. Here, they can choose different resolutions for different connections such as cellular, Wi-Fi, or for download. Apple Music’s Lossless tier starts at CD quality, which is 16 bit at 44.1 kHz (kilohertz), and goes up to 24 bit at 48 kHz and is playable natively on Apple devices. For the true audiophile, Apple Music also offers Hi-Resolution Lossless all the way up to 24 bit at 192 kHz.1”

 

[mSpot]

Apple is following Amazon music HD : both of them are using Dolby Atmos encoding.

Tidal also did as well. But the streaming services are just the middleman. Adoption of Dolby Atmos will depend more on record labels to produce the content and people owning devices that support it.

 

[DavidMcRoy]

Tidal also did as well. But the streaming services are just the middleman. Adoption of Dolby Atmos will depend more on record labels to produce the content and people owning devices that support it.

As an aside, based on my own extensive experience with Dolby Atmos, the Dolby Audio Surround upmix algorithm for 2-channel stereo sources to an immersive audio experience including height channels is extremely effective, far beyond what I would have guessed. It may not be identical to a studio mix to Dolby Atmos 7.1.4 or whatever speaker layout you have, but it’s quite useful for a convincingly natural movie soundtrack. I’ll leave it up to you how it compares on music. In any case, you could say that all 2-channel sources can be “enjoyed” in an immersive audio upmix done by your hardware (typically an AVR) downstream of your PC, Mac, phone, pad, etc. Don’t laugh if you haven’t heard it.

 

[Frank Dernie]

The benefits of 120hz really are only noticeble when gaming which Apple is slowly trying to claw it's way into with Apple Arcade.

Ah that is why I don't notice it. I never "got into" computer games.

 

[restorer-john]

I never "got into" computer games.

Don't imagine car racing games would have held much appeal when you had the real thing...

 

[Frank Dernie]

I agree, but my grandkids consume video, including movies, on their phones. Perhaps we old guyz can learn from the babes? Perhaps SOME want to?

Actually the idea of watching video on a 'phone sized screen and listening to music on a tiny speaker you talk to are two acceptances of an inferior experience that I have zero interest in and I find hard to understand from young people.

 

[abdo123]

Actually the idea of watching video on a 'phone sized screen and listening to music on a tiny speaker you talk to are two acceptances of an inferior experience that I have zero interest in and I find hard to understand from young people.

maybe because young people don't have the money and/or space required to have the 'proper' experience?

a setup that is considered 'entry level' on this forum could easily range from 1500$ to 2000$ without including room treatment, a decent OLED screen on blackfriday is around the same so 3000$ to 4000$ for the 'proper' experience.

it is like saying you find it hard to understand that homeless people sleep on benches instead of regular beds.

 

[Frank Dernie]

I had the thought that folks here saying the differences between 30hz, 60hz, and 120hz refresh rates don't matter are a bit like non-audiophiles saying the differences between 160kbps, 320kbps, and 1,44kbps audio don't matter. I guess we all have different things that are important to each of us.

That would be me then.
I have little interest in video so whilst I can see the difference in the video posted between 24 and 60 Hz it is of literally zero consequence to me.
Listening to music on little speakers incapable of realistic dynamic range and missing the lowest audible octave? That really is something that would make a big negative impact on my life

 

[Frank Dernie]

Don't imagine car racing games would have held much appeal when you had the real thing...

Actually I was quite excited by the idea of the driving simulator, I even bought steering wheel and pedals so I could controll the "car" properly rather than using the ubiquitous but "wrong" button controller.
Bored me rigid and hardly ever used it.
I have bought several games over the years but in the end I only use them to cure insomnia. They take my mind off what is spinning in it and bore me enough to work in letting me drop off to sleep.

 

[Frank Dernie]

maybe because young people don't have the money and/or space required to have the 'proper' experience?

Yes, I didn't when I was young.
But I didn't preach bollox about what was important either. I started by making stuff myself (amp and speakers anyway) and simply not having a TV at all.

a setup that is considered 'entry level' on this forum could easily range from 1500$ to 2000$ without including room treatment, a decent OLED screen on blackfriday is around the same so 3000$ to 4000$ for the 'proper' experience.

My first TV was a black and white CRT with a 12" screen I bought it when I was 22. I didn't whinge about it. A colour TV was out of my reach for many years, a bit like massive flat screens would be today. I accepted reality.

it is like saying you find it hard to understand that homeless people sleep on benches instead of regular beds.

 

[Soniclife]

Actually I was quite excited by the idea of the driving simulator, I even bought steering wheel and pedals so I could controll the "car" properly rather than using the ubiquitous but "wrong" button controller.
Bored me rigid and hardly ever used it.
I have bought several games over the years but in the end I only use them to cure insomnia. They take my mind off what is spinning in it and bore me enough to work in letting me drop off to sleep.

I'm surprised how many racing drivers are serious about online racing games, you would think that once you've raced F1 or similar the thrill of real driving would kill computer games.

 

[_thelaughingman]

Racing drivers use these games nowadays as simulators to learn new tracks and memorize the layouts of the ones that they have raced. Cuts down on preseason simulator time except for learning how the new iteration of a car feels.

 

[txbdan]

I have a real race car (crapcan endurance racing) and a street legal car I compete in a time trial series in. And I also enjoy iRacing and the occasionally Gran Turismo. It's all fun. iRacing is so good now that it is legit practice for the real thing. Like most things, its a mental game and sims help with that tremendously.

 

[Frank Dernie]

I'm surprised how many racing drivers are serious about online racing games, you would think that once you've raced F1 or similar the thrill of real driving would kill computer games.

It turns out people who are good at the games may be good at the real thing. Lando Norris was chosen after winning a gaming competition, it was a bit of a punt but IMO he is one of the best of the new driver crop, if not the best.
Commercial driving games are actually not much use for actual real (Edit to add F1) simulation though since the two most important parameters are not possible for them to include.
The aero map (ie fluctuation in downforce with ride height and steering and yaw angle) are complex and will not be known. The tyre grip depends on the time temperature history of the contact patch rubber which is the target of decades of thermal modelling and still isn't super accurate. The simulators the teams use have much better models for aero and tyre and are "interesting" for testing the tendency of changes but not accurate in an absolute sense.
Lewis Hamilton rarely goes in it, he is THE master at optimising tyre temperatures and has probably realised that this - the most important thing of all - can't be practiced on a simulator, even the super Merc one.

 

[Soniclife]

It turns out people who are good at the games may be good at the real thing. Lando Norris was chosen after winning a gaming competition, it was a bit of a punt but IMO he is one of the best of the new driver crop, if not the best.
Commercial driving games are actually not much use for actual real (Edit to add F1) simulation though since the two most important parameters are not possible for them to include.
The aero map (ie fluctuation in downforce with ride height and steering and yaw angle) are complex and will not be known. The tyre grip depends on the time temperature history of the contact patch rubber which is the target of decades of thermal modelling and still isn't super accurate. The simulators the teams use have much better models for aero and tyre and are "interesting" for testing the tendency of changes but not accurate in an absolute sense.
Lewis Hamilton rarely goes in it, he is THE master at optimising tyre temperatures and has probably realised that this - the most important thing of all - can't be practiced on a simulator, even the super Merc one.

I though Lando came up the normal way, though he is very keen on gaming, and great at both types. For some reason I've got a sneaking suspicion he is going to have a very good weekend, he will deserve it if it happens.

Lewis seems to not do a lot of things other drivers do, it's fascinating how often commentators give opinions that he should be doing something different, maybe he would have had a bit more success in his career if he'd listened to them.

 

[Frank Dernie]

Lewis seems to not do a lot of things other drivers do, it's fascinating how often commentators give opinions that he should be doing something different, maybe he would have had a bit more success in his career if he'd listened to them.

Ha-ha
One of the problems for fans is that the people doing the commentating don't know the key things about how the car works, the people who have been involved are ex-drivers who know all about the racecraft but next to nothing about how the team functions in the pits and the others are journalists and team members assiduously avoid telling them anything important so it doesn't get to the opposition.
A corollary is that if, years later when the secrets do not need to be kept any more, the fans don't believe the facts if given them since the common knowledge of the day has been so deeply engrained for so long!

 

[3125b]

They can keep their Dolby whatever, but lossless streaming at 10€/month I am interested in.
They offer a free three month trial period, so I just signed up. Let's see how it develops.
PS: Some young people don't listen to music on their phone speakers

 

[muslhead]

"They offer a free three month trial period, so I just signed up"
This is good info. Thanks for posting, i had not heard of this offer and just may sign up myself even though i despise Apple.
On another topic has anyone used Apple music on a PC?

 

[oryan_dunn]

"They offer a free three month trial period, so I just signed up"
This is good info. Thanks for posting, i had not heard of this offer and just may sign up myself even though i despise Apple.
On another topic has anyone used Apple music on a PC?

I stream Apple Music on a PC all the time, it's part of iTunes.

 

[vibess]

"They offer a free three month trial period, so I just signed up"
This is good info. Thanks for posting, i had not heard of this offer and just may sign up myself even though i despise Apple.
On another topic has anyone used Apple music on a PC?

I believe it's either the web player or iTunes (as mentioned above), dont know about third party apps.