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Apple lossless official announcement

Zensō

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OK. So offering 'lossless' is not that big of a deal for them - indeed, why didn't they do it sooner...? I'm not complaining (tho' I doubt I can hear the difference). Just, why the fuss?
Apple most likely didn't offer lossless sooner because there is expense involved and the market didn't demand it. Now that Amazon and Spotify are on the lossless bandwagon, Apple has to respond to stay on par with their primary competitors (Tidal, Qobuz, Deezer, et al are irrelevant to these behemoths).

As for why the fuss, the CD standard has been the benchmark for a long time, so getting that now in a streaming service at no extra charge provides some welcome peace of mind for us obsessive audiophile types, even if there is no audible upgrade over 256 AAC. The average person is more likely to be interested in Spatial Audio and Atmos, both of which will provide something people can actually hear.
 

MattHooper

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it’s the largest catalogue there is, it’s basically the iTunes catalogue.

Ok thanks that sounds promising. My only hesitation in going with Apple Music is whether I have to be careful of some "automated services" in which Apple thinks it's a good idea to go in and f*ck up my existing library. Like in iTunes where people had things like carefully procured album art replaced and even their music replaced. I'm hoping that wouldn't be the case since as I understand it Apple Music is streaming (I haven't looked in to it much), but you always have to be careful with Apple.
 

BinkieHuckerback

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Apple most likely didn't offer lossless sooner because there is expense involved and the market didn't demand it. Now that Amazon and Spotify are on the lossless bandwagon, Apple has to respond to stay on par with their primary competitors (Tidal, Qobuz, Deezer, et al are irrelevant to these behemoths).

As for why the fuss, the CD standard has been the benchmark for a long time, so getting that now in a streaming service at no extra charge provides some welcome peace of mind for us obsessive audiophile types, even if there is no audible upgrade over 256 AAC. The average person is more likely to be interested in Spatial Audio and Atmos, both of which will provide something people can actually hear.
Thank you. At the risk of sounding 'obsessive' - what kind of expense is there for Apple in offering lossless streaming? If I stream a lossless track, who's cost is higher, mine or Apple's? Is that even the right way to look at it (listen at it)? This announcement sounds like they're doing us a favour...
 

abdo123

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Ok thanks that sounds promising. My only hesitation in going with Apple Music is whether I have to be careful of some "automated services" in which Apple thinks it's a good idea to go in and f*ck up my existing library. Like in iTunes where people had things like carefully procured album art replaced and even their music replaced. I'm hoping that wouldn't be the case since as I understand it Apple Music is streaming (I haven't looked in to it much), but you always have to be careful with Apple.

as long as you disable icloud library before hand your local library should not be fucked with. I think.
 

Taddpole

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Thank you. At the risk of sounding 'obsessive' - what kind of expense is there for Apple in offering lossless streaming? If I stream a lossless track, who's cost is higher, mine or Apple's? Is that even the right way to look at it (listen at it)? This announcement sounds like they're doing us a favour...

Well theirs are definitely increased with people using lossless.

Yours might be depending on your data contracts but you don't have to stream lossless if you'd rather save the data.

They kind of are doing a favour in the short term. If it kills off the competitors and then lets them up the price it could cost us all in long term.

That said limited devices that fully make use of the lossless atm. Most of theirs don't.
 

Taddpole

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My only hesitation in going with Apple Music is whether I have to be careful of some "automated services" in which Apple thinks it's a good idea to go in and f*ck up my existing library. Like in iTunes where people had things like carefully procured album art replaced and even their music replaced.

I know that feeling. Have mine very well backed up now after similar.

Doesn't look like this should do the same.
 

Zensō

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Thank you. At the risk of sounding 'obsessive' - what kind of expense is there for Apple in offering lossless streaming? If I stream a lossless track, who's cost is higher, mine or Apple's? Is that even the right way to look at it (listen at it)? This announcement sounds like they're doing us a favour...
256 AAC is roughly 1/3 the size of ALAC, so Apple will certainly incur increased costs for the additional bandwidth required to stream at CD quality. As for costs on the user's end, it depends upon what type of data plan one has. In my case, I always come in far under my data cap, so I'm unlikely to incur a cost increase going from AAC to lossless.
 

MattHooper

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as long as you disable icloud library before hand your local library should not be fucked with. I think.

Yeah it's the f**kig icloud that gets you. It's caused such havoc in our family already. You've got to get things just right, or chaos ensues, so I tend to have it off.
 

BinkieHuckerback

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Yeah it's the f**kig icloud that gets you. It's caused such havoc in our family already. You've got to get things just right, or chaos ensues, so I tend to have it off.
There's me and three cats so iCloud don't matter...
 

DavidMcRoy

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Seems like the Android version supports Chromecast, the iOS/MacOS version does not.

The Apple Music app gives you a drop down to choose which device is available for WiFi or Ethernet connection within range and you select the one you want. It does the rest.

I have an Ethernet port on my AVR, so my iPhone or iPad are on WiFi into my router and the router connects to the AVR. My AVR happens to default to AirPlay, but ChromeCast works on the i-Devices, too. I use it for Qobuz and TIDAL. Right now, must go through the mConnect app for Qobuz to work on Chromecast. Qobuz is aware that there are crippling issues with ChromeCast (i.e. “it doesn’t work,”) according to the exchanges I’ve been reading (unless that’s been resolved by now.) The Apple Music announcement timing is great for me, since I’m tired of putting up with the clunky Qobuz app.
 
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Jimbob54

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The Apple Music app gives you a drop down to choose which device is available for WiFi or Ethernet connection within range and you select the one you want. It does the rest.

I have an Ethernet port on my AVR, so my iPhone or iPad is on WiFi into my router and the router connects to the AVR. My AVR happens to default to AirPlay, but ChromeCast works on the i-Devices, too. I use it for Qobuz and TIDAL.

Apparently the Apple Music app on iphone/ipad doesnt have chromecast compatibility even if other apps do. Which is unfortunate.
 

DavidMcRoy

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Apparently the Apple Music app on iphone/ipad doesnt have chromecast compatibility even if other apps do. Which is unfortunate.

Are you sure? I wonder whether it simply “defaults” to AirPlay if it’s available. I haven’t tested it with equipment that lacks AirPlay to see if ChromeCast works with Apple Music in the absence of AirPlay availability.
 

jensgk

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Are you sure? I wonder whether it simply “defaults” to AirPlay if it’s available. I haven’t tested it with equipment that lacks AirPlay to see if ChromeCast works with Apple Music in the absence of AirPlay availability.

Yes. Airplay on i-devices is a part of the i-device operating system, but chromecast is not. It is up to each app, whether it will support chromecast. None of Apples own apps or other products support chromecast. Chromecast belongs to Google, and vice versa Google does not support Airplay.
 

GeorgeBynum

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Ah that is why I don't notice it. I never "got into" computer games.
I remember when Hercules came out with their video adapter, early/mid 1980s. They used 75 Hz IIRC, maybe 72 Hz, because 60 Hz caused discomfort for some users. I expect improved phosphors helped some, but interference with 60 Hz from fluorescent lamps was discussed too.
 

tgray

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Ok thanks that sounds promising. My only hesitation in going with Apple Music is whether I have to be careful of some "automated services" in which Apple thinks it's a good idea to go in and f*ck up my existing library. Like in iTunes where people had things like carefully procured album art replaced and even their music replaced. I'm hoping that wouldn't be the case since as I understand it Apple Music is streaming (I haven't looked in to it much), but you always have to be careful with Apple.

This has kept me from trying Apple Music as well. I recently got my library completely sorted out, backed up multiple places, and figured out a way to ‘audit’ my files to find changes. So I might be ready to finally try it. I’ve talked to a few people about what the subscription can do to you library but have never really gotten clear answers.

One thing I have heard is don’t add songs you don’t ‘own’ to your library.
 
OP
SKBubba

SKBubba

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Are you sure? I wonder whether it simply “defaults” to AirPlay if it’s available. I haven’t tested it with equipment that lacks AirPlay to see if ChromeCast works with Apple Music in the absence of AirPlay availability.

Curiously, Apple Music app on android supports chromecast, but not airplay.
 

frogmeat69

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Ugh, I hate the way this whole iTunes crap works on PC. Why can't I just save an artist I searched for so I can go directly to their catalog?Am I doing it all wrong? I like to listen to whole albums, not some station Apple decides to build for me. Guess I'm old fashioned, don't want or buy just single songs.
Might have to stick with Tidal if I can get a yearly deal, or go and try Amazon Music again.
If Qobuz drops to $10 a month , that would be nice.
 

StevenEleven

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Just got an email from Amazon. What a coincidence. :)




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