Apple lossless and your setup

[Jazz]

There is no airplay connect on iOS with which one iOS device can control another. There is an airplay connect on Apple TV and, I guess, homepods. You can control Apple Music on Apple TV from your iPhone, iPad and Mac.

Airplay always plays from the UI device (iPhone, iPad, ATV, macOS). Spotify Connect plays from the playback device but is controlled from the UI device.

 

[DeLub]

Airplay always plays from the UI device (iPhone, iPad, ATV, macOS. Spotify Connect plays from the playback device but is controlled from the UI device.

No, not true. You can control an apple TV from your iPhone, iPad or mac. See pictures. When you press the airplay button, there is an option on the bottom "Bedien andere luidsprekers en tv's" (Control other speakers and tvs). Then you get the second screen where you can select from a list of your devices, in this case my iPhone or two Apple TVs. When you select the device, you are able to control the device instead of airplaying to the device.

 

[Jazz]

No, not true. You can control an apple TV from your iPhone, iPad or mac. See pictures. When you press the airplay button, there is an option on the bottom "Bedien andere luidsprekers en tv's" (Control other speakers and tvs). Then you get the second screen where you can select from a list of your devices, in this case my iPhone or two Apple TVs. When you select the device, you are able to control the device instead of airplaying to the device.

You have interpreted this feature incorrectly. It is still Airplay. However, it would just be Apple TV only. I cannot, for instance, use an iOS device with a better USB DAC that is hooked up via RCA adaptor to amp but control it from another iOS device. With a true connect from Spotify and others, it uses the playback device hooked up to the amp as the player. Only UI control via the “remote” iOS device.

 

[DeLub]

You have interpreted this feature incorrectly.

No, I have not.

However, it would just be Apple TV only

Yes. And HomePods as well, I believe. And that's exactly what I said in my earlier post that you quoted:

There is no airplay connect on iOS with which one iOS device can control another. There is an airplay connect on Apple TV and, I guess, homepods. You can control Apple Music on Apple TV from your iPhone, iPad and Mac.

 

[ElNino]

DeLub is right. The original Airplay 1 was device->receiver only. Airplay 2 has two modes, one which is device->receiver and one which is remote playlist oriented, like Spotify Connect. That latter mode is supported on Apple TV, Homepod, and a few third-party products like the Denon Airplay 2 receiver.

I don't blame people for being confused though. The public developer documentation for the latter feature is poor, and the interface is fairly inscrutable on iOS (but makes more sense on recent versions of iTunes).

 

[Zensō]

DeLub is right. The original Airplay 1 was device->receiver only. Airplay 2 has two modes, one which is device->receiver and one which is remote playlist oriented, like Spotify Connect. That latter mode is supported on Apple TV, Homepod, and a few third-party products like the Denon Airplay 2 receiver.

I don't blame people for being confused though. The public developer documentation for the latter feature is poor, and the interface is fairly inscrutable on iOS (but makes more sense on recent versions of iTunes).

I agree with @DeLub and @ElNino, on a handful of devices such as ATV and HomePod, the AP2 stream can be handed off.

Apple needs to provide more transparency on how these protocols work. As it is, it's confusing as heck and misinformation abounds.

 

[Spocko]

I agree with @DeLub and @ElNino, on a handful of devices such as ATV and HomePod, the AP2 stream can be handed off.

Apple needs to provide more transparency on how these protocols work. As it is, it's confusing as heck and misinformation abounds.

This is why I'm still waiting for clarity from Apple - what's the exact chain required for Apple's lossless experience for the various devices like ATV, Homepod, Airpods, etc. So if I plug in my ATV 4K into my AVR via HDMI, is it processing lossless?

 

[DeLub]

This is why I'm still waiting for clarity from Apple - what's the exact chain required for Apple's lossless experience for the various devices like ATV, Homepod, Airpods, etc. So if I plug in my ATV 4K into my AVR via HDMI, is it processing lossless?

Yes, provided that you’ve also enabled lossless in the settings… in the sense that the Apple TV will receive alac files and not compressed aac. But the Apple TV resamples everything to 48kHz.

I agree with the statement that Apple has made everything quite confusing.

 

[Jazz]

DeLub is right. The original Airplay 1 was device->receiver only. Airplay 2 has two modes, one which is device->receiver and one which is remote playlist oriented, like Spotify Connect. That latter mode is supported on Apple TV, Homepod, and a few third-party products like the Denon Airplay 2 receiver.

I don't blame people for being confused though. The public developer documentation for the latter feature is poor, and the interface is fairly inscrutable on iOS (but makes more sense on recent versions of iTunes).

Just to clarify, @DeLub, @ElNino, et al) I only have one ATV 4K which goes to a poor DAC built in an AVR. I have a good DAC but, it can only be used (remotely using Ye Olde Airplay 2.0) via an Airport Express via Toslink before going into the amp via analog. No HomePods.
However, as is usually the case, we are both, sort of, right and wrong. If we split hairs, Airplay has a connect like ability (since Apple did not brand it so, it is “like”) for ATV4K and HomePods and some other AVRs, apparently).
It seems Apple slipped in an update (making me, wrong as it concerns ATV and HomePods). I had not seen that new style remote icon ever before (when I last messed with this months ago as I have a life). Which seems to be a UI indicator of connectedness, perhaps, however, only via the main Airplay menu for the iOS device. Not via Apple Music.
or, it just opens the iOS remote. I forget what Spotify does but it is way more apparent when you are “connected”.
But, this is “connect” only to those Apple devices and, a few AVRs. Spotify Connect works across/plays from Spotify capable devices starting from a few years ago (For example, my expensive Pioneer AJ speakers were not updated for that or for Airplay 2 either… so I played Spotify only via Airplay to those). But anything new now has Spotify Connect and it is easy peasy. It is this, that I want, for Apple Music and iOS.
It is fine that ATV, HomePods, and new AVRs have this but, I want more and broader. Apple could make “connect” work from iOS to iOS with the snap of Cook's fingers.
Let us pray Airplay 3.0 clarifies it once and for all (I am joking).

 

[Jazz]

Yes, provided that you’ve also enabled lossless in the settings… in the sense that the Apple TV will receive alac files and not compressed aac. But the Apple TV resamples everything to 48kHz.

I agree with the statement that Apple has made everything quite confusing.

You hit the nail on the head. ATV is limited in ability. I am actually OK with this but sending via Airplay or from “ATV connect” to HDMI is the limitation that bugs me. I have what I need to make good music. It just is not inside my AVR that the ATV is plugged into. It is in a piece of Schiit or a USB DAC via Lightning. If only I could remote “connect” to an iOS device at the amp and then lightning to DAC to 3.5 to the amp. But control it from the couch…

 

[Zensō]

You hit the nail on the head. ATV is limited in ability. I am actually OK with this but sending via Airplay or from “ATV connect” to HDMI is the limitation that bugs me. I have what I need to make good music. It just is not inside my AVR that the ATV is plugged into. It is in a piece of Schiit or a USB DAC via Lightning. If only I could remote “connect” to an iOS device at the amp and then lightning to DAC to 3.5 to the amp. But control it from the couch…

Yeah, controlling from the couch is the missing link. Controlling Apple Music on an iOS device from another iOS device (á la Roon) would be ideal (there is a way to do this, but it’s a kludge). I‘m lucky in that my high fidelity setups are all on the desktop in my office/studio. For those setups I’m using stripped down iPads as dedicated streamers direct to RME DAC/amps, a setup I’m very happy with. The other rooms are for causal listening with Sonos stereo pairs and HomePods, which work perfectly fine via Airplay for that purpose.

 

[Jazz]

Yeah, controlling from the couch is the missing link. Controlling Apple Music on an iOS device from another iOS device (á la Roon) would be ideal (there is a way to do this, but it’s a kludge).

What is the kludge?

 

[Zensō]

What is the kludge?

I've never tried this, but the reports are mixed at best.

How to Control an iPad Remotely

iPads are great for watching videos and playing games. They are convenient, portable, and easy to hold. However, there are situations in which you need to

www.alphr.com

 

[multicast]

Didn't want to create a new thread: this seems to be related to Apple Lossless. I've noticed some crackling occasionally on some tunes. Very audible in Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young at the very beginning of "Our House", just between "I light the fire" and "you ..." Doesn't depend on audio resolution, cable, DAC, headphones; even audible whilst connected via bluetooth. What goes wrong there? Is appears only on the left channel.

Mike

 

[BitPerfect_]

Try using Siri.

Would you please elaborate? sounds interesting.

 

[Enstip]

I use both Airplay 1 to a 3rd gen Apple TV with Toslink optical out to my DAC for ‘portable’ listening at16/48 and a CCK and USB A-B lead for ‘serious’ listening at up to 24/192. I don’t find that either option drains the iPad battery particularly - no more than normal use of the device for browsing etc.

 

[NiagaraPete]

The CCK should not drain power at all assuming you have it plugged into power.

 

[Enstip]

The CCK should not drain power at all assuming you have it plugged into power.

I rarely need to plug it in. Even so, iPad power drain is no more than normal use despite streaming music. I guess it must be fractionally more if the cpu is working harder, but nothing you’d notice.

I think screen time is the biggest battery eater.

 

[Snoopy]

Apple music on Android supports Chromecast. So that provides you with 24bit 96khz.

With apple devices you are limited to airplay.

Best thing is to replace apple music with Qobuz.

 

[Zensō]

Best thing is to replace apple music with Qobuz.

Either that or get over our obsession with high bit rates for playback. 256 AAC is very, very good in normal listening