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Apple lossless official announcement

Zensō

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365F82AB-7E4B-4E5D-B7F5-661C83EB4B0E.png
 

KeithPhantom

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Just checked and I see nothing new. But closed the settings app and music.
 
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Any way to play Apple Music lossless / high-res on Windows PCs without installing the bloated abomination that is iTunes?
 

TurbulentCalm

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Well after over a year away from Apple, with Tidal (sad) and then Deezer, it looks like I’ll be coming back. After I have a family plan for the rest of the family so I might as well use it and save some money.

I wonder how this will affect the other high res streaming providers?
 

Ata

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Jes, now we have Apple loosless in Denmark :)

Apple Lossless was turned on in Australia around 3pm today. Do I need my Tidal sub and Qobuz trial now, is the question? ;)

Since I am all in the Apple ecosystem, the list of things I need before I can switch to Apple Music (already subscribed for the family) is:
  • MUST HAVE: Bitperfect streaming to an external DAC in exclusive mode
  • MUST HAVE: PEQ for the audio stream
  • Nice to have: Convolution filter for the audio stream
  • Nice to have: Integration with Roon or Audirvana (Studio)
 

voodooless

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Apple Lossless was turned on in Australia around 3pm today. Do I need my Tidal sub and Qobuz trial now, is the question? ;)

Since I am all in the Apple ecosystem, the list of things I need before I can switch to Apple Music (already subscribed for the family) is:
  • MUST HAVE: Bitperfect streaming to an external DAC in exclusive mode
  • MUST HAVE: PEQ for the audio stream
  • Nice to have: Convolution filter for the audio stream
  • Nice to have: Integration with Roon or Audirvana (Studio)

PEQ and Bitperfect do not go together ;) I'm not 100% sure yet, but I don't think the Music app uses exclusive mode. It still uses the settings from the MIDI audio Setup and uses the OS mixer. Only have headphone connected at the moment, so can't check with an external DAC to see if it switches.

PEQ and Convolution can be done with Audio Units and SoundSource system-wide. There is a free convolution AU called HAFconvo. Haven't tested it yet though. I do use the build-in headphone compensation feature of SoundSource though. Works pretty well.

The next big question is: How are Apple Masters different from the same song on Qoboz?
 

Ata

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Yeah, it's up and running now.
EDIT: 16/44.1 up to 24/48 is Lossless,
24/96 and above is Hi-Res Lossless.

Note that 44.1K/24 and 48K/24 are considered Hires by Qobuz and Tidal, but only "lossless" by Apple. This is where it gets confusing: Jean Michel Jarre's "Oxygen" is showing as "Lossless" in Apple Music but "Hires" in Qobuz. Is the Apple Music version 44.1K/16 as in Tidal, or is it 48K/24 as in Qobuz? Go figure.
 

Ata

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PEQ and Bitperfect do not go together ;) I'm not 100% sure yet, but I don't think the Music app uses exclusive mode. It still uses the settings from the MIDI audio Setup and uses the OS mixer. Only have headphone connected at the moment, so can't check with an external DAC to see if it switches.

I am pretty sure iTunes and now Apple Music do not use exclusive mode, as I can hear the pings and whooshes when, on the rare occasion, I am listening to Apple Music.

There is the Bitperfect application on App Store, but I have no experience and more recent reviews are not good.

PEQ and Convolution can be done with Audio Units and SoundSource system-wide. There is a free convolution AU called HAFconvo. Haven't tested it yet though. I do use the build-in headphone compensation feature of SoundSource though. Works pretty well.

The next big question is: How are Apple Masters different from the same song on Qoboz?

Yes, I am using AUNBandEQ as PEQ, and MConvolutionEZ as a free convolver plugin with Audirvana (Studio). Looked at HAFconvo, somehow installing a plugin from a google drive with a bare minumum documentation seems haphazardous. :)
 

Ata

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You can simply click on the lossless icon to know the exact format :D.

Got it! "Oxygen" is 48K/24 as in Qobuz; I am in love already. :p
 

voodooless

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Got it! "Oxygen" is 48K/24 as in Qobuz; I am in love already. :p

They should improve the search though. Searching for "jean-michel jarre Oxygen" yields no relevant results. You actually have to know how to spelling of "Oxygen" in French to get a match :facepalm:. I think the others do a much better job.
 
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Cyfrox

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May I know which song is 24/192? I remember Fleetwood Mac is 24/192 on TIDAL but I tried it in Apple Music only shows 24/96.
 
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