Apple Music lossless is finally coming to Windows 11!

[snake3276120]

Has anybody here been able to try the windows 11 app? I installed it yesterday and after entering the login-details the app just freezes ...

It's working for me, but only plays one song from my lib at a time, and I can't find the option to select any output device. No exclusive mode for sure.

 

[napfkuchen]

It's working for me, but only plays one song from my lib at a time, and I can't find the option to select any output device. No exclusive mode for sure.

It's working for me now, too. Still very buggy through.

 

[TK750]

Just a heads up, this is now available on Win 10 as of about a month or so ago I think (not sure exactly when the version came out). Still no exclusive mode unfortunately, hopefully there will be at some point in the future, perhaps when it makes it out of 'preview' status.

 

[shrijicomp]

I recently found out about the preview and downloaded the app on Win11. Turned on the Lossless audio option:

But when I check the properties of a song I'm playing currently, it shows that it's only playing the AAC file at 256 bits and not the ALAC:

So is there something I'm missing or is Lossless audio not even a real thing on this Windows app?

 

[Music1969]

Still no exclusive mode unfortunately, hopefully there will be at some point in the future, perhaps when it makes it out of 'preview' status.

We all hope like you do... but I highly doubt exclusive mode would come to Windows before macOS.

We have to wait for each macOS update to see if there's been any progress.

Stay tuned to September/October (unless any news leaks beforehand, in the betas)

 

[shrijicomp]

We all hope like you do... but I highly doubt exclusive mode would come to Windows before macOS.

We have to wait for each macOS update to see if there's been any progress.

Stay tuned to September/October (unless any news leaks beforehand, in the betas)

Oh wow, I didn't even know MacOS didn't support lossless music already. I even own a Macbook, but never thought to try it there first.

Thanks for the info!

 

[Music1969]

Oh wow, I didn't even know MacOS didn't support lossless music already. I even own a Macbook, but never thought to try it there first.

Thanks for the info!

iOS has for years (even before Apple Music went hires, like with Qobuz app, Tidal app etc) , using with Apple Camera adapter. Sample rates automatically change.

macOS never has, annoyingly. You have to manually change sample rates in Audio MIDI app

 

[Moderate Dionysianism]

have been using spotify since it started and tested Tidal and deezer, I could get CD quality in those by browser.

Resampled in the Windows pipeline. Whether the perceived SQ takes a hit is another topic though.

 

[Askew]

Windows and Android versions of Apple software are always in my opinion a half baked piece of software. I use iCloud in a browser window for my photos and videos to import my files to Windows (I use an iPhone and also a Windows 10 PC). When it comes to streaming audio, Apple have made absolutely no effort to make a decent application for either Android or Windows. If I want to stream Apple Music on Windows I am forced to use iTunes, the windows version is honestly the equivalent of a software latrine and I don't enjoy interacting with it, furthermore Apple doesn't support Lossless ALAC playback on Windows.

Quite a disappointment I must say, I would expect at the very minumum the creation of a player for Apple Music on Windows and the inclusion of a codec for ALAC to supply that audio to Windows users with higher end audio equipment but we have nothing.

I currently use Spotify for my lossy music both at home and on the move, bluetooth AAC using iPhone is actually extremely reliable and carries well around the house and at my place of work without interruption or audible degredation of bitrate/quality. At home on my PC I use a Qobuz for my lossless music, and Spotify for my lossy (which depending very much on source material I either struggle or cannot tell the difference between).

Do I believe that Apple's AAC on Windows is audibly transparent for me? Yes, do I refuse to pay the subscription because they artifically withhold ALAC from me as a Windows user? Yes.

 

[chocoloiee]

But when I check the properties of a song I'm playing currently, it shows that it's only playing the AAC file at 256 bits and not the ALAC:

This was also the case for me. To fix this, I simply download the tracks, and if you go and check the Properties tab again, it'd show HLS, which is the copy-protected version of ALAC, according to Apple. Not sure if lossless streaming is really a thing yet, but lossless is, I guess, available via download.

 

[Anderlfs]

Manually set the resolution in the settings wouldn't be the biggest problem if It was possible to see the original resolution of the file, but It just says It's "Lossless" or "Hi-Res Lossless". In the properties of some songs It shows the khz, not all. This app is on par with Amazon Music which also just says "HD" or "Ultra HD". Doesn't help. I was getting a stop error to download files but I just changed the folder location and It got back to normal. I am getting HLS now.

It's still just a plus. I use it more with an iPhone and in this case the DAC display shows the original resolution being selected automatically, which was not the case with Amazon Music, for example, which seemed to resample everything.

 

[TK750]

New update today, seems more responsive and less janky, still a way to go though. Haven't noticed any other obvious differences but have not looked very closely.

 

[soundwave76]

New version of the Apple Music Preview is just out and I am just trying this with Win10. Not bad.

 

[Pancreas]

works good haven't had any issues

 

[soundwave76]

I am wondering is there a safe way to import playlists to Apple Music? I have used Soundiiz in the past but I hesitate signing in to 3rd party services with my Apple ID.

 

[Pancreas]

is an app made by apple wut

 

[dimedrol]

The preview app is working on Windows 10 but I have no idea how to confirm the playback is actually lossless. File properties only show the song's duration. Download isn't working. The tracks that have a High Res mark are played in 48KHz based on my DAC.

 

[soundwave76]

Yes, been thinking about the same thing how to confirm this. Would Roon do the trick?

 

[TK750]

The preview app is working on Windows 10 but I have no idea how to confirm the playback is actually lossless. File properties only show the song's duration. Download isn't working. The tracks that have a High Res mark are played in 48KHz based on my DAC.

Currently there is no 'exclusive' functionality in the preview so everything will be getting resampled by windows to whatever sample rate you have set it to use (48KHz it would seem for you). I would expect the application is indeed streaming the high res file but it cannot make its way unaltered to your dac yet (assuming they do add 'exclusive' functionality which is by no means guaranteed). If the streaming file is 48KHz then obviously it will not be resampled as there is no need.

 

[soundwave76]

I am wondering is there a safe way to import playlists to Apple Music? I have used Soundiiz in the past but I hesitate signing in to 3rd party services with my Apple ID.

Replying to myself - Soundiiz authenticates Apple Music via Apple's service, so security and privacy issues should be covered