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Apple Music vs Tidal

Cote Dazur

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If you send a 44.1/16 PCM audio data via AirPlay you get the same data back
Excuse my newbie question, but so I am clear on the subject, if I play a alac file from itune on my Windows 10 pc to my airport express (first generation) will it feed my topping e30 dac a bit perfect file?
 

sarumbear

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Excuse my newbie question, but so I am clear on the subject, if I play a alac file from itune on my Windows 10 pc to my airport express (first generation) will it feed my topping e30 dac a bit perfect file?
If that file is 44.1/16 then yes
 

Cote Dazur

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If that file is 44.1/16 then yes
Thank you for taking the time to reply. I appreciate your knowledge and experience.

I am trying to improve my digital source on my main system in my stereo audio room, that was build around analog sources, also trying to do it without breaking the bank.:)

I have digital only in my other rooms with good results, but the systems/setup (room placement and acoustic) in those other room are not as revealing of the source like it is in the in the main system room.

In the main room, digital source, other than CD, as been challenging for me and I am trying to make it better so I can enjoy some music I only have on my hard drive.
 

sarumbear

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Thank you for taking the time to reply. I appreciate your knowledge and experience.

I am trying to improve my digital source on my main system in my stereo audio room, that was build around analog sources, also trying to do it without breaking the bank.:)

I have digital only in my other rooms with good results, but the systems/setup (room placement and acoustic) in those other room are not as revealing of the source like it is in the in the main system room.

In the main room, digital source, other than CD, as been challenging for me and I am trying to make it better so I can enjoy some music I only have on my hard drive.
You are very welcome.

Apple AirPlay use the lossless ALAC codec but it is fixed at 44.1/16. If you transfer a signal lower or higher than those it will convert them at the start to 44.1/16. In other words if you rip a CD in iTunes in lossless ALAC format and then send the tracks to an AirPlay device, it will output the track bit-perfect.
 

Tangband

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AAC256 is going to be completely transparent to mortal ears. Lossless is overrated. A 192kHz/24bit file resampled to 44.1/16bit is indistinguishable to human ears. What matters is the quality of the master. I'm still perplexed that this forum which seems to place an emphasis on objectivity has members with a strong preference for lossless. I guess it's the reason some people want a DAC with a 124 SINAD instead of a 110 SINAD.

I was unaware that Apple apps did not support the playback of FLAC. That is ridiculous. But I've been anti-apple when it comes to music anyway despite owning iPads and iPHones. This is because iTunes would alter my files and tags on its own. It annoyed me to no end.

Various compression algorithms are good. But I prefer to stick to the most universal/popular of them all --- MP3.

I'll take whatever integrates better through Roon and my own library. Roon is personal music library-centered. I prefer this over some subscription-centered offering.
Flacbox for Mac and iPhone/iPad supports FLAC . So does Mcconnect , and it also have airplay.
 

jmillar

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PS - there is one anomaly in the above chart. I have been able to get bit perfect streams from iOS via USB to an RME DAC. This may be a difference in the DACs used to run the tests, I’m not sure.
AFAIK it can be done in iPhone 6s and over and iOS 14.6 and over. John Darko has a Youtube video about this (as well as a blog entry).
 
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NiagaraPete

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I got my free trial before apple lossless

By using my iphne and that camera adaptor would i get bit perfect or is there any limitation or conversion downscaling etc?

I have hegel h190
If using cable yes but perfect up to 24/192. With Airplay 1or 2 up to 16/44
 

NiagaraPete

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A draw back with apple music at least with iphones is the inability to eq your headphones as far as I know.

@sarumbear you seem very versed on things apple, In my listening room I am using a mac mini as a source to an external dac and eq'ing with sound source. I like the headphone specific presets they provide. But on my office setup is just an iphone with no ability for installing on a work computer. Are you aware of any parametric eq software for iphones that aren't jailbroken?
Apple Music on iPhone and iPad has basic EQ.
 
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