How do you get bit-perfect playback on the Apple Music app?

[palm]

Normally, the volume control on the phone defaults to about 1/3 from zero. Can't hear it at all. This is normal. Since the Airport Express v2 is linked to a DAC and RCA into my amp, I control the volume from the amp. This is normal for Airplay (1) and produces the best Airplay sound. Consequently, I normally raise the Music app slider volume from 1/3 to full so it is also as close to bit perfect as I can get it. But if I leave Music, like to check another app, when I come back to Music, the slider drops about 5-10%!

I have a Belkin Soundform Connect and I confirm that the volume is generally indeed at about 1/3rd when connecting. I also put it to max.
But I don’t have the issue that volume resets to a lower value.
The fact that volume is conservatively set low after a while is not new according to me, I observed this back when first HomePod was introduced. And I think it makes sense: you don’t want such Airplay “speakers” to blast at the potential high volume you left it.
I think the inconvenience we both face originates from the fact that we need to set the volume to 100%. This isn’t how it should be. When you connect the RME ADI to an iPhone, iPad or Mac, the volume slider is disabled : this is the correct behavior IMO

 

[JIW]

Another thing to consider is whether the system turns everything to mono.

When exclusive mode is not used, there is another setting that needs to be set correctly for bit perfect playback. Since it applies to all available audio outputs, this is the case even if the system output device is different from the output device selected in the program. It is Play stereo audio as mono under System Settings > Accessibility > Audio on macOS 15.3.
View attachment 426269

Thus, for bit perfect playback to a given device on macOS without exclusive mode:

• Program and system volume are set to full.
• The sample rate for the device in the Audio MIDI Setup is the same as that of the file and the number of bits of the file is no greater than that in the Audio MIDI Setup.
• No other programs send audio to the device. Either they send no audio or their output is set to another device either by selection in the program or by the system output being different from the device.
• Stereo audio is not turned into mono by the system in the Accessibility settings.

 

[Sergey2020]

Тестируем аудиофильские программы-плееры для macOS X против iTunes:

Для macOS X существуют как встроенный программный музыкальный плеер iTunes, так и плееры сторонних производителей. При этом нас уверяют, что сторонние программные плееры дают ряд преимуществ и обеспечивают более высокое качество звука. Мы исследовали данный вопрос на примере плееров Audirvana...

www.ixbt.com

 

[JIW]

Тестируем аудиофильские программы-плееры для macOS X против iTunes:

Для macOS X существуют как встроенный программный музыкальный плеер iTunes, так и плееры сторонних производителей. При этом нас уверяют, что сторонние программные плееры дают ряд преимуществ и обеспечивают более высокое качество звука. Мы исследовали данный вопрос на примере плееров Audirvana...

www.ixbt.com

The English translation by Firefox does not include disabling mono which is also required.

 

[DownUnderGazza]

Just a thought, Apple offers Logic Pro which is a VERY serious professional music creation, mixing and mastering app. As a result Apple has pretty much always paid close attention to the quality of its underlying audio subsystem.
I remember avidly reading about Apple’s focus on audio quality, so much so that now I just listen to Apple Music and no longer worry about matters of ‘bit perfect’.