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Scratching my head - getting Apple music to HiFi

Jimshoe

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I have a MiniDSP SHD and mainly use Roon. My partner has a Spotify account which we can also play through the SHD using the Spotify client, all great!

He has however now decided he wants to use Apple music and, as far as I can tell, the only way to play Apple music through a HiFi is either by attaching a Mac (running Apple music) or to stream from an Apple device via airplay?

Airplay is flakey and unreliable on the SHD and, like using an attached Mac device, is reliant on the source device being on and 'present'. I find it much more convenient to use my Mac simply as a remote control i.e. selecting and starting music playlists etc and then being able to switch it off or move it away - as with Roon or the Spotify client.

Is there no hardware device I can connect to the SHD that will run Apple music for me? I thought the Apple TV box might do this but it does not appear to have any audio outputs.

Doug
 

sandymc

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[QUOTE="Jimshoe, post: 806817, member: 13129"I thought the Apple TV box might do this but it does not appear to have any audio outputs.

Doug[/QUOTE]

Older Apple TV's have optical out. But Apple TV's all upsample/downsample any audio to 48k.
 

chelgrian

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Is there no hardware device I can connect to the SHD that will run Apple music for me? I thought the Apple TV box might do this but it does not appear to have any audio outputs.

There are no devices that can stream from Apple Music in the same way that say say Spotify connect works.

You can get audio out of the HDMI port on the Apple TV either directly via HDMI into a receiver or by using an Audio Deembedder to extract a SPDIF signal from the HDMI.

The other possibility is an iPad and a class compliant USB audio interface. Note that such a device must have its own power an iPad cannot bus power such a device. I also don't know if Apple Music would support 24/96 that way.

Such usb devices used to be commonplace but I was looking for something that was just USB to TOSLINK recently and couldn't find anything.
 

tgray

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Sonos Port should support Apple Music. Presumably you’d have to use the Sonos app to control the music, or Apple Music app through Airplay to the Port.

The Apple TV option should work too. You’d Airplay to it from your devices. You can play directly from the Apple TV but I think you need a TV hooked up to it to navigate the Music app.
 

dkinric

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[QUOTE="Jimshoe, post: 806817, member: 13129"I thought the Apple TV box might do this but it does not appear to have any audio outputs.

Doug


This was such a dumbfounding decision on Apple's part. I really really don't understand this at all, I would love to have heard that discussion in the conference room.

A: So, as you can see, this new Apple TV4K is set to release and with our lossless Apple Music initiative, and we can just add back in an optical output for only an additional $1.43 of build cost, and then we can own the living room, and we can charge a ridiculous amount of money, but people will pay for it
B: No
A: No? What do you mean, no? This new Apple TV box would appeal to tv, movie and music lovers alike. People just need a way to hook this to their stereo systems to be able to take advantage of our lossless and Dolby Atmos music - and then it's perfect and could be a revolutionary device.
B: No.
A: Why in the world would we not do this? It costs us practically nothing. It makes perfect sense
B: Cause fuck 'em, that's why
 
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tgray

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I don’t disagree; Apple hasn’t had a simple output device compatible with Airplay for some years. I finally gave up after doinking around with various work arounds and bought a Sonos which has let me access my music collection pretty seamlessly, either with Airplay or directly. I don’t know why they continue to not support this market.

Then again, most people I know don’t have a dedicated audio system, so maybe the market is a lot smaller than I think.
 

abdo123

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there is an application called 'Remote' on the App store (made by Apple) that allows you to control any iTunes running on a computer connected to your Wifi.

if you found the application to work well for your case you can buy an Apple TV or a Mac Mini for top box functionality stuff.
 

Taddpole

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This was such a dumbfounding decision on Apple's part. I really really don't understand this at all, I would love to have heard that discussion in the conference room.

A: So, you can see, this new Apple TV4K is set to release and with our lossless Apple Music initiative, and we can just add back in an optical output for only an additional $1.43 of build cost, and then we can own the living room, and we can charge a ridiculous amount of money, but people will pay for it
B: No
A: No? What do you mean, no? This new Apple TV box would appeal to tv, movie and music lovers alike. People just need a way to hook this in to their stereo systems and then it's perfect and could be a revolutionary device.
B: No.
A: Why in the world would we not do this? It costs us practically nothing. It makes perfect sense
B: Cause fuck 'em, that's why

B: Because we can then release a device that just does audio for about the same price as a TV4k and make them buy both to get same capability.

or

B: So we can launch a stylish hires homepod replacement.
 

Taddpole

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Then again, most people I know don’t have a dedicated audio system, so maybe the market is a lot smaller than I think.

I think it's smaller than most of us would like.

Increasing numbers using hires streaming could lead to a renaissance in the sector. Or just better Echos, homepods and nest speakers (and soundbars shudder) for the masses instead.
 

Zensō

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I have a MiniDSP SHD and mainly use Roon. My partner has a Spotify account which we can also play through the SHD using the Spotify client, all great!

He has however now decided he wants to use Apple music and, as far as I can tell, the only way to play Apple music through a HiFi is either by attaching a Mac (running Apple music) or to stream from an Apple device via airplay?

Airplay is flakey and unreliable on the SHD and, like using an attached Mac device, is reliant on the source device being on and 'present'. I find it much more convenient to use my Mac simply as a remote control i.e. selecting and starting music playlists etc and then being able to switch it off or move it away - as with Roon or the Spotify client.

Is there no hardware device I can connect to the SHD that will run Apple music for me? I thought the Apple TV box might do this but it does not appear to have any audio outputs.

Doug
You could pick up an older iPad (say a Gen 6) which can be had for $200-$300 and set it up as a dedicated streamer with the CCK. Uninstall all unnecessary apps and turn off all notifications. It makes a very nice streamer. I have one I’m using this way, hardwired to the RME:

9FB6B4B8-5A24-470E-AE33-AA75BB2ACBE1.jpeg


Another option would be a Raspberry Pi 4 running Ropieee XL. You can reliably Airplay to the Raspberry Pi, though the controlling device does still need to be running, unlike with Roon or Spotify Connect.
 
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tgray

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I think it's smaller than most of us would like.

Increasing numbers using hires streaming could lead to a renaissance in the sector. Or just better Echos, homepods and nest speakers (and soundbars shudder) for the masses instead.

Right. Google discontinued the Chromecast Audio as well, didn't they?
 

dkinric

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But are any of these options ideal for wireless control of lossless audio? Currently I use Roon for Tidal and Qobuz on my ipad, which controls the hard wired Rasberry Pi output to my DAC. Works flawlessly.
I want to be able to sit on my couch and run Apple music app on my ipad, wirelessly controlling the music stream that is running via Cat6 ethernet into my DAC. Airplay does some funny conversions with an audio signal and is limited to 24/48 anyway (which is fine, but another discussion).
Is there a device that will act as an endpoint for Apple Music that will output a bit perfect lossless signal to my DAC that can be controlled wirelessly from an ipad running Apple Music App?
Will an older Apple Airport Express 2 act as this endpoint? Or is it just streaming over Airplay from the ipad?
 

SMc

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Is there a device that will act as an endpoint for Apple Music that will output a bit perfect lossless signal to my DAC that can be controlled wirelessly from an ipad running Apple Music App?
Will an older Apple Airport Express 2 act as this endpoint? Or is it just streaming over Airplay from the ipad?
If I'm reading the Apple page correctly, it looks like the Express takes streams from your iOs device and the Apple TV 4k can play controlled by an app but the output is over HDMI so getting to the miniDSP is still a problem.

Looks like even experienced Apple Music users circa 2018 aren't sure:

https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/control-apple-music-on-apple-tv-without-tv-turned-on.2105536/
 

Music1969

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Is there no hardware device I can connect to the SHD that will run Apple music for me?

Bluesound Node 2 supports Airplay 2 (as well as Spotify, Roon, Tidal Connect)

Just Airplay from Apple Music on your iPhone/iPad/macOS
 
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