Phlac

Q: iPhone 7 and high resolution audio

Hi-

 

Considering buying the iPhone 7.  I notice that the DAC is now external to the phone for good lightning cable headphones and even the Lightning to 3.5mm adapter contains a little DAC in it.

 

Does that mean that the iPhone 7 will accept high resolution audio files? (I'm talking 24 bit, 192.000 kHz files with bitrates up around 9,216 kbps, like those that you can purchase from Pono Music or HD Tracks).

 

The Apple store is now selling items such as the Audeze planar headphones with high quality DACs.

 

Has anybody tried this yet?  It may convince me to upgrade from my iPhone 6.  (I currently use one of those Toblerone shaped Pono Players for hi res music).

Posted on Sep 21, 2016 11:21 PM

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Q: iPhone 7 and high resolution audio

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  • by chris_g1,

    chris_g1 chris_g1 Sep 23, 2016 7:03 AM in response to Phlac
    Community Specialists
    Sep 23, 2016 7:03 AM in response to Phlac
    Hi there, Phlac!

    Thanks for reaching out to the â€‹Apple Support Communities! That is a great question about the audio formats supported by the iPhone 7. Check out this link that has the Technical Specs for the iPhone 7.
     

    Audio Playback

    • Audio formats supported: AAC (8 to 320 Kbps), Protected AAC (from iTunes Store), HE-AAC, MP3 (8 to 320 Kbps), MP3 VBR, Dolby Digital (AC-3), Dolby Digital Plus (E-AC-3), Audible (formats 2, 3, 4, Audible Enhanced Audio, AAX, and AAX+), Apple Lossless, AIFF, and WAV
    • User-configurable maximum volume limit


    Any audio that falls into these formats will work fine with the iPhone 7! Have a great day!
  • by Phlac,

    Phlac Phlac Sep 23, 2016 12:22 PM in response to chris_g1
    Level 1 (43 points)
    Apple TV
    Sep 23, 2016 12:22 PM in response to chris_g1

    Thanks for the quick reply.

     

    Unfortunately, it doesn't provide enough information - those specs are the same as an iPhone 6.  Currently on my iPhone 6, iTunes will transfer some Apple Loseless files (ALAC), but it won't transfer ALAC files that have a high resolution: 

     

    For instance, the following ALAC file will not be transferred to an iPhone using iTunes:

    alaclarge.jpeg

     

    It is my hope that the iPhone 7, which now externalizes the headphone DAC, would allow much better music file quality.   I don't see the point in selling planar headphones with high-end DACs (like the Audeze EL-8 Titaniums) if there is no way to listen to high quality music files.

  • by SuleimanTheMagnificent,Helpful

    SuleimanTheMagnificent SuleimanTheMagnificent Sep 25, 2016 6:45 PM in response to Phlac
    Level 1 (14 points)
    Sep 25, 2016 6:45 PM in response to Phlac

    Hi Phlac, unfortunately iPhone 7 won't play hi-res audio this was my hope as well. However you can use VOX player from apple store but i am not sure if we can get that hi-res quality from lightning or with lightning to 3.5mm adapter.

  • by Phlac,

    Phlac Phlac Sep 25, 2016 6:51 PM in response to SuleimanTheMagnificent
    Level 1 (43 points)
    Apple TV
    Sep 25, 2016 6:51 PM in response to SuleimanTheMagnificent

    Thanks!  I'll start looking at Vox.  My understanding is that just the unaltered digital signal is being sent through the lightning port.  The DAC in the 3.5mm adapter is pretty low-end, but the Audeze EL-8 Titaniums that they are selling online at apple.com purport to have a high end DAC included.

     

    I probably won't be the first to try it, hopefully more information will be forthcoming from Apple or early adopters.

  • by bruce302ford,

    bruce302ford bruce302ford Sep 28, 2016 10:11 AM in response to Phlac
    Level 1 (4 points)
    Sep 28, 2016 10:11 AM in response to Phlac

    I just purchased a 7 yesterday, loaded my music on. I noticed that, yes, iTunes does not transfer all High-Res ALAC files, BUT, it does transfer, and the iPhone 7 DOES playback 48/24 ALAC files. So, at least the resolution compatibility goes a bit higher than CD 44/16.  Maybe older devices do this as well, and it's quite possible the ceiling has been 48/24 for some time. Wanted to share my experience.