Will lossless audio work via Airplay 2 and my receiver?

AirPlay (1 and 2) is capable of ALAC (lossless) streaming up to 44.1 kHz (48 kHz for video contents).

Hi-res lossless (over 48 kHz) isn't supported via AirPlay as a protocol, regardless of Apple Music.

That said, Apple Music in its lossless form streamed via AirPlay isn't only limited to 44.1 kHz (as expected like said before): unfortunately it's turned into a lossy (AAC) stream. It has been confirmed from various sources. Don't ask me why.

Yes, right now AirPlay audio means 16/44.1 kHz.

In case specifically of Apple Music streaming it's lossy AAC. Otherwise, it's a lossless capable wireless standard.

Honestly, it doesn't sound bad. I've enjoyed Apple Music even before it turned lossless.

Bluetooth has its limitations in bandwidth.

I have a pretty good Hi-Fi system. To really enjoy lossless Apple Music I've to connect my iPad to my USB DAC via Lightning to USB 3 Camera Adapter. It works well and sample rate switches automatically according to each single song.

On Mac unfortunately Music app doesn't handle exclusively Audio MIDI Setup, forcing the user to manually switch the proper sample rate if a bit perfect experience is wanted.

My hopes are that:

• Apple introduces eventually automatic sample rate switching in Audio MIDI Setup on Mac
• Update AirPlay protocol to support hi-res up to 192 kHz (ALAC with Apple Music streaming)

The AirPlay handling specifically by Apple Music streaming service is currently inconsistent.

That said, AirPlay (1 and 2), as a protocol, it's still capable to provide lossless 44.1 kHz audio for your local files or other sources as before the advent of Apple Music.

The problem is specific of Music app related to the audio stream coming from Apple Music subscription. Apple didn't suddenly change general AirPlay specs.

On two other audio related forums I've shared yesterday a sort of cheat sheet about Apple Music streaming and how it handles lossless, AirPlay and Dolby Atmos. I share it here, too:

https://www.marcoklobas.net/sharing/Apple-Music.png

Basically, it seems – and I say "seems" because evidences are mixed – that AirPlay 2 streams AAC (see Naim), AirPlay 1 sometimes ALAC, sometimes AAC and the lossless icon in Music app shows sometimes wrong informations (like lossless present with HomePod while Apple declared that lossless is coming to it later this year).

Let's wait how this whole AirPlay thing evolve and use, in case, the Apple's feedback page.

AirPlay 1 & 2 are capable of ALAC streaming, as you say, but that doesn't mean Apple Music takes advantage of it. In fact, Apple seems to bend over backwards to avoid an unbroken lossless chain from their servers to an AirPlay receiver.

AirPlay 2 also supports AAC. When playing a lossless track from Apple Music, the app gets the lossless data from Apple's servers and compresses it to 256kbps AAC before sending to the AirPlay 2 receiver (tested with AirPort Express v2, also acknowledged by at least one Apple AirPlay licensee).

The original AirPlay (aka AirTunes) only supports ALAC. If you have Apple Music set to play lossless versions of tracks it will, until you change the output to an AirPlay v1 receiver (tested with an original AirPort Express) the lossless icon goes away and Apple Music reports the track is AAC.

This behavior only occurs when playing stuff from Apple Music. If you have ALAC files you've made from CDs yourself it sends ALAC along to the AirPlay receiver (as it always has.)

I've documented the evidence I've gathered, including my own experiments.

It could change in the future, and I hope it does, but its so weird it seems like it must be deliberate. The only explanation I can come up with is that they are trying to keep people from getting a hold of the original unencrypted lossless audio data.

Yes it will work if you pass the signal from your iOS device through a wired external DAC before input to your amplifier.

Apple actually references this as a requirement on their site re lossless audio.

I have an Naim Uniti Nova and over Airplay 2 it’s definitely not even a 16 bit stream - the difference with the native Tidal stream on the same song is quite noticeable.

On the Naim forums the solutions are outlined clearly - and personally I’ve ordered a Topping D10s external USB DAC to solve the problem.

You can take a simple wired Lightning / USB-C to 3.5mm Jack to RCA to your amp from your iPad or iPhone. I e-mailed Naim themselves and they recommended this option !! But actually you’ll only get a maximum 24bit / 48khz transfer not 96 or 192khz (Hi Res Lossless) using this solution.

Until Airplay is updated to facilitate Hi Res streaming we’re all stuck with the external DAC solution 🤷‍♂️.

Unless you use Mac OS for ALAC Airplay

https://techsupport.cambridgeaudio.com/hc/en-us/articles/4402778633873-Streaming-Apple-Music-over-AirPlay

Streaming Apple Music over AirPlay

At present, Apple AirPlay supports a maximum sample rate and bit depth of 44.1 kHz/16bit. This is

a limitation of Apple's technology that may or may not receive further expansion in the future.

Therefore, Cambridge Audio products that support AirPlay, are limited to this sample rate and bit

depth. This means Apple's recent announcement of Loseless Audio is not supported in a loseless

format over AirPlay and will be restricted to the above mentioned resolution.

It is to be expected that when streaming from Apple Music, on an iPhone, over AirPlay to a

Cambridge Audio network player, the resolution will be 44.1kHz/16bit AAC.

When streaming from a Mac (or Windows PC), this will adjust to 44.1kHz/16bit ALAC.

Thanks for your insight.

AirPlay doesn't support 96 kHz. That information tells the user the quality available for the played song. I can AirPlay the whole Coltrane's album showing me 192 kHz. That doesn't mean I get 192 kHz via AirPlay. The same goes for AirPod Pro. In order to enjoy 192 kHz I have to use a USB DAC.

Just to be clear: Apple's AirPlay protocol per se is capable of lossless audio since it was born.

It is Music app, specifically with Apple Music content that is somehow messing with AirPlay.

Unfortunately it has been proved that with AirPlay 2 devices Apple Music app on iPad doesn't send a bit perfect stream and often it's converted to AAC (lossy).

With AirPlay 1 devices the stream is bit perfect and lossless (ALAC).

Here's a thread where I participated addressing, among other things, this issue:

https://audiophilestyle.com/ca/bits-and-bytes/apple-music-lossless-mess-part-2-airplay-r1026

In my case, when I activate the lossless resolution with streaming by WIFI, Airplay stream in lossless ( no AAC), up to 24/48. If you have a Home Pod or Home pod mini, it convert in AAC ( later this year is going to update the homepod with lossless audio).

Hi JLinger,

I don’t know specifically the NAD M12. As far as I understand, it offers AirPlay capability through a module.

With AirPlay, hi-res is indeed “wasted” due to its 44.1 kHz limit. ALAC lossless, on other hand, is a recommended choice because AirPlay is lossless capable. Besides most Apple Music’s tracks are 44.1 kHz.

Apple Music played from iPad via AirPlay 2, unfortunately, currently isn’t bit perfect. Moreover often it’s forcefully converted to AAC. Bit perfect and ALAC playback are maintained if used with AirPlay 1. Check the NAD module which AirPlay uses (1 or 2).

Speaking of hi-res, currently the only way to achieve it with iPad is with an USB adapter coupled with an USB DAC. I get that handling a 4 m cable isn’t exactly ideal. Unfortunately, again, the USB adapter doesn’t provide bit perfect playback (ALAC is maintained).

Hi Less, what is your setup you are trying to use? If it’s the Matranz and Sonos, I doubt you’ll hear a difference between the 44.1 transmission cap via AirPlay 2 and true hiRes at 192. if you however have a capable amp and a decent pair of speakers, it makes a world off difference.

My Lyngdorf amp is showing me the incoming Bitrate. I can’t get airplay over 44.1!

This is the main reason why I have left the Apple Music eco-system… as Apple these days is more busy in gating their systems than actually bringing user centric. My strong dislike for Apple Music started, when I noticed that in a iTunes auto-update, it overwrote all ALAC files I had from about 600 ripped albums (that I gave away) into their frigging compressed format!! Now just to force you into their eco-system they don’t support any streaming protocols they don’t own and can’t capitalise, hence being useless for HiRes streaming.

Thus I switched to Tidal and have Roon as a home Server on which I now store ripped CD‘s… and with Tidal connect, if the amp supports, it connects directly and lossless 192 and above happens without any issues.

added benefit is that if more people realise there are other option (even Googlecast which is free, offers double the Bitrate whilst streaming) that Apple might rethink to get their patchy music offering back on Track as it ain’t 2004 anymore and the rest of the world moved…

Catching up with the comments concerning Apple Music Lossless and AirPlay. 🤔 So it appears Apple Music lossless is converted to the standard AAC over AirPlay although it’s very hard to find out what’s actually being streamed. Interestingly Amazon Music gives music quality, device capability and what it’s currently playing so on my iPad ‘it states’ a 24/96khz track plays at 24/48khz FLAC. If it’s to be believed it’s achieving the equivalent of Apple Lossless although not HiRes as limited by iPad.

psideras wrote:

When I choose it at Apple Music airplay settings on MacBook the lossless icon disappears.

Try to choose AirPlay system-wide – through the volume menu bar.

Streaming Apple Music over Airplay on an iPhone, the resolution will be 44.1kHz/16bit AAC.

When streaming from a Mac (or Windows PC), this will adjust to 44.1kHz/16bit ALAC.