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User profile for user: cannon_dt
cannon_dt Author
User level: Level 1
8 points

Digital master badge visible on my iPad but not on my macbook air

Hi,

Both my iPad and macbook air are the latest versions of their respective OS.

An album like Led Zeppelin III shows with the ADM tag on my iPad but on my apple music on the mac book I do not see this badge. In fact in apple music on my macbook I do not see ADM for any album whatsoever.

So what does this mean? Does this mean the ADM is not applicable on the macbook. This is all just so frustrating considering I subscribed to apple music to take advantage of all the quality. Now not only do I not get lossless option in AM on both ipad and macbook, ADM is missing on macbook.

Can someone explain what is going on and why is apple being so non-transparent about all this? Should I just cancel my subscription?


Ananth

MacBook Air 13″, macOS 11.4

Posted on Jun 23, 2021 12:36 PM

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15 replies
User profile for user: turingtest2
turingtest2
User level: Level 10
274,424 points

Jun 24, 2021 5:17 AM in response to cannon_dt

This is a user to user support forum. There are some Apple representatives who also contribute, but generally with references to existing support information. Apple Lossless and other enhancements, (Dolby Atmos, Spatial Audio, etc.) are newly introduced features which come at no additional cost. The exact details of what hardware and software supports them, or which modes they work in, aren't yet clear. Neither is it clear if the various badges are displayed consistently. The finer details are missing from About lossless audio in Apple Music - Apple Support. Did you try explicitly adding an album to your iCloud Music Library on your Mac to see if you then get the badge? Get Info > File tab should have details about the audio features of the track.


tt2

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User profile for user: turingtest2
turingtest2
User level: Level 10
274,424 points

Jun 26, 2021 9:24 AM in response to cannon_dt

The iTunes Store still exists. The iTunes app still runs on Windows and Macs running Mojave or earlier. If I change my download settings (M1 MBA) to AAC and download Led Zeppelin III (Remastered) using my Apple Music subscription, which shows the ADM badge for me, once downloaded the badge goes away. I've still got tracks (in AAC format) that come from the masters, but the badge no longer shows. In contrast I still have a Hi-Res Lossless badge even though the locally stored tracks, which is what will play, are in 256K AAC lossy format. I think the badges are, at least in some cases, reflections of what is in the store rather than what you have locally. The is also an inconsistency between the macOS and iOS versions of Music. On my iPad I continue to get the ADM badge when I've downloaded AAC files to the device.


As for why you don't get lossless options perhaps Apple haven't enabled these globally. It isn't unusual for changes to be rolled out on a region by region basis. Unfortunately the support article Availability of Apple Media Services - Apple Support makes no mention of lossless.


tt2

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User profile for user: turingtest2
turingtest2
User level: Level 10
274,424 points

Jun 26, 2021 10:19 AM in response to cannon_dt

cannon_dt wrote:

So are you concluding that on the mac even without the ADM badge it is still using the ADM versions for playback? Without the file info carrying this information, isnt it impossible to tell?


Yes, and yes. If you see the ADM badge on your iPad however, and your Mac signs into the same account/store then I think it is safe to assume you're getting AAC content based on the ADM versions rather than some older uploads of the same content that predates Mastered for iTunes or Apple Digital Master.


I have set up to hook up my mackbook to DAC but this missing tag is infuriating.
And all my help sought from Apple has resulted in naught when it comes to a release date for lossless in India.
If the marketing is global making people switch, dont you think it is only fair that the rollout is global. We always seem to get the short end of the stick even when we pay for the actual services. Such a shame


Hmm, it seems there was a parallel press release in India with no mention of a delayed rollout. https://www.apple.com/in/newsroom/2021/05/apple-music-announces-spatial-audio-and-lossless-audio/. It does say beginning June, so again hazy on details.


tt2

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User profile for user: turingtest2
turingtest2
User level: Level 10
274,424 points

Jun 24, 2021 3:23 AM in response to cannon_dt

There do seem to be some inconsistencies with the way that Apple Lossless tracks are handled in Music. Are these tracks that you've added to your library, or are you playing using the Browse feature. This latter method on a Mac seems to access the standard 256K AAC versions of tracks rather than any new higher quality copy that might exist.


tt2

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User profile for user: cannon_dt
cannon_dt Author
User level: Level 1
8 points

Jun 24, 2021 4:44 AM in response to turingtest2

Well, how is it that the mac is not delivering the same quality when we are still in all good faith, paying for such services. Not only have I been denied my lossless which was all the marketing hype, but even as a part of my subscription all my devices are not equal. This is just shameless from Apple who are absolutely not bothered about such issues. Even in India we pay real money, so this second class treatment is just pathetic. And we are all still theorizing with no actual word from Apple.


Do Apple representatives ever answer any question here, this is my first time here. Is the community supposed to just theorize and help each other out?


Ananth

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User profile for user: cannon_dt
cannon_dt Author
User level: Level 1
8 points

Jun 24, 2021 5:16 AM in response to turingtest2

Thank you turingtest2 for your help.

On my iPad, I added albums with the ADM tag to my library. Since you have to turn on Sync library for this, my mac automatically had these albums albeit without the badge. I do not know if any other step is needed wrt icloud music library. Please let me know if it is.


I just tried the get info stuff and there is no such option under the file table. There is an Info option under Song but that does not give any bitrate or ADM information. On my iPad the album (LZ III in this case) had the badge. In AM on macbook, I do not see this. Am I missing something?


As for lossless I am positive that I have the requisite capabilities as I intend using an external arcam DAC to connect to my stereo amp. Just a shame that it is still not available for me :(


Once again, appreciate the help

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User profile for user: cannon_dt
cannon_dt Author
User level: Level 1
8 points

Jun 24, 2021 8:23 PM in response to TXBDan

@turingtest2

That has been my rant all along. Lossless is not enabled for most of us here in India. The Audio Quality option is neither available on my iPad nor on my mac. But my ipad shows ADM badges while my macbook does not? So there is no link as ADM has been a feature long before lossless was even introduced. I do not see any connections between the 2


@TXBDan

Once again, lossless is not available for me because Apple has denied me that. I am a paying AM subscriber, go figure. But iPad shows ADMs, so something is wrong.

Also any idea how to update AM on macbook?

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User profile for user: cannon_dt
cannon_dt Author
User level: Level 1
8 points

Jun 26, 2021 3:02 AM in response to turingtest2

@turingtest2

I do not understand. The screen shot you posted has the ADM, that is apple music right?

And when you mean store only - isnt iTunes gone for good and replaced by AM, so what do you mean store only?

Plus iPad is showing the ADM in AM - so how can it be a red herring?

What exactly is in that link? I do not see any relevant information :(


And in your screenie - for cmd I - there is no ADM mention in the file tab. The badge is available only next to the artwork, that makes no sense. I get the lossless, dolby bit - I do not have it, so I do not see it but ADM is an old thing that has been there for years, so that absolutely should have no tie in with lossless enabling

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User profile for user: cannon_dt
cannon_dt Author
User level: Level 1
8 points

Jun 26, 2021 9:49 AM in response to turingtest2

So are you concluding that on the mac even without the ADM badge it is still using the ADM versions for playback? Without the file info carrying this information, isnt it impossible to tell?

I have set up to hook up my mackbook to DAC but this missing tag is infuriating.

And all my help sought from Apple has resulted in naught when it comes to a release date for lossless in India.

If the marketing is global making people switch, dont you think it is only fair that the rollout is global. We always seem to get the short end of the stick even when we pay for the actual services. Such a shame

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User profile for user: cannon_dt
cannon_dt Author
User level: Level 1
8 points

Jun 26, 2021 10:38 AM in response to turingtest2

Well, thanks for all the help!

I guess I will actually get the benefits of enhanced quality only when lossless makes its way through, if and when!

With just the ADM I am not seeing a betterment in sound when I compare it with Spotify (I connected my iPad to the DAC via a lightning-USB adapter, played the same LZ III in AM and Spotify). Maybe my ears are shot :D



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Digital master badge visible on my iPad but not on my macbook air

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