Apple Music and Airplay - current status please

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4 points

Apple Music and Airplay - current status please

Is this still the current status for streaming Apple Music via Airplay? Have there been changes by the feature to use a Mac as Airplay endpoint. In short, what is the the best audio quality one can achieve by streaming Apple Music via Airplay? Any updates highly appreciated! (Post got edited by forum pmoderator. Removing a link to measurements on this from mid 2021. You may google yourself to find it. Regardless of the measurememts that time, question remains what is possible today. )

[Link Edited by Moderator]

Posted on Feb 8, 2022 12:25 PM

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Answer 1

Feb 8, 2022 11:52 PM in response to MgP2804

A Mac can be used as an AirPlay receiver with Monterey. The official Mac compatibility list is the following:

2018 or later MacBook Air or MacBook Pro

2019 or later iMac

2019 or later Mac Pro

2020 or later Mac mini

2017 iMac Pro

I add to the list the 2018 Mac mini: it works (personally tested) probably due to the presence of the T2 chip, even though Apple doesn't mention it.

Everything else regarding AirPlay remained the same: sample rate for audio streaming up to 44.1 kHz – everything higher is downsampled.

For audiophiles/enthusiasts: bit perfect with Apple Music is usually reached with AirPlay 1 rather that AirPlay 2. There are threads about this topic here and elsewhere on internet.

Apple Music via AirPlay suffers sometimes with issues like chopped seconds at the start of the songs (not gapless) and one-off hiccup after a few tens of seconds of AirPlay session playing.

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Answer 2

MgP2804 Author

Level 1

4 points

Feb 9, 2022 12:54 AM in response to hcsitas

Myself does not have a DAC, that is capable of doing bitperfect measurement. Other folks have such equipment and did show that depending how you use Airplay it differs in streaming quality for lossless from Apple Music. Partly even going down to aac instead of ALAC. Depending how you do it and which device in use as Airplay endpoint. Therefore I am asking, what is the best quality one can achieve. Also I want to know how.

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Answer 3

MgP2804 Author

Level 1

4 points

Feb 14, 2022 4:58 AM in response to MgP2804

Did downgrade Airport Express 2nd gen Firmware to 7.6.9 to disable Airplay 2. Airplay 1 seems to be better for my usage scenarios. + Anyway, if you do not have a Airport Express, you may try Shairport-Sync (https://github.com/mikebrady/shairport-sync), e.g. on a Pi :) Take a look on the options that you get with Shairport-Sync, e.g. switch of used ALAC decoder and other stuff, like usage of REW or upsampling with SoX....

!! If Multiroom ist key for you, you should stay with Airplay 2 imo. It is up to your personal usage scenario.

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Answer 4

MgP2804 Author

Level 1

4 points

Feb 28, 2022 7:19 AM in response to MgP2804

Well, it seems you need Firmware 7.6.1 to avoid stuttering? 7.6.1 is available for Airport Express Gen 1 via Airport Utility. For Airport Express Gen 2 FW earliest is 7.6.2 via Airport Utility. Pls note there have been some security fixes with later FW. Also, you drop Airplay 2. Maybe the Shairport-Sync way is the best way to go? Using the Airplay 1 version of it.

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