Maximum BITRATE for an iPad gen 10 with iPadOS 18.1

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Level 1

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Maximum BITRATE for an iPad gen 10 with iPadOS 18.1

My music library, on my Win 64 PC, contains a mixture of music downloaded from the Apple Music Store, and music captured from my vinyl turntable. The captured vinyl music has a very high bitrate, often above 5Mbps.

When I go to transfer music to my iPad gen 10, the vinyl captured music typically doesn't transfer, with an error message that the iPad doesn't support files with that high of a bit rate.

The trouble is, I cannot fine anywhere what the maximum bitrate actually is. Most of the downloaded music from the Apple Music Store has bitrates above 2 Mbps. And those transfer fine.

I am using iTunes to do the transfers, and it does have a setting to reduce high bitrate files down to 256Kbps (or 128Kbps). That works, but it takes a verrrrrryyyy long time to transfer the files when that conversion is taking place.

AND, that setting also converts the bitrates of the downloaded music that would otherwise transfer very quickly when that setting is not selected.

So...If I knew what the actual maximum bitrate is supported by the iPad, I could convert my vinyl captured music down to that format. And then ALL my music would be quickly transferrable without converting everything down to 256Kbsl.

iPad (10th generation)

Posted on Nov 5, 2024 12:53 PM

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Answer 1

Nov 5, 2024 2:57 PM in response to GSHastings

GSHastings,

Simple answer is 24 bit/192 kHz or potential transfer rate probably topping out at 40 with a USB 4 or a Thunderbolt 3 cable. If compatible at all, which may lie beyond my limited area of expertise, but I know USB 4 or Thunderbolt 4 cables can be used retroactively speed-wise, maximizing data transfer if compatibility is achieved between source and iPad. Does the error message have an associated code like (-###)? To my knowledge, the bitrate is relative to the format of the song (or file) that you are trying to transfer and play. The list of Apple-acceptable iPad music codecs is listed here:

if you’re trying to (probably unnecessarily or to the detriment of sound from source to my ear) maximize bit/kHz.

About lossless audio in Apple Music - Apple Support

near the bottom under Audio and Playback. It includes hi-res and Apple Lossless (not sure that’s compatible for you), also WAV files, which should work if not for the massive file sizes.

(caveat: .WAV files, maybe other non-native to Apple files, will not include any metadata, although it can be entered manually if you wish… if this has changed, please anyone correct)

There are some potentially helpful links for PC transfers, some included the whole spec page. It is where Apple’s transparency— actually, every digital music playing/streaming company’s transparency varies from cloudy to nonexistent, misleading.

Here is my experience and hope it helps— or ideally, someone can expand/correct me. About 1/2 of my digital audio collection is from dL codes with new or reissue real albums/ep/7” (this began with independent releases 15 years ago and seems less common now) for paying on a RP2. Older or used LPs will obviously not include download codes; therefore, many turntables, like yours or your setup, transfer the music with the help of an Analog-to-Digital converter. In my case, at least I have used and have on both an M2 home Mac running Sequoia OS as well as an iPad Pro M1 running iPadOS 18.1 and iPhone 13 running iOS 18.

Again, the simple answer would be 24/192 for hi-res lossless or 24 bit/48kHz using lossless in format only if the audio is played through their, or your, iPad’s built-in speakers - not much point though they are good - or hard-wired to headphones with a digital-to-analog converter either attached to or built-in to the cable running from the miniature speakers on your earholes. I use a 2-channel hi-fi setup and have a nice external DAC, passing through Apple’s internal one to achieve the highest bit/kHz. I don’t have any more to go on unless I know the specifics of your entire chain from stylus cartridge all the way through which PC and iPad are specific to your specs and iPadOS you are running on the 10th gen.

Good luck. I am still trying to learn these things and I know how annoying it is when any company makes words up, intentionally misleads (Meridian, Tidal, Sony, and Mobile Fidelity being 4 that have admitted that they have done this)? Happy to answer and follow up, cite sources, etc.

Note: neither Bluetooth nor Apple Airplay 2 have achieved true uncompressed audio, lossless or otherwise. Airplay 2 is almost indistinguishable and great. Connect to 2-channel audio using cables or your home wifi directly from digital source like iPad to a DAC with wifi capabilities.

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Answer 2

GSHastings Author

Level 1

20 points

Nov 5, 2024 4:09 PM in response to kevineolson

Thanks for the quick and detailed response.

My requirements for quality of the format on my iPad is quite modest. It's just for playing to a Bluetooth speaker in my shop.

But in on my PC, I want it to be 192/24, which is the best quality that the DAC on my home stereo system will support. I transfer music to a thumb drive which my home stereo amp will accept, and I can play the music at modest audiophile quality when I'm not interested in fussing with the vinyl.

So, I capture my vinyl using 192/24, and that's the files (some of them) that won't transfer due to too high of a bit rate.

I didn't do the math before, but I would assume that 192 kHz x 24 bits would yield a maximum bit rate of 4608 kbps. But I see that some of those files (the ones that won't transfer) have a significantly higher bit rate...well over 5000 kbps.

Probably just my misunderstanding of how all this works, but not sure why my vinyl capture software sometimes records at bit rates that seem faster than 192/24 would permit.

I'll have to play around with that software (VinylStudio) and see if I can re-record the albums that have this problem.

Thanks,

Greg

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Answer 3

Nov 10, 2024 8:19 PM in response to GSHastings

Greg,

The iPad 10th gen should be able to reproduce what Apple calls "hi-res lossless" 192/24 files. The maximum bitrate doesn't seem to be specified and as far as I an tell is limited by 1) unacceptably long transfer time* from your PC to the iPad 10th gen iTunes for playback (sometimes stops altogether) and/or 2) limited space available on your iPad. That could be why the transfer stops altogether - it seems obvious but thought I'd mention it. Let's avoid you having to reduce file size to 256 0r 12b because that defeats the whole purpose, correct? Have you tried using a Apple USB-C 4/Thunderbolt 4 (backwards compatible) or a Thunderbolt 3? The file transfer speeds might be part of the issue and I missed exactly how you are transferring from PC to iPad. On iPad follow settings>music>audio quality check lossless then hi-res lossless = 24/192. S small problem is file formatting which could ideally be ALAC or AIFF, both of which are proprietary - I believe, wouldn't shock me - to Apple or FLAC is an alternative but not WAV. This is prior to transfer to iTunes. You can also use a 3rd party if you'd prefer but assuming the transfer is to iTunes check o the PC (or software that came with the VinylStudio software shows iTunes as the destination and that the file format matches, again ALAC or AIFF. If the space is available for these files and the tranfer method is a USC 4 or Thunderbolt/USB C 3 then I think it might work.

While I love Apple for many reasons, Apple Music/missing songs from my library/proprietary audio file changes w/out being transparent all have plagued my own high quality dL code from vinyl/ripped cd/old iTunes purchases. Missing songs that I never moved, using strange HEVC/HEIC filenames for reasons unknown etc. are all over the community forum. I am moving my 1.4 TB of audio to a portable ext. SSD and if you finish this project I suggest you do the same just to be safe. The programmers at Apple could be doing something to help us make this easier and clearer instead of millions of dollars and hours on Genmojis.

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Answer 4

GSHastings Author

Level 1

20 points

Nov 11, 2024 4:10 PM in response to kevineolson

Kevineolson,

I'm certain it isn't a transfer limitation issue. No transfer is attempted, iTunes just quickly evaluates all the files in an album, and then returns the message that they weren't transferred. And that's where it gets a little more confusing.

I must have been too hasty in reading the dialog box showing the cause for not transferring those files. It actually says that it is the Sample Rate that is not supported, not the Bit Rate.

But those files are 192/24, so that is probably why I was assuming it was the higher than normal bit rates that was causing the problem.

The files were all captured as ALAC 192/24. But I let iTunes run it's file conversion process to create new files using ALAC. I'm not able to set the sample rate or bit depth, the only option for those setting is "Auto". So I let iTunes do its thing to see if it was a problem with the VinylStudio codec.

That didn't help. The files still wouldn't transfer for the same given reason.

As I mentioned above, my requirements for format on the iPad are modest. It's just so I can play the music on a Bluetooth speaker in my shop.

I wouldn't even have to do any transfers at all if it weren't for another great annoyance with Apple/iTune/Music.

My music Library is available over WiFi, but ONLY music that I bought and downloaded from Apple. None of my ripped CDs or Vinyl LPs show up.

You mentioned a setting on my iPad settings>music>audio quality. But for some reason "audio quality" is not an option on my iPad. I'm on the latest iPadOS 18.1, and it's a new unit. So I don't know why that setting is missing. Thanks,

Greg

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