Apple Music How do I get high lossless sound into my hifi?

[nickinVictoria]

I just want to play high lossless sound through my hifi 24bit 192k. I know from my iPhone, i can get a dongle from apple for $9 and I get 24bit 96hz according to apple

I have a mac m1 mini but only a wifi network. Could run an ethernet cable to the hifi into a Bluesound Nodei
I have a the XS iPhone
I have a older model AppleTv with the downgraded optical port but it has hdmi & mini usb


Any help would be greatly appreciated.

thanks

 

[chabig]

I think you need to directly connect your Mini to your Bluesound device. Read the Bluesound user manual to decide which input works best.

 

[nickinVictoria]

I think you need to directly connect your Mini to your Bluesound device. Read the Bluesound user manual to decide which input works best.

Thanks, When I contacted Bluesound they said it is a wait and see approach on their side.... Apple tech support (4 different people) said get a dongle to get 24bit 96hz audio.... I asked about using my older AppleTv and there was I don't know.....

Surely someone here knows the best way to get iTunes 24bit 192khz music into my HiFi !

 

[chabig]

It’s going to be hard for anyone to answer. We don’t even know what kind of HiFi you have. I assumed you meant the Bluesound device. Your best choice is keeping the sound digital if the HiGi accepts digital input. Otherwise, you’d need an external digital to audio converter hooked to your HiFi’s analog input.

 

[JasonHB]

I just want to play high lossless sound through my hifi 24bit 192k. I know from my iPhone, i can get a dongle from apple for $9 and I get 24bit 96hz according to apple

I have a mac m1 mini but only a wifi network. Could run an ethernet cable to the hifi into a Bluesound Nodei
I have a the XS iPhone
I have a older model AppleTv with the downgraded optical port but it has hdmi & mini usb


Any help would be greatly appreciated.

thanks

Currently, if you want to achieve 24/192, the only way to do this is with an external DAC.

This applies to both your Mac Mini and your iPhone/iPad. The Mac needs to be running OS11.4 or higher and the iPhone/iPad needs to be running iOS 14.6 or higher.

Any of those devices listed above with output up to 24/192 via the lightning, USB-C or USB ports, into a DAC that supports that resolution and then into your hifi.

Apple TV4K units only support 24/48 right now and your Bluesound Node does not support audio input via its USB so that won’t work either.

There is no other way to achieve it at the moment.

Jason

 

[DEMinSoCAL]

I just want to play high lossless sound through my hifi 24bit 192k. I know from my iPhone, i can get a dongle from apple for $9 and I get 24bit 96hz according to apple

I have a mac m1 mini but only a wifi network. Could run an ethernet cable to the hifi into a Bluesound Nodei
I have a the XS iPhone
I have a older model AppleTv with the downgraded optical port but it has hdmi & mini usb


Any help would be greatly appreciated.

thanks

As stated, a USB DAC is required. There is a plethora of USB DAC's but I can recommend an inexpensive but highly rated DAC that (unlike most DAC's) has multiple outputs to go to different playing devices.

The TOPPING D10 is very flexible in connections and digital formats and for a hundred bucks is great. Topping makes different (more expensive) models if you want even "better". The D10 also gets its power from USB so no power adapter needed.

The only thing to remember is that macOS does not seem to switch your USB output to match the file you are playing, hence you have to manually adjust the bitrate/sampling rate in the Midi app. Dumb. Once you select the correct setting, your Topping D10 will show the correct sampling rate info on the display.

 

[Jemani]

If your home Hi-Fi system is capable of playing 24 bit 192k audio, then it should have a DAC built in. If It has a USB port that can play files stored on a thumb drive, then you should be able to plug your iPhone directly into your Hi-Fi by USB and play Apple’s High resolution audio through the Apple Music app. It will need to support Apple’s ALAC format, which Apple is labeling “HLS Audio”. I think Apple is using some sort of DRM with the files, since Apple will not let you burn a DVD Audio disk using authoring software that supports it, so the files may not play to your Hi-Fi without using Apple Music app. Give it a shot though. You may have to settle for a headset adaptor dongle with a DAC that supports 24 bit 192k. I picked up a pretty good cheapie on Amazon for $39 and it has one of the newer Cirrus chipsets that support 24 bit 384k. It sounds pretty decent and is highly portable.

 

[nickinVictoria]

So I have a dac that can easily handle 24bit 192khz. My iPhone can’t output that much media. The best it can do is via the $8 dongle added to the lightning port for lossless sound 24 bit 96. Anyone know how to get more out of an iPhone?

my Mac mini has USB, thunderbolt and HDMI. I don’t know if the USB is audio level 1 or 2 but I believe I need audio level 2 classifications.

I have RCA connection on my bluesound dac. How do I go from my mini running iTunes to the bluesound?
Thanks

 

[JasonHB]

So I have a dac that can easily handle 24bit 192khz. My iPhone can’t output that much media. The best it can do is via the $8 dongle added to the lightning port for lossless sound 24 bit 96. Anyone know how to get more out of an iPhone?

my Mac mini has USB, thunderbolt and HDMI. I don’t know if the USB is audio level 1 or 2 but I believe I need audio level 2 classifications.

I have RCA connection on my bluesound dac. How do I go from my mini running iTunes to the bluesound?
Thanks

Not sure I understand what you are saying with “my phone can’t output that much media”

If your phone is running ios14.6 or higher, it should output 24/192 via the lightning socket.

You then need a DAC to support this and then go into your hifi. There have been numerous posts already that have said this.

You need to forget about using your Node as it will not do what you need it to do. It is not a DAC in the true sense. You do not have a DAC that will “easily handle 24/92”. It is just a streaming device.

You need to read the posts above, including mine again and understand what people are telling you.

Jason

 

[Jemani]

So I have a dac that can easily handle 24bit 192khz. My iPhone can’t output that much media. The best it can do is via the $8 dongle added to the lightning port for lossless sound 24 bit 96. Anyone know how to get more out of an iPhone?

my Mac mini has USB, thunderbolt and HDMI. I don’t know if the USB is audio level 1 or 2 but I believe I need audio level 2 classifications.

I have RCA connection on my bluesound dac. How do I go from my mini running iTunes to the bluesound?
Thanks

I am not sure if you know what you are doing. You should contact bluesound for help with their product.

 

[Kobra]

So I have a dac that can easily handle 24bit 192khz. My iPhone can’t output that much media. The best it can do is via the $8 dongle added to the lightning port for lossless sound 24 bit 96. Anyone know how to get more out of an iPhone?

my Mac mini has USB, thunderbolt and HDMI. I don’t know if the USB is audio level 1 or 2 but I believe I need audio level 2 classifications.

I have RCA connection on my bluesound dac. How do I go from my mini running iTunes to the bluesound?
Thanks

First you need the Apple lightning to usb adapter. You connect it with a usb cable to your DAC which then connects with RCA cable to your BlueSound amp.

The Apple adapter sends raw data to your DAC, that way you’ll get a bit correct 24/192 audio stream.

 

[nickinVictoria]

First you need the Apple lightning to usb adapter. You connect it with a usb cable to your DAC which then connects with RCA cable to your BlueSound amp.

The Apple adapter sends raw data to your DAC, that way you’ll get a bit correct 24/192 audio stream.

Thanks Kobra, That is pretty clear. Everything I have read says the lightning to usb is hobbled or downgraded. I guess the best example is having a super fast 1000 gigs/sec hard drive and the interface can only handle 1 gig/sec. From what I have gathered the lighting interface can't do 24/192. Have you done this and if so is there a way to determine if it is actually doing it?

 

[nickinVictoria]

I am not sure if you know what you are doing. You should contact bluesound for help with their product.

Please opt out of this thread.....

 

[JasonHB]

First you need the Apple lightning to usb adapter. You connect it with a usb cable to your DAC which then connects with RCA cable to your BlueSound amp.

The Apple adapter sends raw data to your DAC, that way you’ll get a bit correct 24/192 audio stream.

He actually doesn’t have a DAC. He has a streaming device with a DAC in it, but it doesn’t have any inputs on it that he can use.

Jason

 

[JasonHB]

Thanks Kobra, That is pretty clear. Everything I have read says the lightning to usb is hobbled or downgraded. I guess the best example is having a super fast 1000 gigs/sec hard drive and the interface can only handle 1 gig/sec. From what I have gathered the lighting interface can't do 24/192. Have you done this and if so is there a way to determine if it is actually doing it?

Am I actually wasting my breath on this? Or am I not speaking English? Or do you just not believe what I am saying?

I have said several times, as have others on here that the lighting interface can do 24/192. I don’t know who has told you it can’t, or what you have read that says otherwise, but it can.

Kobra is wrong in that you do NOT have a DAC that you can use at all. No way with your equipment.

Just to clarify AGAIN, you use your lighting port on your phone, to an external DAC (your Node will NOT work for this) and then into your hifi. 24/192 no issues at all

Jason

 

[Kobra]

Thanks Kobra, That is pretty clear. Everything I have read says the lightning to usb is hobbled or downgraded. I guess the best example is having a super fast 1000 gigs/sec hard drive and the interface can only handle 1 gig/sec. From what I have gathered the lighting interface can't do 24/192. Have you done this and if so is there a way to determine if it is actually doing it?

I have used the lightning adapter for years to play high-rez music from my iPhone/iPad on my hi-fi and I know for a fact that the adapter sends raw data to my DAC. please note that the adapter don’t ”add” anything to the stream, there’s no need for it to support this or that resolution or format. It send raw data, it’s the iPhone and iPad that sets the limits of formats to be played.

Attached image shows that my DAC receives a 24/192 Apple Music stream from my iPhone with the aid of the usb adapter.

 

[Kobra]

Kobra is wrong in that you do NOT have a DAC that you can use at all. No way with your equipment.

Well, he hasn’t told us if he has the BlueSound Node or the BlueSound PowerNode. I assumed he has the node as he said it connects to his amplifier. Any way, both the PowerNode and the Node has USB input, so the chain is iPhone->apple camera adapter->node->amplifier->speakers or iPhone->apple camera adapter->Powernode->speakers

 

[nickinVictoria]

I have used the lightning adapter for years to play high-rez music from my iPhone/iPad on my hi-fi and I know for a fact that the adapter sends raw data to my DAC. please note that the adapter don’t ”add” anything to the stream, there’s no need for it to support this or that resolution or format. It send raw data, it’s the iPhone and iPad that sets the limits of formats to be played.

Attached image shows that my DAC receives a 24/192 Apple Music stream from my iPhone with the aid of the usb adapter.

that's cool, I was thinking it was like a poster was saying how hi res sounded on his bluetooth ear buds.... Your picture is literally worth a 1000 words. I guess, the signal to noise ration is fairly distorted right now, I really thought the cable couldn't support 24/192. Thanks for taking a photo!

 

[Kobra]

And, if he wants to connect his mac mini to the node, it will only require a usb cable. However, it’s a bit more tricky to get a proper high-rez stream as he would need to set the correct sample rate in the mac os midi settings for every song before playing it. Otherwise the mac will resample the data sent to the node.

 

[nickinVictoria]

Am I actually wasting my breath on this? Or am I not speaking English? Or do you just not believe what I am saying?

I have said several times, as have others on here that the lighting interface can do 24/192. I don’t know who has told you it can’t, or what you have read that says otherwise, but it can.

Kobra is wrong in that you do NOT have a DAC that you can use at all. No way with your equipment.

Just to clarify AGAIN, you use your lighting port on your phone, to an external DAC (your Node will NOT work for this) and then into your hifi. 24/192 no issues at all

Jason

You are not wasting your breath Jason, I appreciate it, I just found it hard personally to believe the lighting cable could transfer that much information or wasn't hobbled by Apple in some way.

 

[JasonHB]

Well, he hasn’t told us if he has the BlueSound Node or the BlueSound PowerNode. I assumed he has the node as he said it connects to his amplifier. Any way, both the PowerNode and the Node has USB input, so the chain is iPhone->apple camera adapter->node->amplifier->speakers or iPhone->apple camera adapter->Powernode->speakers

Nope, incorrect. The USB port is for external drives only and does NOT support any kind of audio input

Jason

 

[JasonHB]

You are not wasting your breath Jason, I appreciate it, I just found it hard personally to believe the lighting cable could transfer that much information or wasn't hobbled by Apple in some way.

It is not hobbled or limited. It supports it completely and is the ONLY way to get 24/192 currently

About lossless audio in Apple Music – Apple Support (UK)

Find out about lossless audio in Apple Music and how to turn it on or off for your device.

support.apple.com

 

[Kobra]

Well, ok my bad. I’ve checked the BlueSound Node/PowerNode specifications and the usb interface is only for attaching a external harddrive. You’ll need a separate DAC to add between the iPhone and the node.

 

[Csallai78]

Nope, incorrect. The USB port is for external drives only and does NOT support any kind of audio input

Jason

Is it possible to connect an iPad to the Node through the HDMI port? And use the Node as a DAC?
cchain would be iPad to Bluesound Node (through HDMI) to Amp through RCA ?

 

[nickinVictoria]

I don’t think so, the bluesound is super cool but it isn’t really setup to work with iTunes. I suggest you buy a Denafrips for way better bang for your buck