Lossless audio format arrives on Apple Music... but you'll need a cable

A few days ago, Apple announced Space Audio with Dolby Atmos for its music streaming platform Apple Music, which boasts a catalog of seventy-five million songs. This should ensure that users can enjoy songs in an even more immersive way. Not only that. A lossless audio listening mode will also be introduced, at the expense of the current one limited to the 256 kbps AAC compressed format. The upgrade will not only be extended to everyone, but will also be free. What has turned some customers' noses up, and gives us some interesting insights, is the fact that AirPods, AirPods Pro and AirPods Max will not support the new lossless format via Bluetooth due to the limitations of this type of connection. Different is the case for Spatial Audio with Dolby Atmos, which AirPods Pro and Max already support via Bluetooth.

ALAC is an acronym and stands for Apple Lossless Audio Codec. This is an audio codec developed directly by Apple for the purpose of achieving lossless data. Lossless audio formats are those that are either uncompressed or whereby, while subject to this type of treatment, the final quality remains unchanged from the source audio. The quality is good, although the format is not as efficient as FLAC in terms of file weight. Clearly, the ALAC extension is supported primarily by Apple-produced players.

Spatial Audio will offer artists the opportunity to create immersive audio experiences for their fans with crisp, multidimensional sound. This is quite a leap forward from the current situation. Right now, in fact, Apple Music offers a compressed AAC format at 256 kbps. Soon, Apple will instead offer three levels of higher resolution audio. These are:

• CD quality (16 bit / 44.1 kHz)
• Apple Music Lossless (24 bit / 48 kHz)
• Hi-Res Lossless (up to 24 bit / 192 kHz)

Starting in June 2021, Apple Music's entire catalog will be available in CD quality or Apple Music Lossless. "Only" twenty million songs initially will be available in Hi-Res Lossless format, but many more will be added gradually.

As mentioned, both lossless and Spatial Audio content will be provided to customers without any upward reshaping of the offering. A big step forward for Apple, for customers, for music, for everyone, so far. Enthusiasm cooled, however, when Apple announced that AirPods, AirPods Pro, and AirPods Max will not support the new format via Bluetooth, due to the insuperable limitations of this type of connection.

The AirPods and AirPods Pro, which only take advantage of Bluetooth with AAC codec, cannot play the ALAC format. Apparently, it will not be possible to enjoy this new audio format via Lightning connection either. As the official document indicates., the Lightning to 3.5 mm audio cable is designed to allow the AirPods Max to connect to analog sources. Given the analog-to-digital conversion in the cable, however, playback will not be completely lossless. Listening to lossless audio with iOS devices therefore requires ALAC-compatible earbuds or headphones and an external DAC connected. To counterbalance the disappointed customers, there are those who, legitimately, wonder how many actually are able to distinguish between standard and lossless songs with devices that, in any case, for a hefty list price, deal with high fidelity in a rather sideways way. The same official Apple document specifies that the difference between standard Apple Music audio and lossless audio will be "virtually indistinguishable."

We had written before about how important good wiring is in a Hi-Fi system.. This news report of the arrival of lossless audio on Apple Music brings to mind how important the connection between one piece of electronics and another is. The discriminating factor here is the distinction between wired and unwired connection. But we know how even the difference between a bad cable and a good one can be impactful. Indeed, how perhaps it can be more so, considering that what is at stake is not signal quality limitation but interference, deterioration, distortion and more. To get the ideal wiring for your system (without going overboard), we recommend that you take a look at our catalog or contact us with the methods you prefer.