No they're not. They're just covering themselves since their Airpods can't do lossless (yet).
If they really thought it was snakeoil, they wouldn't absolutely require lossless submittals from the labels, which they do, even all this time they've only had AAC delivery.
It is interesting that Apple writes specifically that the playback will not be completely lossless. So, I gather it will not be also completely lossy, so there may be some audible gain…
Sure, they say that iPhone/Mac to "wired" headphones will be lossless. APM's are not analog wired headphones, but go through either BT, or additional AD-DA steps.
Sure, they say that iPhone/Mac to "wired" headphones will be lossless. APM's are not analog wired headphones, but go through either BT, or additional AD-DA steps.
Yes exactly, this additional DA step within the headphone makes it “not completely lossless”, but I gather it will still be most probably kind of better than the ordinary AAC over Bluetooth we are currently getting. Granted this whole argument should be valid only for those who can hear these fine differences, i believe I am not part of that “golden ears” group!
Bottom line: for them to offer lossless music they will release headphones with proprietary wireless Apple Lossless codec support.
Whether or not this will apply retroactively is another question since it’s beginning to seem like the first-generation AirPods Max wasn’t designed with Apple Lossless in mind even over a wired connection. Although I’d like to believe they’re just not ready to reveal their solution as wireless lossless would be a feature no competitor has truly offered yet.
“While the difference between AAC and lossless audio is virtually indistinguishable, we’re offering Apple Music subscribers the option to access music in lossless audio compression.”
Apple is basically saying “lossless audio is snake oil, but since people are asking for it, we’ll provide it where we can.”
That’s actually kind of un-Apple-like. Usually if something doesn’t provide a real world benefit, Apple will not provide it for the sake of specs and bragging rights like so many other companies do. This seems like something where the drawbacks outweigh the benefits, not just in terms of files sizes, bandwidth, and storage, but also in terms of the fact that there is no longer one universal audio file, but rather, we could see Balkanization and friction in the ecosystem by virtue of the fact that certain files only work on certain devices. This could get messy.
That paragraph feels extremely unnecessary. It’s like they’re completely downplaying the benefits of lossless, which may be true for the majority of users who will be using the bandwidth and storage space for no real reason. Frankly most audiophiles including myself wouldn’t hear a difference compared to 256kbps AAC in an A/B blind test. Still, it sounds like whoever wrote that was against offering it in the first place and is sour about it.
I’m not going to act like I didn’t email Tim Cook asking for lossless music to be made available as a current Tidal subscriber when they first launched Apple Music.
Bottom line: for them to offer lossless music they will release headphones with proprietary wireless Apple Lossless codec support.
Whether or not this will apply retroactively is another question since it’s beginning to seem like the first-generation AirPods Max wasn’t designed with Apple Lossless in mind even over a wired connection. Although I’d like to believe they’re just not ready to reveal their solution as wireless lossless would be a feature no competitor has truly offered yet.
I’ll stick with their dongle and stay wired if that’s the case. Then again, I use my NW-A55 more for LDAC on my Sony cans and Pandas. Most likely will just jump over to Spotify instead of Apple Music. Strange they didn’t offer full lossless on the Max wired. It leaves the audiophiles a bit empty for all the money they charged. But then again, Apple Tax. Oh well
Hi if I buy the lightning to jack 3.5 cable and a 3.5 to lighting jack adapter for my AirPods Max and I connect them to my iPhone or iPad can I hear the music without quality loss?
Thanks.
Andrea
Hi if I buy the lightning to jack 3.5 cable and a 3.5 to lighting jack adapter for my AirPods Max and I connect them to my iPhone or iPad can I hear the music without quality loss?
Thanks.
Andrea
Hi if I buy the lightning to jack 3.5 cable and a 3.5 to lighting jack adapter for my AirPods Max and I connect them to my iPhone or iPad can I hear the music without quality loss?
Thanks.
Andrea
“While the difference between AAC and lossless audio is virtually indistinguishable, we’re offering Apple Music subscribers the option to access music in lossless audio compression.”
Apple is basically saying “lossless audio is snake oil, but since people are asking for it, we’ll provide it where we can.”
That’s actually kind of un-Apple-like. Usually if something doesn’t provide a real world benefit, Apple will not provide it for the sake of specs and bragging rights like so many other companies do. This seems like something where the drawbacks outweigh the benefits, not just in terms of files sizes, bandwidth, and storage, but also in terms of the fact that there is no longer one universal audio file, but rather, we could see Balkanization and friction in the ecosystem by virtue of the fact that certain files only work on certain devices. This could get messy.
In my personal tests several times I arriving to the conclusion that lossless files and specially hi-res is snake oil. I think Apple offering this because the companies that offering lossless and hi-res files are convincing many people in several years and is very easy speaking nonsense about what better sound is obtaining with lossless and hi-res in audio websites that supposing having people that really knowing a lot about audio but many, many times this isn't true.
And you having companies making more and more audio products (more and more expensive) that in the theory reproducing 'fantastic' lossy and hi-res sound. This isn't very different from the belief that if your headphones are (very) more expensive, the sound is (very) better, when in reality this many times isn't true.
The more important thing is still today a good recording / master for the real difference in audio difference comparing with so many bad recordings and masters (many, many in the loudness wars category, with so much compression that isn't matter what codec or equipment you're using, the sound is terrible). And then a good codec like aac that even in 192kbps is offering sufficient audiophile sound, and then a pair of headphones with good/adequate frequency response.
I’ll stick with their dongle and stay wired if that’s the case. Then again, I use my NW-A55 more for LDAC on my Sony cans and Pandas. Most likely will just jump over to Spotify instead of Apple Music. Strange they didn’t offer full lossless on the Max wired. It leaves the audiophiles a bit empty for all the money they charged. But then again, Apple Tax. Oh well
Since the Max was targeted at audiophiles and influencers, the former group would likely upgrade to a second-generation product for Apple Lossless support so no real loss there.
Since the Max was targeted at audiophiles and influencers, the former group would likely upgrade to a second-generation product for Apple Lossless support so no real loss there.
I think they targeted the APM toward those who are entrenched in the apple ecosystem and wanted wireless headphones that were apple and not Beats. It's hard to call any Bluetooth device truly "audiophile". It'd be nice if they could've done a better wired solution. Personally, I prefer APM to my Sony WH1000XM4 due to the integration into the ecosystem alone.
Since data storage is getting cheaper and cheaper and internet speeds are getting faster, there is much less need for audio compression. Why not provide the highest quality possible lossless stream and let the end user decide how they want to listen to the music? I like the way streaming services are going.
I can't imagine many people springing over $500 to buy APM 2 when we just shelled out $550 for APM. But you are absolutely correct, audiophiles do like to spend money chasing the extra 5% improvement.
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