I’d agree aac does for the most part sound very good. One thin Apple has got right. I still have some itunes aac I bought way back and they do hold up well, but I have bought cds or flacs to replace a lot of them now and they do sound better overall.
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I remember years ago getting a new Mac and ripping my music collection. A few months later I realised that I had not changed the rip setting and had ripped everything at mp3. I was furious with Apple! Lucky I didn’t have a very big collection and played CDs through the hifi.
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As far as I know AirPlay does not convert ALAC 16 Bit 44.1 kHz but streams it bit perfect.
Because a phone is a not a server, it does many other end-user tasks, and that can interfere with serving media without interference. If the phone is used as a server, the stream is only as reliable as the phone’s ability to serve highres audio over wifi. What if you need to take a call, or what if you need to reboot it for an important update? What if it gets glitchy with the wifi and tries to switch to an LTE connection.
I use my iPad as a Roon controller. Once I start playing something the iPad no longer matters. The Roon server running on my NUC takes it from there, serving the stream over ethernet. It has no other job. It’s dedicated to that task. I can do whatever I want with the iPad and the stream will continue uninterrupted.
iOS devices aren’t servers and shouldn’t be used as one, not in a high-end hifi setting.
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I don’t know why you should be furious with Apple. That’s clearly user error on your part. If you used Apple’s software (iTunes) for ripping, MP3 is a very reasonable default since that’s what most users will want. That wasn’t Apple’s fault.
I was just adding that in jest mate settle down, I know it was user error.
In your opinion.
Server - a computer or computer program which manages access to a centralized resource or service in a network.
Pretty sure an iOS device can be a server.
Just because your NUC is dedicated to the task doesn’t mean it isn’t passing noise. Are you entirely sure that Ethernet delivers the digital bits better than wifi?
I explained my comment per your request, but I’m not going to get in a protracted argument about it. Using a iPhone/iPad as a media server is just a bad idea, IMO, and I’ll continue using Roon. If AM doesn’t show up in a Roon integration I won’t be using it.
I don’t want an argument, I just like the facts. I am more that willing to be informed that airplay is inferior but I would like more than “iOS devices should not be servers”. To me it sounds more like conjecture than evidence. I like to know why, and with solid information like from @PhilippVH
For single endpoint music serving, an iOS device is just fine. The new iPad Pro will blow most laptops and PCs out the water with its processing ability. Roon can serve a number of endpoints with different music at the same time, with some pretty heavy DSP if you so wish, in which case, I would concede that a Roon server (NUC or otherwise) is a sound idea and totally the way to go. For straightforward sending of hi res music to a Naim device, a recent iPhone is plenty… horses for courses.
I have a NUC core for my Roon setup, but not necessarily because of its prowess as a server… but because it was the least expensive way to free up the family iMac for multiple users. I don’t do any DSP with it, and never use more than one endpoint. If Apple do a decent job of their lossless and hi-res implementation, and either Naim implement Apple Music natively (highly unlikely due to Apple’s dislike for such things) or they simply update the Airplay protocol on the Naim streamers (almost certain), then I’m afraid Roon and Qobuz may well get dropped.
Myself, family and friends will use Apple Music to listen to Music through the Naim.
Also, with regard battery drain, Airplay is really not that arduous, even hi res video.
Fully accept your position. However, with the larger buffer in AirPlay 2, I am not sure if noise on the phone sis relevant. I will wait until it’s available and see (I.e. hear) how it compares to Qobuz and music from a NAS (with the same resolution) controlled by the Naim app on my iPhone.
It’s irrelevant for me anyway. I hate using an iPhone as a media controller for listening to my Naim systems (NDX2, Atom, Mu-so Qb2). The only time I ever use the Naim app for any of them is to configure streaming devices when needed. I use my iPad for Roon, and Naim doesn’t have a proper app that makes sense for the iPad.
I would use an iPad too rather than an iPhone. The iPad is a perfect media controller in terms of form factor, irrespective of whether you are running Roon, Apple Music or the Naim app (or any other app). The iPhone is OK for a quick track-skip or volume adjustment, but the iPad is great to browse with…
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I have a new iPad Pro 12.9 coming today, to replace my 2018 iPad Pro 11. I look forward to seeing how the Roon UI looks on a bigger display.
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Sweet!
Got my eye on one too. Let us know how it is 
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I also got the Magic Keyboard for it and a nice case. I use my iPad all the time now, and never even remove my MacBook pro from my desk anymore. AppleTV 4K is also arriving. We bought two LG OLED TVs (CX48 and CX65), so this will replace a AppleTV HD on the 65" TV. We may get another one for the 48" later.
You’re making a connection using out of context false assumptions. They are two different points I made in two different posts, in response to different comments. You’re looking for an argument that isn’t there.
Not to mention, my point about not using the iPhone as a media server was about any iOS device, including the iPad. I really have nothing else to say on it. That horse is already dead.
Relax. True, internet services tends to drift towards creating big monopolies but iOS only have 20-30% market share.
My 2012 Mac Mini is starting to feel a bit delicate.
I nearly bought the last Intel model due to the ability to upgrade to 64GB RAM (not easy but quite feasible) the other day, especially as Amazon had over £200 off the official pricing.
Then you see something like this and realise what the M1 can do.
Not really surprised as my old Acorn Risc PC was so capable especially when I added the StrongArm processor. ARM architecture is simply phenomenal.