Apple Music HiFi Tier incoming?

No I have not joined, but I do have a seperate DAC. I doubt I will bother with it for now since I am on a Tidal free 3 month trial.

Dear Naim friends

So if I would plug my iPad into the front USB Port of the ND5 XS2 would I then be able to play hires audio? I have this nagging feeling there is a limitation on that front USB port. Is there?
Would any USB C to USB A cable do?

Thank you

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Hamilton is spectacular even if you arenā€™t a yank :slight_smile:

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The iPad wonā€™t output hi-res.

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Yes, itā€™s all a bit of marketing smoke and mirrors really. There isnā€™t really any meaningful and simple way to get hires from Apple Music into a hi-end audio streamerā€¦ā€¦

Though, if inclined I can run an optical out from the 3.5mm audio output from an older iMac into the optical input on my NDX2 then use the iTunes remote on an iPhone or iPad to control playback, but really you would want to be using the Apple Music app. Itā€™s all very confusingā€¦ā€¦when you can just use Tidal or Quobuz integrated into the Naim app or through Roon.

Incorrect, the iPad does output hiresā€¦ so far I have measured and enjoyed upto 96/24 PCM via Apple Music via the lightning/usb interface into a DAC.

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Ok, I take it you donā€™t see in the following in Setting Music on your iPad?

I do subscribe to Apple Music but canā€™t conform this setting is only activated if you subscribe.

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Interesting, how are you doing this into a Naim streamer?

I am not inputting into a Naim Streamerā€¦ they are not compatible for direct integration at this time. I am feeding into DACs which have USB audio input interfaces such as DAVE.
I guess you could use a USB to SPDIF converter and stream from the iPad into the Naim streamer that way.

Remember the iPad becomes the streamer and connects to any DAC including high end that has a USB audio interface . Itā€™s all very straightforward on the iPad with a direct connection to the DAC.

But at this time do remember the bit output is the aggregated audio outputā€¦ so is the digital mixed outputā€¦ some might get excited by that decrying ā€˜itā€™s not necessarily bit perfect!!ā€™ā€¦ well technically that can be the case, but doesnā€™t have to be.

It will be interesting to see if the MIDI control app on MacOS makes its way to iOS where you can control whether bit perfect or not.
Obviously MacOS can be bit perfect when used this way and can even be and is used for DAW music production.

But so far impressed with what Iā€™ve seen and heardā€¦and I am sure it will get better. Good news for the music lover!

Now we need Apple to rapidly extend their lossless hires catalogue.

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More bad news but not surprising really. It is Amazon all over again.

Audiophyle style have reported itā€™s not even bit perfect via mac or iOS. Not sure how well his findings stand up. Not sure if I am allowed to post it or not. So wont. But I am sure youā€™ll find it if you want to.

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Where did the link go?

Removed it wasnā€™t sure I am allowed to post to other forums.

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ā€˜ As it stands now, Apple Musicā€™s lossless and Hi-Res offerings are a bit of a soup sandwich.ā€™ Pretty much sums it up. Itā€™s going to make MQA look like a walk in the park.

Well at least Apple Lossless Hires is all straightforward and transparent, and done in a way that doesnā€™t unneccasrily burden those who would find it irrelevantā€¦ that is sensible.

I guess those looking for complications might be disappointed ā€¦ or those might decry how dare true hires come to the massesā€¦. :grinning:

I suspect that most people want an integrated wireless operation that uses the app to direct the stream straight from the internet to the streamer, like Tidal and Qobuz, rather than via another device, or worse, requiring cables and dongles!

Simon, is this the lightning camera adapter rather than the standard ā€œheadphoneā€ one?

:joy:

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What would be a great outcome is for hi-res to play through Airplay, then all would be resolved. For some odd reason, when Apple announced that hi-res was coming to Apple Music, that is how I thought it would work and we would have an Airplay upgrade at launch. But no, itā€™s cables and dongles :roll_eyes:

Made even worse that airplay canā€™t even play lossless currently for AM itā€™s even less straightforward. Itā€™s just all marketing nonesense and really does mimics Amazon. Give your customers a highres and lossless stream they really canā€™t actually use without jumping through hoops. Have a wireless delivery system thatā€™s limited and dont have a way to get exclusive and but perfect from a computer. At least Amazon has at least one Hifi component that supports its service.

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Same as Amazon then , but two years behind.