Stream Apple Music Lossless

Streaming Audio
1

Hello everyone. I have a small problem that I want to see if anyone has any solutions to.

I have Apple Music and now that they have had lossless for a while it’s nice to have but I want a true lossless way to stream it to the Hifi system.

I have compared Airplay to an AirPort Express to Tidal w/roon and to a max connected directly to the DAC. It’s not the same it doesn’t have the low end refinement and misses slight amounts of detail all round.

My question is if anybody has a solution for True Lossless Apple Music streaming. Whether with additional Hardware or not.

Ideally something that’s Hifi grade, something that can actually preserve the signal, PRaT etc.

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Correction, Mac*

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Not sure what Naim streamer you have, but after reading a lot about the Apple Music and Naim on this forum and trying it via Airplay2 with not so great results. I thought I’d give one other option a try… I plugged in my iPad directly to the front USB port of my SuperUniti and viola, I’m able to play albums and playlists that I have in the Apple Music App lossless. (And as a bonus, the iPad charges over usb) I can even use the physical remote or iPhone (via Naim app) as a remote control.

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And your not using the camera adapter? On the Naim HE it just says there are no connected USB devices. Tried iPad and iPhone just using standard usb to lightning connector. It does charge it though.

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Yes I’m using just the normal Lightning to USB cable.

It might be that the newer Uniti streamers do not support this option.

I know there were some options that were taken away when the new Uniti range was introduced.

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It also doesn’t look as good “industrial” as the old Unitis and the rest of the Naim range :wink:

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Naim doesn’t support the old iPod connection anymore an ant current gen haedware as it’s now deprecated in favour of Airplay. It would not give you higher than 44.1 /16 even when it does work.

@FHM this has been covered to death in the other Apple Music thread. To get it into a Main streamer you need to get a protocol converter to convert UsB Audio to Spdif and then use that to connect iPad or Mac to your hifi. Mac’s don’t automatically rate switch between different sample rates so are not 100% bit perfect unless you manually configrue the Mac each time it changes. iOs devices don’t suffer from 5his, but you need to have an iPad or phone permantly plugged in to play music.

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airedog

2d

I’m using the USB-C VGA multiport adapter to the Topping for my iPad, the camera adapter (with the charging USB-C)
to Topping for iPhone. (Both options also charge while using) I’m still not clear on how to connect the Mac Mini?**

**so…does the hive think connecting my Mac Mini to the Nova USB would give me Apple Hi res that way? I’m afraid to try that…lol…

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You’re correct, I’ve noticed that the bit rate is capped at 44.1/16 over the SuperUniti USB port, when I tried some high-Res tracks. But still better than Airplay and it’s lossy malarkey.

It’s a pain trying to get Apple Music into our Naim systems. And I don’t see it changing any time soon. It’s nice to have, but I think I’ll stick to Qobuz via my innuos Zen streamer once my Apple Music trail ends.

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Just connect the Toppings to the Mac via USB?

I read, you need to manually adapt output mode on Mac (Music app does not switch it according to source; as it seems to do on iOS.)

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Not sure but for some reason I don’t think so. But the settings issue is a pain anyway. My plan is to use the iPad anyway.

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Disagree strongly. I think on pure looks alone the Atom is better looking than any other Naim piece I own or have previously owned. Judging by the reviews it’s not a unique opinion either. It’s one reason why mine sits right next to me on my office desk.

Roger

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I can understand your argument. It is a very lovely piece of hi-fi kit. I was blown away by it when it was first announced and quickly ordered the Atom when it was available to pre-order. But after a week with it I traded it in for a SuperUniti and I’m glad I did. To me the Previous design has that solid industrial design that I’d have a hard time giving up. Plus the volume dial would be hard to reach in a cabinet unit, as I have mine placed. But it’s good that we don’t all have the same tastes. Life would be very boring :grin::+1:

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I use a Naim NDS second only to ND555 so it makes a massive difference. The quality going in is what comes out

I did a quick test, on my second system which has a DAC capable of usb and switching on the IOS device between AAC and Lossless and played via Airplay and there was a considerable difference so it is better quality than 256kbps AAC but it’s not lossless compared to the usb to DAC

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Does the NDS use Airplay or Airplay2? It’s been shown on other streamers that the original Airplay with Apple Music is indeed true lossless at 44/16bit level. Only the newer Airplay 2 is streaming at 256k aac.

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Agree, the Topping should simply behave as a USB DAC connected to a Mac Mini.

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Which Mini do you have, and which macOS version ?

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There is no AirPlay on the NDS. You can play from iOS devices wired to the USB port.

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Brand new Mini (M1) with Monterey.

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You ought to be able to connect the Topping directly to one of the USB A ports on the Mini and I’d be surprised if it isn’t recognised as an external DAC.