Apple Lossless vs Tidal

[UFTE]

Not necessarily new news, but I thought the below video explained the Apple Music lossless audio feature quite well vs Tidal:

http://https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SO85R0n2LPI

I've had the Apple Music family share for years. I'm now considering canceling my Tidal Hi-Fi subscription since recently purchasing a C2700/Mac mini combination for music streaming

-Ryan

[UFTE]

I tried my posted link and it did not work. Hopefully this will fix it:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SO85R0n2LPI

if not, here is the paste: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SO85R0n2LPI

-Ryan

[doggiehowser]

The only issue is there is no way to stream Apple Music Masters to my DAC.

[PeterMusic]

Originally Posted by UFTE

Not necessarily new news, but I thought the below video explained the Apple Music lossless audio feature quite well vs Tidal:

http://https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SO85R0n2LPI

I've had the Apple Music family share for years. I'm now considering canceling my Tidal Hi-Fi subscription since recently purchasing a C2700/Mac mini combination for music streaming

-Ryan

Apple makes things easy in all sorts of ways, but if your power amp and speakers are in the same league as the C2700, you are likely to disappointed with Apple Music/Mac Mini compared to other sources

[Stahle]

I’m using a C22 IV preamp with an MC462 amp, a Simaudio DAC, and a Mac Mini as the source with great results but with Roon and Qobuz and I am not disappointed in the least. I have copied all of my CD’s to the Mac Mini in AIFF format and what I don’t have I can typically find in the Qobuz library. The Mac Mini is stripped down so there’s no email or anything else it’s running, basically it’s only function is to run the Roon software and ITunes because the CD’s are stored in iTunes. I’m not a fan of Apple Music so I don’t use it and I don’t see the point in getting a dedicated streamer because my Mac Mini works and sounds great. One more thing is that my understanding of Apple Lossless is that it’s still a compressed format vs AIFF and high resolution files that are available via Qobuz. Correct me if I’m wrong.

[UFTE]

Apple makes things easy in all sorts of ways, but if your power amp and speakers are in the same league as the C2700, you are likely to disappointed with Apple Music/Mac Mini compared to other sources

I agree for sure with the ease of Apple and convenience as all of my digital music is in Apple until the recent Tidal subscription. The new lossless within Apple seemed to be an added bonus. I think I have a pretty good system going (7 channel home theater using older Definitive Technology speakers, JL Audio F-113 sub, MX122/MVP901/C2700/MC8207/MC462/MPC1500), with the C2700 and Mac mini being the most recent additions. I am new to streaming and have a small collection of SACD's, Blu-Ray concerts, etc that I play through the MVP901. I would admit my speakers (BP3000TL for mains) would be the weakest link, but I think things are sounding pretty good using the C2700/MC462/Mac mini/Tidal connected via USB. What would be your suggestion for other sources I could look into? Again, this new to me and to be honest I thought the USB/Mac Mini/Tidal to the DAC in the C2700 was one of the better options to go with for streaming?

-Ryan

[JemHadar]

Darko…”we need to talk about Apple Music & hi-res audio”

Unfortunately the closed Apple ecosystem doesn’t make it easy to benefit fully from hi-res formats

https://youtu.be/oVl6Nyf7YLI

[PeterMusic]

Hi UFTE,

I agree with Stahle that a Mac Mini can be stripped down and used with better software to produce a good result. I would also add a USB decrapifier to his recommendations if you.

Also, it's important to distinguish between good and great. The Mac is a good source. If your amp was a very nice $500 NAD integrated (just for example), I would have given a big thumbs up. But since you've spent tens of thousands on Mc electronics, you have the chance to hear something absolutely great. In this context of great electronics, I think your auditory spirits will sag if you alternate between your MVP901 and streaming on the Mac Mini. I would try a higher end streamer from companies such as Aurender, Aurilic, and Naim.

One other caveat--YMMV--every person's system, listening room, and ears are different. You might switch back and forth between Mac Mini and SACDs and be completely content. So the most important thing is to take input from others as just hypotheses to test for yourself for a few days with demo systems from your local dealer, or products that are returnable risk free or with a restocking fee of a few hundred dollars.

Good luck!

[Antonmb]

I think Apple offering hi res is great news, maybe it will raise awareness of the benefits of hi res and make it more mainstream - but until the mainstream services like Apple are able to be embedded in dedicated streamers from the likes of Aurender, Naim, Linn, dCS, etc., or are available through something like Roon, I don’t think it will impact the audiophile customers that pay for the hi res service. What I don’t know is how much of Tidal’s revenue do audiophiles represent. If the majority of Tidal’s customers are people listening on Apple Homepods, via computers, or mobile devices, then it could have a significant impact.

[UFTE]

Hi PeterMusic,

LOL.....Good luck seems like an understatement! Thank you for the information on higher end streamers.....I will take a look into them for sure. I think the next evolution for my system will have to be an upgrade in speakers and a higher end streaming method as you detail. This is a rabbit hole that keeps getting deeper and deeper, but that is one of the things that makes this hobby fun!

Hi Jemm666,

This too was an interesting video. I am however in a closed Apple system, not going from iPhone or laptop to my stereo, or using headphones. If I am using a Mac mini that then sends signal to the C7000 DAC via USB, aren't I getting the highest resolution Apple assigns to the track? I would not experience any of the drawbacks/restrictions described in this video? I realize he did not get into this at all, but just asking the question to clarify.

-Ryan