Airplay 1 vs. Airplay 2 streaming quality?

It appears that people’s opinions on Airplay here are largely based on hearsay? right?

Relax, I get it. Apple has always had issues with audio. By the way, just a heads-up: I’m expanding the topic beyond Airplay. Even today, although they offer high-resolution audio, you can’t stream it bit-perfectly without third-party add-ons like Lossless Switcher for Mac. Alternatively, you can connect an iPhone or iPad to a DAC via cable, or as Darko’s recently pointed out, “the irony of recommending Android devices to solve an Apple problem”. Inconsistency with audio seems to be part of Apple’s DNA.

Very, very interesting !!!

many thanks,
LD

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Hi friends.
A question:
I have an Apple Music subscription.
So, If I understood correctly… to stream to my dac at the best… i have to buy an Apple TV 4K and stream to it from Apple Music app on my iPhone or…
i have to use a device like a Raspberry and install an old release of sharepoint-sync to have AirPlay1 and stream to it from Apple Music app on my iPhone
It is correct?
Now I have a WiiM pro and i think which has airplay2 so… it is lossy
Can you confirm?

For best out of Apple Music you need to connect a DAC to a Phone or iPad and use them as streamer this will get you lossless and hires. If using Apple TV your limited to 48/24 and it will internally upsample or downsample everything to do this. Airplay 1 is limited to 44.1/16 lossless so all others are resampled to it, Airplay 2 will give you lossy AAC.

Thanks for the reply.
So…it is very unusefull.
With a little computer like Raspberry…only lossless with airplay2
With a streamer like WiiM…the same
With a server (roon, lms etc) nothing…
If I buy an iPad or an old iPhone i have to use a cable to wire it to my dac and it would become totally useless
So…i dont see a valid solution. I have Apple Music with Apple one but to play lossless to my hi-fi… i have to pay Qobuz… very bad
If you have another solution…you could make me happy

You chose the wrong music service to subscribe to nothing anyone can do about that. Other alternative is to but an Android streamer from Eversolo or FiiO they use the android Apple Music app and will pass hires other than that you have no other alternatives. That’s Apple Music for you!

Would a RPi running Ropieee and set to AirPlay 1 allow AirPlay from @Paolo1983 iOS devices (iPhone or iPad) to be lossless, albeit 16/44.1?

I already said that. Still not the best from Apple Music.

Yes, you pointed out AirPlay 1 is 16/44.1.

@Paolo1983 mentions a Raspberry. So I’m pointing out Ropieee set to AirPlay 1 will give them lossless at 16/44.1.

I’d be happy with that, and I am as I use it with Apple Music :wink:

Thank you very much.
So, AirPlay 1 being lossless (but limited to 16/44.1) is better than AirPlay 2 which is lossy (aac…like Spotify). Is it correct?
16/44.1 is like a CD?

Yes

Not quite

My friend…so… I didn’t understand I’m confused

He means Airplay 2 isn’t always lossy but you can ignore this as it depend on the app you use to send music via Airplay 2. In your case for Apple Music it always is lossy so, using Airplay 1 is better but as I said earlier your not getting the best out of Apple Music as it can go higher quality/resolution using an Apple phone or iPad connected to a DAC via USB. But the best you can get not using this method is using Airplay 1.

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I seem to remember this was a useful explainer, as Apple has made a complete mess of it. I think it might even have a follow up video :man_facepalming:

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Ok!
I’m trying to use “AirConnect”.
It is a little software developed by philippe44 which transform an upnp player in an airplay1 player. I installed it in my home server and now I see my upnp players (for example Wiim pro) like a airplay1 players. it seem to work… 16/44 lossless… I will try well today…