Getting true "hi-res"/ loss- less from Apple Music

[Amarendra]

After using the Wiim Pro for streaming (Airplay) for quite some, I decided to try and explore true hi- res by connecting the iphone / ipad directly to my Schiit Modi+ DAC. Airplay is limited to (I think) 24/48 or 24/96 and going by the data on the net, it seemed that the Airplay 2 is quite temperamental. I had connected the iphone directly to my amp earlier using the Audioquest Dragonfly 1.2 and a cheap Amazon lightning to USB A converter. The Dragonfly is again limited to 24/96. Using the connector from Amazon I also wasnt sure what I was getting. I have also used Apple's own lightning to 3.5mm adapter but that is limited to 24/48 and sounds very flat.

I also wanted to exploit the full 24/192 of the Schiit Modi +. After some reading on the net, I came across the Lightning to USB3 connection kit from Apple. Its quite expensive for being just a connector- INR 4,000 being the MRP.
Schiit Audio recommends it for connecting their DACs to the iphone.



As per Audioquest as well, it is better to use this version of the adapter (USB 3) rather than cheap connectors to ensure bit perfect delivery of audio to the DAC. This connector also allows for parallel charging of iphones/ipads since it has 2 USB ports.

As per Audioquest:



Thankfully the adapter worked flawlessly with the Schiit and the difference is quite startling. I noticed the retreival of smaller details, wider soundstage and the ability of music to now come from a space outside the speakers.

Its a huge step up from Airplay and the cheapest way to experience hi res from Apple. I use my apple watch to control the play list on the phone when it is physically connected to the DAC/amp thereby eliminating the inconvenience of getting up each time to change the track.

Thought of sharing this in case it helps anyone with a similar question.

 

[chander]

As far as apple music is concerned - I believe you have the best setup. Cheers enjoy!

 

[DB1989]

As far as apple music is concerned - I believe you have the best setup. Cheers enjoy!

Eversolo no Bueno?

 

[Amarendra]

Eversolo no Bueno?

Eversolo will cost about 15-20 times of this dongle and give the same resolution ?

 

[chander]

Eversolo no Bueno?

No experience there - also I was keeping in mind the cost of it all.

Also as far as Eversolo is concerned - they are a fairly new company - so their track record of supporting their devices will only be proven in the future. I remember the initial FiiO android players - FiiO just stopped updating them regularly or at all, that was a bummer. I loved those players, but I stopped using them. The same happened with Sony players, they just weren't updated regularly.
iPod touch on the other hand is still being updated from the 2017/18 - maybe even earlier, fairly regularly with new OS etc & can be a great streamer if Apple Music is your consumption.

A 2020 iPad mini - will be around 15/20K (or even lesser) Beautiful screen, native bit perfect Apple Music streaming (I think), Spotify connect, everything you want I just feel after a point if you have a good DAC then a streamer is just that - a streamer - then you can really do a lot better than dedicated high end streamer.
&Please do not take it as me bashing high-end streamers, I love my toys too & since last year I have hosted/bought/sold
Cambridge CXN V2 - bought/sold
Naim uniti atom HP edition - bought/sold
A Loaner Lumin.

As a digital ONLY source I do not see the justification of price The RME Adi2 for me is a DAC that may not be perfect - but does a lot for what it costs, impossible to replace FOR ME - unless RME comes with a Adi3, with god knows what else . I also have a BabyFace pro FS - that I do use as a DAC sometimes or just use as a SPDIF source addition mostly. So I get it - but for me the best money spent has been DACs rather than streamers, so my opinions above come from that.

*****At the risk of sounding like an apple fan boy - I am just practical

So all these things - chota chota issues

 

[DB1989]

No experience there - also I was keeping in mind the cost of it all.

Ah, didn't realize we were trying to get at the most cost effective solution.

No experience there - also I was keeping in mind the cost of it all.

Also as far as Eversolo is concerned - they are a fairly new company - so their track record of supporting their devices will only be proven in the future. I remember the initial FiiO android players - FiiO just stopped updating them regularly or at all, that was a bummer. I loved those players, but I stopped using them. The same happened with Sony players, they just weren't updated.
iPod touch on the other hand is still being updated from the 2017/18, fairly regularly with new OS etc & can be a great streamer if Apple Music is your consumption.

So all these things - chota chota issues

That's a legit concern and TBH, something that i pondered over while contemplating which Eversolo to go for. Hence, the A8 - because it has HDMI ARC to connect any device which has HDMI out including the iPad, PC or Apple TV. After Eversolo's native streaming , it is the Apple TV which sounds the next best - haven't tried the Ipad with the A8. I remember using a cheap 400 bucks USB-C to USB B 3.0 for connecting the Ipad to the Ifi Zen DAC and it worked fine.

Eversolo will cost about 15-20 times of this dongle

If we are talking about the A8, that's 60 times the cost

and give the same resolution ?

If we are talking strictly resolution i.e. bit rate, then yes - both through native streaming from the inbuilt app as well as over HDMI ARC (from Apple TV and PC) and USB Type B (from PC - Rs 400 cable).

If we are talking SQ, I'll have to test.

 

[corElement]

I got eversolo a6me just to stream apple music and it has delivered everything I was looking for

 

[Amarendra]

If we are talking strictly resolution i.e. bit rate, then yes - both through native streaming from the inbuilt app as well as over HDMI ARC (from Apple TV and PC) and USB Type B (from PC - Rs 400 cable).

If we are talking SQ, I'll have to test.

Any ipad lying around or a iphone in day to day use is good enough. The limitation with apple tv is again the availability of only HDMI. Analog amps don't support this (my Rotel) nor do most DACs (Audioquest/Schiit Modi).
Configuring a PC is again hard work and opens a pandora's box- ASIO drivers and what not with Windows.
Yes fancy solutions exist - streamers but why not look at something when it gives the same bit- perfect output ?

 

[chander]

If we are talking SQ, I'll have to test.

I would love to hear your take on it. Given the amount of gear you got going - you can pretty much run almost every possible combination we can hope for.

 

[Amarendra]

I would love to hear your take on it. Given the amount of gear you got going - you can pretty much run almost every possible combination we can hope for.

He has 7 DACs and 10 streamers Will be interesting to see his take on SQ.

 

[Phew]

He has 7 DACs and 10 streamers Will be interesting to see his take on SQ.

Most important is on the same DAC what is the difference in SQ when using eversolo vs apple iphone/ipad+adaptor.

 

[Amarendra]

Here is a test which someone else conducted on ASR and posted with Apple music (from Ipad) and a lightning to USB3 connection kit. DAC used for testing was RME ADI-2


On a Topping:

 

[chander]

He has 7 DACs and 10 streamers Will be interesting to see his take on SQ.

Yup like @Phew mentioned - more interested in seeing @DB1989 's views on SQ of same setups/DACs. DB1989 - has a lot of experience with gear & tech part of it & on multiple occasions my discussions with him on all things gear/SQ has been very interesting & enlightening. So yeah I am seriously looking forward to what he thinks - with Eversolo vs iPad for Apple Music Lossless using the same DAC.

I have done this a few times but mine was more like - AirPlay 2 vs iPAD - so not really apples to apples.

***though - if you are doing this Darpan, I would suggest do get the camera kit/official apple cable - so there are no ifs or buts

Take your time - we know you got a lot A/B to do

 

[Amarendra]

Here is an interesting DAC- @ INR 3,500 it offers HDMI ARC. Good to see this coming in entry level DACs. This will allow connectivity of Apple Tv straight to the stereo amp. This is cheaper than Apple Lightning Connector.

 

[DB1989]

Here is an interesting DAC- @ INR 3,500 it offers HDMI ARC. Good to see this coming in entry level DACs. This will allow connectivity of Apple Tv straight to the stereo amp. This is cheaper than Apple Lightning Connector.

View attachment 84466

Its better to route your audio through optical from your TV to your existing dac than utilize this, unless you want to opt for a new one and the allocated budget is strictly 4000 bucks. While its a bit inconvenient to use two remotes while using optical, something like the Topping E30 has substantially better SQ.

 

[Amarendra]

Its better to route your audio through optical from your TV to your existing dac than utilize this, unless you want to opt for a new one and the allocated budget is strictly 4000 bucks. While its a bit inconvenient to use two remotes while using optical, something like the Topping E30 has substantially better SQ.

I am not advocating this particular DAC, it doesn't have good reviews but it's a good start if the trend catches up.

 

[chillumphile]

I sometimes play Apple music from my S21fe connected to my SMSL DL200 DAC through a UBC C2C cable and it plays at 24/192 khz.

The sound quality and stage gets massive.