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Audio Testing Confirms iPhone 6 Not Yet Capable of Direct HD Audio Playback

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Earlier this year, Apple was rumored to be adding support for high-definition audio playback in iOS 8 and shipping new EarPods with the iPhone 6 in order to support this 24bit/96kHz standard. Apple ultimately made no such announcements for iOS 8 or the iPhone 6, and Mashable has now confirmed with some testing that Apple's latest iPhone 6 does not currently support high definition audio playback.

iphone6-stock-photo.jpg
With the help of audio testing expert David Ranada, Mashable tested several sample .wav files encoded at a 96kHz sampling rate with 24 bits per sample. The tracks were played using third-party apps such as Onkyo's HF music player and recordings were made through the headphone jack to determine the quality of the audio output.

The results show that iPhone 6 does not yet support HD audio playback, even though the audio hardware inside the phone may be capable of 24bit/96kHz output. According to teardown analyses, Apple's iPhone 6 includes the custom made Cirrus Logic 338S1201 chip, which is likely the successor to the Cirrus Logic CS42L61 chip used in previous iPhone models. Though also a custom build, the older CS42L61 chip is part of Cirrus Logic's CS42L51 family, which supports 24bit/96kHz HD audio.
It's hard to conceive of Apple either creating a custom chip that's less capable than the equivalent off-the-shelf component, let alone downgrading the audio capabilities of the iPhone's DAC in subsequent generations. So it stands to reason the DAC on board the iPhone 6 is capable of sampling 24-bit/96kHz audio.
Click to expand...
It's possible, however, that Apple could later update iOS 8 with support for HD audio and enable the playback of hi-res music through the iPhone's headphone jack. Apple is accepting 24bit/96kHz uploads from musicians and is allegedly preparing to enable high-definition 24-bit downloads from iTunes.

Customers who want HD audio sooner will have to look at Lightning-equipped audio devices such as the recently announced Fidelio M2L headphones from Philips. The Fidelio M2Ls will connect to an iPhone or iPad via the Lightning port and will support 24-bit audio using an internal DAC and amplifier built into the headphone unit.

Article Link: Audio Testing Confirms iPhone 6 Not Yet Capable of Direct HD Audio Playback
 
Article Link
https://www.macrumors.com/2014/09/26/iphone-6-hd-audio/
Glassed Silver

Glassed Silver

macrumors 68020
Mar 10, 2007
2,096
2,567
Kassel, Germany
In other news:

H.265 Facetime-only. Because fitting more shows, movies, recordings and such onto your phone is totally unnecessary.

What was the base model's capacity for both the iPhone 6 and 6+ again?:rolleyes:

Glassed Silver:mac
 
ouimetnick

ouimetnick

macrumors 68040
Aug 28, 2008
3,552
6,341
Beverly, Massachusetts
PBF said:
Basically iPhone 6 is a flop.
Click to expand...

Nah, Just the rumor mill creates unrealistic rumors, and other wishes that don't always become true, hence the term rumor.

noun
a currently circulating story or report of uncertain or doubtful truth: they were investigating rumors of a massacre | rumor has it that he will take a year off.
 
S

Shlooky

macrumors regular
May 31, 2012
241
118
I never use headsets, I either connect the iPhone to my receiver with the supplied lightning to USB cable or connect it to my car using the lightning to the order connector.
I also wonder if Apple TV will be able to stream 24bit/96kHz via HDMI since all my music is in iCloud?
 
MVallee

MVallee

macrumors 6502a
Feb 8, 2007
810
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Ontario, Canada
I bet this has something to do with Beats. Perhaps they will enable the chip for HD Audio at the same time that they release new Beats headphones capable of taking advantage of it.
 
normang

normang

macrumors member
Mar 11, 2007
79
203
Maple Grove, MN
A whole article, based on a rumor, that Apple never announced, and most people's ears in most any ear buds or Beats are not going to notice any significant difference in quality, even if it were enabled.
 
HobeSoundDarryl

HobeSoundDarryl

macrumors G5
Feb 8, 2004
12,245
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I thought the point of using the lightening connector for HD audio was hooked to this. If we can get the same quality out of the ubiquitous 3.5mm headphone jack (using any audio headphones we already own), why mess around with using the lightening connector (other than maybe licensing fees for Apple)?
 
I

iphone495

macrumors member
Sep 13, 2012
86
0
In other news, the iPhone 5S is not capable of Apple Pay like previous rumors had suggested.
 
HobeSoundDarryl

HobeSoundDarryl

macrumors G5
Feb 8, 2004
12,245
15,624
Hobe Sound, FL (20 miles north of Palm Beach)
MVallee said:
I bet this has something to do with Beats. Perhaps they will enable the chip for HD Audio at the same time that they release new Beats headphones capable of taking advantage of it.
Click to expand...

With the rumors of Beats being folded into Apple, will the new Beats headphones have the Apple logo on them or still use the Beats logo? And if the former, will the rest of the line switch to an Apple logo too?
 
H

happywaiman

macrumors member
Oct 7, 2013
58
8
They don't need an audio chip/headphone jack output for HD Audio Playback.
The idea of Lightning Headphone is pass the digital audio stream to the headphone, the headphone has a DAC next to the speakers, to reduce the noise from the cable.
Don't believe me? Try lightning->USB->DAC. iOS support direct pass thr. since iOS4, the time they release iPad->USB converter
 
chrisdazzo

chrisdazzo

macrumors 65816
Apr 11, 2006
1,125
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Mountains
24/96 playback on an iPhone would be a dream. If I recall correctly, files above a 44.1KHz sample won't even sync to an iPhone (6). I'd love to be able to enjoy all my favorite AIFF files in uncompressed form on-the-go...
 
AppleScruff1

AppleScruff1

macrumors G4
Feb 10, 2011
10,026
2,949
When the PONO Kickstarter campaign was in the news here, hi resolution music was mocked and anything better than CD quality was a gimmick. I'm guessing that will change when Apple supports it. :eek:
 
SPNarwhal

SPNarwhal

macrumors 65816
Apr 22, 2009
1,260
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illinois
HobeSoundDarryl said:
With the rumors of Beats being folded into Apple, will the new Beats headphones have the Apple logo on them or still use the Beats logo? And if the former, will the rest of the line switch to an Apple logo too?
Click to expand...

Wasn't there an article claiming that Apple was doing away with the headphones division of Beats? Thought they were going to more focus on the software side of things and integrate the Beats store or something like that.
 
L

Lictor

macrumors 6502
Sep 13, 2008
383
21
MVallee said:
I bet this has something to do with Beats. Perhaps they will enable the chip for HD Audio at the same time that they release new Beats headphones capable of taking advantage of it.
Click to expand...

So, not before a few decades if ever...
 
C

chainprayer

macrumors 6502a
Feb 10, 2008
638
2
Legitimate question here... I haven't experienced HD audio myself.

If you need a special setup to test if the audio is coming through in HD instead of just listening, how much of a difference is really there?
 
Mascots

Mascots

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Sep 5, 2009
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SPNarwhal said:
Wasn't there an article claiming that Apple was doing away with the headphones division of Beats? Thought they were going to more focus on the software side of things and integrate the Beats store or something like that.
Click to expand...

I always thought the Beats headphone division was a secondary gain for Apple, and as its already pretty self sufficient (or sustaining maybe?) it'd probably be better for Apple to let them continue to function on their own accord. That is, unless they are pulling resources away from what Apple really does care about.
 
Joshoon

Joshoon

macrumors regular
Aug 18, 2014
146
23
Netherlands
chainprayer said:
Legitimate question here... I haven't experienced HD audio myself.

If you need a special setup to test if the audio is coming through in HD instead of just listening, how much of a difference is really there?
Click to expand...

There is no noticeable difference between the 44.1kHz (we mostly listen to now) and 96kHz.
The human ear can't even hear above 20kHz, and the rest is just for filter purposes.
 
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