AirPods Max Won't Directly Support Lossless Apple Music Over Lightning

[MacRumors]

Earlier today, we confirmed that AirPods, AirPods Pro, and AirPods Max will not support lossless audio over Bluetooth because of Bluetooth limitations, and it turns out there's no direct wired lossless option for the AirPods Max either.

Apple's AirPods Max headphones are equipped with a Lightning port, but it is limited to analog sources and will not natively support digital audio formats in wired mode.

Apple told The Verge that when a 24-bit/48 kHz Apple Music lossless track is played to an iPhone into the AirPods Max using a Lightning cable and a Lightning-to-3.5mm dongle, the audio is converted to analog and then re-digitized to 24-bit/48 kHz. The re-digitization is not an identical match to the source and Apple is not able to say that it's lossless audio.

Apple has confirmed that lossless audio can be listened to on an iPhone, iPad, Mac, or Apple TV, but the higher quality audio is not available on AirPods, AirPods Pro, or AirPods Max. Apple lossless is also not available on the HomePod.

Listening to lossless audio on an iOS device will require wired headphones compatible with the ALAC format, and possibly a digital to analog converter. That the $549 AirPods Max do not work with Apple lossless is sure to upset some fans, but there is debate about whether most people can even tell the difference between standard and lossless audio formats.

Though the AirPods Max headphones do not support lossless audio, they are compatible with Spatial Audio with Dolby Atmos, another new feature that Apple is bringing to Apple Music. Spatial Audio will allow artists to create multidimensional music that sounds like it's coming from all around you, and this feature is available on all AirPods and Beats headphones with an H1 or W1 chip.

Article Link: AirPods Max Won't Directly Support Lossless Apple Music Over Lightning

 

[WestonHarvey1]

I can't hear the difference anyway.

In theory it should still be better on AirPods as there's now 1 less source of loss, no?

 

[dumoore]

AirPods Max Pro. Now with lossless enabled. $999.99

 

[Spainask27]

I'm so disappointed. Was extremely excited about this news and can't believe that now AirPods Max won't be able to support it wired. I understand that is not possible by BT, but not even wired is such a disappointment after expending 600€ just 6 months ago on them.

 

[TheMode]

I can't hear the difference anyway.

I agree, but it is just weird for a company known for its hardware to release something that none of their audio products support

 

[julesme]

Surely there will be a new pair of Apple headphones to coincide with an official lossless announcement.

What am I missing here?

 

[nikhsub1]

Well that’s awkward.

 

[tonie walker]

…felt like i was scammed by Tim Apple getting the Airpods Max

P.S. still have faith until WWDC

 

[entropys]

this new Apple Music service is pretty amazing, but I would have to say the coordination of software and hardware that Apple is famous for is a little...lacking at this time.
where is the HomePod replacement, or a set of headphones that can truly take advantage of this service?

that ordinary people can afford at that.

 

[CWallace]

I wonder if the Lightning connector just can't handle ALAC at the bit-rates Apple Lossless works at?

That could explain why the Air Pods Max are not able to support it even wired.

 

[sychox51]

you say that like I'm the only one who cant wait to dig some lossless tunes from that sweet sweet iPhone speaker. psh. paired with 4k OLED HDR on a 6 inch screen and im never going back to my home theater

 

[pugxiwawa]

But it supports Spatial Audio right?

 

[Rogifan]

I’d love to know who was in the product meetings when the HomePod and AirPods Max were being discussed. I still don’t know who these products were/are for. An audiophile is going to want a wired connection and if you’re not an audiophile these products cost more than most would be willing to spend.

 

[Kylo83]

so what's the point of this, AirPods Pro is what most people use so they cant get higher quality, so your iPhone can get it but the speakers are poor

 

[dmylrea]

What a screw up that Apple's best headphones can't play lossless.

Gotta love though, that since they won't playback lossless, the article goes on to say, basically, not a big deal as you probably can't hear a difference anyways! So which is it, is the new Lossless service useless or not?

 

[ouimetnick]

So there will presumably be AirPods Pro Max and AirPods Max Pro at some point then. ? I hope apple is working behind the scenes on a new wireless standard and makes it an open standard. Apple contributed to FireWire and Thunderbolt.

I find it odd that the people at Apple responsible for working on high resolution streaming apparently don’t collaborate with the software and hardware engineering teams responsible for HomePod and AirPod products

I hope they introduce a new AirPlay 3 standard or update the AirPlay 2 specification. I have a dedicated listening setup with real audio equipment and would rather not need to plug my iPhone into anything to listen to it.

 

[CWallace]

But it supports Spatial Audio right?

Yes.

 

[dmylrea]

And, what WIRED headphones support ALAC? Aren't wired headphones analog? I'm not getting what ridiculous pairing of an iPhone and headphones you need to make this Lossless service actually work?

 

[_Spinn_]

This lossless audio announcement seems so out of place. Half of Apple’s products don’t support it.

 

[jclardy]

One thing I found odd from the original AirPods Max launch was that the APM can't be used with a USB-C -> Lightning cable plugged into a Mac or iPad. To me this seems like an obvious solution, but I guess Apple was greedy and wanted to sell more Lightning -> 3.5mm cable's for the wired use case.

 

[kerr]

Happy to wait for the $1000 AirPods Max Pro /sarcasm

 

[anticipate]

Facepalm. At least it gets spatial audio, which is quite nice.

I get the wireless limitation, but wired?! I suppose you can do it with a DAC to the current $40 wire.

 

[dmylrea]

so what's the point of this, AirPods Pro is what most people use so they cant get higher quality, so your iPhone can get it but the speakers are poor

I can't help but laugh at the logic here! What does Apple expect people to use to listen to Lossless?

 

[WhoDaKat]

Apple has confirmed that lossless audio can be listened to on an iPhone, iPad, Mac, or Apple TV, but the higher quality audio is not available on AirPods, AirPods Pro, or AirPods Max.

You have to be ****ing kidding me. My $600 headphones don’t support, even wired? They just freaking released them! Who on gods earth are they bringing lossless to Apple Music for? For all the people that don’t buy their products? They sell speakers and headphone, and none of them support lossless? That makes zero sense. This surely has to be a mistake.

 

[Homme]

I wonder if the Lightning connector just can't handle ALAC at the bit-rates Apple Lossless works at?

That could explain why the Air Pods Max are not able to support it even wired.

I was thinking the same too

If not USB 2.0 female ports maybe 3.0 ones ( 12.9 1st and 2nd gen pros and 10.5 inch Pro)