Amazon and Tidal on Apple TV

Discussion in 'Audio Hardware' started by Depechefan, Oct 11, 2019.

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  1. Depechefan

    Depechefan Member Thread Starter

    Location:
    Denmark
    Hi,

    I'm a happy user of Apple TV. In an ideal world I would stream all my music, local and through streaming services via this device. However the audio quality is questionable on the Apple TV because everything except Atmos on Netflix is converted to PCM. It still sounds good but I of course look for perfection ;)

    With Tidal and as of today Amazon Music available as apps I'm wondering what the thinking behind it is because surely you don't get the best quality these services can offer on the Apple TV. Or am I missing something?

    /M
     
  2. Mugrug12

    Mugrug12 The Jungle Is a Skyscraper

    Location:
    Massachusetts
    Bumping because I also want to know.
     
  3. Sterling1

    Sterling1 Forum Resident

    Location:
    Louisville, KY
    Is Apple TV used as a wireless transmission means to send Apple Music or iTunes Library content to your AVR, Receiver, or Pre-Pro?
     
  4. Russell Weston

    Russell Weston Forum Resident

    Location:
    Ridgecrest, CA
    I don't get it... Most digital music IS PCM.
     
  5. Mugrug12

    Mugrug12 The Jungle Is a Skyscraper

    Location:
    Massachusetts
    Maybe he meant to ask this-

    Is tidal hifi still lossless if streamed on airplay to Apple TV then sent via optical cable to DAC?
    (At least that's what I want to know haha)
     
  6. Russell Weston

    Russell Weston Forum Resident

    Location:
    Ridgecrest, CA
    It should say within the app if it supports master quality or not. In the settings.
     
  7. Sterling1

    Sterling1 Forum Resident

    Location:
    Louisville, KY
    Apple TV's DAC samples at 16/48 and is analog out, no optical output option like Airport Express, which sends 16/44.1 .
     
  8. Mugrug12

    Mugrug12 The Jungle Is a Skyscraper

    Location:
    Massachusetts
    I have an older Apple TV w an optical out. I didn't think there was a dac inside it. I use optical cable to my dac.

    I don't know what that means for sound quality though, as far as lossless streaming from tidal. Could you explain to a newb please?
     
  9. Sterling1

    Sterling1 Forum Resident

    Location:
    Louisville, KY
    I might be the newb. I have Airport Express, and liking it, I wanted to get another for a stereo in another room; but, I discovered it's been discontinued. I was told I could replace with an Apple TV. I was also told it had no optical output. You have one so it appears I was mislead. Here's what I know for sure though: Airport Express will up sample or down sample all of my iTunes content to 16/44 and Airport Express's DAC can process, sending analog to Pre-Pro, or I can output digital via S/PDIF at 16/44.1. I send via S/PDIF and Pre-Pro indicates receiving 16/44.1.
     
    Last edited: Nov 10, 2019
  10. Mugrug12

    Mugrug12 The Jungle Is a Skyscraper

    Location:
    Massachusetts
    New ones don't have optical out. Mines old so it has it. You could search for an old one on eBay or Craigslist. In any case we need someone smarter than us to jump on this thread haha!

    ;)
     
    Sterling1 likes this.
  11. Coltrane811

    Coltrane811 Forum Resident

    Location:
    Michigan
    3rd Generation and older have optics outs. The optical was dropped in about 2015/16. Older Apple TV’s are plentiful online though.

    My understanding is that it still will not pass through the digital signal though. So Amazon HiRes for example will still only play at 16/44.1 max (which is then upsampled 16/48).
     
  12. Mugrug12

    Mugrug12 The Jungle Is a Skyscraper

    Location:
    Massachusetts
    Is 16/44.1 cd quality? Sorry I'm
    digital-dumb.
    Are you saying the Apple TV maxes out at cd quality just not higher even if the source is higher resolution?
     
  13. Coltrane811

    Coltrane811 Forum Resident

    Location:
    Michigan
    Yes, it is CD quality and that is the max that Apple TV can output.
     
    Last edited: Nov 10, 2019
    Mugrug12 likes this.
  14. Dingly Del Boy

    Dingly Del Boy Forum Resident

    Location:
    British Columbia
    The older Apple TV with optical out is not a bad streaming device at all, despite being limited to essentially CD quality - you can do a lot worse.
     
    Mugrug12 likes this.
  15. Mugrug12

    Mugrug12 The Jungle Is a Skyscraper

    Location:
    Massachusetts
    Cool thanks. I use Spotify 320 now but I'd like to try tidal hifi.

    That way I will hear cd quality if I go tidal hifi controlled by iPhone> Apple TV via airplay > optical cable to dac. Correct?

    Airplay via wifi is lossless right? I should ask about that step in the chain as well.
    Thanks and Sorry I'm such a hifi digital newb!
     
  16. Coltrane811

    Coltrane811 Forum Resident

    Location:
    Michigan
    You will get CD quality from that audio chain. AirPlay is lossless, but I believe even with the optical out it upsamples everything to 16/48 although I’m not 100% sure that is the case.
     
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  17. Dingly Del Boy

    Dingly Del Boy Forum Resident

    Location:
    British Columbia
    Yes this is correct, the only sample rate it puts out is 48kHz.
     
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  18. Coltrane811

    Coltrane811 Forum Resident

    Location:
    Michigan
    Do you know if this is true of Apple TV’s or all AirPlay products?
     
  19. Dingly Del Boy

    Dingly Del Boy Forum Resident

    Location:
    British Columbia
    I believe this is specific to the Apple TV. The Airplay stream supports 44.1, and that's what I get if I stream to my Hegel amp using Airplay.
     
    Mugrug12 and Coltrane811 like this.
  20. Mano-be

    Mano-be Active Member

    Location:
    Antwerp, Belgium
    Anyone from Europe experience getting this deal? Do you need a US filed credit card or is there no special requirement?
     
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