This is highly un-technical evidence of course but my phone seems to heat up more and the battery drains faster when Airplaying these new “lossless” files into my Marantz AV processor.
I wonder if others notice the same (should be particularly noticeable on older iPhones/iPads … I’m running an SE gen2).
To be frank, Apple hasn’t had many launches go smoothly since the first iMac. iPod was a good one. iPhone? Nope. iPad? Maybe. Watch? Definitely not. But they are excellent at iteration. Question is “will they?” They’re getting more open to working with other manufacturers so that’s promising. Just need to wait and see.
But note that their launch emphasis here is on spatial audio vs lossless/HiRes. I don’t expect that bodes well for audiophiles. And given the admission you need an external DAC to enjoy HiRes, I don’t expect that you will see Apple spend a lot of effort on THAT side of things.
Remember that most people like Bluetooth. Heck, most people LOVE Bluetooth. Apple sells lots of Bluetooth headphones and they don’t sell a single DAC. So expect that their interests and development focus will be along that axis. If it works and grows? Great. If not? I can live without a streaming service.
My kids are happy with Apple Music so that’s what we buy.
The youth enjoys their BlueTooth devices,
Wired devices, hi-res/bit perfect or not are considered a major step backwards. It’s the wire that’s the problem.
The youth have much better hearing capabilities than we older people have. Yet they prefer lossy BlueTooth sound over wired hi-res.
That says enough about the file format discussion.
35% of my iPhone battery is consumed by “Covid-19 Exposure Logging and Notifications” 
You should listen to Bluetooth APTX HD and Airplay2 on Naim ND555 streamer DAC ($19,995). I would certainly consider it if I could afford it. It suits my age as much as my teen grandchildren! Oh, and the power supply is mandatory at $12,995
That’s the point. Everything else matters so much more that it is better to invest the money in speakers (including subs) amps, speaker placement and room treatment (electronically, physically or both) first.
You can later on upgrade the sources.
Investing tons of money in hi-res while the industry has no standard for it yet is for pioneers that can afford the fast depreciation of expensive electronics for a very small selection of music.
Most real hi-res music (not the upsamplesd stuff), is recorded and masters in high quality by experts that know what they are doing and sound generally speaking very good because of the skills of the studio masters. That music is however often available in redbook and often also vinyl, still sounds much better than poorly recorded music.
Then there is a huge factor: that is ease of use.
Perhaps owners of EUR 40.000 systems can hear a significant difference in SQ between hi-res and redbook CD, and if you have that kind of money burning in the pocket it’s Good for you.
But don’t go around and burn down decently intended attempts to standardize digital audio (MQA) or upgrades (APPLE music).
“Youth” even with better hearing as you observe, “prefer lossy BlueTooth sound over wired hi-res” for the convenience, not the sound. The sound is relatively unimportant.
Which makes perfect sense. Most of us greatly enjoy music, even when played on less than stellar equipment. Music is music.
Indeed that is what I said. If to their sensible ears loss of sound quality between lossless and compressed music, AAC / BlueTooth, is less important than the convenience, it is for me too.
I certainly have a harder time to hear the difference than my children.
The difference between CD lossless and hi-res files are even harder to hear.
What made a much bigger difference: speakers and amps. And I enjoy my music and the convenience of my system.
When the entire industry manages to bring convenience to hi-res, I will embrace it.
Convenience being:
and most important:
I highly recommend listening to Darko’s podcast about Apple Music. He and Michael Lavorgna go deep into specifics but also discuss spatial and more.
The Apple Music discussion begins at about 22 minutes in.
Has anyone listened to George Thorogood’s Bad to the Bone on Apple Music? Where did the piano come from? I compared it to the 96/24 Qobuz version and it sounds like someone moved the piano player from the rear of the stage and put them front center. Very strange IMO. Are these hi resolution mixes or are then just trying to pull the musical instruments from the background?
Is this one of the albums Apple has processed into spatial audio?
I just got a Bronco Sport with Sync 3 and CarPlay with B&O system.
I do NOT recommend Apple Music! For CarPlay applications with lightning to usb.
There is a very noticeable lack of midbass/midrange with USB connection from iPhone. Tidal is pretty much identical.
Vox is the clear winner (no extra processing). You turn it up, the midbass is punchy and the midrange blooms slightly. Apple Music sounds severely V shaped and empty.
Vox advertised they were only app in 2018 to pass lossless into CarPlay. I would have assumed Apple was on top of their game with their own apps and platforms…
How do you like the Bronco, so far?
Some very revealing tests being done over on AS.
It is one the albums that Apple messed with.
Really like it!
We got badlands with badlands package.
The 2.0 in the badlands is worth it, very quick for a vehicle this size.
We’re not super off-road but want some capability so it’s perfect.
It’s cute!
Feels full circle… like a mini 90s explorer, or slightly better version of 2012 escape.
Is it not based on the current Escape?
Is the full sized Bronco out yet? (The commercial with the horse being raised by goats is fun.)
Yes on same platform but a lot of modifications to suspension and rear diff from focus RS.
Bronco is shipping now.
