Thank you for your help folks! Just one other question, if I understand correctly, if I use my iPhone using the native Apple music app then the bitrate is limited to CD resolution, but is it possible to get access to the higher resolution via other iOS apps that don’t have that app limitation, or is it a fundamental limit with the iOS operating system itself? The plex iOS app and others —including the Plex app and the Wiim iOS app— show they are capable of accessing the higher resolution files on the plex NAS, but I am not sure iOS lets them broadcast it to the Wiim in that higher resolution or does iOS itself downsample to CD resolution? Or to get to the higher resolution do I need to avoid iOS altogether and use a different device based on a different operating system, such as Android or Windows? Thanks again for your patience with these basic new user questions.
Optical vs aux sound quality
- Thread starter Jeffcs
- Start date
Mr Ee
Major Contributor
My understanding (which may be incorrect, and will most likely be corrected by others here!) is that the only way to get higher sample rates from Apple music is via a usb connection from your iphone / ipad.
Anything you cast via airplay is limited to 48khz, I believe.
Here's one quote I found on the internet. You can trust everything you read on the internet....
"...Apple’s iPad and iPhone (+ CCK + USB DAC) are the only devices that make it possible to stream anything above 24bit/48kHz from Apple Music..."
CCK = Camera Connection Kit
Anything you cast via airplay is limited to 48khz, I believe.
Here's one quote I found on the internet. You can trust everything you read on the internet....
"...Apple’s iPad and iPhone (+ CCK + USB DAC) are the only devices that make it possible to stream anything above 24bit/48kHz from Apple Music..."
CCK = Camera Connection Kit
Brantome
Moderator
Yeah, pretty much so I believe, although Apple Music and Airplay is a dog’s dinner - see https://audiophilestyle.com/ca/bits-and-bytes/apple-music-lossless-mess-part-2-airplay-r1026/
I think I may have figured out how to get around the airplay limitation. Use an iPhone app (mconnect) that acts as a remote for a DLNA streaming device (in this case the plex server with the hi res files) and use it to WiFi broadcast directly (and I think without airplay transcoding) to the Wiim. It looks like it works based on the bitrate readout in the app but if anyone thinks they can confirm, thanks.
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One of the threads which makes me musing.
I like reaching and even pass borders. And therefore not all of my decisions get the badge "rational throughout" especially in HiFi. Most of the time my target is to get the most theoretically possible (for my budget) solution. Sometimes it makes sonic sense but very often not, a permanent try and error.
This is a forum about a very, very reasonable streamer.
And so, with all due respect: Even with my big gun setup #1 it is not possible for me to hear difference between optical and coaxial out and even the internal DAC of this pretty little unit. All should stay proportional.
So, 48 or 96, 24 or 16....it does not matter. Speakers, amps and rooms matter. And at the very first place: Music's production, mastering, engineering matter.
Old, but true: Enthusiasts listen to music. Audiophiles listen to gear.
So, my 5 cents related to the title of the thread, not to the questions with Airplay and so on.
I like reaching and even pass borders. And therefore not all of my decisions get the badge "rational throughout" especially in HiFi. Most of the time my target is to get the most theoretically possible (for my budget) solution. Sometimes it makes sonic sense but very often not, a permanent try and error.
This is a forum about a very, very reasonable streamer.
And so, with all due respect: Even with my big gun setup #1 it is not possible for me to hear difference between optical and coaxial out and even the internal DAC of this pretty little unit. All should stay proportional.
So, 48 or 96, 24 or 16....it does not matter. Speakers, amps and rooms matter. And at the very first place: Music's production, mastering, engineering matter.
Old, but true: Enthusiasts listen to music. Audiophiles listen to gear.
So, my 5 cents related to the title of the thread, not to the questions with Airplay and so on.
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Brantome
Moderator
You can do that directly from the WiiM app without an intermediary app for hi res files on your server - just select to the Plex server from the Home Music Share option in the app. See here for how to configure your Plex server. https://faq.wiimhome.com/support/solutions/articles/72000552544-set-up-dlna-server-on-plex
The previous responses were referring to airplay primarily in the context of Apple Music - accessing local hi res files is another kettle of fish and much more easily achieved than dealing with the vagaries of Apple Music and Airplay.
Thanks!!!! I think I’ve finally figured out how to access my Plex server directly on the wiim app! I was missing that “Home Music Share” is where a local server like Plex is found!
For anyone else lost: Browse/My Library/My Music/Home Music Share
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In addition to that: optical with less curves.
My personal favoring coax is mostly because i hate to move my amps and other gear. For my akward hands its so much easier to place coax than the one-directional optical with no visual contact
Sound differences i could never hear. When optical is correctly mounted it works as good as coax. Thats one more reason, in my opinion, that build quality of cables and connections stays important. Wonky is nearly never good.
They can be curved but the angle matters. I have 6 or 7 toslink cables curled up in a circle among my equipment, I wouldn't be able to do that with quite stiff coax cables.In addition to that: optical with less curves.
My personal favoring coax is mostly because i hate to move my amps and other gear. For my akward hands its so much easier to place coax than the one-directional optical with no visual contact
Sound differences i could never hear. When optical is correctly mounted it works as good as coax. Thats one more reason, in my opinion, that build quality of cables and connections stays important. Wonky is nearly never good.
So, (nearly) each situation has a solution
