Apple Music Announcement

[snakeeyes]

Right, but I ask because I have quite a few 5.1 albums and quite a few of them sound like crap. Just because an Atmos version exists, doesn't mean it's good. I like to see if anyone finds anything noteworthy before I try.

It’s maybe a luxury vs just upmixing. I definitely think Apple and Deezer and Spotify all sound great but this for me puts Apple ahead of the other 2. (At least temporarily).

 

[snakeeyes]

I just realized the past 2 days I was listening to Apple Music Atmos in 256 instead of lossless…. You have to enable inside Apple Music app settings on the Apple TV 4K to choose lossless. LOL

 

[Trebdp83]

That's what I said a page ago. Now, keep in mind that the two channel audio albums play in lossless ALAC if labeled as lossless. But, Spatial audio(Dolby Atmos) tracks will have lossy Dolby Digital+ at their core like every atmos track streamed from any service. I also noticed that some Dolby Atmos albums are not labeled as such but might play back in Dolby Atmos if it is enabled in one's setup. I prefer Tidal's menu in that an atmos album shows separately from the two channel version. Listening to a two channel lossless version of an album in Apple Music that also contains Dolby Atmos means turning atmos off in the Music app setting. This sucks and should be selectable in the music track itself. Using a Mac, one has to go into Music playback settings and turn Dolby Atmos off. I figured anything available in Dolby Atmos on the Tidal service would also be available in Apple Music but that is not yet the case. Yello's "Point" album in Dolby Atmos is great on both services with Apple Music playing at much louder volume than Tidal through the Apple TV 4K.

 

[snakeeyes]

That's what I said a page ago. Now, keep in mind that the two channel audio albums play in lossless ALAC if labeled as lossless. But, Spatial audio(Dolby Atmos) tracks will have lossy Dolby Digital+ at their core like every atmos track streamed from any service. I also noticed that some Dolby Atmos albums are not labeled as such but might play back in Dolby Atmos if it is enabled in one's setup. I prefer Tidal's menu in that an atmos album shows separately from the two channel version. Listening to a two channel lossless version of an album in Apple Music that also contains Dolby Atmos means turning atmos off in the Music app setting. This sucks and should be selectable in the music track itself. Using a Mac, one has to go into Music playback settings and turn Dolby Atmos off. I figured anything available in Dolby Atmos on the Tidal service would also be available in Apple Music but that is not yet the case. Yello's "Point" album in Dolby Atmos is great on both services with Apple Music playing at much louder volume than Tidal through the Apple TV 4K.

Some songs are lossless and Atmos. Like some of Diana Kralls albums. Not sure what that ends up being. My Yamaha just shows 48 and Atmos input with 5.1.4 being output (I only have a 9ch speaker setup on my Yamaha 2060)

I’m a little unsure how the Dolby MAT format differs that Apple normally uses for Atmos vs DD+ that others use for Atmos. Is that the same bitrate?

In any case it seems to sound better in Lossless to me but maybe that is all in my head?

 

[snakeeyes]

I also think I’ll try the new Apple TV 4K remote that was just released. It’s compatible with the 1st gen.

 

[Trebdp83]

Yeah, it does sound good. I wish Apple would just bitstream everything instead of the PCM conversion. The Gen 1 remote control sucks and I rarely use it. I use the TV remote via HDMI CEC.

 

[sterling shoote]

If I buy an Apple TV and connect it to my OPPO-205 can I enjoy Spatial Audio?

 

[Trebdp83]

If I buy an Apple TV and connect it to my OPPO-205 can I enjoy Spatial Audio?

You are talking about using the HDMI input on the Oppo and connecting it to your amps with the 7.1 analog outputs, yes? I'd be interested in that experiment. I'm guessing the output will be similar to what I am getting currently out of a Mac Mini M1. It does output multichannel but does not pass atmos metadata. I think you will have a similar experience with the Oppo. You should get a 7.1 PCM/atmos signal from an Apple TV 4K into the Oppo and it will output multichannel PCM over the 7.1 analog outputs.

 

[sterling shoote]

You are talking about using the HDMI input on the Oppo and connecting it to your amps with the 7.1 analog outputs, yes? I'd be interested in that experiment. I'm guessing the output will be similar to what I am getting currently out of a Mac Mini M1. It does output multichannel but does not pass atmos metadata. I think you will have a similar experience with the Oppo. You should get a 7.1 PCM/atmos signal from an Apple TV 4K into the Oppo and it will output multichannel PCM over the 7.1 analog outputs.

I'm off to Best Buys to get the Apple TV; but, the OPPO is downmixing 7.1 to 5.1 and outputting to my 5.1 analog preamplifier so I do not expect an ATMOS like experience, just a multi-channel one.

 

[panteragstk]

Crap. Just realized this is for Apple devices only. Guess I'm out.

 

[Trebdp83]

Crap. Just realized this is for Apple devices only. Guess I'm out.

If wanting to sample atmos music on, say, a Nvidia Shield Pro, try Tidal app. Bestbuy offers deals on Tidal like 3 months for 3 bucks. I just finished that offer up. They offered 2 more months for 2 bucks.

 

[panteragstk]

If wanting to sample atmos music on, say, a Nvidia Shield Pro, try Tidal app. Bestbuy offers deals on Tidal like 3 months for 3 bucks. I just finished that offer up. They offered 2 more months for 2 bucks.

Might just do that. I'll have to look and see if anything in their selection looks interesting.

 

[Trebdp83]

I'm off to Best Buys to get the Apple TV; but, the OPPO is downmixing 7.1 to 5.1 and outputting to my 5.1 analog preamplifier so I do not expect an ATMOS like experience, just a multi-channel one.

Yeah, I’m doing 5.1 Multichannel PCM from Mac, sounds good. Apple TV 4K sending atmos/PCM out.

 

[snakeeyes]

Cancelled Deezer and keeping Apple Music.

 

[Trebdp83]

Poor Deezer.

 

[snakeeyes]

Poor Deezer.

Also cancelled Amazon too. LOL

I am keeping Pandora Plus though. So will have just 2 services. Apple and Pandora.

 

[panteragstk]

I have youtube music (which sucks) and spotify. Spotify is VERY good so far, but I'm not stuck on one app. I'm going to try Tidal and see how it is.

 

[Trebdp83]

Enjoying Apple Music freebee so far, but app across devices is a mess and Mac lossless and atmos tracks are all over the place compared to playing over Apple TV 4K. Audirvana just whipped up a new look, Audirvana Studio. I did like using it with NAS, Qobuz and Tidal selections rolled into Audirvana’s app. If atmos was a non issue and I wanted only lossless and hi-res two channel music, I’d go back to using Qobuz and my NAS through Audirvana. Might give their new GUI a try.

 

[Trebdp83]

I have youtube music (which sucks) and spotify. Spotify is VERY good so far, but I'm not stuck on one app. I'm going to try Tidal and see how it is.

If you do, see if the volume issue with atmos tracks has been improved using the Shield. I had to crank it on mine when playing atmos tracks.

 

[snakeeyes]

I had Spotify before Deezer. Both sound great but going with Apple Music for now.