Audio Quality of Home WiFi Streamed Music?

[Troutbum]

Maybe this should be posted on an Apple iTunes forum, but:

When I stream an AIFF or Apple Lossless file from my desktop (iTunes) via my home wifi to my appleTV (3rd gen) and play through my stereo/theater system, what quality am I listening to? Is it still at 1,411 kbps / 886 kbps respectively, or is the output being compressed?

Thanks!

 

[BoredSysAdmin]

Airplay is lossless. so same quality as source.
http://www.mcelhearn.com/how-apples-airplay-streams-audio/

 

[Troutbum]

Thanks for the quick response and link. My desktop is an older MacPro and I can't use Airplay with it like I can with my phone and pad to the ATV. I assume the "same quality" is true when the signal is being sent through my router-- wonder if the AIFF files are being converted to Apple Lossless as well.

 

[BoredSysAdmin]

If these files sent over the network from itunes to atv (wireless or wires) - the protocol is still airplay

 

[sterling shoote]

Airplay is lossless. so same quality as source.
http://www.mcelhearn.com/how-apples-airplay-streams-audio/

Maybe, the quality is the same but only if the material on iTunes is 16/48 to begin with. Apple TV up converts or down converts everything to 16/48 period. I use Airport Express which up or down converts all output to 16/44. I have another laptop running iTunes which is wired to my pre/pro using a Creative Sound Blaster usb to Toslink interface. This system up converts or down converts all material to 24/96. It does sound better but only when original content in iTunes library is recorded at 24/96.

 

[BoredSysAdmin]

Maybe, the quality is the same but only if the material on iTunes is 16/48 to begin with. Apple TV up converts or down converts everything to 16/48 period. I use Airport Express which up or down converts all output to 16/44. I have another laptop running iTunes which is wired to my pre/pro using a Creative Sound Blaster usb to Toslink interface. This system up converts or down converts all material to 24/96. It does sound better but only when original content in iTunes library is recorded at 24/96.

upconversion does not improve the audio quality. downconversion to 16/48 doesn't affect sound quality, but may slightly reduce dynamic range, but only if music was recording using very large dynamic range to begin with.
The possible reason you notice SB sounds difference could be down to post-processing/eqing which creative drivers do .

In any case Airplay (or Airtunes) is technically still lossless. Reducing sampling is easy and for vast amount of sources, difference in resulting audio quality is inconsequential.

 

[vsound5150]

I'm impressed how good it sounds over AirPlay and it never gives up or drops the connection.