Apple Music is a black sheep in the iPhone maker’s software ecosystem in that it’s one of the few services the company offers to those who don’t own any of its devices. You can even stream tracks in lossless and high-resolution quality – some of the big benefits of Apple Music according to former Spotify subscribers – through your PC or Android device in addition to any device on iOS and macOS. But do you need any special equipment? Is it affordable? And above all, is it worth it?
If you’re happy streaming with the standard 24-bit/48kHz lossless quality, all you really need is a pair of wired headphones. Apple’s cheapest option is its $19 USB-C EarPods, but you can also use your own if you have them or plug a 3.5mm pair into a USB-C to 3.5mm adapter; Apple sells such an adapter for $9. For lossless high-resolution streaming at 24-bit/192kHz, in most cases you’ll need one of the best portable digital-to-analog converters (DACs) in addition to a pair of wired headphones.
The details and caveats of lossless Apple Music streaming at an affordable price
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Apple Music plays quite easily on any Apple-branded hardware up to a sample rate of 48kHz. Some devices can support higher bitrates, like recent 14- and 16-inch MacBook Pro models, which can output up to 96 kHz, and the Apple Vision Pro and HomePod speakers, which can push up to 192 kHz. Apple TV 4K devices are currently limited by their firmware to 48kHz, but pass-through to 192kHz is possible and will actually be enabled with the tvOS 27 update.
By default, Android resamples audio input for 48kHz output via USB. Some device manufacturers skip this process and there are ways around it detailed by Android Authority, but suffice to say you may spend a bit of money and effort to get this done. The best advice for any type of hi-fi streamer on Android or other operating systems is to check with their manufacturer for details.
That said, if you’re really looking for lossless, high-resolution playback on your phone and computer, you should definitely invest in an external DAC. Those of you opting for home theater may also need to reconsider how sound gets from your Apple TV 4K to your speaker system, especially if you do everything via HDMI, as your TV may still limit sampling rates to 48kHz. That’s where an AV receiver comes in to help you get the most out of your Apple Music experience.
