Apple Music: How to Enable HD Lossless Sound in Android Application – Frandroid

Want to enjoy the best possible audio quality on Apple Music? Here you will find our recommendations and the options you can activate to take full advantage of it.

Have you just swapped your Spotify to try Apple Music? This often involves using “lossless” audio, which Apple’s music platform has been offering for some time across its entire music catalog of more than 80 million tracks. Good news ! This quality is also available on Android devices. Here’s how to take full advantage of the benefits.

What is lossless audio?

As the name suggests, lossless audio is an audio file format that theoretically leaves no loss in sound quality. Unlike other compressed audio formats such as MP3, which lose sound information to reduce file size, Apple’s lossless audio retains all of the original audio data.

To achieve this lossless audio quality, Apple uses the lossless compression format ALAC (Apple Lossless Audio Codec). On some platforms, files may also be in FLAC (Free Lossless Audio Codec) format. This format reduces the size of audio files without compromising sound quality, meaning you can listen to music with audio quality identical to the original CD, at least with hardware that can retransmit it. Lossless audio supports audio resolutions from 16-bit to 24-bit and sampling rates from 44.1 kHz (CD standard) to higher rates such as 96 kHz, 192 kHz or even higher. In the latter case, the large file size and bandwidth required, especially for high-resolution, lossless audio, require equipment with a digital-to-analog converter such as a DAC.

In short: When you listen to music in lossless audio, you benefit from theoretically perfect audio quality with maximum clarity and fidelity. It is an ideal format for discerning audiophiles and music lovers.

What do I need to enjoy lossless audio on my Android smartphone or tablet?

Of course, you won’t be able to enjoy lossless sound reproduction with simple headphones or a cheap Bluetooth headset. You need appropriate and certified equipment compatible with this type of audio format. With Apple Music, it’s not necessarily necessary to invest in Apple hardware like the AirPods Max, AirPods 3, or AirPods Pro 2 on an Android device. These devices are only compatible with the SBC and AAC codecs, which are not enough to enjoy lossless wireless Hi-Fi sound.

We therefore recommend that you choose compatible headsets and earphones Hi-Res Audio Wireless certified which enable wireless transmission of up to 24 bits at 96 kHz thanks to specific Bluetooth codecs such as LDAC, LHDC or aptX adaptive. This applies in particular to the Sony WH-1000XM4 and WH-1000XM5, the Technics EAH-A800 or the Huawei FreeBuds 5i.

Otherwise, if you don’t mind using wired headphones, you can invest in a USB-C to 3.5mm jack cable or just a 3.5mm jack cable (if your smartphone has a port) to take full advantage of the benefits. Of course, you need headphones with high-quality transducers anyway. Don’t expect to be able to enjoy lossless sound with cheap headphones.

How to enable Apple Music lossless quality in Android app?

Before changing the settings in the Apple Music application, remember to ensure that your wireless headphones or earphones are properly configured through the manufacturers’ third-party applications. Additional configuration may be required via applications such as Sony Headphones Connect for Sony headsets.

Here is the procedure you must carry out from the Apple Music application: