Airplay 2 settings?

[TheOldPresbyope]

So I have only an iPad available for streaming via Airplay. I have a Qobuz subscription so I thought I'd try it with moOde 8.2.1.

I can set the Qobuz app to stream "CD - 16 bit/44.1 kHz" or "Hi-Res - 24 bit/up to 96 kHz" when using Wi-Fi. (I don't bother with the top setting of "Hi-Res - 24 bit/up to 192 kHz".).

When playing a track tagged as Hi-Res in the Qobuz catalog I see a badge on the App screen "Hi-Res/48 kHz" (as opposed to "CD Quality"). It sounds good but my ancient ears are unreliable judges. Is there a way to determine the protocol version negotiated between iPadOS and Shairport? of determining the actual stream parameters "on the wire"?

Regards,
Kent

PS - great work on the update!

[Tim Curtis]

AFAIK Airplay 1 and 2 transcodes source PCM thats not already 16/44.1K format to 16/44.1K ALAC format.

The telltale for Airplay 2 is that the client will present checkboxes for selecting multiple endpoints for multiroom audio.

   

[TheOldPresbyope]

AFAIK Airplay 1 and 2 transcodes source PCM thats not already 16/44.1K format to 16/44.1K ALAC format.

The telltale for Airplay 2 is that the client will present checkboxes for selecting multiple endpoints for multiroom audio.

Aha.

Once I enabled the Airplay renderer on several moOde 8.2.1 instances I found could choose more than one from the iPad and stream to them simultaneously. Sweet!

Over the years, I've come across a number of comments on the InterWeb™ which claim to know the upper limits of Airplay/Airplay 2 encoding parameters. Every commentator claims to be citing one Apple presentation or another. I can find nothing directly attributable to Apple of course.

The Qobuz "Hi-Res" badge is worthless if Airplay immediately downsamples its stream.

Regards,
Kent

[Tim Curtis]

If you are truly looking for end-to-end > 16/44.1K multiroom audio then something like Roon or LMS does that OOB. I think there is also a side module for upmpdcli that does multiroom at original rate?

I've always considered multiroom audio to be a solution for casual or background listening scenarios and so transcoding and 16/44.1 are more than adequate. Airplay 2 is really nice because the protocol is already in so many playback devices. The other best solution is of course moOde's built-in multiroom audio feature :-)

[TheOldPresbyope]

Actually I'm just in my testing mode, trying to find out all the things the system can (and can't) do.

I've never had a quarrel with the original Redbook 16 bit/44.1 kHz encoding scheme, as long as the production quality was good. In the wrong hands the result could be awful but even in the early days there were CD releases that would make the angels weep.

Regards,
Kent

[DRONE7]

In the wrong hands the result could be awful but even in the early days there were CD releases that would make the angels weep.

Regards,
Kent

and plenty more that made minor demons cackle.....

[TheOldPresbyope]

In the wrong hands the result could be awful but even in the early days there were CD releases that would make the angels weep.

Regards,
Kent

and plenty more that made minor demons cackle.....

You must be thinking of the recording industry executives cackling on the way to the bank. 

[cynicism on]
Pretty sweet deal. Pull a tape from the vault whose production costs have already been paid for in LP and cassette sales. Have some hamfisted engineers “remix” it, run the result through a press, and sell the result for a premium. Call the packaging a “jewel”case to add to the perceived value. Stick the jewel case in a half-empty long box (old marketer’s trick).

Classical music buffs like me would then subscribe to trusted publications that reviewed and rated CDs in an attempt to avoid the clinkers.

Regards,
Kent