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Amazon Ultra HD AirPlay2

  • 16 August 2023
  • 3 replies
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S

I understand Apple Music sends AAC 256kbps to my Era 300’s when using AirPlay2 (despite Airplay2 supporting lossless).

 

My question is, does Amazon send Ultra HD to my Era 300’s when using AirPlay2? 
 

If yes, as established elsewhere on the forums, presumably my Era 300’s would downsample and playback at 16 bit 44.1?

 

I prefer Amazon’s app interface and search, so trying to work out if there are any audio penalties to using Amazon’s app plus AirPlay2 vs Sonos S2 app. 

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Best answer by ratty 16 August 2023, 16:26

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controlav
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<deleted as ratty has a better answer>

Author of the leading independent Sonos app for Windows, the only Sonos app for Xbox, and a Sonos app for iOS
ratty

When I measured it a year ago Amazon HD and UHD both cast at 16/44.1 to Sonos, whether over AirPlay or Alexa cast. So ‘lossless’, ignoring the truncation to 16 bit. (Actually they probably just request the 16 bit version from the server.)

Deezer was the same.

For reasons best known to themselves Apple restrict Apple Music to AAC256 on Sonos, whether direct or via AirPlay.

S

When I measured it a year ago Amazon HD and UHD both cast at 16/44.1 to Sonos, whether over AirPlay or Alexa cast. So ‘lossless’, ignoring the truncation to 16 bit. (Actually they probably just request the 16 bit version from the server.)

Deezer was the same.

For reasons best known to themselves Apple restrict Apple Music to AAC256 on Sonos, whether direct or via AirPlay.

That’s great thanks. It’s such a pain figuring out how different parts of the chain might affect final output quality.

Amazon does sound significantly better than Apple to my ears, whether using S2 or AirPlay2, but the interface, content and playlists are better on Apple, I just wish they would deliver 16/44.1 to Sonos. 
 

 

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