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laconic
Enthusiast II
June 8, 2025
Answered

Apple Music Lossless on Play 5s Gen 1 via S1 app

  • June 8, 2025
  • 16 replies
  • 540 views

Just pulled my old pair of Play 5 Gen 1s out for a listen. They still sound so good. 
 

Does anyone know if they are capable of playing a lossless stream from Apple Music? 
 

I’m playing it but there’s no “lossless” logo appearing as it does in the new Sonos app when using a compatible speaker. 
 

I found a list of Sonos devices that don’t support lossless and the Play 5 isn’t on it so I assume it can support it - I’m just unclear whether it’s actually playing lossless due to the lack of the lossless logo. 
 

EDIT - I’ve confirmed that Deezer HiFi is supported as you can see the track format is showing as FLAC. 
 

Here’s the list of devices from Sonos:

 

”

Can all Sonos products stream lossless audio from Apple Music?

Most Sonos products can stream lossless audio from Apple Music. However, some older products don’t support the required streaming protocol (HLSv7) and will stream audio at a lower quality. The following Sonos products won’t stream lossless audio from Apple Music:

  • Connect (Gen 1)
  • Connect (Gen 2)
  • Connect:Amp
  • Play:1
  • Play:3
  • Playbar
  • Playbase
  • Sub (Gen 1)
  • Sub (Gen 2)”

Thanks 

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Best answer by Rhonny

Here’s what ChatGPT has to say which might help, but again open to correction:

 

Apple Music Lossless on S1‑only speakers (e.g. Play 5 Gen 1)

  • These older devices are supported only in the Sonos S1 app.
  • However, Lossless playback from Apple Music requires the Sonos S2 app—not S1  .
  • That means even though the speaker hardware can stream lossless audio, the S1 app won’t show the “Lossless” badge or actually enable lossless playback.

 

Why Deezer HiFi works but Apple Lossless doesn’t on S1

  • Deezer HiFi (FLAC) and TIDAL HiFi both worked within the S1 app long before Apple Lossless was supported.
  • Apple Music lossless support arrived with the S2-compatible firmware, and crucially only surfaced in the S2 controller app, not S1  .
  • So if you’re using S1, Deezer HiFi plays lossless just fine, but Apple Music lossless must be accessed via the S2 app.

 

16 replies

Show previous replies
laconicAuthor
Enthusiast II
June 8, 2025

You could roughly check the bandwidth being used when streaming to the Play:5.

Great idea. I’ll check my router. 

laconicAuthor
Enthusiast II
June 8, 2025

​@laconic 

15 individual sources, mostly this forum threads, Reddit, and Crutchfield. All I did was paste in your first reply to me, so you should get the same response and sources.

Still nothing definitive or from an official source. Are Sonos staff active in the forum?

Airgetlam
Airgetlam
June 8, 2025

Generally speaking, forum moderators only respond during the work week, and your post is on a Sunday. And it’s rare for them to comment anyway. Not unheard of, but you’d likely get a better response, and more quickly, if you were to call Sonos Support directly to discuss it.

Bruce
    Corry P
    Corry P
    Sonos Staff
    June 9, 2025

    Hi ​@laconic 

    Thanks for your post!

    I can confirm (possibly for the first time here) that ChatGPT was actually correct!

    Apple Music specifically requires HLSv7, which is supported by S2 systems, and not by S1 systems - it has nothing to do with the hardware being capable or not.

    Play:5 Gen 1 should be listed as a speaker that cannot play Lossless Apple Music - I shall try to get that page updated.

    I hope this helps.

    "Common sense is the collection of prejudices acquired by age eighteen." - Albert Einstein
      laconicAuthor
      Enthusiast II
      June 9, 2025

      Hi ​@laconic 

      Thanks for your post!

      I can confirm (possibly for the first time here) that ChatGPT was actually correct!

      Apple Music specifically requires HLSv7, which is supported by S2 systems, and not by S1 systems - it has nothing to do with the hardware being capable or not.

      Play:5 Gen 1 should be listed as a speaker that cannot play Lossless Apple Music - I shall try to get that page updated.

      I hope this helps.

      Thanks Corry, it’s good to know and quite telling that I’m seemingly unable to tell the difference anyway 😆

      The speakers do still sound absolutely amazing - I know you’d rather people were buying the new versions but on the second hand market these are a bit of a steal at the moment at less than £100 each (obviously it’s a massive gamble though). 

        Corry P
        Corry P
        Sonos Staff
        June 9, 2025

        Hi ​@laconic 

        Thanks Corry, it’s good to know and quite telling that I’m seemingly unable to tell the difference anyway 😆

        You are very welcome!

        The speakers do still sound absolutely amazing - I know you’d rather people were buying the new versions but on the second hand market these are a bit of a steal at the moment at less than £100 each (obviously it’s a massive gamble though). 

        I don’t get commission and I don’t own stock - I am happy to hear that perfectly working speakers have found a good home!

        "Common sense is the collection of prejudices acquired by age eighteen." - Albert Einstein
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