Latest news with #digitalaudio
Digital Trends
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Digital Trends
How to experience lossless audio
There's been a lot of talk lately about lossless audio, and that might have led you think that you need special equipment or an expensive streaming music service to get it. But that couldn't be further from the truth. In fact, you probably already own everything you need to hear lossless audio. So let's take a quick look at what lossless audio is, and maybe more importantly, what it isn't, and how you can listen to it. Recommended Videos What is lossless audio? Simply put, lossless audio is any type of digital audio that hasn't been processed using a lossy, destructive form of compression. Lossless doesn't necessarily mean hi-res audio (though most hi-res is often lossless), and it doesn't even mean CD quality (though the term CD quality is used, it implies audio that is lossless). And lossless isn't a special format that belongs to any company or streaming service. Any streaming service that chooses to offer lossless audio can do so (we'll talk about why some services don't offer it, later). Why does lossless audio matter? When audio is recorded and turned into huge collections of zeroes and ones in a studio, engineers use uncompressed forms of digitization. This means that every detail of the audio is captured digitally, at the highest resolution possible. This creates a near-perfect digital recording. Unfortunately, uncompressed digital audio is massive in file size, so it's always compressed before it gets turned into a file that's ready for distribution. There are two kinds of compression. Lossy compression can make audio files truly tiny — up to a tenth of their original size. But to do that, it discards some of the original information. The best versions of lossy compression discard info in a way that most people wouldn't notice. You'd never listen to good lossy compression and say 'this sounds bad.' Lossless compression, on the other hand, makes a smaller audio file without discarding any of the information needed to recreate the recording on your listening equipment. I won't get into the math behind it, but it works. However, there's still no such thing as a free lunch: Lossless files are smaller than uncompressed audio, but still much bigger than lossy — often four times as large. For those who want to know they're getting the best possible listening experience, lossless is worth that tradeoff in file size. How can I tell the difference between lossless and lossy audio? The hope is that you'll be able to tell the difference simply by listening to both, but realistically that may not be possible — especially if you're listening in a noisy environment. The easiest way to tell is look at the audio file on your computer. If the filename ends in .mp3, .aac, or .ogg, it's a lossy file. If it ends in .alac, .aiff, .wav, .flac, or several other extensions, it's lossless. Since most folks listen to streaming music these days, you need to rely on some knowledge about the formats each service uses plus the display in your streaming app's now playing screen. Apple Music, for instance, will show you an indicator when it streams in lossless, hi-res lossless, or Dolby Atmos. If you change the settings to reduce the amount of data it uses, these indicators won't show up, which means you're getting lossy compression. Each music service has its own version of these labels and the ability to control the maximum quality used when streaming. However, not all services offer lossless. Spotify, for example, has so far resisted the lossless trend. Even with a premium subscription, Spotify only streams music using lossy formats. How do get lossless audio? The first step to hearing lossless audio is making sure you have a source of lossless content: A streaming service that offers lossless audio A CD, SACD, or DVD-Audio disc and a working player Blu-ray or UHD Blu-ray with audio recorded in Dolby TrueHD or DTS-HD Master Audio Digital music files saved to your computer, phone, or portable music player, in one of the lossless formats mentioned above The next step is to make sure you have a way to play that lossless content. Streaming service apps like Apple Music, Tidal, Amazon Music, and Qobuz all have built-in decoders that can transform lossless streams into something that can played on your phone or computer. For disc-based music, the CD or Blu-ray player performs the same task. For lossless music stored locally (perhaps ripped from a CD or purchased from a download site), you'll need software that can decode and play it. There are many free apps that do this, regardless if you're on a Mac, PC, iPhone, or Android. Finally, you'll need to make sure that you aren't inadvertently introducing lossy compression because of your choice of headphones, speakers, or earbuds. As convenient as wireless listening is, even the most expensive Bluetooth headphones, earbuds, or speakers use some form of lossy compression when they receive that wireless stream from your phone or computer. There are some rare exceptions, like Qualcomm's aptX Lossless codec, but even then, it can be hard to guarantee that the connection is truly lossless. To ensure your lossless audio stays lossless, you'll need: A wired connection between your disc player, amplifier, and speakers Wireless speakers that use Wi-Fi and receive a direct stream from a platform like Sonos or Tidal Connect, Qobuz Connect, or Alexa Cast, but not Apple AirPlay 2 A computer or smartphone with a built-in headphone jack or, An external digital-to-analog converter (DAC), plus: wired headphones or earbuds Headphones that support USB Audio via USB-C You probably already have what you need If you already own wired headphones or earbuds, plug them into your laptop or amplifier/receiver and you're good to go. Even if you don't have dedicated wired devices, most wireless headphone also come with a cable you can use for analog wired listening. Because most smartphones don't have headphone jacks anymore, you'll need to buy an external DAC if you want to use your wired headphones or earbuds. The good news is that as long as you aren't fussy about getting audiophile-level hi-res audio compatibility, even something as inexpensive as Apple's lightning- or USB-C-to-3.5mm adapter (typically $9-$11) will do the trick. Gotchas to avoid Here are a few things that can get in the way of lossless listening and should be avoided. Apple AirPlay2: As noted above, your wireless speaker or soundbar may use Wi-Fi, and it may offer the ease and convenience of Apple's AirPlay 2 for wireless streaming, but AirPlay 2 is not lossless audio compatible. It downconverts any audio to 256kbps AAC before sending it to the target speaker. As I said earlier, no one will hear 256kbps AAC and say 'this sounds bad,' but it's not the same as say, 1,411kbps FLAC. Transcoded files: It may be tempting to simply run a lossy MP3 file through a converter and turn it into a lossless format like FLAC or WAV, but unfortunately, that doesn't result in a lossless audio file. All you've done is created a much larger file that still contains no more information than it had when it was an MP3. There are ways to make lossy files sound better — Sony has an algorithm that called DSEE that can 'restore' some of the quality that lossy compression loses, but it can't magically put back the info that was discarded when the MP3 was created. Dolby Atmos Music: This one seems really unfair. We've been led to believe that Dolby Atmos Music represents an entirely new way to enjoy music — one that is more immersive and cinematic. And though that's true, here's another truth: if you're listening to Dolby Atmos Music via the three music services that currently support it (Apple Music, Tidal, and Amazon Music), you're listening to lossy audio. The reason is similar to Spotify's reason for avoiding lossless stereo so far: lossless Dolby Atmos requires huge file sizes. Bigger files mean more bandwidth requirements and that adds up to higher streaming costs for the services. So instead of using the lossless Dolby TrueHD format to transport Dolby Atmos, these services use the lossy Dolby Digital Plus. Again, just like no one is going to complain that Apple's 256kbps AAC sounds bad, you're unlikely to mind how lossy Dolby Atmos Music sounds. But if you ever get a chance to hear lossless Dolby Atmos, I suspect you'll agree it sounds better. You can get lossless Dolby Atmos Music as a digital download, or by buying music on Blu-ray (make sure it specifically says it has Atmos in TrueHD).
Forbes
09-05-2025
- Forbes
Astell&Kern Introduces Its New A&ultima SP4000 Digital Audio Player
The SP4000 is the brand's first DAP that runs a full Android OS so users can download and install ... More streaming apps and other apps. Korean audio brand Astell&Kern has unveiled a new digital audio player. The A&ultima SP4000 is the company's newest flagship digital audio player and follows three years of research and innovation and is built with an advanced Octa circuit architecture and a High Driving Mode. This is the first DAP from Astell&Kern to run the full Android OS, enabling users to directly download and run their favorite streaming apps while sidestepping Android's sampling limitations using Astell&Kern's Direct Path technology. The SP4000 is crafted from 904L stainless steel, which is the same grade used by luxury watch manufacturers, including Rolex. It has a PVD-coated ceramic back and ships with a Perlinger calf-leather case. The Astell&Kern SP4000 has a six-inch display with 2K resolution and touch control. Most digital players process digital and analog signals together inside their DAC. However, the SP4000 reduces the noise of the digital signal input by using the AK4191EQ, a separate digital delta-sigma modulator and then the AK4499EX DAC to process the analog signals separately. The SP4000 has two OPAMPs arranged in parallel for a richer and more detailed sound. This results in increased dynamic range and enhanced sound detail. High Driving Mode provides powerful and stable output and is designed to reproduce even the most delicate sonic details with precision, allowing you to enjoy deeper, clearer, and more immersive music. Using proprietary ESA technology, the SP4000 significantly improves group delay, which is the time difference it takes for various frequencies to pass through an internal system. Each frequency reaches the output device at slightly different times, resulting in slight delays. If group delay varies too much across frequencies, it can affect clarity, imaging and timing. The proprietary ESA technology used in the SP4000 aligns frequency signals so they arrive more uniformly, minimizing frequency distortion and enhancing sound clarity and purity. The new Astell&Kern SP4000 Digital Audio Player is the Korean brand's flagship portable music ... More device. A newly implemented Low Dropout Regulator is used in the SP4000's power supply, which reduces noise by up to 97% compared to previous models. LDO Regulators are high-performance components typically used in medical devices and 5G communication equipment. They help stabilize battery voltage and effectively suppress noise, resulting in cleaner, purer sound. In response to the growing shift toward streaming-based music consumption, Astell&Kern has integrated full Android OS support in the SP4000, including the ability to install any app via the Google Play Store. To overcome Android OS's sampling limitation, Astell & Kern's ADP proprietary customization technology provides bit-perfect, lossless playback even in streaming environments. The upgraded UI in the SP4000 displays on the player's 6-inch touch screen with an immersive animation where artwork appears to slide in and out as the user swipes through albums. The interface retains Astell&Kern's signature Crimson Theme for usability and intuitiveness. The SP4000 is packaged with a premium leather case crafted from Shrunken Calf by Perlinger, Germany's world-renowned leather house. The leather used in the case is made from the soft, delicate hide of calves under one year old. It is processed using a chrome tanning method to preserve its natural texture, then shrunk using special agents instead of heat to retain the organic grain and wrinkles. Perlinger adds proprietary pigments for a deep and vibrant color. The SP4000 from Astell&Kern is made from the same grade of stainless-steel used in luxury watches ... More from companies like Rolex. The new player has 256GB of internal memory with support for microSD cards up to 1.5TB capacities. There is support for dual-band 2.4/5GHz a/b/g/n/ac Wi-Fi, DLNA networking, USB digital audio output, USB-C for data transfer and charging. The SP4000 can be used as a USB DAC for a Mac or Windows-based PC. It also supports native playback of high-res PCM music up to 32-bit, 768kHz and DSD512. The SP4000 supports both aptX Adaptive and LDAC codecs to provide audiophiles with multiple options for 24-bit audio playback over Bluetooth. BT Sink enables the SP4000 to connect to an external device via Bluetooth and to function as a Bluetooth DAC. Music from an external device, such as a smartphone, can now be played back in high-quality, taking full advantage of the SP4000's digital processing power. Qualcomm QC 3.0 fast charging enables the SP4000 to be charged faster and more efficiently than previous models, reaching a full charge in about 4 hours, providing a continuous playback time of around 10 hours. The SP4000 will add Roon Ready support pending completion of testing and final certification by Roon Labs. Pricing & Availability: Astell & Kern's new flagship SP4000 DAP will go on sale this summer, with pricing to be confirmed.
Digital Trends
09-05-2025
- Business
- Digital Trends
Astell&Kern to unveil the A&Ultima SP4000 digital audio player
Astell&Kern (A&K) have announced that it will be debut its new flagship digital audio player, the A&Ultima SP4000, at High End Munich in Germany on May 15. The iRiver subsidiary also announced it will release two new in-ear monitors (IEM) in Q3 2025. In a press release published on Thursday, A&K said the A&Ultima SP4000 will be the first digital audio player in the lineup to have full Android support. This means users will be able to download any app from Google Play Store, including Spotify, Soundcloud Pandora, and experience lossless playback while streaming their favorite music. Recommended Videos Under the hood, the SP4000 has a new Octa audio circuit architecture that pairs the AK4191 processor with only one AK4499EX analog DAC instead of two in order to reduce noise when delivering digital signals; carries a new LDO regulator that reduces noise by up to 97% compared to its predecessors, including the A&Ultima SP3000 and SP3000M; and employs A&K's second-gen digital audio remaster (DAR) technology to deliver more natural and refined sound to the user. And, for the first time ever, the SP4000 has a 99.9% pure copper Shield Can that is precision-engineered to block out various types of noise and electromagnetic interference, leaving the audio quality intact. As for the new IEMs, A&K collaborated with 64 Audio to develop the 10-driver Universal Fit In-Ear Monitor. This headset houses an advanced isobaric cone-to-magnet driver configuration that helps deliver high sound fidelity. Then there's its in-house IEM, Luna, which has a full range single transducer unipolar micro planar magnetic driver that delivers a frequency response of 20Hz to 30KHz. High End Munich attendees will be able to demo the SP4000 and the new IEMs from May 15 through May 18. Pricing information for the devices has not been disclosed, but A&K will share it closer to the release date.
