Apple Music is Getting 24-bit/192kHz. Here’s How to Play It.

May 19, 2021

Apple announced this week that Apple Music will begin supporting HiFi lossless streaming next month at no extra cost. This is awesome news for Apple fans who want to jump into lossless streaming without leaving the Apple ecosystem. It’s also super tempting for anyone paying over $9.99 a month for the same quality on a different platform.

Apple Music users will be able to enjoy Apple Music’s entire catalog from 16-bit/44.1kHz to 24-bit/48kHz quality and play it natively on Apple devices.

Apple Music users will also get access to a Hi-Resolution Lossless tier with resolution up to 24-bit/192kHz (by all indications, this tier is included with the $9.99/month service), but they’ll have to opt in to use it. This is due “to the large file sizes and bandwidth needed for Lossless and Hi-Res Audio,” according to Apple. Bring it on, right? Well, not so fast. Neither Macs, iPhones, nor iPads support 24-bit/192kHz (they top out at 24-bit/48kHz), meaning that you’ll have to purchase a DAC to stream it.

If you’ve already got a DAC that supports 24-bit/192kHz, congrats. You’re ready to receive Apple’s greatest gift to audiophiles ever. But if not, you’ll need to get one. Here are some that we recommend at all price points.