What's The Deal With Apple AirPlay 2

[The Computer Audiophile]

Hey Guys - I've been running around today and briefly googled AirPlay 2 to see what it's all about. I couldn't find anything innovative or real details. 

 

Does anyone know what's up with AirPlay 2 or have any details?

 

 

[jhwalker]

For one thing, it allows one player to multiple endpoints, instead of one-to-one.  I haven't seen much else about it yet.

[speavler]

No idea, but it looks a lot like the same old AirPlay, but with the added feature of playing multiroom from your device (which you can do now thru itunes running on a computer).

[The Computer Audiophile]

Does audio still route through the phone?

[Ralf11]

it also has "new social features" - so, we can argue with each other by audio, not just typing

 

https://9to5mac.com/2017/06/05/apple-announces-airplay-2-w-multi-room-support-new-social-features-in-music-more/

 

 

[jhwalker]

9 minutes ago, Ralf11 said:

it also has "new social features" - so, we can argue with each other by audio, not just typing

 

https://9to5mac.com/2017/06/05/apple-announces-airplay-2-w-multi-room-support-new-social-features-in-music-more/

 

 

 

To be clear, the new social features are part of the updated Music app, not a feature of the Airplay 2 protocol - though the new architecture also allows multiple users to manage the "Up Next" queue, which is a bit social, I guess

[The Computer Audiophile]

I wonder if A2 will change the encryption keys that enable the open source versions of AirPlay to work. Thus, Airplay version 1 devices can't talk to AirPlay 2 devices in some way and A2 won't work at all on these devices until the code is cracked. 

 

There are many uncertified products supporting airplay using shareport, shairplay, etc...

 

 

[rickca]

38 minutes ago, Ralf11 said:

it also has "new social features" - so, we can argue with each other by audio, not just typing

New rule.  That has to be done in rap.

[Ralf11]

Good Rule.

 

It has a public API.

 

more speaker and home theatre makers have signed on...

 

this could be worrisome to Sonos...

 

we may have to wait for the white Alexa pod to see if we'll be able to scream back at iTunes...

[asdf1000]

Any news on if it supports higher than 16/48?

 

I couldn't find anything yet.

 

I was trying to see if their new HomePod supports 24 bit (that would mean AirPlay 2 does) but their tech specs doesn't mention anything: https://www.apple.com/homepod/

 

[new_media]

They totally should have called that thing HomeBoy.

[realhifi]

17 hours ago, new_media said:

They totally should have called that thing HomeBoy.

 

Lol!  Not in this heated environment. 

[Ralf11]

"House Servant" ??

[Cebolla]

On 06/06/2017 at 4:42 AM, Em2016 said:

Any news on if it supports higher than 16/48?

 

I couldn't find anything yet.

 

I was trying to see if their new HomePod supports 24 bit (that would mean AirPlay 2 does) but their tech specs doesn't mention anything: https://www.apple.com/homepod/

 

Current AirPlay streams audio using ALAC at a fixed 16/44.1kHz resolution. Possibly the confusion comes from the Apple TV v2 and later that resamples the incoming AirPlay audio stream to 16/48kHz.

[miguelito]

On ‎6‎/‎5‎/‎2017 at 5:47 PM, jhwalker said:

For one thing, it allows one player to multiple endpoints, instead of one-to-one.  I haven't seen much else about it yet.

Good old Airplay allows multiple endpoints - I don't understand what you mean.

[miguelito]

On ‎6‎/‎5‎/‎2017 at 7:18 PM, Ralf11 said:

it also has "new social features" - so, we can argue with each other by audio, not just typing

 

https://9to5mac.com/2017/06/05/apple-announces-airplay-2-w-multi-room-support-new-social-features-in-music-more/

It seems to me that the new features are:

1- Multi-room from an iOS device - and I would expect that if this is done using Apple Music, it will be along the same lines as Spotify Connect - ie the iOS device acts as a controller but does not route the audio.

2- Shared queue - looks like the homepods will be group-able and share a queue that anyone in the LAN can see and possibly modify - kinda cool.

3- Social bits and pieces also interesting (eg "Friends Are Listening").

[Cebolla]

11 minutes ago, miguelito said:

Good old Airplay allows multiple endpoints - I don't understand what you mean.

Indeed, though being able to select more than one AirPlay receiver depends on the sender, eg, iOS doesn't currently support it.

[new_media]

[Ralf11]

Is it Friends Are Listening? or Friends on the same WiFi network Are Listening?

 

I saw some news bit about it being the latter.  That would be boring (your kids are listening to your old KC and the Sunshine band tunes) or  everybody in  your  college dorm is...

 

Not sure what it would add otherwise

[asdf1000]

8 hours ago, Cebolla said:

Current AirPlay streams audio using ALAC at a fixed 16/44.1kHz resolution. Possibly the confusion comes from the Apple TV v2 and later that resamples the incoming AirPlay audio stream to 16/48kHz.

 

Thanks, my mistake about 16/48.

 

I'm wondering if Airplay 2 may support higher sample rates? Or may not.

 

I guess developers are still looking through the iOS 11 beta code so some more info may pop out over the next weeks.

 

Or maybe not and the supported samps rate will remain as per AirPlay 1.

 

[Ralf11]

Current AirPlay streams video, doesn't it?  It definitely streams photos.  I wish Apple would enable higher rates for audio too....

[Domus Digital]

On 07/06/2017 at 3:34 PM, Cebolla said:

Current AirPlay streams audio using ALAC at a fixed 16/44.1kHz resolution. Possibly the confusion comes from the Apple TV v2 and later that resamples the incoming AirPlay audio stream to 16/48kHz.

Actually I think you'll find that over ethernet, AirPlay (1) supports 24bit at higher sample rates.  It's only limited to 16/44.1 over WiFi.  Hopefully that will change with AirPlay 2 as too many devices are now 24bit and HiRes music sales are on the rise.

[The Computer Audiophile]

3 hours ago, Domus Digital said:

Actually I think you'll find that over ethernet, AirPlay (1) supports 24bit at higher sample rates.  It's only limited to 16/44.1 over WiFi.  Hopefully that will change with AirPlay 2 as too many devices are now 24bit and HiRes music sales are on the rise.

 

In all my testing and everything I ever seen, AirPlay doesn't support high resolution.  

[Cebolla]

2 hours ago, The Computer Audiophile said:

6 hours ago, Domus Digital said:

Actually I think you'll find that over ethernet, AirPlay (1) supports 24bit at higher sample rates.  It's only limited to 16/44.1 over WiFi.  Hopefully that will change with AirPlay 2 as too many devices are now 24bit and HiRes music sales are on the rise.

 

In all my testing and everything I ever seen, AirPlay doesn't support high resolution.  

 

Indeed. I haven't encountered any AirPlay devices (both official and unofficial) that anounce via Bonjour discovery, support for any resolution other 16/44.1kHz for the AirPlay audio service, regardless of the devices being connected to the network via ethernet cable or WiFi.

[arcman]

I'm going to purchase a Bluesound Node 2 so I can stream hi rez ( I have both Tidal and Qobuz sublime +, along with roon) to my main system. Currently using ATV for such and I love it. However, airplay does not allow pass thru and keeps everything 16/48. I have airport express hooked to amps powering kitchen in ceiling and patio speakers. Multi location playback at same time ( like roon, gobuz and Tidal) would be great. You can do such from OS X itunes. I say unless Apple Music begins streaming anything higher than redbook, you will not see anything higher than 16/44.