Never! PC users have FLAC. ❓

Evan wrote:

I didn't know there were different AAC formats.... I feel like this might get confusing! Which of those (or which other one) does Apple use? That's all I'm worried about!

There are different AAC parameters (bitrate, fixed vs variable), just like there are different mp3 parameters.  BS5 has supported unprotected AAC all along, however, it does not support Apple lossless (which isn't really AAC) or "protected" AAC files (containing Apple DRM).  I've never really worried about fixed vs. variable rate...

Stan

Replying to Carolpa:

Yes, any sound system can play your Ipod sound through aux input, including a BeoMaster 8000, it doesn't mean it can control anything or show the album covers.

My Parrot car radio connects to my Ipod with the Apple cable and acts like the Ipod player, it shows the album covers, and the whole navigation is made on the radio system; and it recharges the Ipod as well. The Ipod is not even visible, it is hidden behind the receiver's fascia.

And yes, you can use FLAC if you want to, but there is no way to make it play on Itunes or an Ipod, so what's the solution for Mac users who want lossless audio??

Why can companies like Sonos do that, and not B&O?🤔

As the systems that can read Apple Lossless are created by reverse-engineering and no full specification from Apple, I would not be totally satisfied with such a solution : what proves that I get the best possible quality out of my lossless track? I prefer to have a FLAC track that is decoded by a documented process and not a trick.

The company to blame is not B&O here, it's Apple for :
-Not supporting the universal lossless and HD audio format available everywhere (FLAC)
-Not allowing 3rd party brands to add support of Apple Lossless.

Anyway, I have come to the conclusion that for now, I can't have a unique library for my iStuff and my high quality home audio system : lossless tracks takes too much space for portable things, and gives no audible advantage with my earphones or car audio. So currently I have a small portable library on my Mac and a huge library on my NAS (the tracks are approximately the same, only the quality is different)

Chrisreunion wrote:

Why can companies like Sonos do that, and not B&O?🤔

Because it is illegal to do so.

PhilLondon wrote:

Because it is illegal to do so.

You are the programmer, so I'd suppose you have reflected on this. But why should it be illegal to reverse engineer and re-implement a proprietary format, which on the one hand is undocumented and not available for licensing, but on the other hand is not patented? As far as I understand, the open source library that Sonos uses (link) does not build upon any Apple documentation or Apple code. The original reverse engineering was made by and is released as freeware, not even GPL.

Sonos is streaming from iTunes. It does not have any internal memory of its own. So it's not decoding Apple Lossless, the computer is. It's like saying that your headphones, once plugged into your MacBook, can decode Apple Lossless. 

If there's an Apple Device in the playback chain, Apple Lossless is possible. If not, not.

What we really need is FLAC support in iTunes or a reasonable alternative as a computer media manager. 

TripEnglish wrote:

Sonos is streaming from iTunes. It does not have any internal memory of its own.

Trip, don't speak about Sonos if you don't understand it : Sonos IS decoding Music. I think you where thinking about the Apple Airport express...

Sonos can work without any computer running : the ZonePlayer finds a NAS in your network, index all the music, and plays it independantly (or in sync with other Sonos items). A computer can be a source, but it's not mandatory, a NAS is sufficient. In B&O words, a ZonePlayer is REALLY close to a Beosound 5 Encore.

Hmmm.

In my humble opinion both are completely different things. Otherwise a Ferrari is just an expensive Fiat, clearly is not the case. Is just similar products to completely different clients/markets.