All connoisseurs of correct computer sound are probably familiar with lossless audio. This concept hides several different data compression algorithms at once, providing almost complete identity with the original. This approach provides high-quality sound, but will require significantly more disk space to store your music catalog, since the resulting files are several times larger in size than the usual MP3 or AAC. The most popular lossless formats are FLAC and ALAC. They differ in exactly one thing: ALAC is a FLAC format created for Apple devices. If for Android devices listening to lossless audio is a completely simple task, you just need to download files to the gadget, then the owners of gadgets with iOS will have to suffer a little more. Here are some ways how to listen to lossless files on iPhone and iPad.
Use Flac Player +
Flac Player + is an iOS app that, unlike a standard player, allows you to listen to FLAC files. After installing it, you need to open the application and upload music there. There are two ways to do this: by connecting the device to a computer and uploading music to iTunes or using Wi-Fi. We'll cover both methods in detail.
Method 1 (via iTunes):
1. Connect your iPhone or iPad to your computer
2. Open iTunes, click on the icon of the connected device and go to the "Applications" tab.
3. Here you need to scroll to the very bottom and select Flac Player +.
4. Click the "Add" button at the bottom and select the music you want to download to your device.
Method two (over Wi-Fi):
1. Open Flac Player + app and select “Wi-Fi Transfer”.
2. You will be shown the IP address and port. They need to be entered in a computer browser.
3. After entering the IP address and port in the browser, a new page will open with which you can download songs from your computer via Wi-Fi.
Transferring songs over Wi-Fi is a simpler but more time-consuming process. Due to the size of the files, they will take several times longer to download than via a wire.
Convert FLAC to ALAC
If you do not want to use third-party applications and prefer to listen to music in the standard Music application, you will have to convert FLAC to ALAC, since iOS devices do not support the standard lossless format. For this you need:
1. Download fre: ac is a free program that allows you to convert FLAC to WAV format, which we will use as an intermediate.
2. Open fre: ac and add the desired FLAC tracks to the program.
3. Start converting by clicking on the button with the green triangle. The resulting files need to be uploaded to your iTunes library. To do this, open iTunes and click the "File" - "Add to Library" button.
4. Now select all the songs, right-click on them and select the "Create Apple lossless version" option.
5. After finishing the process, you can delete the WAV files.
Download ALAC music right away
The easiest way is to immediately find music in ALAC format. The advantages of this method are obvious: it is the simplest and does not require any additional actions from the user. However, there are also very significant disadvantages. Since the popularity of the ALAC format is not too great, you very often simply cannot find the compositions you are interested in. In this case, you can use the solutions we described above!
Listening to music from a mobile device is a pleasure, and listening to music in lossless quality is a special pleasure. But if you take a look at which supports iPhone, iPad and iPod, you will see that among them there is no FLAC (Free Lossless Audio Codec). Let's see why it happened and what to do now for fans of listening to music without loss of quality.
Why iPhone, iPad and iPod don't support FLAC?
The answer to this question is simple. There are monstrous perfectionists at Apple and they try to do as much better as possible in everything. As a result, within the walls of Apple, the format was developed ALAC (Apple Lossless Audio Codec), which is essentially the same Lossless format.What is Lossless format is a way to encode music files without losing quality. That is, the music in the form in which it was recorded. Why did Apple drop FLAC support on the iPhone, iPad, and iPod and force us to use ALAC if both are Lossless formats?
The fact is that Apple Lossless (ALAC) does not require high device performance, so your device's battery consumption is less than if it were FLAC. The weight of ALAC after encoding is slightly less than FLAC, and the decoding speed is the most optimal.
How to listen to FLAC on iPhone, iPad and iPod?
A stock music application on iOS cannot play FLAC, and there is no way to listen to it with a standard application. There are only two ways out of this situation:- Convert FLAC to ALAC;
- Use alternative music apps in the App Store.
Convert FLAC to ALAC
This is done using special software, almost all of which are paid. I can recommend free Free Audio Converter from dvdVideoSoft, iTunesEncode.NET can also be a good helper. There are also many other software: Xrecode, Xilisoft Video Converter and so on.Third Party Applications
In fact, it's not difficult to choose here, there are not many applications in the App Store that can play the FLAC format, I know of only three such programs:- FLAC Player (recommended, but the price bites 329 rubles);
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MacRadar continues its series of reviews of music programs. Many music lovers are very jealous of the quality of their library. And most often they store music in FLAC format. Free Lossless Audio Codec (FLAC) is a free and advanced audio codec that delivers great sound quality as close to the original as possible. This comes at the cost of file size. For example, an album with 15 tracks will take up more than 500 MB.
FLAC is an excellent format, but unfortunately, it is not supported by many manufacturers of players and other hardware. To the delight of iOS device owners, there is FLAC Player for iPhone, iPod touch, and iPad.
All you need to get started is copying your music through the iTunes file manager. Due to the size of the files, synchronization may take longer. The application recognizes album covers, lyrics, and also supports multitasking, introduced in iOS 4. For those with a large music library, the player allows you to split collections, add favorite tracks to favorites, and sort the order of tracks in the collection.
Let's delve into the technical specifications. FLAC Player is able to digest files with parameters up to 24-bit, 96kHz, outputting to headphones 16-bit, 48kHz. In fact, wearing my AudioTecnica headphones, I got amazing sound quality.
With a price tag of $ 9.99 on the AppStore, FLAC Player can scare buyers away. But this price is dictated by a very narrow niche of fans of high-quality sound. And if you get there, you won't be disappointed with this player. He does exactly what he promises, and he does it really well.
"Throw a stone into the garden" of the audio player developers " Music"Difficult - indeed, the built-in player for the iPhone is very convenient and has almost no drawbacks, so many owners of" apple "devices are used to making do with them and do not even think of" casting the bait "in the AppStore to search for other music software. And in vain: the store is full of audio players equipped with useful features that “ Music»Cannot boast - for example, displaying the text of a song being played.
Price: Free +
Audio Player for iPhone Vox is considered one of the best iPhone players and the main competitor to the application " Music". The Mac version of this program was in the lead in the AppStore free applications charts for several weeks in a row, so the "mobile" Vox waited impatiently. The program was released in 2015.
Vox for mobile devices met expectations: to prefer this program to the player " Music"It is possible at least because of the original interface and ease of navigation - all commands are given by swipes, making it easier to use the player on the go. In terms of functionality Vox will also give odds " Music"And other similar software. What is different Vox?
- Music player Vox supports not only familiar AAC and MP3 but also FLAC, APE, CUE - play files in these formats using " Music"Is impossible. Support FLAC did it right away Vox a favorite among audiophiles - there is no loss of information when compressing such files, which means that the sound quality remains at the highest level.
- Vox easily binds to service accounts SoundCloud and Last. Fm... In addition, it is possible to connect to an unlimited cloud storage called Loop. Loop not free: you will have to pay about $ 5 monthly to use it.
- Vox uses its own system Audio Engineaimed at improving the sound, so even MP3 tracks will sound different in this player.
The main disadvantage of the audio player Vox – the inability to adjust the sound frequencies manually. Although the equalizer includes over 10 presets, there may not be such an option among them that would satisfy the individual tastes of the music lover. In addition, it is important for music lovers to know that the mobile version of the player for iPhone Vox not free (unlike the Mac version) - it costs almost $ 6. Together with the connection price Loop it turns out a pretty impressive amount.
iMusic
Price: Free +
iMusic is not able to boast of the same wide functionality as Vox, but this software is free, does not have a Pro version and will not distract the user from listening to their favorite songs with advertisements. Even with frankly average functionality of the player for iOS iMusic has something to boast about:
Obviously the developer iMusic when forming the functional component, he proceeded from his own preferences, and not from the desire to satisfy the maximum of consumers' needs. Explain the complete lack of an equalizer otherwise difficult: the impossibility of frequency adjustment is the main disadvantage iMusic. Another is the small number of supported formats ( MP3 , AIFF, AAC). However, even without an equalizer and with a small "arsenal" of formats, this application will give a head start. Music».
Listen
Price: Free +
According to a common story, a unique application Listen: the Gesture Music Player owes to the birth of a developer who was inconvenient to switch tracks on a standard player while driving. Uniqueness Listen is that it is completely devoid of buttons and does not require the user to look at the screen for control - this music player works only on gestures.
Lack of controls and almost blank screen after first launch Listen often cause confusion among users. Therefore, it is not recommended to neglect the training offered by the program before using it. You can also learn gestures empirically, but it will take more time than looking at the instructions. Gestures are quite simple: for example, a single tap on the screen starts and stops playback, a swipe up adds a song to Favorites.
In addition to originality, among the advantages Listen relate:
The only drawback of the player Listen a small number of supported formats is considered - the program will play tracks in . mp3, . wav and . aacbut . flac and . ape she's too tough.
Audissey
Price: Free +
Music lovers know that the sound quality of music depends not so much on the file format or player as on the sound source - headphones and speakers. The developers of the program are certainly aware of this. Audissey: a key feature of this program is that it adapts to a specific headphone model, thereby minimizing the audio disadvantages of the headphones and emphasizing the benefits. A complete list of headphone models can be found in the settings - the models are conveniently sorted by manufacturer. Listed as professional headphones AKG for mastering and mixing music, so cheap "drops" from Panasonic.
Other notable advantages over the built-in player " Music»At Audissey no. In terms of visual design (as well as the control process), this iPhone player is almost identical to the standard application. There is an equalizer in the settings, however, you cannot call it flexible: there are only two bands - high and low frequencies. List of supported Audissey formats are also quite scarce: the media player plays files AAC, MP3, AIFF, Wavbut doesn't work with FLAC and WMA... In terms of functionality Audissey outright loses to the same Vox, but it is available for download in the AppStore at no cost.
Price: Free +
Playing FLAC music on an iPhone without first conversion is a real problem: of all the iOS apps listed, only expensive Vox copes with this task. However, there is also a free solution for audiophiles who want to enjoy warm tube sound - the app FLAC Player... The format reference in the name of the application should not scare users accustomed to more traditional formats: FLAC Player also works with AAC, AIFF, MP3, WMA.
Not only "omnivorous" in terms of formats is an advantage FLAC Player – there are other pluses:
- Flexible frequency control... Users FLAC Player a ten-band equalizer with manual adjustment is available.
- High quality playback... The player is compatible with 24-bit audio.
- Wide possibilities of organizing tracks... Playlists in the program FLAC Player are called collections - songs from one album are collected in a collection. The user has the ability to manually split the existing collection, edit its contents.
- Bookmarks- a simple yet unique feature that allows you to mark specific moments in your compositions.
- Additional ways to control the application... Remote control is possible using a headset or Bluetooth device.
There are also enough negative aspects of the program. First, download FLAC Player it will not work in Russian - only two languages \u200b\u200bare available: English and Vietnamese, and the choice of the second is due to the fact that the developers of the utility are from Vietnam. The second drawback is the application interface: it seems that the developers did not even try to create something visually different from the player " Music". The third drawback becomes obvious when reading the comments of experienced users. FLAC Player: the program often crashes, and periodic updates do not help to fix this situation.
Conclusion
To argue with the fact that “ Music"- one of the best music players, it makes no sense, however, to meet the requirements of modern music lovers, he, alas, is not able to. Most often in reproach " Music»Put a small number of supported formats - for example, compositions in FLAC, that is, recorded without loss of quality, it will not read. This makes audiophiles look for alternatives.
The best replacement " Music»It seems a new player Vox, has wide functionality and is able to work with all popular audio formats. However, free download Vox will not work - although its cost is quite average (about $ 6), it can still scare off the user. Supporters of free software should pay attention to FLAC Playerthat will play FLAC and will not ask for a cent for it, and on Listen as the most original turntable.
Want to squeeze everything out of your iPhone? Then read our little guide on how to play high quality music on Apple devices.
For quite a long time, there has been an opinion that Apple makes smartphones that have the best sound among all. The newer smartphones boast the ability to play Hi-Res music, but neither LG, Samsung, nor HTC have yet surpassed the iPhone in terms of sound clarity.
You don't have to wait for the iPhone 7 to play high-definition music. After all, who wouldn't want that kind of sound quality from their smartphone?
Considering how many people listen to music via smartphones and the number of iPhones sold in the last quarter of 2015 (74.8 million), Apple's decision to support HD music natively will give a tangible boost to music distribution services.
But if you can't wait until September to find out and try out native support for high bitrate music, you can do so now on your current iPhone (including iPhone SE).
What types of music files can I play on iPhone?
The current iPhone 6S - a multi-award winning smartphone - has file extension restrictions. Apple Music (a native music playing app) and iTunes can play all popular formats including MP3, WAV, AAC, ALAC, but FLAC or DSD are not supported. In general, anything over 24-bit / 48 KHz.
And even though ALAC is the iTunes-supported version of FLAC, most music download sites like 7digital, Qobuz, Technics Tracks, Onkyo Music only offer their albums in FLAC. Therefore, the problem here lies more in the software component than in the hardware.
Which iOS apps can play Hi-Res audio?
If iTunes does not support high-resolution audio files, this does not mean that FLAC cannot be stored on the device itself. And if the blocking element is the Apple Music player, then why not find an alternative? Fortunately, there are several iPhone apps that allow you to unlock the ability to play high quality audio on your device.
A free application that is better known as a video player. Can play FLAC files, but does not show any metadata on your device.
Costs $ 10 on the App Store and lets you play high-definition tracks. It also shows detailed information about each audio file. However, we found it unreliable due to the fact that not all FLAC files are recognized and, although they can be seen in the playlist, they cannot be played.
VLC is the easiest and cheapest way to play high quality tracks today, but if you want a little more control over playback, then the most complete and reliable app we've found is this.
How to stream high quality audio to iPhone?
Regardless of which application you are using, it is quite easy to get files that are better than CD quality.
The same principle applies for both applications:
- You download the application and connect your iPhone to your computer;
- Turn on iTunes and click on the iPhone icon at the top;
- Go to the Applications section and scroll down, where there will be a list of applications that can transfer files between a computer and a smartphone. If Onkyo or VLC is installed, they will be displayed in this section;
- Then just drag the required audio files into the appropriate window: select the files on your computer and drag them to the appropriate application folder;
- Then just turn on the application on your smartphone, where you dropped the files and Voila! You will see your audio recordings stored in the app and ready to be played in the player. Nothing complicated.
We have tried many applications but proved to be the most reliable. It can be downloaded for free, but you will have to pay $ 10 to use the HD playback section. Quite a substantial price for an iOS app, but worth it.
Best App to Play High Quality Format Audio Files on iPhone
In this case, it will be the simplest and most functional player. It will independently identify all the music that is on the iPhone and sort it by artist, song title, album, playlist or genre. The album cover is also recognized, if any. Plus, finding tracks through the alphabetical sorting system is pretty easy.
It can be seen that when developing the interface, emphasis was placed on ease of use, with a predominance of black and white tones. The album cover of the file gives the application color, and all the text and graphics are quite high-resolution, which pleases the eye. It's not the brightest turntable interface there could be, but it's easy to use for everyone.
The application is divided into two sections: iPod, which contains MP3 and WAV files, and HD, which contains high quality audio files.
What high-definition audio formats can the iPhone play?
The file format - FLAC, WAV, or DSD - is displayed along with the song name in the playlist, which sets the app apart from Onkyo from others. The Now Playing window also displays extension information in the upper left corner. Clicking on the Information button will take you to a section where the file size and metadata are indicated.
The app also has settings for power users such as real-time DSD conversion, MP3 upsampling to 48 or 192 kHz and of course an equalizer with a selection of presets.
But before turning your iPhone into a top-quality audio playback machine, you need to check compatibility. iTunes and iOS must be updated to the latest versions and be compatible with Onkyo HF Player. It requires at least an iPhone 4S or iPad 2 and iOS 6 or higher to run.
In terms of file compatibility, the app supports everything from 24-bit to 192KHz.
Can I play high quality audio with a regular headphone cable (3.5mm jack)?
Simply put: No. The iPhone itself can play hi-res audio files, but you won't get the full sound through the 3.5mm mini-jack. The built-in digital-to-analog converter in Apple smartphones can only output 24-bit / 96 kHz and, until the company has officially confirmed the specifications, it is believed that all music that passes through the 3.5mm connection is limited to the 24-bit / 48 kHz range.
However, there is an alternative: you can access the digital output through the Lightning connector, which transmits audio signals in the best quality. Lightning to USB adapter may be required.
Alternatively, you can use Apple headphones that connect via the Lightning connector. An example of such equipment is Audeze EL-8 Titanium and.
How does high bitrate audio sound on iPhone?
While the solution for listening to hi-res music is not as straightforward as hoped, the good news is that the iPhone can play high-bitrate audio files through the Onkyo app without having to convert them to AAC format. Despite the slight inconvenience, you get good sound.
We tested the app with several FLAC tracks. Compared to AAC, these recordings sounded much more elaborate - the low frequencies sound deeper and the boundaries between the notes are noticeable. That is, the files were played, taking into account various nuances and little things that could be heard.
It's a bit unfair that we weren't able to play the same audio files in the Apple Music app, but it's safe to say that there is a difference in sound between the two apps and the music sounds better in the Onkyo app, regardless of whether it's FLAC or MP3.
Will iPhone 7 be able to play high quality audio?
So what happens in September when Apple officially unveils the new iPhone 7? Rumor has it that the 3.5mm connector will be replaced with Lightning, which means that it will be possible to listen to music in high quality without different adapters.
This may upset headphone makers, but it indicates that Apple is moving towards meeting the needs of audiophiles by introducing the ability to listen to high-quality audio files.
Will the new iPhone play hi-res music? Now we can only wait and hope. And now we have a hi-res version of the David Bowie song "Black Star" and it sounds pretty damn good.
