Do Sony WH-100M4 Headphones Support Apple Music Lossless Audio?
In recent times, high-fidelity audio enthusiasts have been exploring various music streaming services that offer lossless audio. One popular choice among them is Apple Music, which offers Apple Lossless Audio Codec (ALAC). However, the Sony WH-100M4 headphones, which are well-regarded for their sound quality, have specific limitations when it comes to supporting lossless audio formats over Bluetooth connections.
Supported Formats and Compatibility
The Sony WH-100M4 headphones do support high-resolution audio. However, to enjoy lossless audio from Apple Music, you need to connect them via a wired connection using the headphone jack. The headphones do not support Apple Music's lossless audio format directly over Bluetooth, as Bluetooth suffers from limitations and does not provide the same fidelity as lossless audio.
Apple Music's lossless audio is encoded in ALAC, which is a proprietary format that does not support wireless transmission through Bluetooth. Therefore, to experience lossless audio from Apple Music, you must use the headphones with a wired connection or a device that supports high-resolution audio through a cable.
The Limitations of Bluetooth
Bluetooth, the standard for wireless audio transmission, is inherently limited in its ability to transmit lossless audio. The codecs used in Bluetooth, such as AAC (Advanced Audio Coding) or SBC (Subband Coding), often compress the audio files, reducing the quality to a level that is not comparable to lossless audio. This is a fundamental limitation of the Bluetooth standard and not a specific issue with the Sony WH-100M4 headphones.
Even high-end Bluetooth codecs like Qualcomm's LDAC and Sony's LDAC do not guarantee lossless audio transmission. LDAC, for example, can transmit at 990 kbps, but it still cannot maintain the integrity of the original lossless audio data. Moreover, iPhones, including the latest AirPods and AirPods Max, do not support LDAC or any lossless AAC codec, meaning that even Bluetooth codecs capable of near-lossless transmission are not available on these devices.
Wireless vs. Wired Connections
While wireless headphones like the Sony WH-100M4 can provide great convenience, they are inherently limited by the Bluetooth standard when it comes to lossless audio. Wired connections, on the other hand, bypass these limitations and can deliver higher quality audio.
For instance, headphones with LDAC, such as some Sony models, can theoretically support higher data rates and potentially better sound quality, but they still fall short of the quality offered by wired connections. A well-designed wired headphone can often outperform its wireless counterpart, even at a lower price point. This is because wired headphones can leverage higher bitrate data rates and utilize lossless codecs through a wired connection, which Bluetooth simply cannot provide.
Conclusion
In summary, while the Sony WH-100M4 is a high-quality Bluetooth headphone, it does not support Apple Music's lossless audio format directly over Bluetooth. To enjoy lossless audio from Apple Music, a wired connection is necessary. This is not a limitation unique to the Sony WH-100M4, but a fundamental restriction of the Bluetooth standard. For true lossless audio experiences, wired connections remain the best option.