Is Dolby Atmos lossless Apple Music?

Answered by Robert Dupre

Dolby Atmos is not a lossless audio format on Apple Music. Lossless audio refers to music that is encoded without any loss in quality, meaning it retains the same level of detail and fidelity as the original recording. Dolby Atmos, on the other hand, is an audio technology that allows for a more immersive and spatial listening experience by creating a three-dimensional sound environment.

While Lossless and Dolby Atmos are separate formats, Apple Music has introduced both of them to enhance the audio quality for its subscribers. Lossless audio provides a higher resolution and accuracy compared to compressed formats like AAC or MP3, allowing listeners to hear more nuances in the music. Dolby Atmos, on the other hand, adds a new dimension to the audio by creating an immersive and multidimensional soundstage.

It’s worth noting that while Lossless and Dolby Atmos are available on Apple Music, not all songs or albums will be available in these formats. Apple is gradually expanding its library of Lossless and Dolby Atmos tracks, and they can be identified by special badges in the Apple Music app.

To enjoy Lossless audio on Apple Music, you need to ensure that you have the appropriate equipment, such as high-quality headphones or speakers, that are capable of reproducing the higher resolution audio. Additionally, the settings in the Apple Music app need to be adjusted to enable Lossless playback. It’s also important to consider that Lossless audio files are larger in size compared to compressed formats, so it may require more storage space on your device.

Dolby Atmos, on the other hand, requires devices and headphones that support the technology to fully experience the spatial sound. Apple devices like iPhone, iPad, and Mac, as well as the Apple TV, are compatible with Dolby Atmos. When listening to music in Dolby Atmos, you’ll be able to perceive a more immersive soundstage where instruments and vocals can seem to come from various directions. This can add a new level of depth and realism to your music listening experience.

While Dolby Atmos is not a lossless audio format, Apple Music now offers both Lossless and Dolby Atmos music formats to enhance the audio quality for its subscribers. Whether you prefer the higher resolution and accuracy of Lossless audio or the immersive and multidimensional sound of Dolby Atmos, Apple Music provides options to enjoy your favorite music in even higher quality audio.