Lossless streaming
Audio streaming that delivers bit-perfect copies of master files rather than lossy MP3 / AAC compression. Tidal HiFi, Apple Music, Amazon Music HD, and Qobuz all offer lossless tiers.
Lossy formats (MP3, AAC, Ogg) discard data the encoder deems inaudible. Lossless formats (FLAC, ALAC, WAV) preserve every bit of the original master.
Audibility
In controlled blind tests, AAC 256 kbps is essentially indistinguishable from lossless on most material for most listeners. Lossless's clearest advantage is archival — re-encoding lossless to another codec preserves quality; re-encoding lossy adds artifacts.
Bluetooth wrinkle
Even with a lossless source, most Bluetooth codecs (SBC, AAC, aptX) re-encode lossily before transmission. To preserve lossless end-to-end:
- Wired connection, OR
- aptX Lossless (Snapdragon Sound), LDAC (best-effort), or proprietary 2.4 GHz dongle (Sony WH-1000XM6 with USB transmitter, Audeze Maxwell)
- Apple Music: lossless only via wired or AirPlay, not over Bluetooth to AirPods
In comparisons
Pair lossless service tier with a capable transport. Spotify HiFi remains unlaunched; Apple Music includes lossless at no extra cost.