Qualcomm Introduces aptX Lossless Audio Solution Over Bluetooth

Reacting to the fact that streaming music services have started to offer lossless music streaming options, Qualcomm has now extended its aptX Adaptive set of technologies - supported by its latest Snapdragon Sound processors - to also include a CD-quality lossless option over Bluetooth. The new aptX Lossless technology expands options available for Bluetooth wireless audio, combining codec, wireless link and RF optimizations.

Subscribers to Amazon Music Unlimited can now upgrade to the highest quality streaming audio available, for free. Reacting to the fact that Apple Music announced it will offer lossless audio streaming as standard starting in June, Amazon also announced that Amazon Music HD Lossless Audio, previously available at an additional cost, is now standard for Unlimited Tier subscribers.

Amazon announced the launch of Amazon Music HD, a new tier of "higher quality" lossless streaming, promising "more than 50 million songs in High Definition," and "millions of songs in Ultra High Definition," a designation akin to TV services that Amazon thinks consumers will understand better than High Resolution Audio (HRA). The first tier of the service "High Definition" is in fact a CD-quality FLAC lossless streaming, while the "Ultra HD" tier defines FLAC streaming of 24-bit and a sample rate up to 192 kHz, or HRA.

Qobuz, the Paris-based online music streaming and download music service, has been named the Official High-Resolution Streaming Service for the upcoming 15th Annual Rocky Mountain International Audio Fest (RMAF), the largest high-end consumer audio show in North America. Preparing for its scheduled launch in the North American market, Qobuz also announced key appointments in its US operations, including naming music industry veteran Dan Mackta as Managing Director USA.

While many in the audio industry still question the merits of recordings that are actually produced with native 24-bit at 96kHz or more, and defend the merits of the CD Red Book original specifications, Chord Electronics has just unveiled the Hugo M Scaler, a device that very few would have think they would even need. The new device uses powerful custom-coded FPGA to upscale 44.1kHz digital audio to 705.6kHz; or 16x CD’s 44.1kHz native resolution!

High Resolution Audio will be a major focus at the 137th Audio Engineering Society Convention in Los Angeles (October 9-12, 2014). The Digital Entertainment Group (DEG) will present a comprehensive program on the topic, which is simultaneously causing excitement and passionate debate among audio professionals.