Per my other thread on Apple Lossless vs CD rips, the D70 arrived and gave it a go. To some of the posts above:
1. Apple Music, streaming from iPad via lightning camera/card reader powered by a lightning connection does stream 24/96 via USB input to the Topping. It also does 16/44.1.
2. I also fed the Topping my Squeezebox Touch via Optical audio tot he Topping. It registered lossless 16/44.1; 24/88.2; 24/96 resolutions from the Squeezebox from various ripped DVD Audio disks and HD Tracks downloads via ALAC and converted to ALAC for playback on Mac.
I also, for chits and giggles, streamed the same files via Bluetooth to the Topping from my iPhone. It registers the files at 44.1, but I am pretty sure they are compressed and not lossless. That or the Bluetooth feed just sounds lousy in comparison to the other two. I was listening via my Audio Technica ATX 50x monitor headphones.
One thing to note, while I am positive the iPad was streaming hi res lossless audio via USB, a lot of the Apple masters were relatively lifeless. I was comparing lossless rips of the 2009 remasters of the Beatles albums (Let It Be and Abbey Road) vs the Apple Music hi res of the same albums. I also did a comparison of the Doors LA WOman, I ripped from DVD Audio (24/88.2) vs Apple Music 24/96.
The Beatles remasters were very different. It was really apparent on the first song of Abbey Road. Come Together. The 2009 remix in 16/44.1, as you get to the end of the song, there is a very clear cymbal/high hat playing above the music, quietly, but definitely there. On the Apple Music 2019 hi res, it is totally and completely absent. I’d love to have someone check me on this. But the hi res Apple Music version was, to me lifeless and flat, relatively speaking. So, clearly the different masters, to my ears, even though 24/96 on Apple Music, may not translate into a more accurate or musical experience, especially if compressed heavily.
When I compared Like for like files, for instance, Let It Be (naked), which I think are the same master, and both sources were 16/44.1 lossless (not hi res on Apple) , they were pretty much identical, especially when I lowered the Touch volume to match the perceived slightly quieter level of the USB fed files. (92%level on the Touch).
The Doors LA Woman, once again equalized on the volume, sounded almost identical, so I think they were from the same masters and Apple does not appear to have added compression.
While I have no electronic equipment to verify what my ears are telling me, I admit to pretty wild tinnitus which could make slight differences. But where I noticed differences, they were pretty stark.
So while we may have lossless streaming, I think the relative mastering is also important. Compression being the evil giant that seems to rob immediacy, vibrant reproduction. Bit perfect hi res, but flat master will, IMO , lose in pleasure effect to lossless 16/44.1 every time.