Body Music is likely the soundtrack to your entire workday. You sit in front of your Mac, hit play on Apple Music, and let the playlist run while you focus on tasks. Since 2021, Apple has included Lossless and Hi-Res Lossless audio in its streaming subscription at no extra cost, offering sound quality that matches or exceeds what you get from a physical CD.

Most people never actually hear that extra quality.

The bottleneck isn't your Mac, which has a surprisingly capable audio engine. The problem usually comes down to the limitations of Bluetooth and the default system settings that prioritize compatibility over fidelity. With a few adjustments and the right piece of hardware, you can turn your desk setup into a legitimate listening station that reveals details in your favorite albums you have never noticed before.

Here is how to set up your Mac for true high-resolution audio, from the software settings to the gear that makes it shine.

Understanding the Bluetooth limitation
Wireless headphones are convenient, but they are also a choke point for audio quality. To send music from your Mac to your AirPods or other wireless headphones, the audio must be compressed to fit within the bandwidth limits of Bluetooth. Even if you are streaming a massive, data-rich Lossless file from Apple Music, your Mac strips away much of that data before it ever reaches your ears.

To get the full benefit of Lossless (up to 24-bit/48kHz) and Hi-Res Lossless (up to 24-bit/192kHz), you generally need a wired connection. This ensures the data travels from the source to the driver without being crunched down for transmission.

Configuring Apple Music and MIDI settings
Your first step is to tell the Music app to stop saving data. By default, Apple Music often streams at a highly efficient AAC bitrate to save bandwidth.

Open the Music app, go to Settings (Command + Comma), and click on the Playback tab. Under Audio Quality, check the box for "Lossless audio." You will then see options for Streaming and Download. Set Streaming to "Hi-Res Lossless" if your internet connection is stable. This forces the app to pull the highest quality master available for the track.

Next, you need to adjust your Mac's system output. macOS includes a utility called Audio MIDI Setup that controls the sample rate of your audio output. Open it from your Utilities folder. Select your output device (such as "External Headphones" or your DAC) from the sidebar. In the Format dropdown, you can select the sample rate. If you are listening to Hi-Res content, you can bump this up to 96kHz or 192kHz to match the source material.

The gear that makes it work
While your Mac's built-in headphone jack is good—and on newer MacBook Pro models, actually supports high-impedance headphones—adding dedicated audio gear gives you more control and a cleaner signal path.

Affiliate disclosure: some links in this article are Amazon Associate links. If you buy through them, Next Level Mac may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you, and we only recommend products that genuinely bring value to your Apple setup.

1. A dedicated DAC and amplifier
   A Digital-to-Analog Converter (DAC) takes the digital data from your Mac and turns it into the electrical signal your headphones play. An external DAC often does this with less noise and better precision than the computer's internal components.

The Audioengine D1 is a desktop favorite because it combines a high-performance 32-bit DAC with a powerful headphone amp in a compact housing that sits neatly under a display. It connects via USB-C or optical and draws power directly from your Mac, so you don't need a separate power brick cluttering your power strip. It drives high-performance headphones with ease and features a smooth volume knob on the front for quick adjustments. Because it uses the ESS Sabre DAC chip, the sound is detailed and spacious, revealing layers in your music that standard jacks often miss.

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1. Open-back reference headphones
   To hear the "air" and separation in Hi-Res tracks, open-back headphones are the industry standard. Unlike noise-canceling headphones that seal you in, open-back models allow air to flow through the ear cups. This creates a wider soundstage, making it feel like the music is happening in the room around you rather than inside your head.

Sennheiser’s HD 600 headphones are legendary in the audio world for a reason. They offer a natural, balanced sound that is perfect for critical listening at a desk. Because they are open-back, they leak sound, so they are strictly for your home office, not a coffee shop. However, the trade-off is exceptional clarity that pairs perfectly with a lossless source.

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1. High-quality desktop speakers
   Sometimes you don't want to wear headphones. If you want to fill your office with high-quality sound without filling your desk with massive boxes, you need speakers that are tuned for near-field listening.

Audioengine A2+ Wireless Speakers are a staple of Mac setups because they strike a balance between size and performance. They connect directly to your Mac via USB, which allows them to use their own internal DAC for better quality than a standard AUX cable would provide. They produce surprisingly deep, punchy sound for their compact footprint, and the satin finish looks right at home next to an Apple display. While they support Bluetooth, using the USB connection ensures you are getting the full fidelity of your source files.

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Making the switch
Once you have the settings configured and the hardware plugged in, the difference is often subtle at first, then impossible to unhear. You might notice the decay of a cymbal lasts longer, or that you can hear the intake of breath before a singer starts a verse.

Listening to Hi-Res Lossless audio on your Mac changes music from background noise into an active experience. It invites you to stop typing for a moment and just listen. In a busy workday, that small moment of appreciation is worth the upgrade.