Many users don’t think twice about streaming content on their Android phones, but there are notable deficiencies in audio quality. For audiophiles, Android devices can be quite frustrating due to these constraints. Fortunately, Auralic has introduced the Lightningcast for Android, an innovative audio streamer designed to significantly enhance the streaming experience on Android devices. One of the main reasons why streaming on Android is subpar is due to the operating system’s tendency to resample all audio to 48kHz.

Regardless of whether users are enjoying uncompressed FLAC or MQA files, they will encounter a compressed sound. This resampling happens system-wide, which means that no matter the headphones or streaming options selected, the user will continually experience the same limited audio quality. While certain apps like Tidal and QOBUZ can bypass some of these limitations, iOS devices do not face this issue, leading many users to prefer Apple products for music listening. The good news is that Auralic’s Lightningcast for Android seeks to change this narrative.

The Lightningcast promises to restore bit-perfect audio streaming from Android devices. Unlike traditional methods such as Apple AirPlay or Chromecast, which transmit compressed signals, Auralic’s technology enables a direct transmission that supports audio up to 192kHz and a bit depth of 32 bits. This means users can finally enjoy high-fidelity sound that retains its original quality. Auralic achieves this by processing audio directly through the streamer, effectively bypassing the Android system’s resampling.

As a result, users can expect nothing less than pristine sound quality through their speakers. The underlying software is based on LineageOS 21 and 22, though specific details regarding pricing and features are still pending. Auralic plans to showcase this exciting device at High End Munich next week, where more information will be revealed.