[Brno Gahr]

I'm new here - hope this isn't something that's been beat to death in the past -
I have a 2020 iMac and several iPads. I load large iTunes libraries with ALAC files onto iPads (one per iPad, obviously).
The libraries are large - big enough to fill almost all of the space on 250G and 512 G iPads. They’re also complicated, with elaborate nested playlists. (After they're loaded, I connect to headphones through an audioquest cobalt DAC)
Problems arise in synching, when iTunes on my iMac refuses to engage the synching process, or when it informs me that there’s not enough room (i.e., after I’ve already determined there’s plenty of room).
I’ve arrived at some work arounds: 1) I always start from scratch - iTunes doesn’t seem able to update without doing some bloated overlays that overstretch the available room; 2) The only way that I’ve ever figured out to do updating is to actually empty the space on the iPad. And the only I know to accomplish that is to load a small and totally different library onto the iPad, and then reload the newly updated, large library that I’m trying to synch to the iPad.
Does anybody out there have thoughts on these or other problems with synching large iTunes libraries to iPads (or iPhones, I suppose)?

[avta]

I'm certainly no Mac expert however it seems to me that iTunes as you are describing your usage is meant to be on your Mac with the library stored there and accessed via the Remote app. Also, would you describe your system a bit more? Wifi? connections etc.

[Craig B]

I can't say I've ever heard of the actual iTunes library being loaded onto an iPad. I wasn't aware you could even do that. My 1.25 TB library is on my iMac and I access it either directly there, or via the iTunes Remote app on my iPad or iPhone. Is loading the music onto your mobile device something you do if you subscribe to Apple Music?

[Brno Gahr]

The file-sharing software allows for copying ("syncing") all or part of an iTunes library to an iPad, space permitting. Then, when it's on the iPad, it's portable - I can carry it around and play music directly from the iPad. I can either listen through the built-in audio jack (on my older iPads), or I can connect to the USB outlet on newer ones. I use the USB outlets, and I put a DAC (I use dragonquest cobalt DAC) between the adapter and headphones. The sound quality is pretty good. Regarding using the iPad as a remote means of playing from the iMac, the whole point of loading music onto the iPad is that it's portable, and I don't have to be playing it from the libraries on my iMac. I should say, I haven't spent a lot of time trying to run anything remotely from the iMac. File sharing has never worked for me - loading takes forever, and then the system always, always either crashes or freezes.

I have several iPads. And I have several libraries on my iPad, totaling 1.6-1.7 Tb. I load different libraries to different iPads.

The question I raised in my first message was about the syncing process, which really is a bit sketchy.

regarding the query about Apple Music - all my music is ripped from CDs. I don't think I have a single track downloaded from Apple music or the Apple store.

I have several iPads - new and old. My iMac was purchased in August 2019. I'm using the Mojave OS. My wifi is slow I guess - 15TB download.

[Craig B]

Well, that's all new to me, sorry I can't help. My iPad doesn't even have a USB port, just a lightning.