MacOS Sonoma 14.0 and Apple Music Hi-Res

[Trebdp83]

So, updated my Mac mini M1 today. I can finally choose 8 ch 24-bit(192.0 kHz) for output. Joy! HDMI output is no longer locked at 24/48. But, selected output is locked for everything. I use LosslessSwitcher app to match sample rate for output.

Sadly, still no Dolby Vision or Dolby Atmos in the Mac mini M1. I’ll still need to use the Apple TV 4K for proper playback of Apple Music Dolby Atmos tracks and also for movie in Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos.

 

[Trebdp83]

I’m still playing with the Mac mini M1and Apple Music. The addition of hi-res support over HDMI is no small thing here as there is some fine print concerning ALAC on many receivers. If using NAS or a USB storage device with many receivers, ALAC support is limited to 24/96.

Some might use a USB to optical converter cable to connect a MAC to a receiver to work around the NAS and USB storage device limitations. But, many new receivers also now have coaxial and optical port limitations of 24/96.

If these limitations apply to a receiver, the update to HDMI for Mac is welcome. Otherwise, an external DAC would be needed and there’d be additional processing as the analog signal from the DAC is digitized for bass management and then back again in the receiver.

 

[Trebdp83]

F#%kin' Apple. How difficult is it to simply match sample rate for output? While I was enjoying the LosslessSwitcher app doing its thing as best it can to match sample rate of Apple Music Lossless and Hi-Res tracks, I didn't realize that ripped albums do not get matched. I rip in AIFF at 16/44.1. But, LosslessSwitcher isn't picking that up so rips are played at the sample rate last recognized from Apple Music tracks. I tried ripping in ALAC at 16/44.1. No change. Eh, whatever. It sounds good and I don't need to start chasing new dragons.

Apple finally opened up the HDMI connection to 24/192. Now, they just need to finish it off with sample rate match. True to form, they are playing catch up and acting like innovators.

 

[Trebdp83]

After tinkering with Tidal hi-res via MusicCast after reading about it in other threads, I reinstalled the Tidal app on the Mac mini M1 to see how it works with the move to hi-res FLAC streams from the mess that was MQA.

Once the app was updated and audio settings were made accordingly, hi-res worked over HDMI just fine and was NOT locked to the selected output of the Audio MIDI Setup like Apple Music and did not require a third party app such as LosslessSwitcher for sample rate and bit depth match. F#%kin’ Apple!

 

[Mikado463]

Updated my iMac to Sonoma 14.0 a couple weeks back, what a 'cluster F' ! Slower than before, should have waited for a 14.1 or later, grrrrr !

 

[Trell]

Updated my iMac to Sonoma 14.0 a couple weeks back, what a 'cluster F' ! Slower than before, should have waited for a 14.1 or later, grrrrr !

Sonoma 14.1 was released a couple of weeks ago: October 25th.

 

[Trebdp83]

Yes, 14.0 and 14.1 are… Let’s cross fingers for next update.