Set the sample rate
Want some of that Hi-Res Lossless audio? Make sure your Mac is really outputting it.
Why this matters
macOS runs each output device at a single sample rate and bit depth, its format. Everything that plays through that device gets converted to that format first. So if your DAC is set to 48 kHz and you play a 24-bit / 192 kHz Hi-Res Lossless track, macOS downsamples it to 48 kHz on the way out. The file is Hi-Res. What reaches your speakers isn’t. Oopsy.
The format is a system setting, and in macOS it lives in Audio MIDI Setup, a utility that ships with every Mac. Sorry about the name. You don’t need anything MIDI to use it. I don’t work at Apple, don’t blame me.
App Store apps are not allowed (hey Apple!) to change your audio hardware's settings, so Kapell can't do this for you. I'd love to! What Kapell can do is show you: the Signal Path readout shows the rate and bit depth your DAC is running at, plus every rate it supports.
Set the format
Easy, kinda. The change takes effect right away, even mid-track, and Kapell’s Signal Path readout follows along. The setting sticks until you change it or unplug the device.
Did it work?
Kapell’s Signal Path readout tells you what your Mac is sending. Whether your DAC tells you what it’s getting depends on the DAC. Some have a screen that shows the incoming rate, or a light that changes color with it. Plenty show nothing at all, and you’re left trusting the Mac.
So it might take some trial and error. If you hear clicks, dropouts, or silence after a change, step down a rate and try again.
Which rate to pick
- MAXThe highest rate your DAC supports. Nothing gets downsampled, and lower-rate tracks, like the 44.1 kHz of a CD master, are upsampled by macOS. Most people should do this.
- BITMatch the track. For bit-perfect playback, set the format to the rate of what's playing: 44.1 kHz for a CD-quality track, 96 kHz for a 24-bit / 96 kHz master. The catch: you have to change it by hand every time the rate changes. Purists only.
- 24Bit depth: pick 24-bit if your DAC offers it. That's as deep as Apple Music goes.
Good to know
- LLTurn on Lossless first. None of this matters if Hi-Res isn't coming in. See Enable Lossless audio in Apple Music.
- DACThe menu lists only what the device supports. A Mac's built-in speakers stop well short of 192 kHz. For the top of Hi-Res, you'll want an external DAC.
- BTBluetooth has no Format menu. AirPods and other wireless headphones use their own codec, and there's nothing to set.
- ALLIt's system-wide. Every app playing through that device uses the same format, not just Kapell.
- RMTUsing Remote? Set it on the receiver. With Remote, the Mac wired to the speakers does the playing, so its format is the one that counts.
Source
- APLApple Support — Audio MIDI Setup User Guide. Apple's guide to the app, including setting up audio devices.