Apple Music LosslessSwitcher app for Mac

[fabius]

I don't use the Apple Music service and have no connection to this app but just came across it and I figured it might be useful to some folks here...

GitHub - vincentneo/LosslessSwitcher: Automated Apple Music Lossless Sample Rate Switching for Audio Devices on Macs.

Automated Apple Music Lossless Sample Rate Switching for Audio Devices on Macs. - GitHub - vincentneo/LosslessSwitcher: Automated Apple Music Lossless Sample Rate Switching for Audio Devices on Macs.

github.com

LosslessSwitcher for Apple Music on Mac​

LosslessSwitcher switches your current audio device's sample rate to match the currently playing lossless song on your Apple Music app, automatically.

Let's say if the next song that you are playing, is a Hi-Res Lossless track with a sample rate of 192kHz, LosslessSwitcher will switch your device to that sample rate as soon as possible.

The opposite happens, when the next track happens to have a lower sample rate.

and

Why make this?​

Ever since Apple Music Lossless launched along with macOS 11.4, the app would never switch the sample rates according to the song that was playing. A trip down to the Audio MIDI Setup app was required. This still happens today, with macOS 12.3.1, despite iOS's Music app having such an ability.

 

[Tangband]

I don't use the Apple Music service and have no connection to this app but just came across it and I figured it might be useful to some folks here...

GitHub - vincentneo/LosslessSwitcher: Automated Apple Music Lossless Sample Rate Switching for Audio Devices on Macs.

Automated Apple Music Lossless Sample Rate Switching for Audio Devices on Macs. - GitHub - vincentneo/LosslessSwitcher: Automated Apple Music Lossless Sample Rate Switching for Audio Devices on Macs.

github.com

and

Good !

 

[ripvw]

Works as advertised - can see the sampling rate change on my Topping D90 and in Audio Midi Setup. It takes a few seconds to switch from the previous song's settings to the new one but other than that seems flawless in execution.

2017 iMac 27 on Monterey 12.3.1 running Apple Music in 24/192

 

[acbarn]

There’s this to be aware of:

Vincent Neo warns that “there may be short interruptions to your audio playback, during the time where the app attempts to switch the sample rates.” He also says that his app has yet to be tested on an M1 Mac.

 

[ripvw]

There’s this to be aware of:

Vincent Neo warns that “there may be short interruptions to your audio playback, during the time where the app attempts to switch the sample rates.” He also says that his app has yet to be tested on an M1 Mac.

On his website is a note that it has now been tested to work on the M1 Macs. It definitely takes a few seconds to switch..

 

[DeLub]

On his website is a note that is has now been tested to work on the M1 Macs. It definitely takes a few seconds to switch..

Having a M1 MacBook Air I can confirm that it works.

 

[NewbieAudiophileExpert]

Works with my 2018 i5 feeding a topping D10S - i can see how it switches between the sample rates at the top of the bar and on the DAC. Great tool that needs more exposure.

 

[_thelaughingman]

I just downloaded and started using this with my Intel Mac Mini 2018. Definitely a must-have for Apple Music.

 

[John O'Shaughnessy]

Wow, thanks for this guys. I downloaded it and am using it with Apple Music on my Mac Studio. It makes a world of difference to what you hear. I notice that the Qobuz app ofor the MAC handles the switching perfectly and switches without any delay. It must be something to do with Apple Music why it jumps a little when switching rates.

 

[NewbieAudiophileExpert]

Yuhp, such a great little tool - makes you wonder why apple didn't implement something like this, considering that they are the ones who are providing a lossless audio service through their iOS-exclusive music app....

 

[John O'Shaughnessy]

Yuhp, such a great little tool - makes you wonder why apple didn't implement something like this, considering that they are the ones who are providing a lossless audio service through their iOS-exclusive music app....

yeah, I reckon it will catch up. After all, it makes no sense to provide lossless otherwise.
I am honestly amazed that the Qobuz app works so well with the switching, it responds immediately and silently. I can see it switching in the audio midi setup. Apple need to get their act together

 

[Mat]

My biggest annoyance with the app right now (using the latest beta) is that if you play any non-lossless tracks (ie, 320k MP3 uploaded thats not matched) it just hangs on whatever the last displayed number was

ie, 96khz track, then go to an MP3, it will keep saying 96khz until you play a different lossless album)

 

[John O'Shaughnessy]

My biggest annoyance with the app right now (using the latest beta) is that if you play any non-lossless tracks (ie, 320k MP3 uploaded thats not matched) it just hangs on whatever the last displayed number was

ie, 96khz track, then go to an MP3, it will keep saying 96khz until you play a different lossless album)

I noticed that too

 

[Billy Budapest]

MacOS STILL doesn’t work this way out of the box? This is going on 20 years that workarounds like this app need to be used. Oh well, at least the audio subsystem isn’t the complete $#!+show that’s in Windows 11.

 

[Jazz]

The first day I tried it, it worked as described. But today, it seems to not switch at all or, oddly, change from a 44 or 96 song to a 192 about 3/4 of the way in!
I think it has something to do with how you use Apple Music. If you stop and play something else, like an internet radio station, it gets all mixed up. Restarting Apple Music seems to fix it on MacOS.
We simply need Apple Music to have exclusive mode. Common Apple!

 

[amper42]

MacOS STILL doesn’t work this way out of the box? This is going on 20 years that workarounds like this app need to be used. Oh well, at least the audio subsystem isn’t the complete $#!+show that’s in Windows 11.

Audirvana automatically recognizes the source audio resolution and switches to the correct setting in Mac OS X when playing Qobuz or Tidal. Apple Music needs to wake up and add that feature internally. I can't believe Apple didn't see that as important once they started supporting hi-res audio.

 

[Mat]

The first day I tried it, it worked as described. But today, it seems to not switch at all or, oddly, change from a 44 or 96 song to a 192 about 3/4 of the way in!
I think it has something to do with how you use Apple Music. If you stop and play something else, like an internet radio station, it gets all mixed up. Restarting Apple Music seems to fix it on MacOS.
We simply need Apple Music to have exclusive mode. Common Apple!

are you using version 1.1 build 7? that ones been very stable for me once it gets going (sometimes have hiccups on startup)

 

[Billy Budapest]

It’s going on 20+ years that people have been requesting automatic bit depth/sample rate switching in MacOS and Apple still has not implemented it at the OS level nor offered a system-wide service to control it. Different app developers have instead developed ad hoc their own ways to do this. Some work well, some not as well. It’s time for Apple to get on the bus! Yes, lame pun intended.

 

[Zorlac]

Has anyone tested Apple Music in Ventura to see if automatic bit depth/sample rate works now? I am not getting my hopes up...

 

[alexeyi]

Has anyone tested Apple Music in Ventura to see if automatic bit depth/sample rate works now? I am not getting my hopes up...

Hello,
I am using it with Ventura 13.1 and it is working as expected.