Download LosslessSwitcher 1.0 / 1.1 Build 7 Beta (Mac) Free
Download Free LosslessSwitcher 1.0 / 1.1 Build 7 Beta (Mac)
Apple Music listeners can access high-resolution lossless audio with sample rates up to 192 kHz. However, the Mac has a big problem when playing high sample rate songs – the macOS Music app doesn’t seem to be able to automatically switch the device’s sample rate based on the song being played.
LosslessSwitcher is a free and open source application designed to solve this problem. It runs in the menu bar and checks the sample rate of the music being played, then adjusts the output device’s sample rate in the Audio MIDI Settings application.
Automatic sample rate switching for Mac
Typically, you must select your preferred audio format settings from the MIDI setup utility, and songs played in the music application either play normally, or are upsampled or downsampled to the specified sample rate. This can lead to data loss in two situations, which is why it is best to avoid it.
Related Downloads:
LosslessSwitcher solves this problem by always checking the sample rate of the song being played in the Music app, and then automatically changing the audio output format in the Audio MIDI Settings app. The current sample rate is also displayed in the menu bar for you to view.
It’s worth remembering that you’ll need to enable lossless audio from the macOS Music app’s preferences to take advantage of this feature.
Brief audio interruption when switching sample rates
Right now, there’s one issue that could be a deal breaker for many users. When a new song starts playing, it has a different sample rate than previously played tracks, and a few seconds after playback starts, there is a small interruption when the app switches to the desired sample rate.
The interruptions are very brief and barely noticeable to some, but audiophiles are nothing without insight. These little interruptions can become annoying if your music library uses several different sample rates.
There may also be a non-negligible impact on the battery life of the device, as the application needs to query the current sample rate very frequently in order to switch if necessary.
Good idea, but may need more work
LosslessSwitcher is a fun app for audiophiles who want the best possible sound from Apple Music on macOS. This is fine in theory, but the brief interruptions experienced when switching sample rates may make it unusable for some people. Best to try it yourself and see if it’s worth the trade-off.