# Plex app compressing audio? **URL:** \ **Category:** General Discussions\ **Tags:** playstation\ **Created:** [July 3, 2018, 5:08pm UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/plex-app-compressing-audio/278836 "2018-07-03T17:08:51Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![squashee](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/plex/user_avatar/forums.plex.tv/squashee/32/84871_2.png) [@squashee](https://forums.plex.tv/u/squashee)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2018, 5:08pm UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/plex-app-compressing-audio/278836/1 "2018-07-03T17:08:52Z")
So there’s two way I listen to my FLAC library on my PS4: 1. A DLNA server, using the Media Player app. 2. Plex app Now… Call me crazy, but I’m pretty sure the later transcodes and/or compresses my audio in some way. Why doesn’t the Plex app handle files like a DLNA? Thatd be a game changer, the GUI of an app like Plex, and the original file quality you get through DLNA. I swear it doesnt sound as good, and all my settings are right. I swiched back between media player and plex 1000 times just to check. Sooooo tell me: I’m not crazy right?? ---
**Author:** ![Funky\_Boss](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/plex/user_avatar/forums.plex.tv/funky_boss/32/17391_2.png) [@Funky\_Boss](https://forums.plex.tv/u/Funky_Boss)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2018, 5:52pm UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/plex-app-compressing-audio/278836/2 "2018-07-03T17:52:02Z")
Do you have your Plex client set to ‘Direct Play’ for Music? On iPhone for example, this setting is called ‘Original’ quality. When I do this, and I log into Plex from a web browser as the admin account, I see the ‘now Playing’ section show my client as ‘Direct Play’, which should mean it’s streaming the FLAC file directly without compression. ---
**Author:** ![squashee](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/plex/user_avatar/forums.plex.tv/squashee/32/84871_2.png) [@squashee](https://forums.plex.tv/u/squashee)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2018, 8:39pm UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/plex-app-compressing-audio/278836/3 "2018-07-04T20:39:56Z")
There does not seem to be a setting for this on the web browser Plex or on the PS4 Plex, only on the iPhone. I think on the browser it’s called something else, but my settings look right. And yes I have ‘Quality’ set to "Original’ on both the web and the ps4 app, but the language makes it look like its for video? Anyway, in now playing it says: Transcoding to H264 Transcoding FLAC to AAC ☹ ☹ ☹ Which I do NOT want. I want NO transcording or compression! ---
**Author:** ![Funky\_Boss](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/plex/user_avatar/forums.plex.tv/funky_boss/32/17391_2.png) [@Funky\_Boss](https://forums.plex.tv/u/Funky_Boss)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2018, 3:13pm UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/plex-app-compressing-audio/278836/4 "2018-07-05T15:13:24Z")
I’m with you there. I’ve spent a good deal of time re-ripping all my CDs from the 90s and 2000s in FLAC, getting rid of all my old mp3 rips! I really want to listen lossless if possible. Unfortunately, I don’t have a PS4, but if DLNA supports FLAC, I can’t see why Plex wouldn’t, as they usually try to use the built-in audio players. Here is what the PS4 doc says, and it shows FLAC as supported… [http://manuals.playstation.net/document/en/ps4/music/mp\_format\_m.html](http://manuals.playstation.net/document/en/ps4/music/mp_format_m.html) One question I have is, if you are just listening to music, why does it say “Transcoding to H264” for you? That’s a video codec. ---
**Author:** ![squashee](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/plex/user_avatar/forums.plex.tv/squashee/32/84871_2.png) [@squashee](https://forums.plex.tv/u/squashee)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2018, 8:11pm UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/plex-app-compressing-audio/278836/5 "2018-07-06T20:11:01Z")
Because it’s not a DLNA server, unless I use it through Media Player, but then there’s no fancy gui, just a file list. The transcoding to H264 thing is there just to show me whats going on if I played a video. I don’t think it has anything to do with the FLAC file I’m playing. Anyway, I think Plex just compresses, unfortunately. They should really change this. I really want the app to stop transcoding my FLAC to AAC, I’m frustrated and about to delete it. ---
**Author:** ![Funky\_Boss](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/plex/user_avatar/forums.plex.tv/funky_boss/32/17391_2.png) [@Funky\_Boss](https://forums.plex.tv/u/Funky_Boss)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2018, 8:30pm UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/plex-app-compressing-audio/278836/6 "2018-07-06T20:30:34Z")
So it looks like you are out of luck for now with that PS4 Plex app and FLAC… [https://support.plex.tv/articles/204377253-what-media-formats-are-supported/](https://support.plex.tv/articles/204377253-what-media-formats-are-supported/) ---
**Author:** ![Funky\_Boss](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/plex/user_avatar/forums.plex.tv/funky_boss/32/17391_2.png) [@Funky\_Boss](https://forums.plex.tv/u/Funky_Boss)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2018, 8:34pm UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/plex-app-compressing-audio/278836/7 "2018-07-06T20:34:51Z")
One more thing, looks like a release earlier this year included this fix… All: The music player no longer respects the allow direct play and allow direct stream video player setting. So looks like maybe the video player settings also might apply to audio / music. Is yours set to direct play / direct stream? otherwise, I’m outta ideas! 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![system](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/plex/original/3X/2/a/2acb9765406f63293d357b4ec509ec39aa28f2ad.png) [@system](https://forums.plex.tv/u/system)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2018, 8:35pm UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/plex-app-compressing-audio/278836/8 "2018-10-04T20:35:00Z")
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