Plexamp always changes the sample rate of the audio device being used at launch

Plex Labs
1

Hi!

I’m using Plexamp 3.5.0 – macOS 11.4 – Macbook Pro mid-2015

Each time Plexamp is launched, it will change the sample rate of the audio device in use to its lowest supported rate. For example, when using the built-in output of the Macbook Pro, launching Plexamp will change the sample rate to 44100Hz, no matter what it was before.

I first noticed this bug when I had my Sony WH-1000XM3 Bluetooth headphones connected to the Macbook. After launching Plexamp, the headphones sample rate changed to their lowest supported rate, which is 16000Hz. As you can imagine, it was very noticeable…

This is reproducible each time Plexamp is launched. I know this bug was introduced recently, because I’m sure it didn’t do that before. Is it possible that this behavior was introduced with the new Audio Output settings from the recent 3.5.0 macOS version?

Thanks so much for your help.

1 Like
2

Hi, this seems related to another post related to bluetooth issues. I recommend replying there as well. See here: [Bug]: Plexamp poor quality bluetooth audio on launch (macOS Big Sur)

3

Thanks! I’m not sure what I’m experiencing is specifically due to a Bluetooth issue since it also affects the built-in audio device of the Macbook, but I sure also have the problem with my Bluetooth headphones.

I’ll post in the thread you mentioned.

4

Something occurred to me.

Is it possible that Plexamp isn’t actually changing the sample rate of the audio device to its lowest supported rate, but instead just tries at launch to always select 44100Hz (which would explain what I’m seeing with the built-in output of the Macbook)? And since the Sony WH-1000XM3 only two supported sample rates are 16000Hz and 48000Hz, Plexamp tries to set the headphones at 44100Hz, fails, and fallbacks to 16000Hz instead?

What is Plexamp trying to do with the audio device in use when it launches?

5

Can you post a Plexamp log file? That will have valuable information about it like: “BASS: Creating a mixer with sample rate x and y channels.”

It will also contain information about the supported sample rates. Also, let me know what your setting is for Playback > Audio Output.

6

Here are two newly created ‘Plexamp.log’ files taken from ~/Library/Logs/Plexamp. They each contain a launch of the app, a track playing for a few seconds, and the app closing. One of the files was made using the built-in output of the Macbook, and the other with the Sony WH-1000XM3 headphones.

The Playback > Audio Output setting is at ‘Default’ for both log files.

There are a few lines I find interesting.

These ones when the app launched using the built-in output that was set at 48000Hz:

Jul 26, 2021 09:22:33.991 [0x15f2e000] DEBUG - BASS: Starting up.
Jul 26, 2021 09:22:33.991 [0x15f2e000] DEBUG - BASS: Using initial sample rate 44100 and 2 channels.

...

Jul 26, 2021 09:22:44.101 [0x131d6e00] DEBUG - BASS: Creating a mixer with sample rate 44100 and 2 channels.

And these ones when the app launched using the headphones. The headphones were set at their usual 48000Hz:

Jul 26, 2021 09:25:01.642 [0x1638b000] DEBUG - BASS: Starting up.
Jul 26, 2021 09:25:01.642 [0x1638b000] DEBUG - BASS: Using initial sample rate 44100 and 2 channels.

...

Jul 26, 2021 09:25:02.025 [0x1417be00] INFO - BASS: Device opened and sample rate is 16000 (preferred was 44100, range is 0 - 0), latency is 197ms (period: 30ms).
Jul 26, 2021 09:25:02.025 [0x1417be00] DEBUG - BASS: Creating a mixer with sample rate 44100 and 2 channels.

I hope this can help. Please let me know if you need anything else.

7

I can confirm that this bug seems to be fixed with Plexamp 3.7.0

Thanks so much!

8

Thanks for noticing!

9

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