I notice that playing FLAC on iPad transcodes to AAC. Playing FLAC on web running on Windows 10 transcodes to MP3.
Is their way to play lossless files bit perfect on Plex at the moment? If yes which Plex clients support it?
What happens when I send FLAC from iPad App to Airplay device … it sends bit perfect to Airplay or transcoded MP3/AAC?
If Plex cannot play lossless audio … where I can vote for this feature (did not find any in Feature Voting but do not want to start duplicate future request item)
Thx in advance for your answer
PS. some of you might frown on this and say “bloody audiophile” … I am not audiophile … just have bunch of old CDs that I ripped to FLAC to preserve what I have … since have best available copy … want to play what is best (even though might not hear difference … when have car, why ride bicycle lol)
Your best chance at lossless playback is with Plex Media Player.
But not ‘bit-perfect’ under all circumstances. PMP doesn’t switch the audio output’s sample rate to match that of the played file. The best quality you’ll get is to put your audio interface into a high sample rate manually (e.g. 96kHz) and stick with it.
Lower sample rates like from CD (44kHz) or DVD (48kHz) will then be upsampled by PMP, which sounds quite good IMO.
No chance for ‘lossless’ on iDevices or other mobile clients at the moment.
Playing lossy format on mobile devices is not ideal though (wonder if there is feature vote for this so I can put my vote on it)
I was looking of getting audio to my good amps and speakers via airplay (or chromecast) … so interested in how PMS handles it
What happens to audio if I choose to play it on AirportExpress (44.1kHz 16bit) over Airplay?
a) started playing FLAC (44.1kHz 16 bit) on iPad … then send playback to AirportExpress … of course initially PMS transcode FLAC to AAC for iPad … but once it is send to AirportExpress does PMS sends lossless 44.1kHz/16bit audio to AiportExpress or continue to send AAC?
b) started playing FLAC (44.1kHz 16 bit) on PMP … then send playback to AirportExpress … initially PMS up samples FLAC to match setting of audio interface (say 24bit 96kHz) of PMP … but once it is send to AirportExpress does PMS sends 24bit 96kHz audio to AiportExpress or something else?
non airplay situation
e) started playing FLAC (44.1kHz 16 bit) on iPad … then send playback to PMP … of course initially PMS transcode FLAC to AAC for iPad … but once it is send to PMP does PMS sends lossless audio upsampled to match PMP audio interface (say 24bit 96kHz) or continue to send AAC?
Sorry, all this Airport stuff is completely unknown to me. I’m not even sure it has to do with Plex at all.
If it is an Apple feature, I assume it uses the same quality that gets delivered to the iDevice.
I’ve just tried playing my FLAC music on my iPad, and my server also transcodes to AAC. I know that FLAC files can be played on iCrap, as I have another app (MyMusicCloud) which does that. I think it must be something to do with the Plex app for iOS.
Most of my music is encoded into FLAC format, and we use a Raspberry Pi 3 with Rasplex installed, connected to a home cinem system to play FLAC files.
As Otto says, mobile support is looking unlikely at present.
(1) start play on iPad (transcode to AAC) … then fling to PMP … DirectPlay(PMP on same PC as PMS)
this is good … as can have dedicated PMP for music listening room … then connect PMP to DAC then Amp
(2) start play on iPad (transcode to AAC) … then send audio to Airplay (used AirfoilSattelite for Windows as Airplay receiver) … still transcode to AAC … probably means PMS still sends audio to iPad then iPad sends what it receives to Airplay
not good … as I was planning to use AirportExpress for each Zone for multizone audio … and Plex as a mean to manage my FLAC … and use PlexApp from iPad to send music to different zones
@alan.shenton said:
I’ve just tried playing my FLAC music on my iPad, and my server also transcodes to AAC. I know that FLAC files can be played on iCrap, as I have another app (MyMusicCloud) which does that. I think it must be something to do with the Plex app for iOS.
Most of my music is encoded into FLAC format, and we use a Raspberry Pi 3 with Rasplex installed, connected to a home cinem system to play FLAC files.
As Otto says, mobile support is looking unlikely at present.
I think other apps write their own codes to “decode” FLAC … plex uses whats readily available on iOS … and FLAC is not one of them … licensing other codes to do FLAC is probably too expensive
Seems only option is to transcode FLAC/APE/WAV to ALAC at PMS when sending to so cold “iCrap” for lossless playback … will check Feature Vote if somebody has requested this feature
After some research … and testing … at the moment, Plex only plays original quality of media if device support that FILE FORMAT. If it does not, PMS transcode it to lossy format
Please cast your vote for PMS to transcode lossless to lossless (eg FLAC to ALAC for iPads) in link below (click like button on first post)
