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Audex Trace 1.3

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@audexdev audexdev released this 28 Jul 07:38
v1.3
7c8a3a0

Audex Trace 1.3

Audex Trace 1.3 helps you understand what Apple Music is playing now, what’s coming next, and whether another format or release may offer a higher-quality option. It adds playback quality suggestions, more precise Playing Next estimates, and a unified view of playback and output details.

Improvements:

  • For Pro users, added playback quality suggestions for Apple Music tracks. A sparkles button reveals up to two relevant formats available on the current release or another release in the compact player and menu bar, while the expanded notch can show them below the playback controls. When available, Apple Lossless suggestions include best-effort bit depth and sample-rate details such as ALAC 24-bit / 96 kHz.
  • Added suggestion controls in Preferences for Dolby and Spatial Audio, Lossless, and higher-quality Apple Lossless alternatives, including an option to limit Dolby suggestions to supported outputs.
  • Playing Next now stays prepared in the background, including artwork, so opening it shows the current queue immediately. For Pro users, its quality estimates are also prepared in advance; when enough information is available, best-effort Apple Lossless estimates include bit depth and sample rate, while otherwise the broader Lossless or Hi-Res Lossless label is preserved.
  • The compact player now opens a combined Playback and Output details panel when you click either the playback-format label or the output-status label.
  • Playback details can show the codec, bit depth, sample rate, and channel count. AAC downmix playback is identified when that information is available, and estimated playback information is clearly marked.
  • When only the general playback tier is available, Lossless and Hi-Res Lossless labels are preserved instead of being reduced to a generic codec name.
  • Output details now group the device name, current sample rate, device format, supported sample rates, and a plain-language explanation of whether the playback and output sample rates match. The Output section remains available when playback details are unavailable or Audio Quality is turned off, and unavailable values are omitted instead of being guessed.
  • Compact player, menu bar, and notch playback labels now include the detected sample rate for AAC, Dolby Atmos, and Dolby Audio when available.
  • Sample-rate status wording is now consistent across the compact player and menu bar: Sample rate matched or Sample rate differs.
  • For Pro users, added an opt-in Include Lossy and Dolby setting for Auto Sample Rate Match. It is off by default; when enabled, AAC, Dolby Atmos, and Dolby Audio can drive automatic output sample-rate changes in addition to lossless playback.
  • Improved Auto Sample Rate Match reliability when playback and output changes happen close together.
  • Improved playback-format attribution during rapid track changes, reducing brief carryover, flicker, or mislabeling from the previous track.
  • Improved playback-time stability during playback, pause, and Apple Music Radio.
  • Tracks without available artwork no longer continue showing artwork from the previous track after artwork lookup completes.
  • Improved format details for supported local audio files, including PCM playback information when available. These details now remain steadier during repeated playback updates, and supported local PCM playback can also participate in Auto Sample Rate Match.
  • Long playback times now remain in total-hours form, such as 25:01:01, instead of switching to a day-based format.
  • Improved menu bar panel resizing and Playing Next transitions when content changes quickly.

Transparency notes:

  • Playback quality suggestions and Playing Next format labels are best-effort availability estimates. Even when bit depth and sample rate are shown, they do not confirm which rendition Apple Music will select for playback. Playback details remain the source for the format currently detected on the Mac.
  • Sample rate matched means that the detected playback sample rate and the output device sample rate are equal. It does not claim exclusive access, bit-perfect delivery, or that the playback and hardware channel layouts are identical.
  • Playback > Channels describes the current playback format. Output > Device format describes the hardware output configuration; these values may legitimately differ, especially for multichannel and spatial playback.
  • Auto Sample Rate Match follows playback sample rates that are eligible under your settings. If playback changes between lossless, AAC, or Dolby formats, enabling Include Lossy and Dolby allows the output sample rate to follow those changes as well. Estimated values remain controlled separately by Use estimates for sample-rate matching.

Download AudexTrace-1.3.zip, unzip it, and move Audex Trace.app to /Applications.

Compatibility notes:

  • Requires macOS 15 or later.
  • For best real-time playback-format detection, turn off Song Transitions, AutoMix, or Crossfade in Music.
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