BeatPerfect

How to Get Bit-Perfect Audio on Mac

A complete guide for audiophiles who want true lossless playback from Apple Music

What is Bit-Perfect Audio?

Bit-perfect audio means the digital signal sent to your DAC is identical to the source file — no processing, no conversion, no resampling. Every bit arrives exactly as the artist and engineer intended.

Why Your Mac Isn't Bit-Perfect by Default

macOS uses a system-wide audio engine called Core Audio. By default, it resamples all audio to a single sample rate (usually 44.1kHz or whatever you set in Audio MIDI Setup). This means:

  • A 96kHz Hi-Res track gets downsampled to 44.1kHz
  • A 48kHz track gets resampled to 44.1kHz
  • Your DAC never sees the original sample rate

The Manual Way (Audio MIDI Setup)

You can manually change sample rates in Audio MIDI Setup:

  1. Open Applications → Utilities → Audio MIDI Setup
  2. Select your DAC from the left sidebar
  3. Change the sample rate to match your track

The problem? You need to do this for every track with a different sample rate. Play a 44.1kHz song, then a 96kHz song — you'll need to switch manually or accept resampling.

The Automatic Way

For true bit-perfect playback without manual intervention, you need software that automatically matches your DAC's sample rate to each track's native format — before playback begins, not during it.

BeatPerfect Does This Automatically

BeatPerfect monitors Apple Music and switches your DAC to the correct sample rate before each track plays. No manual Audio MIDI Setup changes. No mid-track glitches.

Try BeatPerfect Free

How to Verify Bit-Perfect Playback

Most DACs display the incoming sample rate. When playing a 96kHz/24-bit track, your DAC should show 96kHz — not 44.1kHz. If it shows 44.1kHz, your audio is being resampled.

Summary

  • macOS resamples all audio by default
  • Manual sample rate switching is tedious and error-prone
  • Automatic switching requires third-party software
  • Check your DAC display to verify bit-perfect playback