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Apple TV upsampling to 48khz

Richard8655

Richard8655

macrumors 68000
Original poster
Mar 11, 2009
1,882
1,333
Chicago suburbs
Sorry if this has been asked. I searched and could find no answer in the forum or elsewhere.

Why does Apple TV upsample its audio from 44.1khz to 48khz? I ask because standard CD audio is at 44.1khz, and upsampling potentially impacts the original audio quality, even if almost undetectibly. Some audiophiles have noticed a difference and blame it on this.

Airport Express keeps its audio at 44.1khz as an original CD would have. I wonder if it has to do with how the sound is packaged with video, since Apple TV's main mission is video transmission, not audio in itself.
 
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Pyromonkey83

macrumors 6502
May 24, 2009
325
0
Richard8655 said:
Sorry if this has been asked. I searched and could find no answer in the forum or elsewhere.

Why does Apple TV upsample its audio from 44.1khz to 48khz? I ask because standard CD audio is at 44.1khz, and upsampling potentially impacts the original audio quality, even if almost undetectibly. Some audiophiles have noticed a difference and blame it on this.

Airport Express keeps its audio at 44.1khz as an original CD would have. I wonder if it has to do with how the sound is packaged with video, since Apple TV's main mission is video transmission, not audio in itself.
Click to expand...

A lot of receivers will only accept 48khz Dolby Digital audio (for videos only, of course) in order to recognize it as such. I know my Denon will only allow you to select the Dolby Pro Logic II setting if the audio is in 48khz. I believe the Apple TV upsamples in order to fit this restriction for video, and ends up doing the same for audio as well regardless.

I have never looked, but you may want to check the Audio settings of the Apple TV to see if there is a setting that will allow you to change this.
 
Richard8655

Richard8655

macrumors 68000
Original poster
Mar 11, 2009
1,882
1,333
Chicago suburbs
Pyromonkey83 said:
A lot of receivers will only accept 48khz Dolby Digital audio (for videos only, of course) in order to recognize it as such. I know my Denon will only allow you to select the Dolby Pro Logic II setting if the audio is in 48khz. I believe the Apple TV upsamples in order to fit this restriction for video, and ends up doing the same for audio as well regardless.

I have never looked, but you may want to check the Audio settings of the Apple TV to see if there is a setting that will allow you to change this.
Click to expand...

Yes, thanks, the video with Dolby digital audio 48khz compatibility explanation makes sense. I didn't know this about Dolby receivers.

Apple TV does not allow a change of settings for upsampling rate. But in the end, I doubt there's any sound degradation of 44.1khz music that's noticable even by audiophile ears.
 
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GilesM

macrumors 6502
Oct 17, 2008
323
0
My Apple Tv has suddenly started sending at 48khz instead of 4.1 since updating to iTunes 11.00. Not sure if this is due to any changes or perhaps I did not notice it previously. Either way i am happy about it. just wish iTunes and Apple TV combination would allow the higher sampling rates my DAC can handle (96Khz).. please Apple... pretty please...
 
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