Unable to select 192 kHz sample rate in Audio MIDI Setup

Question

Level 1

8 points

Unable to select 192 kHz sample rate in Audio MIDI Setup

And I'm also unable to select it within any applications that support it, such as Max/MSP.
Why wouldn't the 192 kHz option be available when the hardware supports it?
Also, has anyone ever had problems with the settings in the Audio MIDI setup sometimes reverting or changing to different settings? If I select 24 bits/96 kHz for input and output, occasionally I'll come back and see that it's been changed to 24 bits/44.1 kHz or 16 bits/96 kHz. Do some applications cause this?
Thanks!

MacBook, Mac OS X (10.4.7), 2.0 GHz/1 GB

Posted on Aug 11, 2006 7:59 AM

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Answer 1

cebec Author

Level 1

8 points

Oct 19, 2006 6:23 PM in response to LettuceHead

Lettucehead: What are some of the applications and utilities you're installing? Are there any tweaks you're performing? Any information could lead to a discovery.

I'll have my second MacBook next week... I was thinking, if the 192 kHz option's available with a default installation (I don't think it was with my first MacBook) I'll carefully monitor the option's availability with each subsequent alteration.

It's been several months since I spoke with Apple customer service and I was told then that they would pass my question on to the engineers and I should expect a phone call and/or e-mail. I haven't heard from them either way. If this next MacBook has the same problem I will call again.

I would appreciate if people who have read this far would take a moment to see if their MacBook or MacBook Pro has the option to select the 192 kHz sampling rate in the Audio MIDI Setup.

Thanks.

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Answer 2

cebec Author

Level 1

8 points

Aug 11, 2006 9:23 AM in response to cebec

Hi,
According to this, MacBooks and MacBook Pro's support 192 kHz out of the box:

http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=303722

I don't know what version firmware I'm using but I'll check later. I ran Software Update as soon as I got it, too.

I'm running mainly Max/MSP and Supercollider right now. I'm also using Audacity, DSP Quattro and some other things. Most, if not all of them, allow setting the sampling rate to 192 kHz but the option is not available. Nor is it available in the Audio MIDI setup dialog.

Thanks!

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Answer 3

Aug 11, 2006 9:02 AM in response to cebec

What applications are you using? I know if you use some audio programs and you have your preferences set to record in 24bit/44.1 kHz that is what it will record in. You have to set it up to record at the rates that you want it to record. What interface are you using? Do you have the latest firmware installed on it? Maybe it isn't supported by the intel mac yet.

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Answer 4

Aug 11, 2006 9:30 AM in response to cebec

Are you using digital instead of analog signal, because from your link it said the digital is up to 96 khz only.

Also check your audio output source capability, is that audio source able to produce output at 192 khz, and was set to that rate and frequency.

Good Luck.

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Answer 5

cebec Author

Level 1

8 points

Aug 12, 2006 11:36 AM in response to Michael Tirta

I'm using the analog out, which according to that article, supports 192 kHz operation. That is the audio hardware I'm using: the built-in hardware. It is the only audio interface installed and therefore selected. It should go up to 192 kHz. Others, elsewhere, are reporting that they are unable to select 192 kHz operation while one MacBook Pro user says he can and another MacBook Pro operator says he cannot.
I have a ticket in with the engineering department and they will e-mail or call me when they have an answer.

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Answer 6

Aug 31, 2006 1:43 PM in response to cebec

Only up to 96 kHz here too (analog in).
The digital I/O (spdif) is interesting.
I haven't tried 192 for digital in, but 44.1 works fine, up to 24 bits, and appears to be bit-transparent (no SRC), which is good news.
Playback of 24 bit files gives 24 active bits in the digital output (as it should). However, when you play 16 bit audio in iTunes and adjust the output level (volume or EQ), the output will remain 16 bits. I would have expected 24 active bits at the output (follow the Audio MIDI Setup settings).

BTW, do you really need 192 kHz, alexandria ? It seems rather useless to me, on a laptop. High quality external converters could make sense. Otherwise it's just a waste of discspace IMO (which 192kHz is probably anyway).
The MacBook should work as advertised though, I agree with you 🙂

MacBook Mac OS X (10.4.7)

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Answer 7

cebec Author

Level 1

8 points

Aug 31, 2006 3:35 PM in response to Kees de Visser

No, I don't need 192 kHz and I'm fine with 96 right now and esp. with the digital out/in I can use it with outboard converters or an external audio interface.

However, I use this MacBook primarily for real-time sound synthesis and I'd like to have 192 kHz capability for some experiments. But yeah, it's mainly wanting it to perform as advertised. And, it's a mystery, since at least one MacBook Pro user CAN select 192 kHz. Oh, and we should be able to choose 176.4, as well.

Thanks a lot for checking and for reporting your findings.

Matt

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Answer 8

Oct 19, 2006 5:46 PM in response to cebec

I'm having this issue as well and wanted to give this a bump, this is a serious issue for me.

I use my macbook for audio synthesis as well and the lack of this fidelity is obnoxious. I have had it for a short while after a reinstall of the OS, but then after several hours the option disappears. I am assuming this is because of some application install but cannot verify this.

For clarity, when reinstalling the OS I maintained my older user.

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Answer 9

cebec Author

Level 1

8 points

Oct 25, 2006 6:34 PM in response to cebec

Got my new/used MacBook (week 27) and it, too, cannot select any sample rate higher than 96000.0 Hz per the Audio MIDI Setup (Utilities).
I will have to call Apple, again, unless they can respond here.

MacBook Mac OS X (10.4.7) 2.0 GHz/1 GB

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Answer 10

Aug 12, 2006 12:57 PM in response to cebec

I have a ticket in with the engineering department
and they will e-mail or call me when they have an
answer.

Good to know, keep us posted, as this is rather strange...

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Answer 11

cebec Author

Level 1

8 points

Aug 15, 2006 8:46 AM in response to cornelious0.0

Hi,
I'd like very much if MacBook and MacBook Pro owners could check to see if they can get 192 kHz sampling rate in the Audio MIDI settings. Please post here with your findings...
Thanks!

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Answer 12

cebec Author

Level 1

8 points

Aug 18, 2006 1:02 PM in response to cebec

would anyone mind checking this for me? only post here if you are able to select 192 kHz.

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Answer 13

Shaffer22

Level 2

400 points

Aug 18, 2006 1:09 PM in response to cebec

I am only able to select up to 96 kHz.

Jason

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Answer 14

cebec Author

Level 1

8 points

Aug 27, 2006 10:44 AM in response to cebec

it's been over 2 weeks and i've still not had a response from Apple nor have more than a couple of people on various forums tried to select 192 kHz in the Audio/MIDI settings for me.

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Answer 15

cebec Author

Level 1

8 points

Aug 31, 2006 12:39 PM in response to cebec

anyone want to give this a shot? takes a few seconds. thanks

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