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[robb42]

If I set the output sample rate to 44.1kHz for all inputs, I get about 2 seconds of sound then it goes silent.  Setting it to 48kHz results in complete silence. 

Same results if I choose "Core Audio" or "AirPods Max (Core Audio)" as the Audio Output device.

I can get AirPods Pro to work by setting the output sample rate to 48kHz.  But no luck with AirPods Max   

I'm on Mac OSX Monterey 12, M1 iMac

[bob]

If I set the output sample rate to 44.1kHz for all inputs, I get about 2 seconds of sound then it goes silent.  Setting it to 48kHz results in complete silence. 

Same results if I choose "Core Audio" or "AirPods Max (Core Audio)" as the Audio Output device.

I can get AirPods Pro to work by setting the output sample rate to 48kHz.  But no luck with AirPods Max   

I'm on Mac OSX Monterey 12, M1 iMac

Check the supported sample rate in Audio Midi Setup and use that.
Select the AirPods Max (Core Audio) in MC's audio settings.
If exclusive mode and or integer mode are enabled, turn them off.

[robb42]

Thanks - but I tried that, and no success.  It plays about 2 seconds of audio and then the audio disappears.  AirPods PRO work fine using your suggestions, but the AirPods Max are not happy.  Attached are my settings.

Strangely, I can use the AirPods Max paired to my iPad with JRemote, and they work fine.

[bob]

That's odd. Is 44.1k the only choice for output in the Midi settings?

Can you get a log and post it (or email it to me: bob (at) jriver (dot) com)
There is pretty extensive logging of the audio open process there.

Thanks.

[robb42]

Choices for AirPods Max output format in AMS attached, as well as the log file when I attempted to play.  2 seconds of audio sound ok, then .... silence.


Thanks for looking into this!

[bob]

So you are playing on a Media Server client from a Media Server MC.
Can you do the Tools->Options->Media Network->Client Options ->Audio Conversion->Don't convert audio
and try again?
Also you could turn off sync in there, because you aren't using authentication there will be no sync back anyway.

[robb42]

No joy - audio still drops after a few seconds.  Log attached.

This line looks suspicious:

0033035: 6170030080: Playback: CCoreAudioPlugin::FillBuffers: Core audio is asking for more data than we have available?

[bob]

No joy - audio still drops after a few seconds.  Log attached.

This line looks suspicious:

0033035: 6170030080: Playback: CCoreAudioPlugin::FillBuffers: Core audio is asking for more data than we have available?

That is common at the start of a stream, but it may be a clue.
Can you try increasing the hardware buffer in MC's Audio device configuration?
If that doesn't change anything try increasing the software buffer.

[robb42]

I adjusted these on the client, is that correct?  Problem still occurs.  Log attached.

[robb42]

ok, now it's working but I'm not sure why.

I tried using the Music app on the iMac, and it failed in the same way with the AirPods Max (2 sec of audio, then silence)
I fooled around with the output settings in Music, and tried choosing the iMac as the output destination instead of the AirPods Max (see attached), and this somehow switched Audio Midi Setup from 44.1kHz to 48kHz, and when I then changed MC to use 48kHz, it started to work (and so does the Music app).

I don't really understand what's going on, but I'm happy it's working now 

[bob]

Wow, that's interesting.
Did you have any other audio apps running at the same time?

I might try playing around to see if I can get my Pro pods to switch sample rates. It'd be useful to know how this all fits together.

[robb42]

Did you have any other audio apps running at the same time?

Just the Apple Music app.  I'm not exactly sure when the sampling rate switched, but I was messing with the outputs in Apple Music when I noticed the change in AMS.  Something mysterious is going on.

[barryo]

Hi robb42 and bob

I have exactly the same sound problems with AirPods Max and Media Center 29 (and 25) as robb42, having just started to use a new AirPods Max.  (I have Mac's:  MacBook Pro and Mac mini; my music libraries are on a Synology NAS)  I am a simple user (not very technological) and did not follow the discussion in this thread.  So I am hoping that you can simply tell me what the solution is, after all your experimentation. 

After I try to use MC with the AirPods Max, that playback problem then applies to other apps (including Apple Music and YouTube on Safari), until I reboot  -  then all is well until I try MC with AirPods Max (rather than the Mac speakers).

I use my Mac mini, its external speakers, and a smart TV (LG OLED 55BXPTA, connected by HDMI to the Mac mini) as a simple "media unit".  I assume the AirPods Max problem is related to a playback error I receive if I forget to change the sound output on my Mac mini from the smart TV to the Mac mini speakers when I play MC on it (I have never been able to use the smart TV as the MC output, since I bought the smart TV 6 months ago  -  it'd be nice if solving the AirPods Max issue also applied to this); my Mac mini happily plays Apple Music (library also on the NAS) on the smart TV (and of course the Mac speakers).

Maybe my other problem with MC is having ripped my music to FLAC files (vs. the default AAC on iTunes):  Any comments on which file format works best on MC (for better sound)?

So robb42 and bob please suggest how I can use AirPods Max with MC (and feel very free to make any other suggestions for improving my sound set up).  I'm almost at the stage of giving up MC, though I hate the restrictions of Apple Music and want to keep using my own ripped music libraries (not streaming), if I can somehow keep it all viable into the future with my limited tech know-how!

Thanks,

Barry

[bob]

Hi robb42 and bob

I have exactly the same sound problems with AirPods Max and Media Center 29 (and 25) as robb42, having just started to use a new AirPods Max.  (I have Mac's:  MacBook Pro and Mac mini; my music libraries are on a Synology NAS)  I am a simple user (not very technological) and did not follow the discussion in this thread.  So I am hoping that you can simply tell me what the solution is, after all your experimentation. 

After I try to use MC with the AirPods Max, that playback problem then applies to other apps (including Apple Music and YouTube on Safari), until I reboot  -  then all is well until I try MC with AirPods Max (rather than the Mac speakers).

I use my Mac mini, its external speakers, and a smart TV (LG OLED 55BXPTA, connected by HDMI to the Mac mini) as a simple "media unit".  I assume the AirPods Max problem is related to a playback error I receive if I forget to change the sound output on my Mac mini from the smart TV to the Mac mini speakers when I play MC on it (I have never been able to use the smart TV as the MC output, since I bought the smart TV 6 months ago  -  it'd be nice if solving the AirPods Max issue also applied to this); my Mac mini happily plays Apple Music (library also on the NAS) on the smart TV (and of course the Mac speakers).

Maybe my other problem with MC is having ripped my music to FLAC files (vs. the default AAC on iTunes):  Any comments on which file format works best on MC (for better sound)?

So robb42 and bob please suggest how I can use AirPods Max with MC (and feel very free to make any other suggestions for improving my sound set up).  I'm almost at the stage of giving up MC, though I hate the restrictions of Apple Music and want to keep using my own ripped music libraries (not streaming), if I can somehow keep it all viable into the future with my limited tech know-how!

Thanks,

Barry

Did you try build 29.0.32 ??

[robb42]

Hi Barry,

As I said above, I'm not sure exactly what made it start working for me, but it seems to be sticking across reboots and I haven't had any problems since it started working.
Attached are my settings in MC 28 and in Audio/Midi setup. 

Maybe try playing through the AirPods Max using Apple Music, then switch over to MC 28?

I'm on an M1 iMac running Monterey 12.3

[barryo]

Thanks for the quick response, both robb42 and bob.  bob:  I used 20.0.23  -  I'll try .32 soon.  robb42:  thanks for the settings.  The difference seems to be the 48.0 kHz  -  not sure how to make that happen (I gather I need first for Apple Music to somehow switch to that from 44.1.  I'll keep trying.  I have 2020 M1 both for Mac mini and MacBookPro, and macOS 12.3.1.  bob:  if you have any other settings that you think relevant, please tell me.  Thanks again, Barry.  (I'm away for the long weekend here, so might be slow to do stuff)

[barryo]

Being leaving for the long weekend, just quickly tried .32 but same problem.  Will look into that on Sunday/Monday.

[barryo]

Hi robb42 and bob.  I've now had more time to look at this issue. 

I HAVE managed to listen to music normally via the AirPods Max but, UNLIKE robb42, not consistently because, LIKE robb42, I have not been able to work out the crucial settings/controls.  However, I'm pretty sure the issue is NOT about Media Center; my guess is it's the way the AirPods Max is configured "internally" (bluetooth especially?) and can be fixed only by Apple engineers (not by changing any settings anywhere). 

As robb42 said, the crucial setting needed seems to be to have the AirPods Max switch to play at 48.0 kHz, rather than the apparent default setting of 44.1 for MacBookPro (?and iMac) speakers.  It seems that some sound apps will do this sometimes, whether that be Apple Music or e.g. Safari YouTube.  And you can exit-then-reopen apps and/or reboot and/or introduce other bluetooth devices, or temporarily select other sound outputs (e.g. my Dell monitor seems to always use 48.0) and the switch can occur.  But for me, alas, not consistently.

And the features which make AirPods Max so expensive are wasted on me:  I found Spatial Audio a retrograde from well-produced stereo (e.g. usually lose the bass to some far-off background location) and I don't intend to subscribe to services which supply the needed Dolby ATMOS; I don't need/want noise cancellation except on a plane; and I still need a cable for some of my devices.

My AirPods Max is a gift, so I'm now thinking I'll ask my son to return them (if so, need to do very soon).

robb42 and bob (or anyone else):  while here, any recommendations for?:
  -  the best file types for routinely ripping music?  (FLAC/WAV, etc.)
  -  headphones:
       -  ideally that will employ cable AND bluetooth
       -  and ideally that will simulate 5-channel sound (to contradict? the above, I would like to listen to e.g. Blu-Ray audio discs employing Dolby ATMOS Master Audio 5.1, that come with deluxe reissues, but without having to have an actual 5-speaker set up)
 
Regards, Barry

[aliciaviola]

Unfortunately I only found a solution in German (there is for sure an English, French... equivalent). Programs like Logic, Cubase, WaveLab and others that control the Mac's in- and output use change the sample and bitrate like MC have the same problem with AirPods.
Here is the solution that works with WaveLab and MC:

https://support.apple.com/de-de/HT202000

appended is a green picture of my Mac's Audio-Midi settings.

Frank

[bob]

https://support-apple-com.translate.goog/de-de/HT202000?_x_tr_sl=de&_x_tr_tl=en&_x_tr_hl=en&_x_tr_pto=wapp

Though I can't say I entirely get it.

[barryo]

Thanks very much Frank and bob. 

Wow, Audio MIDI Setup seems to be pretty sophisticated. 

I won't be trying out these other programs like WaveLab but, as I understand Frank's comments, this variation in sample and bitrate between apps is a known problem for AirPods (maybe especially Max), even for apps within Apple's accepted domain.  So this serves to convince me that my expensive Max is just not for me. 

But I am most appreciative of Frank and bob seeking out this page and functionality for Audio MIDI Setup  -  it not only helps me appreciate some of the technology but also will be very handy for my future sound choices. 

Many thanks, Barry.