'Convert higher bit rate songs to 256 kbps AAC' option breaks gapless playback

[andrewd3]

Hi everyone,

I have encountered an issue that is driving me nuts and wondered whether anyone else can replicate to confirm this bug?

- I have 'live' concert albums in my Apple Music library on my iMac in Apple Lossless (ALAC) format, which play back gaplessly on my iMac as they should
- If I convert these ALAC tracks to 256 kbps AAC in Apple Music on my iMac and then sync them to my iPhone, they play back gaplessly on my iPhone as they should
- However, if I select the ALAC files for syncing to my iPhone BUT check the 'Convert higher bit rate songs to 256 kbps AAC' option in sync settings, playback of these albums from my iPhone is no longer gapless, as there is an audible 'click'/short gap between tracks

I am running Mac OS Monterey 12.1 and iOS 15.2.

To further cloud the picture, anecdotally this problem only seems to affect albums I have added to my iMac library during the past few weeks or so. Older imports do in fact play back gaplessly despite having been synced to my iPhone with 'Convert higher bit rate songs to 256 kbps AAC' checked.

Can anyone shed any light on what might be happening here? Why would the 'Convert higher bit rate songs to 256 kbps AAC' break gapless playback for my recently added albums? Has Apple somehow introduced a bug in the latest Apple Music update?

Many thanks for your help!

 

[smigulon]

Hi Andrew

I have the exact same problem! Deeply frustrating isn't it? I'm on Monterey 12.2 and iOS 15.3 now but I first noticed it quite a while back on Big Sur. I've tried different bitrates and even different music players (thinking it maybe just a playback issue) but to no avail. It must be a bug. Have you tried raising a support ticket with Apple?
Sorry I can't help, but at least you're not alone.
Mike

 

[andrewd3]

Hi Andrew

I have the exact same problem! Deeply frustrating isn't it? I'm on Monterey 12.2 and iOS 15.3 now but I first noticed it quite a while back on Big Sur. I've tried different bitrates and even different music players (thinking it maybe just a playback issue) but to no avail. It must be a bug. Have you tried raising a support ticket with Apple?
Sorry I can't help, but at least you're not alone.
Mike

Yes, good to know I am not alone! I haven't raised a ticket with Apple, but I have posted about this on the Apple Music Community forum. There has been no response, although I replied to my thread with updates a couple of times: https://discussions.apple.com/thread/253526935

 

[smigulon]

Yes, good to know I am not alone! I haven't raised a ticket with Apple, but I have posted about this on the Apple Music Community forum. There has been no response, although I replied to my thread with updates a couple of times: https://discussions.apple.com/thread/253526935

Interesting development… I tried playing gapless albums on my iPhone using Foobar2000…. works perfectly. Which kind of points to Apple’s music player as being the culprit?

 

[andrewd3]

Interesting development… I tried playing gapless albums on my iPhone using Foobar2000…. works perfectly. Which kind of points to Apple’s music player as being the culprit?

Yes, the issue appears to be unique to Apple Music

 

[andrewd3]

This problem seemed to be fixed with either iOS 15.4 or 15.5 (can't remember which), but now it has re-appeared again with iOS 15.6. Once again, if I select ALAC files for syncing to my iPhone but check the 'Convert higher bit rate songs to 256 kbps AAC' option in sync settings, playback of these albums from my iPhone is no longer gapless. How has Apple managed to fix this and then break it again with iOS 15.6? So irritating!

 

[andrewd3]

I have upgraded to iOS 15.6.1 and this problem is still not fixed. If I add a new album in Apple Lossless to my Music library on my iMac, and then select 'Convert higher bit rate songs to 256 kpbs AAC' when syncing to my iPhone, playback from the iPhone is NOT GAPLESS. However if I manually create a 256 AAC version of the album in Music on my iMac and then sync that to my iPhone, playback IS GAPLESS. I wonder why Apple hasn't spotted this bug and fixed it yet?

 

[andrewd3]

Hallelujah! Finally this problem seems to have been fixed with the combination of iOS 16 and MacOS 12.6. Gapless playback has been restored for new albums transferred to my iPhone using the 'Convert higher bit rate songs to 256 kpbs AAC'. Apple, I know you have never publicly acknowledged this bug existed, but please try not to re-introduce it for a third time if at all possible...