This new free 'bit-perfect' Hi-Res Audio player for Mac was apparently a 'nightmare' to make, but could become the lossless player of your dreams

Date:
Tue, 15 Sep 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Description:
YM Pro is a Mac music player that bypasses the system mixer and communicates directly with your DAC

FULL STORY ======================================================================Copy link Facebook X Whatsapp Reddit Pinterest Flipboard Threads Email Share this article 0 Join the conversation Follow us Add us as a preferred source on Google Newsletter Subscribe to our newsletter A new Mac music player called
YM Pro has been released on the Mac App Store and promises 'bit perfect' playback It bypasses macOS' system mixer to connect directly to your DAC Changes the DAC to match the file, not the other way around PCM audio only, requires Apple Silicon If you're looking for a hi-res music player for your Mac that can make the most of your external audio equipment, YM Pro could be just what you're looking for.

It's free, open source, available on the Mac App Store, and offers an interesting alternative to Apple 's way of doing things, especially if you
use an external DAC . And while it's very much a work in progress it's got lots of potential. Developer Yonesh Murugan has posted details of the app to r/audiophile . Getting it approved was apparently a "nightmare" because the app takes exclusive control of your audio hardware, something App Store reviewers weren't too happy about. But it's now approved and live, although there are a few rough edges still. Latest Videos From TechRadar Watch full video here:

The key difference between YM Pro and other apps is that it bypasses the system mixer completely, connecting directly to your DAC and automatically switching its sample rate to the file you're playing, up to 192kHz.

It also has "hog mode", which turns off all your system sounds and other
audio while you're listening. You may like These two budget hi-res music players evoke the best of the iPod era, but with modern features The best MP3 players and hi-res audio players Ever wondered whether upping the sound quality of your PS5 might improve your gaming chops? If so, Toppings cheap
new DAC is worth an audition YM Pro audio player: what works, and what needs work The "bit-perfect" claim is about how the app handles music playback. Rather than up- or downsampling audio files to match your DAC's set bitrate, it adjusts your DAC to match the audio file's resolution and does it directly, without any other software resampling as it passes through the OS, so your audio should remain pure.

Although YM Pro's core mission is to play hi-res, bit-perfect FLAC files, which the Apple Music app doesn't do (Apple wants you to use its ALAC equivalent instead), it also handles common formats including MP3 and WAV.
Get daily insight, inspiration and deals in your inbox Sign up for breaking news, reviews, opinion, top tech deals, and more. Contact me with news and offers from other Future brands Receive email from us on behalf of our
trusted partners or sponsors By submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over.

It's purely for PCM formats, not DSD, and it requires Apple Silicon (as does macOS 27 , which launches imminently).

The app doesn't connect to your Music library; instead, you point it to the folder containing the music you want it to catalog and play. That folder can be the one containing your existing Music library, but it lacks auto-scanning and auto-updating so you'd need to keep it up to date manually.

This is a first release, so inevitably there are some issues. And I seem to
be encountering more than most: I can't persuade it to use my preferred audio output, no matter how many times I change it in System Settings > Sound; the workaround described in the r/audiophile thread isn't working on my Mac Mini, where the app isn't paying attention to my selection. There are some
interface issues, and others report some playlist organization issues too.

However, early feedback from others says the app sounds good, and as it's free, it's worth taking a look at or listen to so you can compare it with the likes of VOX .

Murugan seems keen on feedback from users, and is promising to make some enhancements based on the comments provided so far. The best headphone DACs for all budgets Our top picks, based on real-world testing and comparisons

Read our full guide to the best headphone DACs 1. Best budget USB-C portable DAC: iFi GO Link Max 2. Best budget desktop DAC: iFi Uno 3. Best premium portable DAC: iFi xDSD Gryphon 4. Best wireless DAC: Fiio BTR17 Follow TechRadar on Google News and add us as a preferred source to get our expert news, reviews, and opinion in your feeds.



======================================================================
Link to news story: https://www.techradar.com/audio/dacs/this-new-free-bit-perfect-hi-res-audio-pl ayer-for-mac-was-apparently-a-nightmare-to-make-but-could-become-the-lossless- player-of-your-dreams


--- Mystic BBS v1.12 A49 (Linux/64)
* Origin: tqwNet Technology News (1337:1/100)