Audex Trace fact sheet.

Audex Trace is an independent macOS Apple Music companion app.

Audex Trace is built for Apple Music Lossless and Hi-Res listeners on Mac. It shows current playback details, the selected Mac output sample rate, and output match status as separate readings.

Audex Trace is not affiliated with Apple. Apple Music and macOS are trademarks of Apple Inc.

Playback Verification confirms support before Pro.

The free download includes Playback Verification so users can confirm that Trace can detect the needed playback signals on their own Mac before buying Pro.

Playback Verification is not the full Pro playback readout and may not show the full codec and bit-depth display. If it detects the playback sample rate, the Mac has passed the pre-purchase support check.

Trace Pro keeps the playback readout visible while listening.

• Live Apple Music playback format, when detectable. If the quality drops or rises partway through a track, the readout changes when that happens.
• Detected codec, bit depth where applicable, and sample rate.
• Selected Mac output sample rate.
• Output match status between playback and macOS output.
• Playing Next: the upcoming queue, artwork, scrolling, queue editing, quality estimates, and skip warnings.
• Optional Auto Sample Rate Match for compatible output devices.

For lossy formats such as AAC, bit depth is not the meaningful signal in the same way it is for ALAC Lossless.

What Audex Trace does not do.

• It does not record or upload audio.
• It does not require Apple Music sign-in.
• It does not make low-quality tracks become Hi-Res.
• It does not claim to certify bit-perfect output.
• It is not an EQ, enhancer, player replacement, or Spotify utility.

Verify playback before buying Pro.

Audex Trace requires macOS 15 or later and the Apple Music app. Detection depends on macOS, Apple Music behavior, the active route, Music settings, and output device support.

Playback-format detection currently requires a macOS administrator account. Standard user accounts cannot access the local playback logs Trace needs, so Playback Verification and live playback-format detection are unavailable. It is the account you are logged in with that has to be an administrator. Trace itself does not run with elevated privileges and never asks for an administrator password. The restriction comes from macOS, which limits who can read the system log, so it applies to any tool that reads Apple Music's playback format from that log; LosslessSwitcher's README states the same requirement.

Play a track in Apple Music, open Audex Trace, and verify playback before buying Pro.

Audex Trace is designed as a local Mac utility.

Audex Trace does not record, upload, or analyze audio content. It does not require users to sign in to Apple Music through Audex. Purchase and download flows use Audex services, but playback checking happens on the user's Mac.

Free Playback Verification, then one-time Pro purchase.

Audex Trace can be downloaded for free. Free includes Now Playing with playback controls, track metadata and artwork, the player window, menu bar panel and notch, keyboard shortcuts, and Playback Verification. Playing Next is part of Trace Pro. Trace Pro is a one-time purchase of $29.99, with no subscription. One license covers all Macs you personally use; enter the same license key on each Mac for online verification.