Big problems with M4A after updating to Windows 11 22H2

Anonymous
2023-05-16T09:52:13+00:00

Dear colleagues, after updating Windows 11 to 22H2, there were significant problems with playing files purchased from iTunes in .m4a (AAC, ALAC) format. This problem has been fixed by a lot of people all over the world and is especially evident on the DJ forums. Problems are observed with the quality of playback, and with the volume and with a number of other parameters. This problem is detected on software that uses the built-in Windows 11 22H2 codecs (on earlier versions, the problem is not observed), Windows Media Player, RekordBox, Serato DJ Pro, etc. On players that use their own codecs (VLC, iTunes, JetAudio HD, etc.) there is no problem. When converting m4a to mp3, there are no problems. What it looks like: https://youtu.be/WqAA12pfWjg and https://youtu.be/um3QSTuLg6s Software vendors fix this issue after the 22H2 update as well, label it as a Microsoft issue and offer a workaround, such as converting the entire m4a database to other formats, which of course is completely unacceptable advice with a database of several thousand files. https://forums.pioneerdj.com/hc/en-us/community/posts/12212808237337-RekordBox-5-8-7-m4a-problems Does Microsoft acknowledge the existence of this problem and when is it planned to release an urgent fix, since. the problem has been observed for a very long time and prevents normal operation?

Thanks in advance!

Windows for home | Windows 11 | Devices and drivers

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Anonymous
2024-03-27T00:42:35+00:00

I installed KB5035942 and unless I'm severely mistaken, the issue seems to be resolved.

Can anyone else confirm?

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  1. Anonymous
    2024-02-29T19:25:37+00:00

    Pete, good afternoon, today is the end of the month :-) Do I understand correctly that the fix for the problem discussed here will be included in Windows 11 Moment 5 update? Will the list of fixes explicitly indicate that this particular issue (among others) has been fixed? Thank you!

    Now today is actually the end of the month :)

    Check for updates. Sometimes these are slow-rolled so it may not be immediately available, but usually if you go in and check for updates manually and/or have the option set to get updates immediately, you'll get them anyway.

    https://blogs.windows.com/windowsexperience/2024/02/29/microsoft-copilot-improvements-for-windows-11/

    This is the update the product team told me the change will be in. I haven't personally verified it because my PCs are all on Insider Canary builds or internal.

    Pete

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  2. Anonymous
    2024-02-29T19:40:12+00:00

    Hi Pete!

    I've just installed the update on my computer. The audio problem seems to be solved but now there is another big problem: the m4a files are played at a very slow speed and are low to the point that the song cannot actually be listened, with intervals in which the audio disappears completely.

    Can anyone else comfirm this problem?

    Anyway, thanks for your availability Pete!

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  3. Anonymous
    2024-02-29T20:02:59+00:00

    Hi Pete!

    I've just installed the update on my computer. The audio problem seems to be solved but now there is another big problem: the m4a files are played at a very slow speed and are low to the point that the song cannot actually be listened, with intervals in which the audio disappears completely.

    Can anyone else comfirm this problem?

    Anyway, thanks for your availability Pete!

    Are those also from iTunes? If not, can you say where they're from? iTunes uses a flag in an unexpected way that we have to ignore. The fix reverts back to the old behavior where we ignore that. I'm wondering if there's a side effect of messing up audio that properly uses that flag now. (There wasn't in the team's testing, which is why I'd need to know the source)

    Pete

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  4. Anonymous
    2024-02-29T20:11:54+00:00

    Yes! The problem occurs with tracks purchased from iTunes in m4a format.

    Thanks,

    Andrea

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