if it simply decimated the signal as you describe - it would sound unintelligible and likely extremely loud buzzing type sound. I think lower down in the drivers the data would fit the variable types set assigned . and so more likely if it couldn’t down sample - you would simply get an error, but I suspect there will be a standard library down sample decimation call that the software would call… though it might not be a high quality decimation.
Was thinking more that AptX would use lossy compression and effectively rebuild at the other end in 24/96, in pretty much the same way it would on a standard stream. So you’re still getting 24/96 at the other end, just it’s been through quite lossy compression. I wouldn’t expect AptX to downsample personally if it claims to support 24/96.
For the downsampling I was thinking that a more switched on player software might recognise that it had lossless 16/44.1 over AptX available and perhaps offer that as an option using its own libraries to get to 16/44.1.
may be - I suspect its down to implementation specific. It feels counter intuitive though as it detracts from the confidence of being lossless in the first place .. as not everyone will scrutinise the sample rate and word size of what they are hearing
That sounds a bit like the facility 2L.no used to offer, now sadly withdrawn, though they offered a range of styles including classical, better for those for whom jazz is a turn-off! But it’s good to know such a thing is available.
Yes 2L offered some files a while back in what they termed a Test Bench. Some folks (audiosciencereview) who analyzed both offerings found some noise spikes in the files. Sound Liason fixed the issue in 2021 according to what they posted on the said website, not sure about 2L.
A different perspective: when I buy a download, and if it’s any good, I burn it to CD-R. In theory, I can get by with 16/44 redbook files. However, most stores seem to receive their files in hires wav, and convert them to flac in different resolutions with SoX or other tools. I prefer to do the downsampling myself as that way I control the dither and replay gain amongst others. So, I tend to buy highest res. When I upload the hires files onto the Melco/Dela or Hifi Rose, they tend to sound worse than the CD-R but that is likely due to the excellence of the Accuphase player.
It was famously recorded and mixed using dolby dbx, steely dan never liked the sound quality and wanted to record it again. But it was their last album with ABC records, so the record company said no, the band gave very limited support once released.