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    Free Analyzer

    Hi-Res Audio Fraud Detector

    Is your "192 kHz hi-res" file actually an upsampled 44.1 kHz recording? Drop any audio file to generate a real frequency spectrum via FFT. A genuine hi-res master has energy above 22 kHz; a fake cuts off sharply at 20-22 kHz with nothing above the brick wall.

    Privacy: all analysis runs locally in your browser via the Web Audio API. Files never leave your device, never hit a server, never get logged.

    How to read the spectrum

    What to look for

    A genuine hi-res recording (96kHz or 192kHz) will show continuous energy extending above 22kHz, though the level should drop with frequency due to natural program content rolloff. The key is there should be no abrupt brick-wall cutoff below 22kHz.

    A fraudulently upsampled file shows a sharp, near-vertical dropoff at 20-22kHz - the fingerprint of the original 44.1kHz/48kHz recording's anti-aliasing filter. This is especially common with "hi-res" releases on some stores.

    What it cannot prove

    Even if a file has genuine hi-res content above 22kHz, that does not automatically mean it sounds better than a well-mastered 16-bit/44.1kHz file. The source master quality matters more than the file format.

    This tool analyzes the format authenticity only. A 96kHz file genuinely recorded and mastered at 96kHz is authentic. One that was mastered at 44.1kHz and exported at 96kHz is a waste of storage.

    Audio formats and what their spectrograms should look like

    Sample rate is the upper bound; the Nyquist frequency (rate ÷ 2) is the highest frequency a format can technically encode. A genuine 192 kHz file has energy above 22 kHz; a fake one cuts off sharply right at the original master's Nyquist limit.

    FormatSample rateNyquistSpectrogram tells
    MP3 320 kbps44.1 kHz22.05 kHzHard cutoff around 16-19 kHz from the codec lowpass.
    AAC 256 kbps (Apple Music CD)44.1 kHz22.05 kHzCutoff near 19-20 kHz; cleaner than MP3.
    CD (Red Book)44.1 kHz22.05 kHzBrick wall at 22 kHz. Anything above is impossible.
    DVD-Audio / pro standard48 kHz24 kHzBrick wall just below 24 kHz.
    "Hi-Res" 24/88.288.2 kHz44.1 kHzGenuine: tapered roll-off into 30+ kHz region.
    "Hi-Res" 24/9696 kHz48 kHzGenuine: continuous energy past 22 kHz.
    "Hi-Res" 24/192192 kHz96 kHzGenuine masters reach 40 kHz+. Fakes reveal the 22 kHz wall.
    DSD64 (SACD)2.8 MHz (1-bit)~28 kHz audio bandRising noise floor above 25 kHz is the DSD signature.
    DSD128 / 2565.6 / 11.3 MHz~50 / ~100 kHzCleaner band than DSD64. Same rising noise above the audible limit.

    FAQ

    Hi-res audio fraud FAQ.

    What fake hi-res actually is, how the FFT detector spots it, and whether anyone can hear the difference.

    1. What is a fake hi-res audio file?

      A file that claims a high sample rate (96 kHz, 192 kHz) or bit depth (24-bit) but actually contains content from a lower-resolution source - typically upsampled from a 44.1 kHz CD master or, worse, a lossy MP3. The container says hi-res; the audio is not. This is widespread in some streaming catalogues.

    2. How does the hi-res fraud detector work?

      It runs an FFT (fast Fourier transform) on your file and plots the actual frequency content. A genuine 96 kHz file shows energy up to 48 kHz; a 192 kHz file up to 96 kHz. A fake hi-res file shows a hard brick-wall cutoff around 20-22 kHz - the giveaway that the audio came from a 44.1 kHz source, regardless of what the container claims.

    3. Can I hear the difference between real and fake hi-res?

      Almost never directly - human hearing tops out at 20 kHz and falls fast above 16 kHz with age. The case for hi-res is mostly about the master, not the format: real hi-res releases often come from better masters with more dynamic range. The detector tells you whether you are getting the high-rate content you paid for.

    4. Does the file get uploaded to your server?

      No. The FFT analysis happens entirely in your browser using the Web Audio API. The file is decoded into an AudioBuffer locally, analyzed, and discarded when you close the page. We never see your audio files.