Apple m4a won‘t play

[Thorsten_Domke]

Roon Core Machine

QNAP NAS HS-251+

Networking Gear & Setup Details

FRITZ!Box 7310

Connected Audio Devices

Apple iPhone
Sonos Soundbar

Number of Tracks in Library

4.000

Description of Issue

I have old Apple m4a files that won’t play by room neither per IPhone app nor per Mac app. Room shows as format: AAC 44.1kHz 257 kbps. Playing by Apple Music works fine. What shall I do? Thanks for your support in advance!
Best regards Thorsten

[Rugby (aka Daniel or Big Dan)]

Roon cannot play DRM apple music files. Might that be the issue?

[AnimalOnDrums]

Hey,
I did a search and it appears that this is a known issue that has been discussed on this forum:

Roon does not read ACC files

Few Radio stations are actually working on Roon Live Radio. Some MP3 lines do, while ACC lines do not. I’m receiving messages saying that a file could not be loaded. For example, this is happening with Radio Canada Ici Musique, a Montreal-based radio station. a local radio station. The same is happening with BBC and Radio France stations. I’ve read the February exchanges on Roon community on this topic, to no avail. Also, I’ve downloaded an ACC file from TIDAL (Juan Gutiérrez de Padilla - Music…

It looks like this thread has some answers:

Roon Server on QNAP QTS 4.5.1 Situation

Hi everybody, I have been working hard on a workaround for the ffmpeg issue on QNAP NAS with QTS 4.5.1 and will forward the update to QNAP. It has an option to manually add ffmpeg to a folder in the specified database shared folder. You’re more thanwelcome to give it a test. Feedback is really appreciated (preferably as a PM). Link removed. → The Update is now available in the QNAP App Center. You need to download a static build of ffmpeg manually (you can find good build for example on J…

The issue has to do with the QNAP software/firmware because they use an ffmpeg file that does not support .m4a AAC audio files. The fix seems to be replacing the QNAP’s ffmpeg file with a new one.

Also, the QNAP support page https://www.qnap.com/en-us/app_releasenotes/list.php?app_choose=RoonServer also states “- ffmpeg can no longer be provided in the Roon Server web UI. Instead it can be copied in the /RoonOnNAS/bin directory. When ffmpeg has been manually provided before, it will automatically be migrated to this new folder.”

Also, any AAC files purchased from iTunes in 2009 or 2010 and before have DRM protection and can only be played on apple devices. I would first try playing newer purchased AAC files before doing anything else.

[Thorsten_Domke]

Thanks a lot for your comments. I didn’t know this shortcoming of QNAP. Best regards Thorsten