[User 421137]

@NeroRome

i cannot really understand your problems with HiRes and Intel. Even my old media-pc based on Intel Atom 330 was able to playback HiRes audio without any problems.
And I am sure, that there is no downsizing to 44.1 or 48 kHz.
My AVR does not show the input-resolution, but MPD creates good readable logs. And, interestingly enough, there is resampling - but high-sampling from 24bit 192kHz to 32bit 192kHz. Interesting, because i thought i prevented all resampling.

I would give you the advice to set up a very pure test-system. No additional sound-drivers, no pulseaudio - only alsa and your playback-software. My OS here is Lubuntu, but i cannot imagine that the OS has influence to this topic.
Good luck!

Fact is, it's not working on my Linux Mint 19.1 Xfce (with Pulse Audio). Neither Kodi nor VLC will give me Hi-Res output but only 44.1 kHz (or 48 kHz) for FLAC files with 96 or 192 kHz/24 bit.
This is the situation on my Linux Mint installation. AFAIK I didn't change anything relevant for the audio settings. Hi-Res files will be played, but only resampled.

I guess, many other users (with a comparable Linux setup) will have the same situation and they think they will get Hi-Res audio but in truth it is just down-sampled CD-Audio quality.

Actually I believe 44.1 kHz/16 bit (lossless) is usually quite enough because people will not hear the better Hi-Res quality (poor sense of hearing), don't have the equipment and/or room to get a real benefit from Hi-Res or just the recording is not good enough. However, this is a different story.


Since I don't get Hi-Res audio and the specification from Intel is very clear for me, I would not see the problem at my side (OS, driver, audio subsystem, etc.).

I'm also very shocked about what you can find in the Intel forum about support of Hi-Res audio, especially for Sky Lake-NUC's and how Intel is just downgrading the specifications afterwards.


So what should I do? Intel says it's only supporting up to 48 kHz and I get 478 kHz. My system is running like specified and everything is fine. Isn't it?

Well, I would say no!
This specification might just be a bad joke nowadays. Even if older systems would support Hi-Res with 96 kHz or more.
I'm also quite surprised if other people say, they have no problem with Hi-Res (> 48 kHz). As already written: I think may will get down-sampled output and they don't know it.
However, I also respect answers, if people say believable they have Hi-Res output or it is verifiable.


Now I have tried two other setups.
Lubuntu ("lubuntu-18.10-desktop-amd64.iso", out of the box, playback with VLC) only gives me 44.1 kHz, but it is running with Pulse Audio.
LibreELEC (actual version, created with "LibreELEC.USB-SD.Creator.Win32.exe") gives me Hi-Res. Eureka! I only had to change the audio device from analog to ALSA HDMI.
So, I must say: Gemini Lake supports Hi-Res over HDMI - but I only get it with ALSA and not with PulseAudio.
Actually I cannot say, if the problem is in PulseAudio, in Linux Mint, in Ubuntu, in the driver or just in my settings. Since I need a normal Desktop too ALSA is not proper way for me. I have to use PulseAudio. Let's see, if I get Hi-Res also with my PulseAudio system.


P.S.: It would be fine to hear from other users with PulseAudio and Linux Mint (or at least Ubuntu).