Preview audio does not play on macOS (M1) #541
Description
Issue type: Bug report
Platform:
macOS Sonoma (Apple M1)
UltraStar Play version:
v0.9.0 (also tested in v0.8.2)
Issue:
The #PREVIEWSTART tag is correctly set in multiple .txt files, and the corresponding .mp3 files are named and formatted properly (H.264 encoded, re-encoded with ffmpeg to ensure compatibility). However, the audio preview does not play during song selection on macOS.
What I’ve tried:
• Using #PREVIEWSTART:2 and other valid timestamps
• Re-encoding MP3s using ffmpeg (libmp3lame, 192k bitrate)
• Removing conflicting tags like #AUDIO, #VOCALS, #INSTRUMENTAL
• Using clean test song folders with only .txt and .mp3 files
• Launching from Terminal to observe logs (no preview-related errors shown)
• Waiting on the song in the selection screen for 5–10 seconds
• Using older builds (e.g., v0.8.2) — same result
• Verified that full audio playback does work inside gameplay and editor mode
Expected behavior:
When hovering/selecting a song in the song selection screen, the audio should begin playing from the time specified by #PREVIEWSTART.
Actual behavior:
No preview audio is played. Silence.
Notes:
This issue appears to be macOS-specific, possibly related to Unity audio behavior on Apple Silicon or sandboxed thread/audio access on macOS. It works correctly on Windows (as confirmed by other users). It may also relate to whether background audio threads are muted by default on macOS.
Steps to Reproduce:
1. Create a valid .txt file with a #PREVIEWSTART tag and matching .mp3
2. Launch UltraStar Play (macOS version)
3. Browse songs — no preview audio plays