Real cassettes came in grades, and Audionix borrows the names. The app looks at the audio in a folder and picks a grade for the tape.
The four grades
- Type 0 (lossy) is for compressed formats such as MP3, AAC/M4A, OGG and Opus. The label reads compressed, no noise reduction, with a 60 minute length.
- Type I (normal) is the standard grade for lossless files at everyday quality: 16-bit and below 48 kHz. It's labeled as 60 minutes.
- Type II (chrome) is for files that are 24-bit or run at 48 kHz or higher. It's labeled as 74 minutes.
- Type IV (metal) is the top grade, for 24-bit files at 96 kHz or higher. It's labeled as 90 minutes.
A visual shortcut
You can scan the shelf and see at a glance which tapes are the high-resolution ones. The tape sheen also changes between grades, which is a nice touch if you like details.
The tape length on the label is a design element tied to the grade. It's not a measure of how long your folder plays.
Want the hard numbers for a particular track? The file inspector shows its format, bit depth and sample rate.