Premiere Pro 2017 - Audio Hardware Sample Rate Conflicts with Sequence

This problem began when I was unable to select my harman//kardon soundsticks as the default audio output device in audio hardware preferences. The Soundsticks were set as 48000Hz and the ONLY selection in the audio hardware sample rate pulldown is 44100Hz. I was able to make the Soundsticks work by selecting the settings button beneath the sample rate and changing the Sticks to 44100Hz.

I then wondered if that single sample rate choice was dictated by the current edit sequence. But the audio sample rate for the sequence is set to 48000Hz.

Why does the "Core Audio" device class have only a single 44100Hz sample rate setting? If an active sequence has audio at a different sample rate, why doesn't the application provide a matching option for the hardware sample rate?