How to keep a 5.1 audio track at 16-bit when exporting? Premiere converts to 32-bit

[julienlb]

Hello,

I exported a 5.1, 48 kHz, 16-bit audio file from Adobe Audition 2023 in order to use it in a audio 5.1 track in Premiere Pro 2023.
When exporting the video (H.264, AAC 448 kHz), by Premiere Pro or Media Encoder, the sample size of the 5.1 audio track is automatically converted to 32-bit.

I would like to keep the AAC audio track at 16-bit, but I don't seem to find the right export setting in Premiere Pro or Media Encoder. All I can do is to change the sample rate, the channel setup, or the bitrate.

What am I missing?

[mstegner]

Where do you see this?  Can you be more explicit?

[julienlb]

When I view the codec info in VLC (for example). This explains why the file doesn't play properly on some audio hardware, accepting 16-bit for multichannel AAC but not 32-bit. I made some tests with a 5.1, 16-bit file and all went smoothly.