Edit: network players can do many things to files; Squeezboxes have the ability to decompress at the server or at the client..and also can downconvert, etc..the bitrate would read much differently depending on the settings. If the OP's beef is with the network player then he likely has a downconvert setting (or the mfg is lying)...but I came into this (as did others) assuming his beef was with HDtracks or the "FLAC can read differntly" answer he got, and I have responded according.