Wave files have all sort of very specific meta data, e.g. is it uLaw encoded… And among that meta data has to be some way of letting the reader know the sample rate, how many bits per sample, how many channels, etc. so it can actually interpret the data.
The Wav format doesn’t have a standard for user added metadata, so even if you add some, various programs will treat it differently (including some that may treat it as music.)
The playing program negotiates a sample rate, number of bits, number of channels with ASIO drivers, or states them to WASAPI drivers, etc. That has nothing, a priori, to do with the content of the file.
I was typing “I wouldn’t attribute to cheating or taking a short cut things that can easily be explained by simple mistakes or even the truth.” but here’s the frequency analysis, it was 16/48 at sometime in it’s past:
