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What Are Audio Units?
Audio Units (AU) are a file format for music software plugins created by Apple.
To understand AU, you first need to understand plugins. A plugin is an extra piece of software that you add into your DAW which is software used to produce music. A plugin might be a virtual synthesizer, a drum machine, or an echo effect. It is software that produces or processes digital audio.
Plugins come in different formats for different computers. AU is Apple’s format. It is designed to run perfectly on Mac computers and the Apple operating system. Plugin developers often create a version of their plugin for AU, VST, and other common formats.
The Alternative to VST
In the music production world, the most famous plugin format is called VST. For a long time, VST was the only standard format used everywhere.
However, Apple wanted a format built directly into the core of their Mac operating system. They created Audio Units. Today, almost every company that makes music plugins will release two versions of their product, one AU and one VST.
Where Are AUs Used?
Because AU is made by Apple, it is the required format if you use Apple’s music software.
If you use Logic Pro or GarageBand, you must use AU plugins. Those programs will not even recognize a VST plugin if you try to open one.
Many other popular recording programs that run on Macs, like Ableton Live or Studio One, let you choose. They can run both VST plugins and AU plugins. It is up to the producer to decide which format they prefer to use.
The Benefits of AU
The biggest benefit of the Audio Unit format is stability.
Because Apple built the AU system directly into the Mac operating system, the plugins talk to the computer very efficiently. They use less computer brain power. They load very quickly. Most importantly, they rarely crash.
When a producer is working on a huge song with fifty different plugins running at the same time, stability is extremely important. The AU format helps ensure that Logic Pro or GarageBand stays running smoothly without freezing or ruining the recording.