What is AIFF Audio Format? Uncompressed Audio Standard Explained

Comprehensive guide to AIFF audio format, its place in professional audio, comparison with WAV, and usage in modern workflows.

What is AIFF? - Learn about What is AIFF?
AIFF Technical Structure - Technical Details
AIFF Variants and Compression - Learn about AIFF Variants and Compression
AIFF in Professional Audio Workflows - Learn about AIFF in Professional Audio Workflows
AIFF Advantages in Professional Audio - Discover Advantages
AIFF Disadvantages and Limitations - Discover Advantages

What is AIFF?

AIFF stands for Audio Interchange File Format and represents Apple's standard for uncompressed audio storage. Introduced in 1988 by Apple, AIFF is based on the IFF (Interchange File Format) standard developed by Electronic Arts. Like WAV files on Windows, AIFF files on macOS contain uncompressed PCM (Pulse Code Modulation) audio data in a structured container format.

AIFF stores full audio fidelity without compression, making it ideal for professional audio production, mastering, and archival purposes. The format supports various bit depths (8, 16, 24, 32-bit) and sample rates (44.1 kHz, 48 kHz, 96 kHz, 192 kHz and higher), enabling high-quality audio work. Unlike compressed formats like MP3 or AAC, AIFF preserves every detail of the original audio, making it essential for professional workflows where quality cannot be compromised.

AIFF Technical Structure

AIFF is built on the IFF (Interchange File Format) specification, which uses a chunked data structure. The file contains multiple chunks (blocks of data) identified by four-character codes: FORM chunk: Header containing file type identifier (AIFF). COMM chunk: Common parameters - number of channels, sample frames, bits per sample, sample rate. SSND chunk: Sound Sound Data chunk containing actual PCM audio samples.

Other optional chunks: INST (instrument info), MIDI (MIDI note assignments), AESD (audio recording information), APPL (application-specific data), COMT (comments). This structured format allows applications to parse only relevant information without reading entire file. Each chunk contains length field, enabling efficient file navigation. The byte order (big-endian) reflects Motorola processor history in early Macintosh computers.

AIFF Variants and Compression

AIFF Standard: Uncompressed PCM audio. Lossless representation of audio data. File sizes proportional to sample rate, bit depth, and duration. A 16-bit, 44.1 kHz stereo minute of audio is approximately 10 MB. AIFF-C (AIFF Compressed): Extension allowing various compression codecs within AIFF container. Supports IMA ADPCM, ULAW, ALAW, and other codecs. Less common than standard AIFF. Provides some file size reduction with quality tradeoff.

Modern Usage: Standard AIFF primarily used for uncompressed archival. AIFF-C rarely used; modern practice prefers dedicated compressed formats (AAC, MP3, FLAC). Most AIFF usage today means uncompressed AIFF. The emphasis on uncompressed quality reflects AIFF's original purpose: professional audio production where fidelity is paramount.

AIFF in Professional Audio Workflows

Recording and Editing: DAWs (Pro Tools, Logic Pro, Ableton Live) natively support AIFF. Recording in AIFF ensures lossless capture of source audio. Professional audio engineers prefer AIFF for session files and archive masters. Post-Production: Audio editing software (Audacity, Sound Forge, Hindenburg) work with AIFF. Editing in AIFF avoids multiple compression/decompression cycles. Final masters often delivered in AIFF format to streaming aggregators and duplication houses.

Archival and Preservation: Libraries and archives use AIFF for long-term audio preservation. Uncompressed nature means no quality loss from lossy compression. Metadata support enables documentation of source information. Mastering: Audio mastering engineers deliver masters in AIFF format (typically 24-bit, 44.1 or 48 kHz). Streaming services accept AIFF masters for distribution. Vinyl production uses AIFF as intermediate format. Film and Video: AIFF used for film audio workflows.

Picture sync and multi-channel audio supported. Integration with video editing software (Final Cut Pro, Premiere Pro).

AIFF Advantages in Professional Audio

Lossless Quality: Uncompressed audio preserves all original detail. No quality degradation from compression. Critical for professional and archival work. Platform Independence: While associated with Macintosh, AIFF is standard format recognized across platforms. Cross-platform compatibility ensures files remain accessible. Wide Software Support: Professional audio software universally supports AIFF. Plugins and tools work seamlessly with AIFF files.

Industry Standard: AIFF is expected format in professional audio industry. Mastering houses, streaming aggregators, and distributors accept AIFF. Metadata Support: Comments, instrument information, and MIDI data can be embedded. Better than raw PCM for documentation. Edit-Friendly: No re-compression needed during editing. Non-destructive editing workflow compatible. Multiple passes and editing produce no quality loss.

AIFF Disadvantages and Limitations

Large File Sizes: Uncompressed audio requires significant storage. A full album in AIFF requires 5-10 GB or more. Impractical for portable devices and cloud storage. Bandwidth Requirements: Streaming AIFF is inefficient. Requires high-speed connections for real-time streaming. Not suitable for internet distribution. Limited Metadata: While better than raw PCM, metadata support is limited compared to modern formats. ID3 tags not natively supported (though some applications add them).

Platform Limitations: Primarily associated with Macintosh. Some Windows and Linux users have limited AIFF support. Streaming Services: Most streaming services accept AIFF for master uploads but stream in compressed formats. AIFF usefulness limited to production and mastering phases. Mobile Playback: iPads and iPhones support AIFF but uncommon for music playback. Most mobile users expect compressed formats.