Audio Units (AU) are a system-level plug-in architecture provided by Core Audio in Apple's macOS and iOS operating systems. Audio Units are a set of application programming interface (API) services provided by the operating system to generate, process, receive, or otherwise manipulate streams of audio in near-real-time with minimal latency. It may be thought of as Apple's architectural equivalent to another popular plug-in format, Steinberg's Virtual Studio Technology (VST).
AU Lab is a comprehensive Audio Unit host application supplied free with Apple's developer tools, which come with every copy of Mac OS X. We explore a powerful Audio Units plug-in host application you might not realise you already own, called AU Lab. Plus news of the multi-button Apple mouse and Intel architecture changes. The Best Free Audio Plugins for OS X with Video Demos. AudioUnit (AU), RTA, VSTSynths, Reverbs, Compressorsand much more. Just listen, watch and download!
- Sep 22, 2021 The Audio Pro P5 upholds their reputation for exceptional audio quality but this time in a much smaller package By Yasmine Crossland. Last updated 2021-09-24T14:27:44.952Z.
- 2GB RAM or higher. MacOS 10.7 and latter. Audio Unit, VST™ 2 and VST™ 3 compatible host. Supports 32-bit and 64-bit in all formats. To use the automation a Host with automation features is required. DOWNLOAD Winkl free VST2/VST3/AU plug-in for 32/64-bit Windows and Mac OS X.
- Live on Mac supports both the Audio Unit (AU) and VST2 and VST3 (10.1 and later) formats. Which format you choose to use is up to you, bearing in mind the following tips: If sharing projects with Windows users, it's better to use VST.
Because of the many similarities between Audio Units and VST, several commercial and free wrapping technologies are available (e.g. Symbiosis and FXpansionVST-AU Adapter). Celemony Software and PreSonus have also developed the Audio Random Access (ARA) extension, which works for both AU and VST, allowing greater integration between the plug-ins and DAW software.[1]
Use[edit]
Audio Units allows sound file audio time stretching and pitch scaling (e.g., timestretch), sample rate conversion, and streaming over a Local Area Network. It also comes with a set of AU plug-ins such as EQ filters, dynamic processors, delay, reverb, and a Soundbank Synthesizer Instrument.
AU are used by Apple applications such as GarageBand, Soundtrack Pro, Logic Express, Logic Pro, Logic Pro X, Final Cut Pro, MainStage and most 3rd party audio software developed for macOS such as Ableton Live, Amadeus Pro, Ardour, Audio Hijack, DaVinci Resolve, Digital Performer, Gig Performer, REAPER, and Studio One.
Competing technologies[edit]
- Avid's Avid Audio eXtension (a successor to the RTAS format)
- Digidesign's Real Time AudioSuite (now obsolete)
- LADSPA and Disposable Soft Synth Interface (DSSI) for Linux
- LV2 (crossplatform successor to LADSPA)
- Microsoft's DirectX
- Steinberg's Virtual Studio Technology
References[edit]
- ^'Celemony introduces ARA Audio Random Access - Extension for Plug-in Interfaces'. KVR Audio. Retrieved 2018-06-05.
Mac Free Downloads
Audio Units Mac Free Download
| Software | Description | OS | License | File Date | Comments | Power |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Voxengo SPAN 2.10 | Real-time spectrum analyzer. [VST/AU] | Mac | Freeware | 2016-03-04 | 2 | 80db |
| Nexus 2.6.3 | Nexus is a Rom synthesizer. [VST/AU/RTAS] | Mac | Paid | 2014-06-10 | 9 | 75db |
| Addictive Drums 2.0 | Drum Production Studio. [VST/AU] | Mac | Demo | 2013-09-26 | 0 | 70db |
| Automap 4.9 | Offers an instant controlling solution for your MIDI Hardware controllers to work with all your plug-ins. | Mac | Freeware | 2015-07-09 | 0 | 70db |
| Auto-Tune Evo v6.10 | Automatic and graphical intonation correction for voices and solo instruments. [AU/VST/RTAS/TDM] | Mac | Demo | 2010-03-03 | 8 | 70db |
| Elastique Pitch v2 | Real time pitch shifting solution. [VST/AU/RTAS] | Mac | Demo | 2015-07-09 | 0 | 70db |
| Harmony Engine Evo v3.01 | Tool for vocal harmony creation. [VST/AU/RTAS] | Mac | Demo | 2009-08-31 | 0 | 70db |
| Independence Free 3.1 | Sampler. [VST/AU/RTAS/Standalone] | Mac | Freeware | 2013-01-07 | 4 | 65db |
| Auto-Tune Live v1.1.1 | Auto-Tune Live is a pitch correction software optimized for live performance. [VST/AU/RTAS] | Mac | Demo | 2014-02-17 | 0 | 65db |
| TAL-Vocoder-2 V1.02 | Vintage vocoder emulation with 11 bands that emulates the sound of vocoders from the early 80s. [VST/AU] | Mac | Freeware | 2013-01-07 | 2 | 65db |
| Blue Cat's FreqAnalyst 2.1 | Frequency spectrum analyzer. [VST/AU/ RTAS] | Mac | Freeware | 2014-01-20 | 0 | 65db |
| Altiverb 7.2.2 | A sampled acoustics real-time convolution reverb plug-in. [AU/VST/MAS/RTAS/HTDM] | Mac | Demo | 2014-05-15 | 0 | 65db |
| SampleTank FREE 3 | Free version of SampleTank with 204 Sounds and more than 500 MB of samples [AU/VSTi/RTAS] | Mac | Freeware | 2014-09-02 | 3 | 65db |
| CamelPhat 3.5 | CamelPhat is a Multi-effect plug-in with distortion, filtering and more. [VST/AU] | Mac | Shareware | 2011-12-12 | 1 | 65db |
| hypercyclic v1.5.554 | The hypercyclic is a MIDI Arpeggiator and Mangler [VST/AU] | Mac | Freeware | 2015-03-08 | 0 | 60db |
| MDA AU Plug-in Pack 1.0.2 | Bundle of 15 free plug-ins - amps, delays, vocoder & more. [AU] | Mac | Free | 2010-09-15 | 4 | 60db |
| Minimoog V 2.5.4 | The Minimoog synth is back, with plenty of new additions. | Mac | Demo | 2013-04-08 | 0 | 60db |
| OrangeVocoder 3.4 | Simulation of an analog vocoder effect [AU] | Mac | Demo | 2012-09-07 | 3 | 60db |
| De-Verb v1.2 | Transient Designer's sustain reduction. [VST/AU/RTAS] | Mac | Demo | 2010-02-09 | 2 | 60db |
| Ambience v1.0.7 | Reverb plug-in. [VST/AU] | Mac | Free | 2010-08-16 | 5 | 60db |
| ArtsAcoustic Reverb v1.6.0.15 | Professional reverb plug-in. [VST/AU] | Mac | Demo | 2013-05-29 | 1 | 60db |
| AirEQ v1.3.4 | Musical equalizer. [VST/AU] | Mac | Demo | 2008-11-26 | 0 | 60db |
| Jamstix 3.6.0 | Jamstix is a virtual drummer inside of your sequencer/host [AU/VST] | Mac | Demo | 2014-07-04 | 0 | 60db |
| Studio Devil Amp Modeler Pro v1.5 | Amp Modeler Pro is a Guitar amp modeling and studio effects plug-in. [VST/AU/RTAS] | Mac | Demo | 2011-10-28 | 0 | 60db |
| Auto-Align 1.5.1 | Automatic microphone time alignment plugin. [AU/RTAS] | Mac | Demo | 2014-05-19 | 1 | 60db |
| MultiInspectorFree v1.2.0 | 31 band spectral analyzer. [VST/AU] | Mac | Freeware | 2009-03-06 | 6 | 60db |
| Master Restoration Suite v5.80 | Master Restoration is a collection of plug-ins designed for cleaning up tape, vinyl, and acoustic recordings. [AU/VST/RTAS] | Mac | Demo | 2014-05-19 | 0 | 60db |
| Black Water Reverb AU | A reverb plugin. | Mac | Freeware | 2004-12-17 | 3 | 60db |
| UVI Workstation v2.6.6 | Multi-timbral virtual instrument that gives you unlimited parts, built in effects, functionality for live performance, and an intuitive real-time workflow. [VST/AU/RTAS] | Mac | Freeware | 2016-06-06 | 2 | 60db |
| MRhythmizer 9.18 | Time manipulation effect that uses an integrated sequencer to control time, volume and filters. From gating to glitching, repeating to scratching, all with stunning audio quality [VST/AU] | Mac | Demo | 2016-03-07 | 0 | 60db |