What is AIFF?
AIFF (Audio Interchange File Format) is an uncompressed audio file format developed by Apple in 1988. Based on Electronic Arts' IFF (Interchange File Format), AIFF was designed to store high-quality audio data with no compression, preserving the complete fidelity of the original recording. It became a standard format in professional audio applications, particularly in the Apple ecosystem.
Key Features
AIFF offers several important characteristics that make it valuable for audio professionals:
- Uncompressed audio: Preserves 100% of audio data without quality loss
- High bit depth support: Up to 32-bit resolution
- High sample rate support: Up to 192kHz and beyond
- Metadata capabilities: Supports instrument chunks, markers, and comments
- Chunk-based structure: Modular design allows for future extensions
- Native Mac support: Built-in compatibility with Apple platforms
When to Use AIFF
AIFF is particularly well-suited for:
- Professional audio recording and production
- Master recordings and archiving
- Audio editing and processing workflows
- CD audio creation (16-bit, 44.1kHz standard)
- Critical listening environments where audio fidelity is paramount
- Apple-centric audio production environments
Technical Details
AIFF files use the extension .aiff or .aif and have the MIME type "audio/aiff". The format is built around a chunk-based structure, with the main sections being:
- FORM chunk: Contains the overall file structure
- COMM chunk: Stores format information like sample rate and bit depth
- SSND chunk: Contains the actual audio data
- MARK chunk: Optional markers for navigation
- INST chunk: Optional instrument parameters for MIDI applications
AIFF typically stores audio in big-endian byte order (the opposite of WAV which uses little-endian), a legacy of its development on Motorola 68k processors used in early Macintosh computers.
AIFF vs AIFF-C
There are two main variants of the format:
- AIFF: The standard uncompressed format
- AIFF-C (AIFC): An extension that supports compression, including lossless options
File Size Considerations
As an uncompressed format, AIFF files are significantly larger than compressed formats:
- CD quality (16-bit/44.1kHz): ~10MB per minute of stereo audio
- Studio quality (24-bit/96kHz): ~33MB per minute of stereo audio
- High-resolution (24-bit/192kHz): ~66MB per minute of stereo audio
Limitations
Some considerations when using AIFF:
- File size: Very large compared to compressed formats
- Limited web support: Not ideal for streaming or web applications
- Non-standard metadata: Less universal than ID3 tags in MP3
- Streaming limitations: The format requires file size information in the header, making true streaming difficult
AIFF vs Competitors
How AIFF compares to other common audio formats:
- vs WAV: Similar quality and size; AIFF uses big-endian byte order while WAV uses little-endian; AIFF has stronger historical ties to Apple/Mac ecosystems, WAV to Windows
- vs FLAC: FLAC offers lossless compression (40-60% smaller file size) while maintaining identical audio quality
- vs MP3/AAC: AIFF provides much higher quality with no compression artifacts, but with file sizes 5-10 times larger
- vs ALAC: Apple's Lossless Audio Codec provides similar quality with file sizes about 40-60% smaller
Historical Context
AIFF was developed shortly after the compact disc format was introduced, providing a way to work with digital audio in professional environments. It became a standard in audio workstations, particularly on Mac systems, and was widely used in CD production. Even after the introduction of compressed formats like MP3, AIFF remained important in professional environments where audio quality could not be compromised.
Conclusion
AIFF remains an important format in professional audio production, mastering, and archiving. While its large file sizes make it impractical for casual listening or streaming applications, its perfect reproduction of audio signals ensures it will continue to have a place in contexts where audio fidelity is paramount. As storage becomes increasingly affordable, the main limitation of uncompressed formats like AIFF becomes less significant.