What is a AIFF file?
AIFF — Apple raw audio
Use the format AIFF
A concrete example
Create a WAV copy of a AIFF file for another workstation.
Useful checks
Check the frequency, bit depth, and channels. Also check the markers useful for editing.
Choose a conversion
Keep the original and open the result in the software or on the device that will need to use it.
Your questions about this format
Which format should you choose to share a recording?
MP3 is a good starting point for sending or casual listening. Select your source, then MP3, start the conversion, and listen to the result. For audio editing, WAV may be more suitable but often produces a larger file.
Does converting an MP3 to a WAV improve the sound?
No: the WAV does not restore the information lost when creating the MP3. It mainly allows you to change the working format. To preserve the maximum quality, start from the original recording when you have it.
How can you compare before downloading?
After a successful audio conversion, use the original and resulting players. Check a quiet area and a loud area, then the beginning and the end. In case of cutoff or absence of sound, keep the original and report the formats used to support.
Why doesn't a MIDI file sound exactly like it does on my system?
A MIDI describes notes and instruments, not a sound recording. Its conversion depends on the sound bank used by the engine. Listen to the rendering before broadcasting; the MIDI synthesis is part of specialized NoLimit processing.
What is it?
AIFF is Apple's equivalent of WAV: uncompressed sound, recorded as-is, without the slightest loss of quality.
Like WAV, it produces large files — around 10 MB per minute at CD quality — and serves as a working format in recording studios.
History & origin
Apple created AIFF in 1988, building on an exchange format originally designed at Electronic Arts. It predates Microsoft's WAV by three years.
The two formats are technically twins, differing mainly in the order in which they arrange their bytes — an engineering detail that became a cultural dividing line between Mac and PC.
Why it is useful
Untouched quality, instant decoding, and native support in professional audio software.
It handles metadata better than WAV does.
Limits & drawbacks
A file size just as considerable as WAV's.
It's less widespread than WAV outside the Apple ecosystem.
Practical tips
To archive without loss while halving file size, convert your AIFF files to FLAC.
For casual listening or sharing, MP3 or AAC will do just fine.
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Convert a AIFF