A lossless audio file format standard used for storing sound data for personal computers and other electronic audio devices. It was developed by Apple Inc. in 1988 based on Electronic Arts' Interchange File Format (IFF), which was widely used on Amiga systems. AIFF is most commonly used on Apple Macintosh computer systems and has remained largely unchanged since its original specification.
Key Features
- Uncompressed audio: The audio data in most AIFF files is uncompressed pulse-code modulation (PCM), preserving the original audio quality.
- High disk space usage: This type of AIFF file uses much more disk space than lossy formats like MP3, about 10 MB for one minute of stereo audio at a sample rate of 44.1 kHz and a bit depth of 16 bits.
- Compressed variant: There is also a compressed variant of AIFF known as AIFF-C or AIFC, with various defined compression codecs.
- Additional data: AIFF can include loop point data and the musical note of a sample, for use by hardware and software media players, as well as professional audio video applications.
Applications
- Professional audio editing: AIFF files are suitable for professional audio editing and production due to their uncompressed nature and high-quality audio data.
- Apple devices and software: The format is commonly associated with Apple devices and software, making it a popular choice for users within the Apple ecosystem.
