Audio Unit
Audio Unit (AU) is a system-level plugin architecture built into macOS by Apple's Core Audio framework. It provides a standard interface for audio processing plugins — including synthesizers, effects processors, and MIDI instruments — that can be loaded and run by digital audio workstations and music production software such as Logic Pro, GarageBand, Final Cut Pro, Ableton Live, REAPER, and Studio One. Audio Units allow near-real-time audio manipulation with minimal latency and are Apple's equivalent to the VST plugin standard used on other platforms.
AI Recommendation
1 suggestionAudio Unit is a system component built into macOS itself, not a standalone application. Individual AU plugins are developed by third-party vendors (Soundtoys, PreSonus, Syntheway, Universal Audio, and others) and distributed through those vendors' own update channels — not through a central download page. The good news is that macOS itself includes native Apple Silicon support for the AU architecture since Big Sur (2020), and most major plugin vendors have shipped native AU builds. If you have an Intel-only AU plugin running under Rosetta 2, update it through the vendor's own installer or plugin manager (for example, Waves Central for Waves plugins, iZotope Product Portal for iZotope, or UAD Connect for Universal Audio). Check your plugin vendor's website to confirm a native Apple Silicon build is available and follow their update instructions. Once updated to a native build, your plugin will run at full performance on M-series Macs without Rosetta overhead.
Recommended reading
· 2 guides