KVR Audio

bharris22 · Post by **bharris22** » Sat Jan 02, 2016 8:19 pm

Hi Everyone,

I am trying to help a friend get set up with his first DAW, using all free plugins so he can get the hang of this. He has a Mac (which I have never used). I found Tracktion 4 available for free for the Mac, but when recommending plugins for him, would he use VST or AU? Is AU just for Logic, similar to the way AAX is just for ProTools?

Thanks!

aMUSEd · Post by **aMUSEd** » Sat Jan 02, 2016 9:44 pm

He could use either, best to use which format works best for plugin and host. I find in most cases VST2 works best with Tracktion, particularly since it doesn't support aupresets particularly well. However with a few plugins, Soundtoys for example, the AU format works better in Tracktion, and some Mac plugins are only in AU format anyway.

bharris22 · Post by **bharris22** » Sat Jan 02, 2016 10:23 pm

Excellent - thanks!

Naenyn · Post by **Naenyn** » Sun Jan 03, 2016 3:00 am

It's also worth mentioning that he should have access to Garage Band too .. not a bad DAW to start with.

I work exclusively on a Mac in Logic and normally only install the AU version of plugins. This caused me a bit of a problem recently due to Maschine only supporting VSTs of the NI plugins. I had to reinstall a handful of them. =]

Fleer · Post by **Fleer** » Mon Jan 04, 2016 5:00 am

And he should get MainStage instantly. It's only $30 and you get the same 40 gig of prime instruments and loops as in Logic Pro, including Alchemy 2. Or he could get Logic Pro for $200.

bungle · Post by **bungle** » Mon Jan 04, 2016 5:42 am

Every host i have tried on OSX works better with VST than AU
Note here i do not own or use Logic or Garage band

BDeep · Post by **BDeep** » Mon Jan 04, 2016 9:53 am

Fleer wrote:And he should get MainStage instantly. It's only $30 and you get the same 40 gig of prime instruments and loops as in Logic Pro, including Alchemy 2. Or he could get Logic Pro for $200.

Yeah, but you can only use them within Mainstage (or Logic). So if you're using Reaper as a DAW, it's of little use.
Wanted to clarify that for the OP

Actually, you could probably use the loops, that much is true. But none of the instruments.

aMUSEd · Post by **aMUSEd** » Mon Jan 04, 2016 9:56 am

bungle wrote:Every host i have tried on OSX works better with VST than AU

Studio One 3 doesn't. I have had nothing but crashes with VSTs that are completely stable in other hosts, while the AU versions don't cause a crash.

BDeep · Post by **BDeep** » Mon Jan 04, 2016 9:58 am

bungle wrote:Every host i have tried on OSX works better with VST than AU
Note here i do not own or use Logic or Garage band

Well, if you have the choice, VST is the way to go. Mainly because midi out is better implemented in most VST plugins than in their AU counterparts.
And some devs wrap the VST in a "shell" for AU compatibility, but I think that's becoming less and less of a problem.

bharris22 · Post by **bharris22** » Tue Jan 05, 2016 11:54 am

This is all very helpful - thanks!

One additional question - Mainstage loads VSTs, is that correct?

BDeep · Post by **BDeep** » Tue Jan 05, 2016 1:01 pm

Nope, just AUs

Just as Logic for that matter.

simon.a.billington · Post by **simon.a.billington** » Tue Jan 12, 2016 11:46 am

BDeep wrote:
bungle wrote:Every host i have tried on OSX works better with VST than AU
Note here i do not own or use Logic or Garage band
Well, if you have the choice, VST is the way to go. Mainly because midi out is better implemented in most VST plugins than in their AU counterparts.
And some devs wrap the VST in a "shell" for AU compatibility, but I think that's becoming less and less of a problem.

Yeah I think that has certainly been true at least in the past.

Just makes me think that they are lazy developers, certainly not something I would do.

The AU spec has been updated, but we've yet to see outcomes from it.

VST or AU shouldn't be too much issue because most plugins you will buy will come as both flavours plus AAX and maybe RTAS for good measure. This may not be true for indy developers however.

Naenyn · Post by **Naenyn** » Tue Jan 12, 2016 5:26 pm

simon.a.billington wrote:VST or AU shouldn't be too much issue because most plugins you will buy will come as both flavours plus AAX and maybe RTAS for good measure. This may not be true for indy developers however.

This. I find that it is mostly indie freebies that are Windows/VST only. Every once in a while I'll come across something I'd like that I can't run in Logic, but it is pretty rare these days. The last big one (which has since been rectified) was Sylenth and that was just a 64-bit problem.. not an AU problem.

simon.a.billington · Post by **simon.a.billington** » Wed Jan 13, 2016 10:52 am

That is also true. I tend to not find many experimenting with AU, it's almost always VST.

If you see something that also comes in AU it's usually a good sign that they are getting more serious about their development, as a result their service and support usually gets better too.

This is generally speaking of course.

realmarco · Post by **realmarco** » Sat Feb 13, 2016 9:02 pm

some sound cards/audio interface comes with free versions of 3rd party plugins and DAWs(recording software)

AU format has more plugins
Logic is made by apple so AU is the apple preferred format

VST is for Cubase but has fewer plugins on the market(especially the free market)

VST has Few on the Mac

there is some AU to VST and VST to AU converter but AU is definatly the Way to go

Apple Logic is very affordable its 200 dollars and doesn't need any hardware copy-right protection

if he cannot afford it i would suggest a free(limited track counts and such) of Abelton's live
it supports AU and VST at the same time

BTW some Keyboards double as a audio interface as well

Basic AU/VST Question