How to Convert AIFF to AAC

Logic Pro X exports audio at full quality — 24-bit, 44.1 kHz or 48 kHz AIFF — by default when you bounce a project. This is the correct master format: uncompressed, high-resolution, and archivable. AAC is then the delivery format for streaming platforms. Spotify, Apple Music, YouTube Music, and Tidal all use AAC internally. Submitting an AIFF to a distributor like DistroKid, TuneCore, or CD Baby is fine — they transcode it to AAC for each platform. However, many producers prefer to inspect the AAC output themselves before submitting to ensure no unexpected artifacts appear. Self-converting also allows you to create streaming preview files for client approval without involving a distributor.

Apple Music streams at 256 kbps AAC for standard quality and 320 kbps for high quality. Spotify internally uses 320 kbps Ogg Vorbis at the highest tier but accepts AAC uploads. YouTube Music uses 256 kbps AAC. Tidal's normal quality is 320 kbps AAC; HiFi uses lossless FLAC. For submission to distributors, the standard recommendation is to submit the highest-quality source you have (AIFF or WAV at 24-bit) and let the distributor handle transcoding. If you need to create a specific AAC deliverable, target 256 kbps minimum. Some sync licensing platforms request 320 kbps AAC specifically — always check the brief.

AudioUtils processes AIFF files natively. Drag your bounced AIFF onto the converter. Logic Pro outputs AIFF files with the full project sample rate — if your session is at 48 kHz, the AIFF will be 48 kHz. The AAC output will maintain the same sample rate unless you explicitly change it. Select M4A as the output format (AAC is always delivered inside an M4A container for compatibility). Choose 256 kbps for streaming delivery or 320 kbps for client delivery or sync licensing. The conversion completes in seconds. Play the resulting file through your monitoring chain and compare it to the AIFF. At 256 kbps, you should not hear meaningful differences on a consumer system.

After converting, listen critically to the AAC file on multiple playback systems. Check the sections of your track most vulnerable to lossy compression: busy passages with lots of high-frequency content (dense electronic arrangements, cymbals, strings), quiet sections where compression noise might become audible, and the very beginning and end of the track where codec startup artifacts occasionally appear. If you hear swirly or watery artifacts on cymbals or reverb tails, your bitrate may be too low — re-encode at a higher bitrate. Most producers find 256 kbps AAC indistinguishable from the AIFF source on typical listening equipment. If something sounds wrong, check that the source AIFF is clean before assuming the AAC is at fault.

AAC files delivered inside an M4A container support extensive metadata through the MP4 tagging system. Fields supported: title, artist, album artist, album, year, track number, disc number, genre, BPM, composer, lyrics, and embedded album artwork. Tools like MusicBrainz Picard, Mp3tag (Windows and macOS), and Apple's Music app can write these tags. For streaming delivery, metadata accuracy is critical — incorrect ISRC codes, wrong artist names, or missing album artwork can cause ingestion errors at distributors. Embed all metadata in the M4A file before submitting. AAC inside M4A also supports chapters, which matters for long-form audio like audiobooks or podcast episodes with navigable sections.