According to a discussion on its website, Apple-owned audio software developer Emagic has dropped plans to support VST plug-ins in Logic for OS X, instead opting for “Audio Units,” the standard format built into OS X. (Thanks to Nik Magnus on the Mac Audio List for the tip!) Emagic argues that, since plug-ins must be Carbonized to be OS X-compatible anyway, “the Macintosh audio community now has a unique opportunity to standardize on a cutting-edge system-level format built into the OS, rather than dilute its development efforts by continuing to support a disparate and often poorly documented range of “standards.” Emagic is applying a little bit of force to the development community here: plug-ins from Ableton, BIAS, and as of this week, TC Works are all VST-based. Is this a shot from Emagic at rival Steinberg, which developed the VST format? Apple manipulating its newly-bought subsidiary to support the mothership’s standard? Probably not: Emagic has a point; rather than work to port plug-ins to DIFFERENT formats under OS X, why not simply apply roughly the same amount of work (Emagic has a library to aid porting from VST to Audio Units) and have one standard? (You can bet, though, that Digidesign will continue to push its proprietary TDM format under X, but at least everything else could be on the same page.)
Only problem: Audio Units support isn’t actually available in Logic yet. Emagic promises it will be available soon as a free “subrelease” to Logic.
