axiom-avfoundation-ref

AVFoundation Audio Reference

Quick Reference

// AUDIO SESSION SETUP
import AVFoundation

try AVAudioSession.sharedInstance().setCategory(
    .playback,                              // or .playAndRecord, .ambient
    mode: .default,                         // or .voiceChat, .measurement
    options: [.mixWithOthers, .allowBluetooth]
)
try AVAudioSession.sharedInstance().setActive(true)

// AUDIO ENGINE PIPELINE
let engine = AVAudioEngine()
let player = AVAudioPlayerNode()
engine.attach(player)
engine.connect(player, to: engine.mainMixerNode, format: nil)
try engine.start()
player.scheduleFile(audioFile, at: nil)
player.play()

// INPUT PICKER (iOS 26+)
import AVKit
let picker = AVInputPickerInteraction()
picker.delegate = self
myButton.addInteraction(picker)
// In button action: picker.present()

// AIRPODS HIGH QUALITY (iOS 26+)
try AVAudioSession.sharedInstance().setCategory(
    .playAndRecord,
    options: [.bluetoothHighQualityRecording, .allowBluetoothA2DP]
)

---

AVAudioSession

Categories

Category	Use Case	Silent Switch	Background
.ambient	Game sounds, not primary	Silences	No
.soloAmbient	Default, interrupts others	Silences	No
.playback	Music player, podcast	Ignores	Yes
.record	Voice recorder	—	Yes
.playAndRecord	VoIP, voice chat	Ignores	Yes
.multiRoute	DJ apps, multiple outputs	Ignores	Yes

Modes

Mode	Use Case
.default	General audio
.voiceChat	VoIP, reduces echo
.videoChat	FaceTime-style
.gameChat	Voice chat in games
.videoRecording	Camera recording
.measurement	Flat response, no processing
.moviePlayback	Video playback
.spokenAudio	Podcasts, audiobooks

Options

// Mixing
.mixWithOthers          // Play with other apps
.duckOthers             // Lower other audio while playing
.interruptSpokenAudioAndMixWithOthers  // Pause podcasts, mix music

// Bluetooth
.allowBluetooth         // HFP (calls)
.allowBluetoothA2DP     // High quality stereo
.bluetoothHighQualityRecording  // iOS 26+ AirPods recording

// Routing
.defaultToSpeaker       // Route to speaker (not receiver)
.allowAirPlay           // Enable AirPlay

Interruption Handling

NotificationCenter.default.addObserver(
    forName: AVAudioSession.interruptionNotification,
    object: nil,
    queue: .main
) { notification in
    guard let userInfo = notification.userInfo,
          let typeValue = userInfo[AVAudioSessionInterruptionTypeKey] as? UInt,
          let type = AVAudioSession.InterruptionType(rawValue: typeValue) else {
        return
    }

    switch type {
    case .began:
        // Pause playback
        player.pause()

    case .ended:
        guard let optionsValue = userInfo[AVAudioSessionInterruptionOptionKey] as? UInt else { return }
        let options = AVAudioSession.InterruptionOptions(rawValue: optionsValue)
        if options.contains(.shouldResume) {
            player.play()
        }

    @unknown default:
        break
    }
}

Route Change Handling

NotificationCenter.default.addObserver(
    forName: AVAudioSession.routeChangeNotification,
    object: nil,
    queue: .main
) { notification in
    guard let userInfo = notification.userInfo,
          let reasonValue = userInfo[AVAudioSessionRouteChangeReasonKey] as? UInt,
          let reason = AVAudioSession.RouteChangeReason(rawValue: reasonValue) else {
        return
    }

    switch reason {
    case .oldDeviceUnavailable:
        // Headphones unplugged — pause playback
        player.pause()

    case .newDeviceAvailable:
        // New device connected
        break

    case .categoryChange:
        // Category changed by system or another app
        break

    default:
        break
    }
}

---

AVAudioEngine

Basic Pipeline

let engine = AVAudioEngine()

// Create nodes
let player = AVAudioPlayerNode()
let reverb = AVAudioUnitReverb()
reverb.loadFactoryPreset(.largeHall)
reverb.wetDryMix = 50

// Attach to engine
engine.attach(player)
engine.attach(reverb)

// Connect: player → reverb → mixer → output
engine.connect(player, to: reverb, format: nil)
engine.connect(reverb, to: engine.mainMixerNode, format: nil)

// Start
engine.prepare()
try engine.start()

// Play file
let url = Bundle.main.url(forResource: "audio", withExtension: "m4a")!
let file = try AVAudioFile(forReading: url)
player.scheduleFile(file, at: nil)
player.play()

Node Types

Node	Purpose
AVAudioPlayerNode	Plays audio files/buffers
AVAudioInputNode	Mic input (engine.inputNode)
AVAudioOutputNode	Speaker output (engine.outputNode)
AVAudioMixerNode	Mix multiple inputs
AVAudioUnitEQ	Equalizer
AVAudioUnitReverb	Reverb effect
AVAudioUnitDelay	Delay effect
AVAudioUnitDistortion	Distortion effect
AVAudioUnitTimePitch	Time stretch / pitch shift

Installing Taps (Audio Analysis)

let inputNode = engine.inputNode
let format = inputNode.outputFormat(forBus: 0)

inputNode.installTap(onBus: 0, bufferSize: 1024, format: format) { buffer, time in
    // Process audio buffer
    guard let channelData = buffer.floatChannelData?[0] else { return }
    let frameLength = Int(buffer.frameLength)

    // Calculate RMS level
    var sum: Float = 0
    for i in 0..<frameLength {
        sum += channelData[i] * channelData[i]
    }
    let rms = sqrt(sum / Float(frameLength))
    let dB = 20 * log10(rms)

    DispatchQueue.main.async {
        self.levelMeter = dB
    }
}

// Don't forget to remove when done
inputNode.removeTap(onBus: 0)

Format Conversion

// AVAudioEngine mic input is always 44.1kHz/32-bit float
// Use AVAudioConverter for other formats

let inputFormat = engine.inputNode.outputFormat(forBus: 0)
let outputFormat = AVAudioFormat(
    commonFormat: .pcmFormatInt16,
    sampleRate: 48000,
    channels: 1,
    interleaved: false
)!

let converter = AVAudioConverter(from: inputFormat, to: outputFormat)!

// In tap callback:
let outputBuffer = AVAudioPCMBuffer(
    pcmFormat: outputFormat,
    frameCapacity: AVAudioFrameCount(outputFormat.sampleRate * 0.1)
)!

var error: NSError?
converter.convert(to: outputBuffer, error: &error) { inNumPackets, outStatus in
    outStatus.pointee = .haveData
    return inputBuffer
}

---

Bit-Perfect Audio / DAC Output

iOS Behavior

iOS provides bit-perfect output by default to USB DACs — no resampling occurs. The DAC receives the source sample rate directly.

// iOS automatically matches source sample rate to DAC
// No special configuration needed for bit-perfect output

let player = AVAudioPlayerNode()
// File at 96kHz → DAC receives 96kHz

Avoiding Resampling

// Check hardware sample rate
let hardwareSampleRate = AVAudioSession.sharedInstance().sampleRate

// Match your audio format to hardware when possible
let format = AVAudioFormat(
    standardFormatWithSampleRate: hardwareSampleRate,
    channels: 2
)

USB DAC Routing

// List available outputs
let currentRoute = AVAudioSession.sharedInstance().currentRoute
for output in currentRoute.outputs {
    print("Output: \(output.portName), Type: \(output.portType)")
    // USB DAC shows as .usbAudio
}

// Prefer USB output
try AVAudioSession.sharedInstance().setPreferredInput(usbPort)

Sample Rate Considerations

Source	iOS Behavior	Notes
44.1 kHz	Passthrough	CD quality
48 kHz	Passthrough	Video standard
96 kHz	Passthrough	Hi-res
192 kHz	Passthrough	Hi-res
DSD	Not supported	Use DoP or convert

---

iOS 26+ Input Selection

AVInputPickerInteraction

Native input device selection with live metering:

import AVKit

class RecordingViewController: UIViewController {
    let inputPicker = AVInputPickerInteraction()

    override func viewDidLoad() {
        super.viewDidLoad()

        // Configure audio session first
        try? AVAudioSession.sharedInstance().setCategory(.playAndRecord)
        try? AVAudioSession.sharedInstance().setActive(true)

        // Setup picker
        inputPicker.delegate = self
        selectMicButton.addInteraction(inputPicker)
    }

    @IBAction func selectMicTapped(_ sender: UIButton) {
        inputPicker.present()
    }
}

extension RecordingViewController: AVInputPickerInteractionDelegate {
    // Implement delegate methods as needed
}

Features:

• Live sound level metering
• Microphone mode selection
• System remembers selection per app

---

iOS 26+ AirPods High Quality Recording

LAV-microphone equivalent quality for content creators:

// AVAudioSession approach
try AVAudioSession.sharedInstance().setCategory(
    .playAndRecord,
    options: [
        .bluetoothHighQualityRecording,  // New in iOS 26
        .allowBluetoothA2DP              // Fallback
    ]
)

// AVCaptureSession approach
let captureSession = AVCaptureSession()
captureSession.configuresApplicationAudioSessionForBluetoothHighQualityRecording = true

Notes:

• Uses dedicated Bluetooth link optimized for AirPods
• Falls back to HFP if device doesn't support HQ mode
• Supports AirPods stem controls for start/stop recording

---

Spatial Audio Capture (iOS 26+)

First Order Ambisonics (FOA)

Record 3D spatial audio using device microphone array:

// With AVCaptureMovieFileOutput (simple)
let audioInput = AVCaptureDeviceInput(device: audioDevice)
audioInput.multichannelAudioMode = .firstOrderAmbisonics

// With AVAssetWriter (full control)
// Requires two AudioDataOutputs: FOA (4ch) + Stereo (2ch)

AVAssetWriter Spatial Audio Setup

// Configure two AudioDataOutputs
let foaOutput = AVCaptureAudioDataOutput()
foaOutput.spatialAudioChannelLayo

---

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