Core Audio Format files can hold long recordings, metadata, and flexible audio descriptions. Echoryte accepts .caf and probes its chunks before creating a normalized transcript source.
Where this workflow fits
- Apple recorder exports
- Long-form production audio
- Multichannel field sessions
A flexible Core Audio container
CAF uses typed chunks and supports large file sizes and extensible metadata. These design properties help production workflows, but ingest still verifies duration, an audio stream, and successful decoding within bounded resources.
Prepare multichannel production audio
A field session may preserve each microphone separately. Before transcription, confirm that the selected mix contains every participant at a useful level and does not substitute timecode or ambience tracks for dialogue.
Before you upload
- Export a self-contained CAF file and verify the complete duration outside the recording project.
- Choose or create a dialogue-focused mix when the session includes many production channels.
Limits worth knowing
- Application-specific metadata does not replace a playable and supported audio data chunk.
- Multichannel sessions may include isolated microphones or silent channels that need an intentional mix.
Questions from the workflow
Does CAF imply one audio codec?
CAF is a container designed for Core Audio workflows and can hold different encodings. The worker still needs a supported, decodable audio stream.
Which CAF channels should be prepared for transcription?
Build a dialogue reference mix that includes every intended speaker, excludes unused microphones, and preserves enough headroom to avoid clipping. Keep the isolated production tracks beside the project for later verification.
Reviewed sources
- IANA Media Types registry · checked 2026-07-20
- Apple Core Audio Format specification · checked 2026-07-20