Can I safely delete AAX, VST, VST3 if only using AU on Mac?

[Hydra]

I only use Logic Pro and my practice is to manually delete everything except the AUs. I have too many plugins and will never use these other formats, so the GB reclamation is substantial. That said, I haven’t deleted the UAD VSTs, as they are all organized in folders and I’m not sure if Logic is referencing those structures or not for the AUs. I have definitely nuked the AAX with no consequences.

Now that people are having troubles with v11 zeroing settings upon opening previous projects (and someone mentioned that it might be the addition of VST3 and a botched translation from VST2), I’d like to get rid of all VSTs in hopes that I don’t have to deal with complete uninstall/reinstalls.

Again, I will only ever use Logic, I don’t have any brain cells left to learn another DAW.

Thoughts?

 

[RogueM]

yes, as long as you do not use LUNA and do not delete the master plug-ins (buried deep down the system) then all will remain functional in Logic. Well notwithstanding the bugs that lurk in v11 that is…

tip: use UAD PlugIn Cleaner to do it for you, after each software install, see my sig.

 

[Hydra]

I used the Plugin Mate with limited success. It needs full disk access to work correctly and I wasn't compelled to give it.

Is UAD Plugin Cleaner better?

I've been removing plugs from here: Mac HD/Library/Audio/Plug-Ins/xxx
Where are the master plugins located?

 

[Hydra]

I do use Console to record into Logic - does it need the VSTs or does it pull in the AUs, since Logic is the master DAW?

 

[JamesNorth]

I’m pretty sure Console uses the VST 2 versions.

 

[Hydra]

Yes, I’m thinking the same - UAD is so complex, I didn’t want to start messing with the files too much before I understood how it all works.

 

[RogueM]

I used the Plugin Mate with limited success. It needs full disk access to work correctly and I wasn't compelled to give it.

Is UAD Plugin Cleaner better?

I've been removing plugs from here: Mac HD/Library/Audio/Plug-Ins/xxx
Where are the master plugins located?

I definitely would not request full access to a disk (nor would I grant it as a user), so I’d say yep. Not mentioning the many other benefits (i.e hide away any plug you do not own or want cluttering Logic)

master UA files are located at /Library/Application Support/Universal Audio
those definitely shouod not be tempered with no matter what format is relevant to you.

 

[RogueM]

I’m pretty sure Console uses the VST 2 versions.

nope, it uses the ‘master’ set, the ‘VST’ are just placeholder wrappers for compatible hosts to ‘catch’ and populate their menus.

 

[Hydra]

nope, it uses the ‘master’ set, the ‘VST’ are just placeholder wrappers for compatible hosts to ‘catch’ and populate their menus.

So there won’t be any issue deleting the newly installed VST3s (in the path I mentioned above) once I eventually upgrade to a stable v11.xxx? I can’t imagine I’ll ever need them…

 

[RogueM]

no, as a Logic user myself, I purge all AAX and VST3 (using my utility), no problem will result doing that.

 

[JamesNorth]

nope, it uses the ‘master’ set, the ‘VST’ are just placeholder wrappers for compatible hosts to ‘catch’ and populate their menus.

Ahh yep the VST 2 versions located there.

I always through the Components (AU) were wrappers but the VST 2 versions inside /Library/Audio/Plugins were real ones ... is that fairly new?