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Audacity is an audio editing and recording open-source software that was developed to work on all operating systems namely Mac OS X, Windows, GNU/Linux, and others. It has a clean and seamless interface which makes it easy to learn and use. Find helpful customer reviews and review ratings for Audacity Audio Recording & Editing Software - Professional Sound Recorder Software for Windows PC & Mac - Digital Player for Common files: WAV, AIFF, MP3, OGG Premium Edition at Amazon.com. Read honest and unbiased product reviews from our users.
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Jump to: Review of free recording software: Audacity and Ardour.
To save the suspense: Ardour comes out on top. Ardour’s complete list of features, audio formats, plugins, window layouts, and mix automation options all make Ardour a much more powerful recording and mixing tool.
- Audacity is a versatile and comprehensive audio editing program. It runs smoothly, and the number of Help resources it comes with makes it a good choice for users of all experience levels.
- Audacity is available for Windows, macOS, and Linux. The system requirements are so minimal that it's not even worth mentioning them; if your PC turns on and was built sometime in the past 10 or 15.
- Nov 10, 2019 Audacity, the multi-faceted media application, allows you to record audio from the web (Skype, WhatsApp, or others) or to save system sounds - as well as its primary function, a video player.
Ardour takes longer to learn how to use than Audacity. It has its quirks (i.e. it’s not as intuitive to use as Pro Tools), but if you’re looking to do some multitrack audio recording with a lot of mixing options without having buying professional audio production software, then Ardour is a better and more flexible option than Audacity.
Before getting to the direct Audacity vs. Ardour comparison, there is one thing to note that I found a result of just finishing up a post production project I had to do on the fly – there is a place where Audacity seems to be better insofar as workflow and use than Ardour: noise reduction. Keep Audacity around for that, at least. Audacity’s noise reduction isn’t the best on the block, but its easy and does a decent enough job considering it doesn’t cost anything.
Another side note: If noise reduction is your goal, you can also look into WavePad. Free version will do some decent work, and if you pay you’ll get a little more; WP also exports / saves files as MP3 / AAC formats without having to pay extra.
Disclaimer: I’ve been a Pro Tools audio engineer for about 14 years – first session was on an Audio Media III card in a big old beige Apple Mac when it took about 5 minutes to load a session! Roblox studio windows 10. Now that computers are fast enough for software to run native, however, users can get a lot of work done (high track and plug-in count) without needing the expansion cards to help with the processing. This opened the doors for programmers to focus just on the software and not hardware, and the result is more and more software options have come through the pipeline.
As mentioned above, most of the newer recording software for Mac options are more clunky than “professional” audio software, but that’s mainly because they have not been in development for as long; every year they get better. It’s safe to say that now a fair number of free mixing software titles are good enough to use as alternatives to high-priced recording and mixing software, particularly when you’re in a tight spot and need to work outside of the studio.
While there are a lot of other options out there, this review focusses just on the differences between Audacity and Ardour, because they are the two I’ve most often had to use.
Audacity Rating
Ardour vs Audacity Comparison In Various Categories:
- Interface: Ardour audio software wins. Audacity is a bit clunky. Neither of them have great mix windows, but Ardours is much better. The pre and post inserts on Ardour sometimes feel as though they are not cooperating, but I think it’s mainly because I’m personally accustomed more to other software. The more you use it (particularly the mix window and how the edit tools work in the edit window), then it becomes a lot more intuition.
- For audio processing plugins… the truth is they both are about the same. Ardour comes with a lot more in the box, but there is a lot of overlap and/or plugins that aren’t very good so you’ll never use them. Ardour gives both pre and post fader inserts, which is also really nice.
- Bussing: again Ardour wins this category in the mix window. Setting up the busses is a bit of a pain (especially when you’re new to the software and concept). Once you get the ins / outs set up correctly and flowing through sends to aux tracks then it runs pretty smoothly. Every now and again, however, I’ll be setting up a subgroup and effects track and somehow get it incorrect, so have to start over. I blame that on being old, though, more so than any flaw in the workflow of the process.
- On that note, Ardour’s bussing is superior. You can create as many subgroups as you want, and those buss tracks have pre and post plugin inserts just like audio tracks
- Automation: Ardour hands down. Mix and plugin automation. Seriously: you can automate ANYTHING like you want to with professional audio software. I’d like to see faster ways to wrote automation in the edit window (nodes, drawing in, highlight and block adjusting, etc.), but given the cost… zero complaints.
- Ease of use…. Audacity (“Free Audio Editor”) might win on this, but only if you’re a new user to both. Ardour mandates an awful lot of right clicks, which can be a bit odd on a Mac laptop. Once you get used to it, though, it does make it a fairly fast interface. The right click list can be a bit large at times, but like any other software, once you start to memorize which options are where when you right click on a track, list, insert, etc, then it’s not bothersome at all. If you want quick edits, Audacity is better here, but once you get to know Ardour, then it becomes more friendly.
- Editing: Once again Ardour. The edit window is much easier to navigate, drag and dropping of regions is easy, track height adjustment and zooming is a snap, and it gives a lot of grid options.
- Integration: Ardour. It works with MTC sync as well as more and more control surfaces, which is a very nice touch if you want to actually set up a production studio without having to dish out a lot of money on the software. The money you save not having to buy software will let you get some other gear that can help improve the overall sound quality.
- Honestly… this list could keep going, but you get the idea which recording software wins. For the price… free… Ardour is actually quite good.
The biggest thing that bothers most users (more annoying) is Jack, the audio engine used by Ardour. This is downloaded as separate software that Ardour uses to manage the audio streams and bussing. I don’t want to say that Jack is buggy, because it might very well be how Ardour works with Jack and therefore not “Jack’s” issue, but the bottom line is, it can be buggy.
Jack Audio is intended to launch when Ardour does, but about 10-15% of the time something won’t quite work (the latest version is a little better, but on my MacBook sometimes Jack randomly won’t auto-launch when Ardour does). It will either not launch at all, or you’ll get no sound output from your Ardour session, so need to quit Ardour and Jack, launch Jack, then Ardour again. I have yet to find out why that happens (the fault can very well be mine), so it remains a minor annoyance. Again, though, considering what you get at no cost it’s more than worth putting up with the occasional re-launch.
How fast you can work inside the audio software is always an important aspect to keep in mind when comparing software. There are times when it feels like you have to stretch a little when navigating through Ardour (but that could very well be just because my brain is basically hardwired to PT shortcuts and layouts at this point). Getting to its plug-ins via the mix window can also feel pretty strange (it took me awhile just to figure out how to remove a plugin from a track).
I mention the above because it’s important that you try out both Ardour and Audacity on your own. Download them both and experiment on your own; just because Ardour has a lot more features doesn’t necessarily mean that you will use them all – there’s a lot to be said for the value of streamlined systems. If you work faster in Audacity and it does everything you need, then that might be the better choice for you in the end.
Read more about setting up your home recording studio.
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Category: Audio Gear Tagged: home recording studio
Published: by | Updated: 08-11-2014 14:05:36
Published: by | Updated: 08-11-2014 14:05:36
Are you an aspiring YouTuber looking to upload your first video? Alternatively, are you an amateur singer looking to improve the quality of your recordings? If you are one of the aforementioned, then this post is for you.
There are numerous applications for editing your audios with Audacity being the most popular. This application is free and incorporates advanced features that allow you to edit your audios in various ways. Audacity can be used to join or trim audios, remove noise and conduct spectrum analysis. In case Audacity doesn't seem to serve you right, there is a wide array of options to choose from. Among the Audacity alternatives include:
Top 1. TunesKit Audio Capture (Windows & Mac)
TunesKit Audio Capture is a highly revered audio editor and offers exciting features that make the editing experience fun and effortless. With this Audacity alternative, you can record any audio playing on the computer with high quality, such as streaming music, radio, background music in the game, etc. After that, you can perform a myriad of editing tasks. Once you have completed editing the audio you can save it in a wide range of formats like MP3, WAV, AAC, FLAC, etc. In addition, the edited audio retains its ID3 tags thus you are assured of enjoying audio with unscathed quality.
Pros:
1. Keep original quality and ID3 tags for audio;
2. Lets you capture multiple audios simultaneously;
3. Lets you to split, cut and mix captured audio tracks.
2. Lets you capture multiple audios simultaneously;
3. Lets you to split, cut and mix captured audio tracks.
Cons:
1. The free trial version only allows users to record audio for one minute.
Top 2. AudioDope (Windows)
As much as AudioDope is not loaded with numerous features, this Audacity alternative can still get the job done effectively. This program contains numerous audio effects that allow you to modify your audio file and modify each track separately. Format portable hard drive. Also, there are numerous in-built tools like frequency analyzer and tone generator that enhance your editing experience. AudioDope also supports VST plug-ins and allows you to create ringtones from your audios.
Pros:
1. Can record sound from any available source;
2. Can filter sound for high or low;
3. Allows for processing of different channels separately.
2. Can filter sound for high or low;
3. Allows for processing of different channels separately.
Cons:
1. Only works with Windows operating system.
Top 3. WavePad Audio Editor (Windows & Mac)
This is arguably one of the simplest applications but it also has amazing features. With WavePad, you can perform simple editing functions like audio trimming and advanced tasks like echoing, reverbing and normalizing the audio track. Additionally, WavePad also offers features like text to speech and voice changers which help you work on audios that require multiple voices on it. Amazingly, this alternative to Audacity helps you edit the audio in your videos without having to separate the audio and video.
Pros:
1. Can process and convert multiple files simultaneously;
2. Comes with lots of great tools such as voice changer, speed synthesis and spectra analysis among others;
3. Allows you to save processed files on portable devices.
2. Comes with lots of great tools such as voice changer, speed synthesis and spectra analysis among others;
3. Allows you to save processed files on portable devices.
Audacity Review Windows Download
Top 4. WaveShop (Windows)
WaveShop is another great alternative to Audacity. This audio editor is famed for its unique feature of real-time previewing of the audio. With this feature you can achieve a fine-tuned audio. Moreover, the multi-selection tool allows you select various parts of the audio and apply effects on it. In addition, the advanced memory management system will come in handy in enabling you to edit large files for longer periods without compromising on the audio quality. Also, you will be able to analyze the spectrums and receive support for VST plug-ins.
Pros:
1. Has the capacity to edit large files even those exceeding 4 GB;
2. Has Unlimited undo;
3. You record anything without any limitation.
2. Has Unlimited undo;
3. You record anything without any limitation.
Top 5. Nero Wave Editor (Windows)
This alternative to Audacity is undoubtedly one of the most powerful audio editor tools available. With this application, you can edit files with resolutions as high as 24-bit/192kHz. With more than 30 in-built processors, you can rest assured of achieving the highest quality in your audios. This application supports VST plug-ins and can comfortably handle files larger than 4GB. Other key features are: vinyl restoration and recording, automatic file conversion and mixing and real-time editing that doesn't compromise your audios.
Pros:
1. Has a great user interface and is easy to use;
2. Allows for unlimited undo;
3. Allows you to save the frequently used settings via the Preset Manager.
2. Allows for unlimited undo;
3. Allows you to save the frequently used settings via the Preset Manager.
Gsnap Audacity Windows
Cons:
1. Is only compatible with Windows operating system.
Top 6. Adobe Audition CC (Windows & Mac)
This software is one of the most powerful audio editors and allows you to conduct simple audio editing and complex tasks like full music production. Even with its incredible power Adobe Audition has proven to be easy to use thanks to its user-friendly interface. The features of this Audacity alternative Mac allow it to handle anything that you throw at it. The features of this audio editor include: multi-track editing, auto ducking which uses Adobe's AL technology to lower the volume of background tasks thus improving vocal quality and clip editing. More to that, there are various plug-ins available which allow it to perform well. Also, this audio editor is able to support almost all the audio formats available.
Pros:
1. Is fast and easy to use;
2. Has lots of features which makes it quite powerful.
2. Has lots of features which makes it quite powerful.
Cons:
1. Subscription based which can be very expensive in the long run;
2. Complex for beginners.
2. Complex for beginners.
Top 7. FL Studio (Windows & Mac)
This is arguably the go to software for pro editors and producers. Having been in use for more than 20 years, FL Studio has been used by some of the most revered names in the world of music. Apart from the common features found in most audio editors this Audacity alternative for Mac also comes with advanced features that allow you to add a myriad of effects for quality music production.
Pros:
1. Lots of great features;
2. Free update forever and easy to use;
3. Supports fast workflow.
2. Free update forever and easy to use;
3. Supports fast workflow.
Audacity Review Windows Pro
Cons:
1. The process is a bit clunky and can be messy at times.
Top 8. Logic Pro X (Mac)
Logic Pro X from Apple is no doubt the perfect Audacity alternative for Mac users. Being one of the oldest production and audio editing software available, you are assured of an exceptional outcome. With this software, you will enjoy advanced features such as: multi-track editing, audio plugins for advanced reverb and vintage EQs. Since this software is designed by Apple, it is bound to work flawlessly on any of your Mac devices despite the version.
Pros:
1. Very powerful tool for making podcasts and other recodings;
2. Very simple and easy to use user interface;
3. Lots of great features.
2. Very simple and easy to use user interface;
3. Lots of great features.
Top 9. Ardour (Windows, Mac & Linux)
This audio editing software is designed for use on all operating systems available. The popularity of this Audacity alternative emanates from its simple recording interface which requires you to simply plug a microphone to your device, open the software and record. With this feature, you are able to see and monitor your recording wave thus you are able to adjust the input gains to achieve the best audio quality.
Pros:
1. Allows you to copy, cut, paste, delete, move, drag, rename, drop snapshot and zoom music videos;
2. Allows for unlimited undo/redo;
3. Allows for unlimited tracks, plugins, and inserts.
2. Allows for unlimited undo/redo;
3. Allows for unlimited tracks, plugins, and inserts.
Cons:
1. So complicated that users need lots of time to learn.
Top 10. Wavousar (Windows)
Wavousar ranks highly among the alternatives to Audacity. In fact, this is arguably the lightest audio editor with a size of 1 MB. The small size of this audio editor shouldn't be used to gauge its performance as it is packed with an array of incredible features. With Wavousar, you can edit more than one file in a single session. The batch processing feature allows you to inject VST effects to an entire folder of audios and record audio from the sound-card input of your PC. Furthermore, you can use Wavousar to export files as text and use them in software programs like Excel and MATLAB.
Pros:
1. Allows for the processing of multiple files simultaneously;
2. Offers a number of processing options such as insert silence, fade in and fade out among others;
3. Supports multi-channel files, VST plug ins and real-time effects.
2. Offers a number of processing options such as insert silence, fade in and fade out among others;
3. Supports multi-channel files, VST plug ins and real-time effects.
Audacity For Windows 10 Home
Conclusion
With the numerous audio editors available, finding the perfect one can prove to be a daunting task. But with this list, you no longer have to undergo the pain of experimenting with the various Audacity alternatives. Simply choose an editor that meets your requirements and get down to work.
Audacity
Nick Orin is a review writer, software geek and Mac OS enthusiast. He spends all his free time in searching useful software and gadgets to share with others.