CNET Editors' note: Beta or prerelease software is not intended for inexperienced users, as the software may contain bugs or may potentially damage your system. We strongly recommend that users exercise caution and save all mission-critical data before installing or using this software.
Publisher's Description
From Audacity Developer Team:
Audacity is a free audio editor. You can record sounds, play sounds, import and export WAV, AIFF, and MP3 files, and more. Use it to edit your sounds using Cut, Copy and Paste (with unlimited Undo), mix tracks together, or apply effects to your recordings. It also has a built-in amplitude envelope editor, a customizable spectrogram mode and a frequency analysis window for audio analysis applications. Built-in effects include Bass Boost, Wahwah, and Noise Removal, and it also supports VST plug-in effects.
What's new in this version: Version 1.3.14 beta fixes for data loss when encountering corrupted project files, excessive delay occurred when typing into labels in long projects, MP2 files could not be imported natively, and Spectrograms now allow window sizes up to 32768 and frequencies up to half the sample rate.
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All versions:
4.1 starsout of 68 votes
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Current version:
4.6 starsout of 5 votes
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My rating:
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Results 1-5 of 5
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"Prone To Frequent Crashing"
Version: Audacity 1.3.14 beta
Pros
It is Audacity, one of the best audio editing softwares available. I beleive it to be the absolute best in FREE audio manipulation software. However, this flavor is BETA and as such, I believe some kinks need to be worked out. Still GREAT for 'light-duty', but for a more robust version download the newest NON-BETA.
Cons
Often crashes upon completion of a track as you open your next project. Does not seem to be as quick as Version 1.2.6 nor is it as easy to manipulate several tracks (or have several different projects open at same time) with multiple instances open. The portable version of this BETA, even with REV.2; is even worse.
Summary
A decent audio manipulation, creation, editing etc., tool that comes from the best in such free softwares. Needs more refining to be up to par as previous releases. For now, V-1.2.6 is the better choice from the GNU user/developers.
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"Excellent "FREE" Recording Software"
Version: Audacity 1.3.14 beta
Pros
I use Audacity along with Bias SoundSoap, GoldWave, StarDust, DePopper and Classic Equalizer. Audacity does an excellent job of recording old vinyl and taking out the pops and clicks. It does a great job of normalizing vinyl, taking out the pops, clicks, adding volume and clip problems. It will allow the use of VST programs so I use Bias SoundSoap to do a final cleaning of the vinyl. I sometimes use StarDust on mono recordings. I then put the file into GoldWave and remove any hum or other noise. I then use Classic Equalizer on the mono files along with StarDust on one channel and reverb on the other. I then put the file back into Audacity and remove any clips. It works for me. I do not use all these steps with stereo vinyl. It's free so why not give it a try.
Cons
I use different software on the same files because I have not found any software that will do everything when it comes to cleaning old records. I think Audacity, Goldwave and SoundSoap come close but I like to use a combination of all three and sometimes more. I have use Sony Sound Forge to clean and record with and put the files in GoldWave and found noise. GoldWave will clean the noise Sony missed.
Summary
Audacity in combination with other programs will do an excellent job of cleaning old vinyl. Plus it has a lot of other uses which I didn't do into.
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"I recommend it"
Version: Audacity 1.3.14 beta
Pros
Free, works pretty good. No unwanted software!
Cons
Online help/tutorial fairly worthless
Summary
See previous reviews by vander and nick. Definite learning curve if you haven't used the previous version. Main problems I have are 1)changing pitch will also change tempo to some degree, even though it is not supposed to, and 2)sometimes when I collapse tracks (to view more on monitor), I'm unable to re-expand them... save your work often, so you can re-edit if needed. But more of the features work correctly than in version 1.2.6. In using Audacity fairly often for over a year, there are still features/effects that I don't know what they do even with online "help". But overall ideal for mixing music or sound fx for home video projects.
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"Great Free Audio Editor"
Version: Audacity 1.3.14 beta
Pros
-Free.
-.MP3 support.
-Included recording software, and tagging software.
-Easy to use interface.Cons
-No .MIDI support.
-Low quality audio conversion in some instances.
-Old-style looking interface. (Probably a pro, as it doesn't hog PC resources...)
-have to download the .mp3 converter (called LAME) separately in order to save .MP3 files.Summary
Overall, Audacity is excellent, considering it's free, but I could hardly imagine making professional quality songs in it. It is good for mixing and redoing some sounds, but that's about it.
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"Very Efficient"
Version: Audacity 1.3.14 beta
Pros
Upgraded Dec 29, 2011 from little-used version 1.2.6. Still a neophyte despite much experience with Wavelab circa 2003-2006. This software seems to offer less bells and whistles I never used, while doing what I need with great efficiency. Chose upgrade for sake of FLAC Audio Codec compatibility. Have been able to copy in from 90 and 120-minute audio cassettes in real time as a SINGLE (Audacity project) FILE (really a seamless series of files) and then edit silences at beginning and end with ease. Opens potentially HUMONGOUS files in barely a minute and converts same to FLAC format in perhaps 3-4 minutes? Astounding! On a 2003-era with XP 1 Gig RAM!
Cons
May take some hunting and sniffing to figure out how to do a particular task, but can do it! Opens blank track(s) and each attempt to record creates NEW audio tracks in parallel, so with 3-4 false starts (checking levels) will have 4 sets of tracks that require deletion before saving final version. Can mute any or play any simultaneously. Obviously an advantage for normal studio recording.
Must initially Save as AUDACITY PROJECT file before separately converting to FLAC (or other desired format) file. Falsely seems to offer this in one initial step.Summary
Seems to be superb for my needs, and very flexible for future use in other ways. Highly-recommended. I am also a classical musician/composer and so will greatly value high-fidelity options and ability to convert to many other audio formats.
Little used so far, so there may be bugs, but personally recommend upgrade having decided that FLAC offers best combination as an emerging standard for archiving lossless audio with decent compression, and at NO cost!
Trust this developer as ideal example of shareware/freeware. Hope they thrive!
Results 1-5 of 5
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