Summary

Rating

Explain the rating

What is this and why is it important?

Recording

Audition 2

Sound Forge 9

Audition 2

Sound Forge 9

Multitrack Recording

5

2

Yes

Multichannel recording

Multitrack recording allows you to record audio from different inputs to multiple tracks simultaneously.  Multichannel recording allows you to record multiple audio inputs to different channels in the same file.

Recording Triggers

4

5

MIDI

MIDI, time or threshold

A trigger function allows you to begin recording based on some event other than the mouse or keyboard controls.

Multiple Takes

5

5

Separate clips in a single track stacked

New region or new window

It is fairly common to define a looped segment on the timeline, record the material for that segment several times, and then select the best take. 

Pre/Post Roll

5

5

Yes

Yes

Pre/Post Roll allows you to play existing audio material before and after the segment to be recorded.  You can use this to provide a lead-in for performers.

Loop Recording

5

2

Yes

Auto rewind; overlay only

If you are recording over an existing segment of audio many products allow to either replace the segment with the recorded material or layer the new material on top of the old and to loop through the segment multiples times. 

Punch In/Out

5

5

Yes

Yes

Punch In/Out is a function which allows you to start playback prior to the segment that is being recorded and continue playback after the recording segment ends. 

Input Monitoring

5

5

Yes

Yes

Input Monitoring is the capability of listening to the recording input using your audio interface.

Overall Rating

4.9

4.1

Summary

Rating

Explain the rating

What is this and why is it important?

Processing

Audition 2

Sound Forge 9

Audition 2

Sound Forge 9

Sample Rate Conversion

5

5

192 kHz max

192 kHz max

The maximum frequency for a project is one-half the sample rate.  The sample rate for a commercial CD is 44.1 kHz, but higher sample rates are frequently used in projects.  All sample rate support is dependent on the capabilities of your audio interface. 

Bit Depth Conversion

4

5

32-bit floating point max

64-bit floating point max

Bit depth determines the dynamic range of a project or session.  The standard bit depth for a commercial CD is 16 bits which produces a stereo dynamic range of 96 db, but higher bit depths are frequently used in projects.

Dither

Algorithm

5

5

Gaussian, triangular, rectangular

Gaussian, triangular, rectangular

Dither is used when going from a higher to a lower bit depth.  Using dither adds a small amount of noise to the signal, but prevents distortion at low amplitude levels that is caused by truncating the extra bits.  Noise shaping reduces the perception of the noise created by dither generally by redistributing it to the higher frequency ranges.

Noise Shaping

5

5

Yes

Yes

Normalize

Peak

5

5

Yes

Yes

Peak normalizing finds the peak amplitude and raises or lowers the volume of the entire file so that the peak

RMS

5

4

Single and multiple files

Single files

RMS (Root Mean Square) normalizing raises the average volume of a file to a specified level.

Equal Loudness Contours

5

5

Yes

Yes

Equal Loudness Contours is the capability of applying RMS normalization using Fletcher-Munson curves so that the perceived loudness of all frequencies in the file is adjusted to the specified RMS value.  This process accounts for the fact that mid-range frequencies are perceived as louder.

Peak Handling

4

5

Optional Limiting

Optional Limiting & Compression

Applying RMS normalization may cause the amplitude of individual peaks to go above 0 db.  Typically if this happens you would want to limit or compress the waveform so that clipping does not occur.

Statistics

5

0

RMS Histogram & Clipping Profile

No

Applying RMS normalization may cause excessive compression or limiting depending on the loudness distribution of a file.  A statistical analysis helps you judge the impact of applying a particular level of RMS normalization.

Time Changes

Rate

5

4

Constant & Variable

Constant

Time stretching (or compression) refers to expanding (or contracting) the length of time for a particular audio segment while keeping the pitch constant.  Stretching can either be at a constant rate or a variable rate.  A variable rate means that the audio is perceive to gradually become faster or slower.

Algorithms

1

5

Single algorithm

Multiple algorithms

Time stretching can rarely be accomplished without some degradation of the sound quality.  Using different time stretching algorithms depending on the type of audio (instruments, vocals, drums, etc.) can result in less degradation.

Pitch Changes

Shift

5

5

Yes

Yes

Pitch shifting refers to raising or lowering the pitch of a file by an amount usually measured in musical terms, semitones and cents.

Auto Time Correct

3

5

Realtime only

Batch and realtime

Raising or lowering the pitch will cause the time of the file or selection to decrease or increase.  Many times it is desirable to keep the time constant.

Bend

5

4

Yes (including Doppler effect)

Yes

Pitch bending means applying variable pitch shifting over time which can usually be specified by a graphical curve.

Clipping Tools

Detection

5

5

Gathers statistics

Identifies locations

Products have several criteria for identifying clipping and either gathering statistics or marking locations.  This information can help you judge the severity of clipping.

Peak Restoration

5

5

Yes

Yes

Peak restoration replaces the horizontal clipped peaks with recreated curves.  This function can eliminate clipping distortion but may not accurately recreate the waveforms in cases of heavy clipping.

Noise Reduction

5

5

Yes

Yes

Noise reduction creates a sample of the noise and subtract it from the audio.  This will eliminate the noise, but may introduce artifacts.

Audio Restoration

5

5

Hiss Reduction, Click/Pop Eliminator

Audio Restoration, Click & Crackle Reduction

Vinyl Restoration plug-ins are geared towards removing two types of noise normally associated with vinyl and/or tape recordings, hiss and clicks/pops. 

Channel Processing

Pan/Expand

5

5

Yes

Yes

Panning is positioning the sound of a track from right to left.  Expansion means increasing or decreasing the perceived separation of the stereo effect.

Channel Mixing

5

5

Yes

Yes

Channel Mixing is the capability of mixing the left channel to the right or vice versa.

Mono/Stereo Conversion

5

5

Yes

Yes

Mono/Stereo refers to converting a mono file to a stereo file and optionally applying pseudo-stereo effects.

DC Offset Adjustment

5

5

Amplify/Fade Process

Yes

Electrical mismatches between the recording device and the sound card may result in the recording not being centered around the 0 db line and can cause glitches and artifacts.  DC Offset Adjustment is the capability of detecting and removing this condition.

Sound Generation

DTMF

5

5

Yes

Yes

DTMF tones are telephone dial tone signals that can be generated.

Tones

5

5

Yes

Yes

Both products can generate simple waveforms at a specified frequency.

FM Synthesis

0

5

No

Yes

FM Synthesis refers to the capability of generating complex waveforms to emulate instrument or other similar sounds.

Noise

5

5

Yes

Yes

Pink, white or brown noise generation.

Spectrum Analyzer

Monitoring Options

5

5

Point & interval

Point & interval

A spectrum frequency analysis shows the frequency distribution of amplitude levels for a given slice of audio.  This function can be very useful in confirming EQ and compression levels in mixing and mastering.  Monitoring options refers to the range of data that is shown in the graph.  The default is a point in time which can be updated in real time.  Intervals can also be selected and a graph created as a batch process.

FFT Settings

5

5

Size & smoothing

Size & smoothing

A spectrum analysis is created by a Fast Fourier Transformation, a mathematical algorithm.  Both products offer different options for sample size and smoothing algorithms (e.g. Blackman-Harris, Hamming, etc.).

Graph Display

3

5

Line, area, bar

Line, filled, bar, slices

Both products offer three basic graphical formats.  Sound Forge also can display a time interval with slices of different time ranges.

Graph Scale

5

5

Linear & log; axis scaling

Linear & log; axis scaling

Both products offer horizontal and vertical scaling of the graphs as well as logarithmic and linear displays.

Snapshots

5

5

4 snapshots

4 snapshots

Both products allow you to save graphs as snapshots.  This function is useful for comparing one interval with another.

Phase Analysis

5

5

Phase Analysis Graph

Yes

A Phase Analysis Graph is useful both for analyzing stereo separation and detecting out-of-phase stereo channels.

Spectral Analysis

5

5

Spectral View

Sonogram

A spectral analysis (or sonogram) is a 3-dimensional plot of frequency and amplitude over the entire timeline.  The amplitude of a particular frequency at any given point in time is represented by different colors

Spectral Edit

5

0

Yes

No

Spectral editing is the capability to select a range of frequencies in a particular time interval and apply editing or processing. 

Overall Rating

4.6

4.6

Summary

Rating

Explain the rating

What is this and why is it important?

Effects

Audition 2

Sound Forge 9

Audition 2

Sound Forge 9

Dynamics

Graphic Dynamics

5

5

Yes

Yes

Rather than separate plug-ins for each of the basic dynamics functions--compression, limiting, expansion and gates--these products have Graphic Dynamics functions which allow you to create many different combinations of the basic functions.

Multiband Dynamics

5

5

4-band compressor

4-band compressor

Multiband dynamics is the capability of applying different compression and/or limiting to a specific frequency bands and is widely used in mastering.

Monitoring

1

5

Clipping statistics for limiting only

Impact meters for all dynamics

Monitoring is useful to show how much compression or limiting is being applied.  Otherwise setting the proper levels can be difficult.

Reverb

5

4

Reverb, Full Reverb, QuickVerb

Reverb

Reverb simulates acoustic reflections in defined spaces, for example, halls, cathedrals, rooms, etc.

Convolution Reverb

Impulse Apply

3

5

Convolution (batch only)

Acoustic Mirror (real time & batch)

Convolution reverb is commonly used to simulate the reflective characteristics of a physical environment (a cathedral or a stadium, for example).  This is done by applying an Impulse Response file that has been created by recording the responses of sounds generated in the physical environment.  Artificial environments can also be created. 

Impulse Create

5

5

Impulse Response Edit

Impulse Response Capture

Audition is more oriented towards creating artificial environments by providing editing facilities for existing Impulse Response files.  Sound Forge is more oriented towards physical environments by providing facilities for capturing and creating Impulse Response files.

Impulse Library

1

5

Minimal

Large collection

Creating Impulse Response files is a rather specialized process.  Thus the value of this effect is largely dependent on the existing Impulse Response files that are included.

Delay & Echo

5

4

Delay, Dynamic Delay, Multitap Delay, Echo, Echo Chamber

Simple, Multitap

Delay effects replicate a sound to create echoes, slaps, and other related effects.  Multitap delays provide multiple replications.

Chorus

5

5

Chorus

Chorus

The chorus effect replicates a sound with a slight delay and optionally a low frequency modulation effect to create a thicker sound and other effects.

Flange & Phase

5

5

Flanger, Sweeping Phaser

XFX3 (Flange/Wah-Wah, etc)

The Flange and Phase effects are created from a combination of phase shifting and time delay.  These effects produce a sweeping sound that originated in the 60's and is currently popular in Techno music.  This category is also a catch-all for some related effects such as tremolo & vibrato.

EQ

5

5

Dynamic, Graphic, Parametric EQ & Notch, Quick Filters

Graphic, Paragraphic, Parametric EQ

EQ is used to boost or reduce volume at specified frequency bands.  Both products implement EQ with a variety of choices for band, shelf, and pass curves.

Filters

5

1

Center Channel Extractor, FFT Filter, Scientific Filters, Graphic Phase Shifter

Graphic EQ

Some of the Filters offered by Audition are EQ presets oriented to specific tasks (e.g. hum elimination).  While the same results can be achieved in Sound Forge in many cases, the knowledge incorporated in the Audition presets is a substantial benefit.  For some of the other filters in Audition such as the Center Channel Extractor (vocal removal) and the Graphic Phase Shifter (pseudo-stereo) there is no equivalent in Sound Forge.

Distortion

5

5

Distortion

Distortion

Distortion is a collection of effects based on overdriven tube amplifiers and is widely used for electric guitars.

Overall Rating

4.2

4.5

Summary

Rating

Explain the rating

What is this and why is it important?

Mixing

Audition 2

Sound Forge 9

Audition 2

Sound Forge 9

Multitrack

5

2

Yes

Multichannel Mixing, Mix Paste

Multitrack mixing is the capability of simultaneously combining multiple audio files into a single stereo or mono output.  Audition has multitrack  mixing capabilities that compare favorably with many music production software products (Pro Tools, Cubase, Sonar, etc.).  However, these features are not listed in detail because Sound Forge does not have multitrack mixing, so a comparison would be pointless.  Sound Forge has a batch multichannel mixing process which allows you to mix down multiple channels in the same file to a mono or stereo file. Sony states that Acid Pro is designed to provide this functionality and thus it is not included in Sound Forge.

Surround

5

0

Multichannel Encoder

No

Audition supports 5.1 surround mixing with facilities that compare favorably with such products as Cubase and Sonar.  Sound Forge provides a multichannel batch mixing process, but not for surround sound processing.

Overall Rating

5.0

1.0

Overall Rating

4.7

3.6