Author Topic: ATTN: Mac Users - Which DAW software do you use? (Read 5701 times)

evilchris · « **on:** July 21, 2007, 02:56:52 AM »

I've used Sound Forge 6 for ages, but I'm tired of booting up the PC to normalize, track, and flac a show. To that end, I've found three "front-runners" in the OS X market for DAW software:

1. Audacity
2. Sound Studio
3. Amadeus Pro

I'm leaning toward Sound Studio, but I'm not sure why. Finding a good shoot-out between it and Amadeus is like pulling teeth, if Google is any indication.

My question, then, is this: What do you use? Why?

Nick Graham · « **Reply #1 on:** July 21, 2007, 04:49:44 AM »

Are you looking strictly for free software? If not, I'd recommend Spark XL. One way to get an idea of what other mac users are working with, go to archive.org and search for the various Mac computers (Powerbook, iMac, Power Mac, Macbook, etc.). The transfer lineage should be listed with the software noted.

edtyre · « **Reply #2 on:** July 21, 2007, 08:51:45 AM »

If you want to spend a little i'd recommend
DSP Quattro X
http://www.i3net.it/Products/dspQuattro/Asp/Index_EN.asp?Language=EN

deeputahpowder · « **Reply #3 on:** July 21, 2007, 09:17:41 AM »

I've used Sound Studio for a couple years and give it 2 thumbs up. it does what i've needed, normalize, compress, fades, eq's, markers, split by markers, applescript-able etc. Haven't upgraded to version 3 yet. b/c i'm still on 10.3.9 also haven't used any other daw on mac, to comment or compare. I used to use cdwav (?I think thats what it was called) when i did this on windows, but I kicked that habit

and now do all sound work on mac.
dave

keytohwy · « **Reply #4 on:** July 21, 2007, 02:46:28 PM »

I've enjoyed Sound Studio since moving away from Peak. Peak was overkill, and I needed just the function of exporting a marked audio file into individual files, something that Peak LE would not do. SS des what it does well, without some of the BS that Peak also introduced. Compared to Audacity...well, I like a Mac-native app. Audacity just didn't feel right to me and I found some functions non-existent or too difficult to utilize. Amadeus Pro, I just got in that crazy MacUpdate bundle. One feature there I already like is the ability to export track marks as a text file, then re-import later. Why this is important to me? So many of my files are 16/48 audio. I typically track them, convert to 44.1, split them, and then FLAC them for distibution. Bu, I like to archive the original file. If I FLAC the original, it strips the marker metadata, so if I return to the file for some reason, all the markers are gone. It seems with AP, I can export the tracks, FLAC, and then later, re-import the track marks. Brilliant! It's like saving a project file in Final Cut instead of working with a destructive file editor.

My $.02

keytohwy

Quote from: evilchris on July 21, 2007, 02:56:52 AM

I've used Sound Forge 6 for ages, but I'm tired of booting up the PC to normalize, track, and flac a show. To that end, I've found three "front-runners" in the OS X market for DAW software:

1. Audacity
2. Sound Studio
3. Amadeus Pro

I'm leaning toward Sound Studio, but I'm not sure why. Finding a good shoot-out between it and Amadeus is like pulling teeth, if Google is any indication.

My question, then, is this: What do you use? Why?

J.T.L · « **Reply #5 on:** July 21, 2007, 04:07:38 PM »

Anyone try Traverso? http://traverso-daw.org/ ...free and multitrack support.

Patrick · « **Reply #6 on:** July 21, 2007, 04:37:24 PM »

Quote from: J.T.L on July 21, 2007, 04:07:38 PM

Anyone try Traverso? http://traverso-daw.org/ ...free and multitrack support.

Just checked this out. Seems like it is brand new, so it is full of bugs for me at least. It is one clunky program but definitely has a lot of potential. Looking forward to seeing what they do with this in the future.

willndmb · « **Reply #7 on:** July 21, 2007, 05:57:42 PM »

i use audacity and spark
spark is much better imo but audacity is free

bluntforcetrauma · « **Reply #8 on:** July 23, 2007, 01:31:13 AM »

1. PEAK pro
2. pro tools

with waves ( ultramaximizer) and bbe plug ins

these are not free

FiKe · « **Reply #9 on:** July 23, 2007, 05:26:20 AM »

protools le 7.0 and I transferred to a linux box to do track splits using wavbreaker 0.7 then used shntool 2.0.3

Phillip

Mic D · « **Reply #10 on:** July 23, 2007, 10:59:35 AM »

Sound Studio would be fine for your needs.

nic · « **Reply #11 on:** July 23, 2007, 09:12:20 PM »

for simple 2 track stuff I like Peak and Sound Studio, but my BIG peeve with SS is the lack of metering!
havent tried Amadeus Pro yet (I just got it in the MU bundle as well)
hate using Spark due to its UI

the apps I use most are Digital Performer and Cubase

deeputahpowder · « **Reply #12 on:** July 23, 2007, 11:52:50 PM »

---hijack---kinda---
Anyone else whose used Sound Studio 3.5 (whatever the latest is) curious how long it takes to save a 1.5 hour .aiff file. Takes my ibook g4 like 8 minutes. whereas Sound Studio 2.1 took 3 minutes.

Tried this in Cubase LE. press save. the file is saved instantly.

How long does it take these other programs to save a 1.5 hour show...Yeah - i know all of our machines are more and less powerful than each others....but has anyone noticed such a drastic difference in processing time going between versions of a program...seems they would have sped the functions up. not decreased their performance.
dave

MattD · « **Reply #13 on:** July 24, 2007, 06:43:26 AM »

I'm STILL on Spark XL because there really isn't anything better yet. I tried out Wave Editor but it's slow compared to Spark and was also the first program to crash my iBook in months.

easy jim · « **Reply #14 on:** July 24, 2007, 01:49:00 PM »

AudioDesk and Digital Performer for multitrack (I really dislike ProTools)

I have not found a 2 track program that I like yet, although I would like Peak if not for the $$$

Audacity sucks! It's too unstable unless you save every 5mins, and none of the effects hold water by comparison to the AudioDesk/Digital Performer plug-ins IMO. I only use Audacity for quick and dirty tracking/resampling of 2 track mixes b/c AD/DP are both very slow when resampling at "best" quality.

tapeheadtoo · « **Reply #15 on:** July 25, 2007, 07:47:30 PM »

I use Sound Studio and DSP-Quattro.
Sound Studio is good for the bulk of what I do, but for some reason mine has a bug and can't resample from 48 to 44.1 (it hangs up, "3 minutes remaining" becomes "4 minutes remaining" becomes "5 minutes remaining" etc etc). So I use DSP Quattro to resample. I also like the meters and "check peak and RMS levels" which Sound Studio lacks.

bgalizio · « **Reply #16 on:** July 25, 2007, 09:08:45 PM »

Quote from: tapeheadtoo on July 25, 2007, 07:47:30 PM

I use Sound Studio and DSP-Quattro.
Sound Studio is good for the bulk of what I do, but for some reason mine has a bug and can't resample from 48 to 44.1 (it hangs up, "3 minutes remaining" becomes "4 minutes remaining" becomes "5 minutes remaining" etc etc). So I use DSP Quattro to resample. I also like the meters and "check peak and RMS levels" which Sound Studio lacks.

Update your SS and that bug should go away. I remember having that on a 3.0.x version.

taper420 · « **Reply #17 on:** July 26, 2007, 08:53:19 AM »

I like Audiodesk (stripped down digital performer) ... it came with my MOTU interfaces and I find it does just about everything I want to do. If I need to normalize I'll import to peak le real quick, but I don't usually have to. I use AudioDesk for studio recording and mixing/editing, and Boomrecorder for live recording. Boomrecorder is slimmed down, and just for multitrack recording, not editing ... it has a nice UI and I LOVE the prerecord buffer.

dmccabe · « **Reply #18 on:** July 26, 2007, 10:43:58 AM »

check out WaveEdtr.
http://www.audiofile-engineering.com/index.php

And their Sample Mgr is the BEST batch audio file processor and dithering program -- it uses iZotope MBIT+™ dither. If you are using Soundforge, WaveLab, Bias Peak, ProTools, Digital Performer... and you are not dithering with MBIT -- you are fucking your audio! The MBIT+ is night and day better than anything out there. Don't believe me?
Check here:

http://src.infinitewave.ca

and more about dithering here:

http://www.izotope.com/press/9.28.2006_iZotope_Licenses_Algorithms_to_Sonic_Studio.html

Dede2002 · « **Reply #19 on:** July 26, 2007, 03:49:27 PM »

I use Audacity and Sound Studio. Quite happy with them

scb · « **Reply #20 on:** July 26, 2007, 03:54:00 PM »

Quote from: dmccabe on July 26, 2007, 10:43:58 AM

check out WaveEdtr.
http://www.audiofile-engineering.com/index.php

And their Sample Mgr is the BEST batch audio file processor and dithering program -- it uses iZotope MBIT+™ dither. If you are using Soundforge, WaveLab, Bias Peak, ProTools, Digital Performer... and you are not dithering with MBIT -- you are fucking your audio! The MBIT+ is night and day better than anything out there. Don't believe me?
Check here:

http://src.infinitewave.ca

and more about dithering here:

http://www.izotope.com/press/9.28.2006_iZotope_Licenses_Algorithms_to_Sonic_Studio.html

that's half the reason why i still use spark. but your first link is about sample rate conversion, not dithering

taper420 · « **Reply #21 on:** July 26, 2007, 05:23:56 PM »

while we're on the subject... does anybody have any opinion on Quan Jr. dither?

easy jim · « **Reply #22 on:** July 26, 2007, 06:27:46 PM »

Quote from: taper420 on July 26, 2007, 05:23:56 PM

while we're on the subject... does anybody have any opinion on Quan Jr. dither?

I believe it is designed to dither to 8bit and lower resolution bit rates for on line streaming and such. I attempted using it at first when I started using MOTU gear; however, I found it added much more background noise vs. dithering using 'convert sample format' in the soundbites window. One comparison using a pair of cans was all it took for me to drop using Quan Jr.

ArchivalAudio · « **Reply #23 on:** August 01, 2007, 10:28:02 PM »

my
2¢
I have used Cubase for years...
and Peak (only track) but Peak works well with Jam
I have recently
started with AudioDesk which I like very well
works awesome with my MOTU Ultralite

So far I still am opening up the SDII files (raw) into Peak to track and edit fades etc...
I like the ease of adding track moving them and making them into regions

I had issues with Protools free causeing som glitches with my old Mac Clone...
So stil to this day I am not fond of protools

but others like it

there you go

peace thru music

Author Topic: ATTN: Mac Users - Which DAW software do you use? (Read 5701 times)

J.T.L

easy jim

easy jim