Acoustica Reviewer's Comments

This software by Acon Digital Media has easy recording options and includes its own CD burning components. Acoustica can perform 24 or 32 bit, 192 kHz, non-destructive editing fast with unlimited undo/redo ability. It also will run with Vista.

It has a unique free hand volume curve and supports DirectX plug-ins. This product can record from about anything including your sound card, a line-in or analog gear. Unlike many programs your can play the audio in the program as well as whatever else you are listening to at the same time. So other sound components of your computer, whether alerts, internet radio or other sounds are not disabled, unless you want them to be.

This program does not include as many preset filters as other programs, however, with experience filtering can be achieved by other methods, including through the noise reducer and the parametric equalizer. This program has been successfully used to enhance the sound of aged LPs and tape recordings and your can add back high frequency harmonics.

Audio Editing:  

Acoustica comes with an excellent collection of editing tools including a parametric equalizer, dynamic processor, harmonizer, drag and drop edits, mouse scroll zoom and a channel mixer. This software processes edits quickly and all of the effects are fully adjustable. What this program lacks is preset filters, but if you can figure out how to use their editing tools you can create most of these filter effects on your own.

It also comes with a cleaning wizard, an audio scrubber and a track splitter—very few products include an automatic track splitter.

Recording/Burning:  

As mentioned above, this product can record from almost anything and can work with WAV, AU, MP3, MPEG, OGG Vorbis and WMA formats. This program can pull audio from several video file types and includes its own CD burning components.

However, from what we could tell, this product does not work with AIFF format, but to be competitive it is likely that they will consider that in their next version.

Ease of Use:  

This product is easy to use; everything seems to be right where it should be. It does not include as many effect icons as other products but most functions are included in drop down menus or through right mouse clicks.

Help/Support:  

This product includes an inter-program help section as well as an online forum, tutorials and a downloadable product manual. You can also contact technical support by email. It does not appear that they offer free updates but they do have downloadable plug-ins.

Summary:  

Acoustica is easy to use and includes a good selection of editing tools and recording abilities. Even though it does not support as many preset filters and effects as some of the other products, the ones they do have are fully adjustable. However, if you need a program that works well with AIFF format and is just as easy to use, look to Dexster Audio Editor.