PC WAV File Editors Issue 3
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E Q U PC WAV I P M File E Editors N T If you want to edit WAV files on a PC, the heavyweight packages are Sound Forge and Wavelab. Martin Walker weighs up the pros and cons. T E S nyone who uses a PC for hard T disk recording or stereo A mastering will need a WAV file editor, either to process individual tracks from a multitrack environment, or to put the final touches to a stereo file before mastering. Many Midi+Audio sequencers come with a basic integral audio editor, as do many soundcard bundles, but for a comprehensive list of features you will need a specialist standalone package. For mono or stereo WAV file editing to a professional standard, two packages have risen to the top of the pile – Sonic Foundry’s Sound Forge, and Steinberg’s Wavelab. Currently, Sound Forge stands at version 4.5, and Wavelab at 2.01, but for anyone trying to decide which Sound Forge 4.5, complete with add-on package CD Architect, showing the real-time fade and crossfade capability. one to buy it can be a tricky prospect, especially since each product has an almost play back mono or stereo files with 8- or 16-bit resolution, encyclopaedic range of features. If you definitely need and any sampling rate between 2k and 96k (subject to support in a specific area (such as being able to import your soundcard supporting them, of course). Wavelab is or export a particular format of file), then it’s best to rather more ambitious: while offering an identical range of check this for yourself, either by looking at the manufac- sampling rates, it also supports 8, 16, 20 ,24, and even turer’s website, or speaking to a knowledgeable music 32-bit resolution files. This is a fundamental area in which dealer. What most people can’t tell you is what working even the latest Sound Forge (version 4.5, released July with each package is really like, and how they compare. ‘98) is lagging behind. If your soundcard can record 20 or I’ve used both extensively, from their earliest incarna- 24-bit files, you should bear this in mind. tions, and watched them evolve and grow over the last However, Sound Forge is compatible with an extensive few years. What follows isn’t a feature by feature range of file types other than the common WAV, and breakdown, or a head-to-head review with an overall shows its games ancestry by supporting a huge range of winner – each product has its own individual strengths older ones including: Amiga (svx or iff), Covox (v8), and weaknesses. Look at it rather as an informed Creative Labs (voc), and Gravis Patch (pat); as well as a viewpoint, which hopefully you should find useful when large range of more general ones, including: Macintosh making a final choice. AIFF (aif), NeXT/Sun (au, snd), and MIDI (sds). If you ever receive samples in an unknown format, a special Formats Raw option is available which will read any file after you Sound Forge and Wavelab both support a large range of specify the number of bits, whether it is signed or different WAV file formats. Sound Forge can record and unsigned, mono or stereo, and even the order of the 115 bytes for 16-bit sounds (Little Endian for Intel, and Big channel, this can be automatically removed during the Endian for Motorola). This can sometimes prove recording. Both programs allow you to automatically invaluable for unravelling unknown sound files. create a new window for each new recorded take, but Wavelab supports a smaller range of file types – apart Sound Forge also has the option of creating a new from WAV it will load and save as AIFF, NeXT/Sun, Region for each take, which can also be useful. Ensoniq Paris (paf), and Raw (but with more limited options). Both programs support compressed formats Sampler support through Microsoft’s ACM (Audio Compression Manager), Many people with rack-mounting samplers would like to and if you have Internet Explorer 4.0 this will include edit its contents using the large graphic screen NetShow. However, Sound Forge’s support for Internet environment of a PC. This is one area that was streaming formats is impressive, with NetShow 3.0, pioneered by Sonic Foundry – Sound Forge has provided RealAudio/Video 5.0, and Java AU files. If you need to the means to upload/download samples via SCSI and prepare audio for Website use, then Sound Forge currently Midi/SDS for some time (to samplers that support such provides more support. protocols), but Steinberg has also added this function to Overall, although standalone format conversion utilities Wavelab on its last major release, v2.0. are available, if you regularly need to import and export Both programs also support Playback looping, and this sounds with a wide range of formats, Sound Forge might is ideal when perfecting effects on a specific section of a be the easier solution, but for high-end audio with more track, or when editing drum loops. More extensive loop than 16 bits, Wavelab has the inside running. functions are also provided, such as being able to play back the attack portion of a sample, followed by a Basic editing looped sustain section, and maybe even a further release Both packages provide support for editing across section after the loop. Once a loop has been set up, multiple windows, so that you can view several files side automatic loop finding is available (using zero point by side (or above and below), as well as using drag and nudging for both the start and end), as well as more drop to move chunks of one file to another window. advanced options such as crossfade looping, with both Since most Windows applications use standard key also allowing you to crossfade into the portion beyond combinations for many operations like Cut (Ctrl-X), Copy the loop, as well as during it. (Ctrl-C), and Paste (Ctrl-V), as well as Undo (Ctrl-Z) and Redo (Ctrl-Shift-Z), there is little to choose between the Real-time plug-ins two in these basic areas. For many people, one of the main reasons to buy a WAV However, there are still a few differences. Wavelab file editor is to use the latest real-time effects. This can provides a graphic overview of the entire file above its mean anything from adding the acoustics of real main graphic window, which can be very useful when buildings to an existing recording, to moving sounds you are working with a zoomed view, but still want to see beyond the speakers into the room with the latest 3D where you are in the overall file (this can be deactivated technology. With the large filesizes used by ‘CD quality’ if you prefer). Although there is no equivalent Overview audio (10MB per stereo minute), it can take a long time function in Sound Forge, it does have a smooth scroll to process the huge number of calculations required to option which follows playback in a zoomed window. This apply any audio effect. The huge advantage of the real- may take more resources than the courser flip-screen time aspect is that by splitting the audio into small scroll of Wavelab (but as always you can disable it if chunks, and then treating each separately, it becomes desired), but it does make it easier to follow the possible to hear the effects in real-time. waveform during playback. Microsoft’s DirectShow (which incorporates DirectX) is Adding Markers (a start position with a text name) to a standard that allows many third party developers to sections of a file is easy in both programs. However, provide plug-ins that will run on any application which some people may prefer the way that Sound Forge also supports it. During their evolution, both Sound Forge has Regions (Markers with an associated length), along and Wavelab have added the ability to run DirectShow with a Playlist (a list of Regions along with a number of plug-ins. However, the processing power provided by loops for each entry). For anyone used to loading in an modern PCs has greatly increased since the initial entire album from a DAT tape, and then marking the introduction of real-time plug-ins, and to take advantage start and end points of each track, Sound Forge’s Playlist of this, both programs also allow you to hear the results of is an ideal way to re-order playback of the tracks, add running several in series, for example you may want to suitable pauses in between, and then save the entire apply a little global EQ to an entire track, add reverb, and tweaked version back to another DAT tape. Wavelab also then normalise it. Since each process can add its own has extensive Marker options, including ones intended rounding errors, there is a further advantage in carrying specifically to mark the boundaries of CD tracks, but out multiple processes in one huge operation. The internal there is still no Playlist. calculations may be carried out at 24 or even 32-bit During the record process, both programs provide resolution (depending on the individual plug-ins), and input metering in record ready mode, but Sound Forge given that the intermediate stages stay at this higher also provides a useful DC offset option – if your resolution, this should ensure the highest possible audio soundcard exhibits any measurable offset on either quality for the end result. 116 Implementation of multi-stage real-time effects is rather more elegant in Wavelab, which features the Master Section – six slots which can each run a single plug-in, followed by a dithering and output section.