SB Audigy 2 and Cool Edit Pro 2.1

[Cai Campbell]

Okay, basically I have two computers: one for recording and one for editing. In the past I used Cool Edit Pro for recording on one PC and Sound Forge for editing on the second PC. However, I recently started recording in 24/96 on my recording PC but my old Soundblaster Live card on my editing PC did not support 24/96. So, I upgraded to an Audigy 2, which does support 24/96, however, my version of Sound Forge does not. Rather than upgrade Sound Forge, which is very expensive, I've decided to try and use Cool Edit for my editing.

Cool Edit is great for recording, but it is alien to me when it comes to editing. Tasks that were simple in Sound Forge seem impossible in Cool Edit. For example, I want to downmix multiple PCM files to a single mono file. I can do this in Cool Edit but I can't seem to find an option to scale the amplitude of the included files. It just blindly merges all files at 100% which results in a file that is clipping all over the place. Does anyone know how to downmix files in Cool Edit with a scalable amplitude for each file?

My second question has more to do with the Audigy 2 sound card. I can't seem to find a way to assign individual channels to individual tracks in Cool Edit. When I pick a playback device for a discrete channel, it simply offers me the soundcard as a device, rather than breaking out the individual channels. This is very frustrating. Does anyone have a solution for this?

Thanks in advance for any advice you might have!

 

[JonUrban]

Cai,

I can't help you with the Audigy 2 (even thought I have one - with the new external box) because I do not use it for "quad", but I can agree with you on CEP2.1. It is an amazing program, yet I still find myself going back to SF for editing and such, as it seems so much easier to me.

I can never get the hang of the CEP interface. Maybe it is because we are used to the SF way of doing things, which to me is very logical.

I went ahead and upgraded to SF6, but you can probably figure they will have SF7 ready as soon as they need a new influx of "upgrade" cash!

 

[Cai Campbell]

Yeah, getting used to the CEP "paradigm" is kind of frustrating, but slowly but surely I'm getting the hang of it. I figured out how to do a downmix to mono with selective amplitude. Basically, you have to make copies of the individual tracks, decrease the amplitude for each one, then downmix those tracks. When you're done, just discard the copied files. It's a roundabout way to get the job done but I can't find any other way. Actually, its about the same amount of steps to get the same job done in Sound Forge, it's just that the steps are different.

One thing I found out by accident is that CEP can use all the Sound Forge Active X plug-ins! That means I can use my click-and-pop removal, vinyl restoration, noise reduction (gasp!) and other tools that I'm used to using in Sound Forge! And they all work in 32-bit mode whereas in Sound Forge they will only work in 16-bit mode.

Still, I really hate CEP's wave editing tools. I love everything about CEP except for that. Like you said, the SF interface is so intuitive. Still, I'll probably force myself to start working exclusively in CEP. Who knows, I may actually learn to like it...

 

[petermwilson]

Hi Cai,
I have a question (already posted regarding recording an uprezed cd)
Which sound card should i get to do that (since I'm building a new pc)
It seems to be in line with what you want todo, but Ive never really used recording software yet, just disc copies.

I presently have a SOUNDBLASTER 5.1 and an AUDIOTRAK MAYA 7.1. I think i need one that has a coax or optical in to take the out from my rp82, or do I?

Please see my post about uprezing 44/16 to 88/24 and whether I can create an upsampled disc. maybee we need the same card and software.

I should add that I would also like to transfer my LPs to cds. Does the equipment and software your looking at allow for that also?

thanks,
Peter m.

 

[Cai Campbell]

Well, I'm recording analog to digital and not digital to digital, so I don't think I'll be of much help. In recommending a soundcard for recording, all I can recommend is what I have. It's hard to go wrong with the Echo Layla 2496. It's got boatloads of analog and digital input and outputs.

 

[petermwilson]

Hi Cai,
and thanks for the info. It may endup being a moot point for me because according to my Denon dealer 88.2 is not a popular rez so making a copy to play in a car would probably need a DVD player whose amp will read 88.2 which not many can, so on a regular car cd player even though it plays cdrs it proably couldn't play a disc at that rez.

I still want a BOFFO snd card though so thanks again,

Peter m.

 

[petermwilson]

WOW Cai,
I was checking out the specs on the ECHO, and theres a dealer just up the street.

Do you have this? If so what are you creating and whats your path?

Peter m.