What's a good MP3 editor for MAC?

[mr.schneider]

I use Peak for my AIFF files, but it won't edit MP3's. Looking to fade, crop, adjust levels, etc. Any suggestion where to go for a good MP3 editing program? Free or inexpensive is good!

Thanks all!

[metalbob]

I use Peak for my AIFF files, but it won't edit MP3's. Looking to fade, crop, adjust levels, etc. Any suggestion where to go for a good MP3 editing program? Free or inexpensive is good!

Thanks all!

I am sure someone here can explain this better than I can. I don't know that you can actual edit MP3 files as is. They may need to be converted back to WAVs for you to do that. Even if you were to open them in another program like Audition (which is very free) for example, I think there may be some conversion going on behind the scenes.

[mermaidautopsy]

Sound Studio is decent; Audacity is less decent but hey, it's free.

[Vidiot]

The best MP3 editor for OSX is probably Rogue Amoeba's Fission, available here. (http://www.rogueamoeba.com/fission/)

Contrary to the above opinions, it does not convert from MP3 to WAV and then back to MP3 for editing. You're actually editing the MP3 file directly. Some of your capabilities are limited, like you can only do cuts, fade-ins, fade-outs, and level changes, but there's a lot you can do just with that to fix sound files.

I believe it works with MP3, AAC, Apple Lossless, and AIFF formats. It's not free ($32), but you can download a trial version to at least check it out before you buy it. I think it's indispensible if you have to fix other people's bad MP3 files (too often, for me).

[bdiament]

I use Peak for my AIFF files, but it won't edit MP3's. Looking to fade, crop, adjust levels, etc. Any suggestion where to go for a good MP3 editing program? Free or inexpensive is good!

Thanks all!

Hi mr.schneider,

I use Peak too (as well as a few other editors) and find I can open and edit, etc. any eMPty3 with no problems.

If double clicking on your file causes iTunes to open, try ctrl-clicking (hold down ctrl while you click on the file). This will open a menu where you can select "Open With". There will be a sub-menu with a list of applications -- you can choose Peak.

Alternately, with Peak open, you can select Open from the File menu, then navigate to the file you want to open.

Hope this helps.

Best regards,
Barry
www.soundkeeperrecordings.com
www.barrydiamentaudio.com

[Vidiot]

Barry, the problem with Peak (and there are many) is that when you use it to edit an MP3 file, it converts it to a proprietary lossless format first, then converts it back to MP3 when you re-save the file. There is a huge drop in sound quality when you do so.

This has been widely discussed on the Peak User Forum:

http://www.bias-inc.com/forums/

and is also covered in the manual for Peak 5 (and the upcoming 6.0 as well).

[bdiament]

Barry, the problem with Peak (and there are many) is that when you use it to edit an MP3 file, it converts it to a proprietary lossless format first, then converts it back to MP3 when you re-save the file. There is a huge drop in sound quality when you do so.

This has been widely discussed on the Peak User Forum:

http://www.bias-inc.com/forums/

and is also covered in the manual for Peak 5 (and the upcoming 6.0 as well).

Hi Vidiot,

Thank you.

A "huge drop in sound quality"? Doesn't that happen as soon as one creates the eMPty3 the first time? :sigh:

Seriously, I consider quality and MP3 two different -and quite unrelated- things. I don't use them other than as samples on the Soundkeeper (http://www.soundkeeperrecordings.com) web site. And these, I create directly from AIF files.

All that aside, if there is additional loss as a result of Peak's conversions when editing these, as one who doesn't use this function, I didn't know. Thanks for the word.

Best regards,
Barry
www.soundkeeperrecordings.com
www.barrydiamentaudio.com

P.S. I'm aware of Peak's limitations. I have yet to encounter an audio mastering software package that doesn't have them. For me, it does certain things better than any of the others I've tried.

[bdiament]

Barry, the problem with Peak (and there are many) ...

Hi Vidiot,

I forgot to ask you if there is an editor/mastering app you like better.

I have a number of them and use each where it does best. I like the way Peak draws waveforms and I also like the playlist function for assembling CD masters. Wave Editor has better src and dithering (both from iZotope) and may well at some point -after a few more features I've requested are added- become the editor for me. (I also like the Sample Manager batch processor, which also includes iZotope src and dithering.) DSP Quattro also has some nice features.

Right now, I use Peak for most of my editing and master assembly work.
Others I've used, including some of the current apps from the source that pioneered Mac editing/mastering in 1990, have not evolved sufficiently and have, despite some face lifts for modern appearance, been bypassed as far as I'm concerned, by the apps I mentioned above.

Best regards,
Barry
www.soundkeeperrecordings.com
www.barrydiamentaudio.com

[bdiament]

I use Peak for my AIFF files, but it won't edit MP3's. Looking to fade, crop, adjust levels, etc. Any suggestion where to go for a good MP3 editing program? Free or inexpensive is good!

Thanks all!

Hi mr. schneider,

How about (the free program) Audion?
http://www.panic.com/audion

Hope this helps.

Best regards,
Barry
www.soundkeeperrecordings.com
www.barrydiamentaudio.com

[Metoo]

Barry, have you tried the WAV editor SoundBlade? I understand it also includes the iZotope 64-bit SRC.

[bdiament]

Barry, have you tried the WAV editor SoundBlade? I understand it also includes the iZotope 64-bit SRC.

Hi Metoo,

This is one of the apps I was referring to when I said "Others I've used, including some of the current apps from the source that pioneered Mac editing/mastering in 1990, have not evolved sufficiently and have, despite some face lifts for modern appearance, been bypassed as far as I'm concerned, by the apps I mentioned above."

I prefer to work with 32 bit float files and to my knowledge, SoundBlade is limited to 24 bit files. Please let me know if I'm mistaken.
Also, I've found other apps are better (for me) at drawing the waveform, making editing faster and easier.
On another note, are you sure it includes iZotope SRC? I don't see it listed on their web pages but maybe I just missed it.

Best regards,
Barry
www.soundkeeperrecordings.com
www.barrydiamentaudio.com

[Vidiot]

I forgot to ask you if there is an editor/mastering app you like better.
Yeah, I do most of everything I do in Pro Tools HD. When you get fast at it, learn all the shortcuts, and use macros, it can go very fast, particularly for dialogue editing. It's not as appropriate for music mastering, but then, neither is Peak. If I was doing that, I would probably grab Sonic Studio's Blade, which is the newest version of their Mac-based systems.

I really miss Digidesign's old Sound Designer II, which to me, was the fastest Mac editing program ever made -- no muss, no fuss. Sadly, it never got upgraded beyond about OS 7.2.



All that aside, if there is additional loss as a result of Peak's conversions when editing these, as one who doesn't use this function, I didn't know.
Yeah, the deal is, Peak converts from MP3 to essentially a WAV file, lets you edit that file, then converts from this new WAV to another MP3 file. That means you wind up with a compressed/uncompressed/recompressed file, which has twice the artifacts of the original MP3 file.

I agree, a pro engineer is not going to be editing MP3s very often (if at all), so it's something that may not be obvious to many users. But just as a WAV editor, to me, Peak is a very buggy, annoying program, but I use it because the alternatives (Logic, Audacity, Soundtrack Pro, etc.) are worse. I mainly use Peak only when I need to edit or tweak a stereo interleaved file; otherwise, I stick with Pro Tools HD. I prefer the non-destructive nature of Pro Tools editing, and I need multiple tracks to finesse the kind of editing I do -- music or spoken word.

I'm hoping Peak 6.0 (due out in about a month) will eventually overcome the bugs, but Berkley Audio is a very flakey company. Read their user forum sometime to get an idea of specific user complaints.

[bdiament]

Hi Vidiot,

...It's not as appropriate for music mastering, but then, neither is Peak. If I was doing that, I would probably grab Sonic Studio's Blade, which is the newest version of their Mac-based systems.

Interesting. Personally, I've never been a fan of PT and don't like being locked into their hardware either.

As far as Peak's being appropriate for music mastering or not, I guess we'll have to agree to disagree. I do find it to have a few quirks -as does every other editor/mastering app I've experienced- but for me, it works and has resulted in some records I'm proud of.

SoundBlade cannot open 32 bit float files, having a 24 bit ceiling as far as I know. For me, that's a show stopper right there. (I won't even go into my feelings about the user interface. The sonic limitations make everything else moot.)

Wave Editor is a relatively new kid on the Mac editing block and shows great promise. The approach is original, it has iZotope src and dithering (best I've heard in each category) and development is fast.

I also sometimes use DSP Quattro for some parts of some jobs.


...I'm hoping Peak 6.0 (due out in about a month) will eventually overcome the bugs, but Berkley Audio is a very flakey company. Read their user forum sometime to get an idea of specific user complaints.

I've used Peak for several versions now and am familiar with both my own and other users (from their forum) complaints. I'm also familiar with many things I consider strengths. Peak 6.0 will indeed overcome a number of issues. Perhaps not every one but there are improvements.

I guess the most important thing is feeling good about whatever app you choose to use. Though PT and SS aren't for me, I've heard some very good work done using them. Peak has quirks but has been my over all favorite for the past several years. Wave Editor is coming on strong and I have great hopes for its future.

Best regards,
Barry
www.soundkeeperrecordings.com
www.barrydiamentaudio.com

[Vidiot]

SoundBlade cannot open 32 bit float files, having a 24 bit ceiling as far as I know. For me, that's a show stopper right there.
For my work, 32-bit would be total overkill. I can't see it being a factor in the real-world situations I deal with, but I concede that 24 bits could be a limitation with certain kinds of multiple plug-ins and processes.

Wave Editor is a relatively new kid on the Mac editing block and shows great promise. The approach is original, it has iZotope src and dithering (best I've heard in each category) and development is fast.
The web page doesn't fill me with promise. I've seen too many audio programs fade away (TC Electronics' SparkXL being one of them).

If I have to make a living doing sound in LA, Pro Tools is the only thing that makes rational sense, particularly in the world of film & television. If I was doing mastering and restoration, I'd do it all in Cube-Tec's Audio Cube (unfortunately under Windows), but it only handles 32-bit internally, not as external files. Very expensive system, though. Bernie Grundman's using it (down the street from where I toil on features), and he does great work.