Syntrillium Cool Edit Pro 2.0

Jan 1, 2003 12:00 PM, By Joshua Hall

Cool Edit Pro has two main parts: the waveform editor and the multi-track arranger. Use the waveform editor to load and record sounds. More than 20 file formats are supported, including .wav and MP3. More than 45 DSP effects can be applied to a sound file. In addition, mastering, analysis tools and audio restoration features are available.

Once an individual track has been edited, the user sends it to the multi-track arranger. There, real-time effects such as the QuickVerb, the Dynamic EQ or the Doppler Shifter — all of which are new to this version of Cool Edit Pro — can be applied to any of the tracks. Set the envelope volume and pan setting by clicking and dragging on the waveform. The sample can be split into several parts, and each piece can be resized by clicking on the left or right edge of the envelope.

Each of the DSP effects has easy-to-use presets. Individual adjustment of the preset parameters is also easy. In addition, there are settings for room size, correlation and reflection settings. The effects alone are impressive. Other possibilities include vocal-track elimination by using the channel mixer, a hard limiter for loud audio punch and an FFT filter for a telephone-style bandpass or hiss reduction. With 45 DSP effects, Cool Edit Pro has the options to create professional audio production.

The specifications to the audio performance are impressive. Its 32-bit internal processing and data rates up to 24-bit/192kHz and higher providing exceptional audio. Direct-X plug-in support, CD ripping, loop-based song creation including session tempo and key matching, and even video (.avi) soundtrack editing are all standard.

The optional Red Rover provides a hardware transport controller through a USB interface.

I experienced a few graphical errors, which were related to my sound card and not the software, and Syntrillium is working with the card manufacturer to resolve this. After a month of heavy, everyday use, it crashed once, but automatically restored all my work after a reboot.

Another available option is a hardware controller that provides transport controls. The Red Rover connects through a USB port and provides unlimited access to all 128 tracks of possible audio on Cool Edit Pro.

Personally, I found the Red Rover controller unnecessary, but new users may find its friendly button layout easier to use. The same functions can be done with a mouse, but the Red Rover helps it feel more like a traditional piece of production equipment.