On the editing side, you can drag’n’drop audio sections between channels in the same way than before with the stereo channels and, at the same time, it is possible to use both the included effects and the Direct-X and VST plug-ins (with the latest updates has been included the support for VST multichannel plug-in).
In relation to the effects, this new release allows, with new options, to set the starting point, the duration and the end point for the effect and the channels on which to apply it.
Additionally, whith the Wet/Dry Mix and Crossfade Options function, it is possible to apply effects with In/Out curves, expanding the editing possibilities.
Sound Forge 9 includes two very interesting plug-ins: Sony Noise Reduction 2.0 and iZotope Mastering Effects Bundle.
For the long time Sound Forge users the Sony Noise Reduction plug-in represents a very good set of filters for noise reduction and restoration of old or corrupted audio files, with high level performances and such a good restoration quality to became necessary once tested.
The plug-in includes 4 filters:
For the iZotope Mastering Effects Bundle, Sony provides 4 filters, useful for equalization and final mastering of audio files with the quality ensured by the iZotope technology and brand, which is well known by people who work in the audio industry.
The plug-in includes:
The next picture shows the Multi-Band Compressor.
Sound Forge is also improved in the audio analysis section.
Starting from the classic Spectrum Analysis Tool we can now monitor, even in real time, both mono/stero and multichannel files.
The new Phase Scope and Mono Compatibility tools are also dedicated to the real time audio monitoring.
The Phase Scope (available in 4 versions Lissajous – XY Plot, Lissajous – Rotated, Polar – Linear Plot and Polar – Circular Plot) is extremely useful to verify the presence of phase cancellation problems (interference of two waves 180° out of phase), with frequencies, on the various channels, that tend to cancel each other, determining a loss of important audio informations.
The Mono Compatibility Tool is similar. It analyzes and shows possible phase cancellation problems in converting an audio file in mono with loss of audio informations.
The monitoring tools available end with the Hardware Meter which gives the user a mixer to change in real time the audio levels withous really change the original file levels.
This is useful to adapt the audio playback to the user audio hardware without actually modify the file and the final master.
Now let’s take a look at the export options available in Sony Sound Forge 9.
When exporting, we obviously find the options and formats for multichannel audio, in fact it is possible to export in AA3 (Atrac), AC3, AVI, W64, WAV and multichannel WMA and all the other stereo formats (MP3, OGG, ATRAC, PCA, RAW, etc.).
For videomakers it is obviously important to save Dolby Digital AC3 audio files and Sound Forge 9 has this possibility, even if the AC3 export codec is in Studio version only, which means that it is not possible to customize the encoding which uses a basic preset.
You can buy the complete Dolby Digital AC3 Pro version separately, but if you have Vegas Pro 8, the encoder will appear automatically in Sound Forge.
When opening files, Sound Forge supports multichannel audio files in WAV, AA3, MXF and AVI (DV, SDI) format.
At last a note about CD Architect 5.2, a useful and powerful software for CD Audio production using Red Book standard with complete management of audio tracks, the possibility of applying crossfades and making basic editing operations before the finalization process.
It also handles markers and CD-Text informations.