Customer Reviews

Audio Cleaning Lab 11 [OLD VERSION]

5 star:		(9)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

The main reason for negative reviews in the past was the extra charge for the MP3 encoder. With this version, the MP3 encoder is included. Magix has been pretty clever in designing an interface that can used quickly yet has several more advanced features you can use as you become more proficient. These include a full featured waveform editor and a very powerful sonagram (spectral) editor. Also, somewhat hidden is the ability to record 78rpm records on a 33 1/3 turntable. If you use the full set of features almost any record can be made totally free of pops and clicks. I have two very minor negatives; the amplitude scale on the track display is somewhat truncated, the declicker has so few artifacts that I recommend always using it at the maximum setting (as opposed to the wizard and manual recommendations.) As far as PC requirements, I believe any program that does a lot of number crunching needs a fairly up-to-date processor. This one particularly so because it leaves the original audio files intact. I don't believe this is a negative as in some prior reviews. In short, I have been totally satisfied with this program's ability to make clean transfers of both 78rpm and 33 1/3 rpm records.

I came across Magix Audio Cleaning Lab about 4 years ago. Once I got the hang of it, I really liked it. However, I kept wondering if there were better programs out there. I mean, really, how good can it be for $39, right? I recently paid $75 for Sony's famed Sound Forge Studio (which is the Sound Forge program minus various some features). I spent a lot of time with Sound Forge Studio, working to perfect my transfer of some private music recordings from cassette to CD. I was happy with what I was able to accomplish with Sound Forge. At least I thought I was happy. I compared my work in Sound Forge Studio to the same cassette transfer I did with Magix Audio Cleaning Lab 10 (the previous iteration of this software). Guess what? I liked the Magix work much better. So, I immediately purchased Audio Cleaning Lab 11 and unintalled Sony's Sound Forge Studeio from my computer. Magix could charge $150 for this software and I would buy it in a second. Your going to have to take the time to carefully read through the full manual to get the most out of this software - but it is worth the effort.

This program does the work of software costing 3 times as much.

I first heard about this product in a bad review of a different software product for converting LPs to CDs. After a little research, I decided to try this product of the many that are out there. This software is not expensive and for me, it does what I expected it to do. It is easy to set up and use, and I am using it with an Audio-Technica PL120 turntable. The first LP I converted was Stevie Wonder's Innervisions, and with this album in particular, the songs run together, i.e. there is no separation between the tracks. This software allowed me to create fairly accurate tracks so I could access individual songs. I also cleaned up some background noise with the "one click" noise reduction, and the music from this old album sounds great. This is my first software for this purpose so unfortunately I cannot compare it to others. What I can tell you is that it is inexpensive, easy to use, and it does what it says it will do.

I was ready to purchase fairly expensive, high-end authoring software for converting vinyl into CDs until I read a review on this product. While it is not 'no manual needed intuitive', it has incredible features and does an excellent job at cleaning up albums for conversion to CD and is a lot easier to use than other products I have demoed. My main complaint is that when I upgraded to the next version, I did not get the upgrade discount and after sending 3 emails to customer service not a one of them have been answered. I even posted a complaint on their forum and that went unanswered. Don't expect any customer service, but the product is worth considering - definitely.

I purchased this product to put 2 CDs together. I had never attempted something like this and was a total novice. Audio Cleaning Lab was terrific! I found it easy to understand and use, with unexpected options that improved the project I was working on. My one word to describe it--- simple....or maybe...effective...or maybe...straightforward...or maybe...uncomplicated...or maybe...useful...or maybe...valuable...or maybe...

This product is just fantastic!

I bought this item simply for restoring my vinyl for more accsesible listening, it took me a day or so to work out the bugs as it does with most programs. Once i got threw the steps it is like falling off a log. Now you are not going to take an album that has been used as an ashtray and get opera hall sound. It does restore your albums to it's fullest potential! My only comment is if you are trying to stay true to your records you should'nt add all the EQ and Stereo effects, i think it just distorts the sound but experiment and you will probably come out where you wanna be i am not a perfectionist. However the cleaning aspects are great it can take many flaws out of the recording with the exception of deep pops but it can muffle them so they are not as pronounced. One of the best things about this prduct is that it registers the breaks by marking them between each track so you can play the full side and then pause the recording process flip the record to side two and begin that side by clicking pause again. WOW! You can even name each track indivdually in seconds for transfer to Mp3 album folders. If you are recording classical of acoustic music with silent moments within the track it is easy to delete certain markers so that you dont have false starts, i hope this info helps. It is a very afforable product that delivers on every promise just be patient it will come to you, Oh and make sure you buy a pre amp if you dont have one Circuit City sells a very nice General Electric one for about 30 bucks and it runs on a 9 volt battery. You will find most Phono pre amps on this site get negitive reviews and for good reason they are expensive and dont come with an accurate power supply.

I had previously bought Magix Mp3 Maker 11, well if you are looking for a platform to work at Skywalker sound someday by all means buy that product. It is overly complicated, Tedious and too much for just transfering your record media to Wave or MP3 if you buy it i suggest you stock up on Excedrin and/or Advil.

If you are a big fan of getting a clear, crisp, full sound from your music, you understand the perils of using ipods and mp3s. The best sound from the ipod would have to be WAV files, but even those are restricted to the 16 bit sound that will fit on the pod. I found the best way to get 24-bit quality sound onto my ipod was by playing the CDs into this program at the 24 bit recording quality (that's right, just like the vinyl), mastering them, and transferring them into itunes as WAV files. The end result is 16 bit, but it sounds twice as good when you add the mastering touches. Try it and compare. It helps to have a nice reciever and a good CD player, like one that reconfigures at a higher bit rate. Either way, you can manipulate to your personal version of "analog sound," or whatever you like. Instead of recording in real time from your reciever headphone jack, you can put the CD in the computer and burn direct into the Magix program, but I tried it and compared, and you may as well just burn-in your CDs the normal way rather than do that. The best sound requires the most effort, and the payoff is sweet. One thing I haven't tried yet is the sound cloner. I'm going to clone a really rich sounding LP that well-produced, such as Jackson Browne's "For Everyman" and see what I can pull from the CDs in the way of warmth. Great software.

This issue is an improvement of its previous issue, specially on the sound graphics. A very interesting feature is the extraction of music from a DVD. I used this feature without any problems and ease. Excellent product and good buy. Can recommend this issue to anybody.

The product works okay. The specs said the "de-esser" was included in the software. It wasn't. I got an email after registering that said I could download it for free because I registered. Downloaded but cannot find where it is in the program when running it. Trying to get in touch with the home office [Germany] or the office in Miami is a joke. Have never been able to get the situation remedied . . . ever. Even called their office in Miami [toll call] and the girl that answered acted like she could care less and put me into a string of telephone push-button rigors that produced nothing.

The program is easy to use, it comes with a small manual that gives a brief description of different features, and produces very nice recordings, and I have barely begun to "play" with the user-adjustable controls.
If you are planning to connect a turntable to your computer, you WILL need a pre-amp. Try the TCC TC-750, available here on Amazon. It received a good review in a major computer magazine. I'm using it and am quite pleased. It produces fine sound, is very small, and has a ground for your turntable.
In short, buy this program! It has all kinds of enhancement features for LPs, cassetes, and MP3s, auto volume management,overmodulation and lost frequency correction, etc. A winner!