Sony Sound Forge Audio Studio 8

by Sony

Product Features

• Everything needed to produce professional-quality audio on your home computer
• Record, edit, and restore audio; create streaming media; convert audio files
• Apply studio-quality audio effects such as EQ, delay, chorus, reverb, and more
• Burn CDs; 1,001 Sound Effects; import/edit music from CDs and MP3s
• Show Me How tutorials provide interactive, step-by-step help while you work

Product Details

• Shipping Weight: 14.4 ounces
• Shipping: Currently, item can be shipped only within the U.S. and to APO/FPO addresses. For APO/FPO shipments, please check with the manufacturer regarding warranty and support issues.
• ASIN: B000AOZ7KO
• Item model number: SFAS8000
• Date first available at Amazon.com: August 3, 2005
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (20 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #5,726 in Software (See Top 100 in Software)
• Discontinued by manufacturer: Yes

Product Description

Sound Forge Audio Studio software is everything you need to produce professional-quality audio on your home computer. Record just about anything, edit and restore audio, burn your own CDs, create streaming media, and convert audio files — all using simple commands such as cut, copy, and paste. Apply studio-quality audio effects such as EQ, delay, chorus, reverb, and more. Liven up recordings with the included 1,001 Sound Effects. Import and edit your own music from CDs and MP3s. Eliminate clicks, pops, and other noise. Exclusive Show Me How tutorials provide interactive, step-by-step help while you work. Perfect for podcast creation!

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

33 of 34 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Nice piece of software, January 16, 2006

By 

Jason Cisarano (Chapel Hill, NC, USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Sony Sound Forge Audio Studio 8 (CD-ROM)

I'm not an audio expert by any means, but Sound Forge impressed me with its power and simplicity. I needed to clean up and edit a few audio tracks for use in Flash, and Sound Forge did the job no problem. I was able to cut and paste parts of my tracks, adjust output levels, and save them so that they were ready for my other application. There are plenty of other features that I didn't try out (e.g. special effects and various tools to improve the quality of your tracks).

I'm using the 30 day free trial version (which is full-featured but time-limited), but when I'm ready to buy, this will be the one.

20 of 20 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Not bad, December 30, 2006

By 

Gregor Wollmann (Blacksburg, Va USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Sony Sound Forge Audio Studio 8 (CD-ROM)

I am an absolute beginner with sound recording and sound editing. However, judging from the various reviews, this program seemed easy enough to use. I bought it to help with
- restoration of digitized vinyl and tape recordings
- simple instrument and voice recordings and mixing
- editing of video sound tracks.

Initially I found the manual very frustrating and confusing. The manual covers both the full version of Sound Forge and Sound Forge Audio Studio, which is a souped down version of the former. They try to clearly identify which features are/are not available in Audio Studio, but they do not succed entirely. For example, the scrubbing tool (a tool to slow down playback for editing) is not marked as being exlusive to the full version, yet it is nowhere to be found in Audio Studio.

Another unpleasant surprise was the lack of an MPEG decoder. This is needed to edit the sound track of mpg video files. On the box it is stated that such files could be opened and saved, but when trying to do so, you are directed to Sony's web site where they offer the decoder for sale for close to $30.00. Only after that did I find the tiny note on the box (1/25 in. letter size, faded white on red background) advising that an extra purchase would be required.

If you are new to sound recording and editing, there is a bit of a learning curve to understanding what all the tools do. The manual is focused on the mechanics of the program user interface, but provides very little background information. It also took some effort to get the right sound recording equipment together: I purchased a nice microphone (Shure SM57)for $80, but then found out that the sound could not be sufficiently amplified when the microphone was plugged directly into the computer (it took a couple of trips to get all the right plugs together, too). So I tried running the microphone through my son's electric guitar amplifyer and from there into the computer and that works great.

Having overcome these initial hurdles, I now find that this program is a lot of fun and quite easy to use. Sound tracks and snippets of sound tracks can be simply cut or copied, moved around and pasted, and unwanted audio is easily trimmed off. Special effects (for example echo, reverb, etc.) can be easily pre-audited and adjusted while auditing. I particularly like the audio restoration tool. It is supposed to remove clicks and noise from digitized vinyl recordings and it really works.

Except for the deceptive advertising and the confusing manual, this is a great product.

10 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Amazing, August 3, 2006

By 

Alyssa A. Lappen (Earth) - See all my reviews
(TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: Sony Sound Forge Audio Studio 8 (CD-ROM)

This is an amazing piece of software. Not only does it have a vast array of recording and editing tools, but it is capable of digitally recording and restoring old vinyl LPs, which can then be burned on CDs.

We're very pleased with this product, particularly since we purchased it at a deep discount from Sony, as an "upgrade" to an old, discontinued set of Sony audio software.

Very good value.