ocenaudio

Note: This review is for the 64-bit version of OCENAUDIO (v3.2.11) running on Mac OS X (10.12.5). -Rich

✪ ✪ ✪ ✪ ✪ ✪ ✪ ✪ ✪ (9/10)

If you're looking for a full featured and free audio editing application, OCENAUDIO has it all, including; an uncluttered user interface (GUI), intuitive workflow, clean vector graphics with sample level zooming and editing, and more!

I was looking for a simple audio editing app- with functionality like Audacity, a better GUI, and at a reasonable price point- considering I can use Ableton Live for any intense audio processing.

In my search, I first found Rogue Amoeba's FISSION and after reading its product page, and I purchased it ($29). At this point I want to make a comparison.

FISSION is lacking what I would consider some essential basic DSP functionality - even for an audio editing app at the $29 price point.
Now I like Rogue Amoeba, and their Audio Hijack app is nothing but excellence in software. I use it almost daily, it is remarkably reliable, and it has saved me more frustration and inconvenience than I can remember! Audio Hijack rocks. Unfortunately, FISSION left me wanting for standard or essential DSP and editing features I expected (e.g. reverse, ability to individually select and process the L and R channels, invert, etc.) Although, to it's credit, FISSION's batch processing functionality couldn't be simpler to use, and it remains my go-to app for bulk file conversion and processing.


However, life is more than batch processing, and unsatisfied after a month or so of working around the editing limitations in FISSION, I resumed my search and found OCENAUDIO and WOW!

I am totally thrilled to have found OCENAUDIO. In my limited use so far**, it's everything I need for quick audio editing and processing work, and even hosts most AU and (after a lengthy initial scan) VST effects. If you need essential editing and DSP functionality, access to a set of more advanced features, and the ability to expand in the future by using AU and VST effects, OCENAUDIO lets you get the job done, quickly and easily. Did I mention its free? Yup- Now get on it!



**UPDATE: After using OCENAUDIO for a few months now, I have three things to add- one negative (with a positive caveat) and two positive.

FIRST: Not all AU/VST effects seem to work in OCENAUDIO. Trying to load an AU/VST will result in;:

• The AU/VST loading as expected (Or mostly as expected - some AU/VSTs only display a generic UI.).
• No response. Not an error, just no response, as if you didn't do anything.
• One of two levels of crashing:
  • OCENAUDIO will "catch" the crash, and display an alert saying the AU/VST crashed, but OCENAUDIO was unaffected.
  • OCENAUDIO itself crashes, bringing up the normal Apple crash report alert, and an additional OCENAUDIO crash report dialogue on the next launch.

Caveat - While this discovery was a bit disappointing- even so, I've never lost anything due to a crash because OCENAUDIO creates a backup of the file you're editing and all destructive editing happens on the copy. That's smart!

SECOND: Even though it's offered as free, I'm happy to say I made a donation to support further development because I am so pleased with the quality, features and workflow in OCENAUDIO. I haven't enjoyed using an audio editor as much since Bias Peak Pro, and before that, back when Apple's Soundtrack Pro was available as a solo app!

THIRD: I've upped my rating from 8 to 9 because of how solid, stable, and fast OCENAUDIO is to work with, and how it's allowed me to work audio editing tweaks back into my writing and sound design workflow! The display scales, zooms and updates quickly, and DSP functions are fast- even on large files. While there are some features I'd like to see added, I'm excited to see how OCENAUDIO will eventually add those features and grow over time. Most of all, I am relieved to have found a new audio editing app that both fits with my workflow and I can happily see myself using in the studio for years to come!!

In conclusion, I'd like to offer three cheers to the folks at OCENAUDIO for creating such an outstanding app!



tl;dr Looking for a powerful audio editing application? OCENAUDIO ROCKS! ✪ ✪ ✪ ✪ ✪ ✪ ✪ ✪ ✪ (9/10)