AudioOSX

What are the best Audio Editors for Mac users?

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Audacity vs GarageBand vs Adobe Audition

 vs DSP-Quattro vs Acoustica vs Soundbug Audio Editor for MacOS vs Macsome Audio Editor vs Schism Tracker

Specs

Platforms

Windows, Linux, Mac

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Windows

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$19.99/$9.99 (academic)

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GNU

Pros + Cons

Pro
 Multi-track recording abilities and a lot of advanced effects

Unlike a lot of free Digital Audio Workstation software, it gives you multi-track recording abilities and a lot of advanced effects, like being able to correct pitch and remove unwanted noise. There is also a large number of third-party plugins available as well as user-scripted plugins.
Comment

Pro
 Free, open source and cross-platform

Audacity is available for free on Windows, Mac OS, and Linux with source code available here.
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Pro
 Well maintained

Audacity is constantly updated.
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Con
 Not compatible with 10.15 Catalina. See their downloads page for a note on this.

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Con
 Not seen as a full DAW

Audacity doesn't have the capabilities of popular DAWs and generally isn't considered to be good option.
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Con
 Unable to use Synthesizers / virtual instruments

You can only use effect plugins or record live with this DAW.
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Con
 No real time effects

Users are unable to change effects in real time with Audacity. If effects are to be changed, no sound can be playing or recording.
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Pro
 Great community backing it

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Con
 No real-time effects

Users are unable to change effects in real time with Audacity. If effects are to be changed, no sound can be playing or recording.
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Con
 Doesn't retain audio integrity

Audacity uses destructive editing, meaning applying effects, cutting, etc. are non-reversible after you've saved a project.
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Con
 Abandoning and cancelling the app and every file/library since now is not a brilliant idea, being Apple

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Pro
 Extremely easy to use

GarageBand is one of the most basic and user-friendly DAWs, making it very easy to learn.
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Con
 Steep learning curve

Simple select-and-cut is not obvious, for example.
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Pro
 The sound library is large and continuing to grow

You can use a large variety of electric and acoustic sounds out of the box.
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Pro
 Cross-platform

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Pro
 Great tutorials and helpful community

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Pro
 Interact with other Adobe applications

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Pro
 Creative Cloud support

Comment

Pro
 Supports plugins

Comment

Pro
 Professional mastering tools

Comment

Pro
 Multi-track recording and mixing

Comment

Pro
 Many tools can be used also as plugins in other apps/daws

Comment

Pro
 Many functions other apps don´t have

For example extract dialogues or remix tool for isolating stems.
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Pro
 High audio quality

Comment

Pro
 Analysis tools that generate automation lines that can then be linked to effects parameters

Comment

Pro
 Both real-time and offline effects automation

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Pro
 No proprietary file format

Comment

Pro
 The spectral graph with equal loudness scaling

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Pro
 The granulation tools

The same basic algorithm seems to be used in both tools, but they get at it from slightly different perspectives. Both tools are really flexible and fun to work with.
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Pro
 The spectral graph and equal loudness scaling

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Con
 Pricey

Although it's cheaper than most other editors, except Audacity.
Comment

Pro
 Quickly edit MP3 & AAC files on your Mac

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Pro
 Simple to use

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Pro
 Supports legacy file formats

Schism Tracker supports it, xm, s3m, mtm, 669, mod, mdl, mt2, stm, far, ult, med, ptm, okt, amf, dmf, imf, sfx, mus and mid file formats.
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Pro
 Still under development

Despite existing since 2003.
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Pro
 Cross-platform

Runs on almost any platform that SDL supports, and has been successfully built for Windows, Mac OS X, Linux, FreeBSD, OpenBSD, AmigaOS, BeOS, and even the Wii.
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Pro
 Great keyboard navigation

Everything can be done using the keyboard.
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Pro
 Lightweight

Performs pretty well even on weak machines.
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Pro
 Free and open souce

It's under the terms of the GNU General Public License.
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