Adobe Audition 1.0 is a recent addition to the Adobe stable but it is actually the offspring of Syntrillium's Cool Edit Pro 2.1.

Those of you who have used Cool Edit Pro will have an advantage over first time users of the interface for Audition as it is a little different to most. However, saying that, I found the UI just great and had little difficulty tackling this multitrack recorder/editor.

In fact I would go as far as to say ... you can learn most of the features of Audition without even reading the instructions!

Audition will appeal to both professional Sound Designers and hobbyists as there are loads of interesting features to appeal to both types of user. For the professional : pitch correction; recording of up to 128 simultaneous stereo tracks; 32-bit (DVD quality), 192KHz audio resolution; powerful effects processing; and support for video files. For the hobbyist : a healthy library of more than 5,000 royalty-free loops so you can start playing with sounds immediately. Other features which would appeal to both : a multichannel encoder for converting stereo mixes into 5.1 surround sound; detailed audio analysis and editing; and an audio-restoration function that corrects hisses, hums, and other distractions.

Audition offers interaction with Adobe Video Collection software like Premiere Pro and the like. However, the process is complicated by the fact that audition files need to be saved as wave files to be included in Premiere and the "edit original" capabilities need to be turned on in Audition if you need to re-edit the file later on. None of these steps are complicated I just felt there should be perhaps format sharing between the two main players Premiere Pro and Audition to cut one of the steps out tis all.

One feature which wasn't cumbersome at all was constructing loops. In fact it was simple. In the Multitrack view simply highlight any track and insert a waveform. Then choose a file from Audition's royalty free library, or from an audio file you've imported or recorded. When the file is inserted, click and drag with the left mouse button over the portion of the file you'd like to loop. Then hit play to hear the results. It really doesn't get much easier than that, regardless of the program you're using.

Adobe Audition 1.0 is a feature-laden and high-quality audio recording and editing program that is obtaining rave reviews everywhere. It is stable, easy to use and proven in the field. The addition of file exchange features between Premiere Pro and After Effects only make it stronger. For professionals or hobbyists already using other Adobe video products the choice is obvious ... stock up your arsenal with Adobe Audition!

Reviewer's note: Adobe Audition 1.5 is now available as an upgrade for anyone who purchased Audition 1.0 as part of the Adobe Video Collection. Visit the Adobe website for details.