10 Best Audio Editor for Mac Users
Macs are one of the most influential and portable machines in the world. They can be used for various purposes, including heavy processing tasks like audio editing, video editing, graphic designing, and machine learning.
Audio editing has gained in popularity ever since the Covid lockdown. A lot of this can be credited to short video applications like TikTok and Instagram Reels because they usually feature edited and remixed versions of popular soundtracks and singles.
Because of the high processing power of Macs, they are preferred for audio editing. Choosing the best audio editor app for Mac is a challenging task because there are many freemium and paid audio editors when it comes to compatibility with the macOS.
To make things simpler for you, we have curated a list of the best audio editing software for Mac, keeping in mind the needs of all kinds of users, from casual to professional music editors.
The best audio editor for Mac
Here is our list of the best audio editor for Mac. This includes a mix of some paid and some freemium software.
1. GarageBand
When it comes to free audio editing software for Mac, do not miss the original that you most likely already have downloaded on your Mac: GarageBand, the undisputed king of audio editor app for Mac.
Although it is mainly meant to create music, the program functions similarly to any other simple audio editor. You may either record straight into the application or transfer and modify previously recorded audio.
It is also a good alternative for podcasters, including voice enhancement capabilities. Using GarageBand saves you the hassles of downloading third-party software on your Mac and then learning how to use it. If you want a causal application to work with your audio files, GarageBand is the best audio editor for Mac.
Features:
- It comes pre-installed on the Mac.
- It is ideal for podcasts because it has voice modulation capabilities.
- It allows you to record straight onto the application.
- It has a straightforward user interface.
2. Audacity
Audacity is one of the best audio editing software for Mac. It is so popular that when people decide to look for an audio editor, most users come across Audacity.
Therefore, it is a safe bet. Audacity is a free and open-source audio editor with a clean layout compatible with a wide range of file formats, notably MP3 and WAV.
You may either record directly into the application or modify existing recordings. Several effects are available, along with a spectral analysis for frequency analysis. It is also compatible with high-resolution 32-bit sound, making it the best free audio editor for Mac to explore.
Audacity is an excellent platform to begin for anybody looking for free software to work with audio files that perform almost everything. The sole disadvantage is that it does not offer a non-destructive modification, so create a copy of the source audio recording before you start.
Features:
- It is free-to-use software.
- It is compatible with 32-bit high-res audio.
- It has a beginner-friendly user interface.
3. PreSonus Studio One Prime
With a plethora of built-in effects, sounds, and sequences, you can produce or mix songs. Still, it is also great for recording and mixing audio and vocals. You might require a little time to learn how to use the interface, much alone perfect it, but all the efforts will not be useless.
The ideal audio editor is the paid edition of Studio One. It is thus relatively easy to claim that it is the correct decision based on familiarity. The Prime version, on the other hand, has several significant drawbacks.
The first is the absence of third-party plugin compatibility, leaving you with only the standard plugins. The stock plugins are not horrible; however, the only instrumental plugin is Presence, which has limited functionality.
You can install the Mai Tai synthesizer for a fee. Still, it does not include any samplers, no good compressor, or method to add things yourself, so the experience is severely hampered.
The UI is far from simple and, at first appearance, maybe rather frightening. Studio One Prime includes cycles and tunes to help you get up and running quickly.
The best part of Studio One is how you can browse for plugins and soundtracks and then drag and drop them onto the timeframe.
The free edition has no track or storage limitations. The professional edition allows you to utilize ARA, VST, and Audio Unit plugins, as well as a boatload of really lovely stock addons.
Studio One Prime is the best free audio editor for Mac if you’re ready to put in the effort.
Features:
- It supports ARA and VST devices.
- It is compatible with the Mai Tai synth.
- It allows you to browse for plugins and then drag and drop them onto the timeline.
4. Wavepad
WavePad not only features a simple interface that even inexperienced audio editors would find helpful, but it also contains a comprehensive toolkit for performing a range of audio modifying tasks.
WavePad is also accessible with a broad range of sound recordings and can change them to several other audio formats.
WavePad offers a simple and appealing design. However, on Mac, the taskbar is not locked, and it interferes with your work by obstructing the waveform analysis.
When you are dealing with a noisy audio clip, it provides a pop filter to eliminate undesirable noises from the file. The down point of Wavepad is that it takes quite a lot of time to render the audio after you have applied your desired effects.
WavePad allows users to undo and redo an endless number of procedures. This is vital if you are dealing with numerous audio clips simultaneously and want to reverse an error committed several steps earlier.
WavePad also supports batch processing, allowing you to transform several audio files at once to a single format rather than converting each one separately. This saves a significant amount of time while converting clips and preparing your recording for editing.
You can record your audio directly on WavePad. All you need to do is connect a mic via your Mac’s Type-C port and press the record button on WavePad. It contains almost all the effects and filters one looks for in audio editing software.
It features a plethora of automatic and manually applied filters, such as echoes, pauses, reversal, magnifies, reverberation, and distortion. This editing program includes automatic trimming, fading effects, normalization, equalization, and sample-rate conversion. Other applications include fading parameters such as pace and length.
WavePad is an excellent audio editing application for users of all skill levels. The application includes enough editing features to suit the most seasoned user. Yet, the interface is simple enough for even the most inexperienced user to utilize.
However, the software’s rendering time for removing noises and bursts from a noisy audio clip is disappointing.
Features:
- WavePad has been popular amongst audio editors for a long time.
- It offers you an option to record directly on the application.
- It supports batch processing.
- It provides a plethora of functions with a simple user interface.
5. Oceanaudio
Next on our list of the best audio editor for Mac is ocenaudio. It is an entirely free and feature-rich bridge audio recording and editing software from Brazil. It is another excellent alternative for low-budget sound technicians.
It is among the best free audio editor for Mac since it supports a wide range of file formats such as MP3, FLAC, and WMA. It also accepts a variety of video codecs, such as the MKV format.
ocenaudio is frequently regarded as the primary alternative to Audacity because of the wide range of features it provides for free. It includes a comparable function set but a considerably more sophisticated UI that makes it highly user-friendly.
There is also VST device compatibility, various plugins, a fully-featured spectral analysis, and the capability to edit large-sized files without consuming all of your Mac’s RAM.
Features:
- Oceanaudio is compatible with a VST device.
- It offers support for formats such as FLAC and WMA.
- It is user-friendly and free of cost.
6. Reaper
Among Mac’s paid audio editors, Reaper is at the upper edge of what one considers a low-cost audio editing software. This advanced editing software for Mac, on the other hand, offers a substantial 60-day trial version for free, so you will know if it is right for you until you pay anything.
If that’s any consolation, Reaper’s customer base adores it. It is a tiny file, considerably lighter than professional software. For starters, it accepts all standard file types at whichever resolution you choose, as well as the usage of free VST plugins, placing hundreds of instruments and sounds at your disposal.
The only down point of Reaper is that it lacks a good collection when compared to rival commercial tools.
However, you can find thousands of plugins and freely downloadable samples on the internet. Suppose you need an excellent audio editor that does a lot without charging much. In that case, it is the best audio editor for Mac you can download.
Features:
- Reaper offers you a generous sixty-day trial version.
- It is a lightweight audio editor.
- The amount of options it provides is insane for its size.
7. Avid Pro Tools First
Pro Tools is the industry-standard program for producing music, available for both Mac and PC. Avid Pro Tools First is a free trial edition for new subscribers.
It has many features, but it is a complex skill to master because of the complicated interface and high learning slope. It also needs a more excellent powerful processor than the other program on this list.
There are certain restrictions for free accounts, such as you can only keep your works to the Avid cloud storage, and you can have at max three different projects running at the same time.
If you are only wanting to tweak your podcast, the Pro Tools First option may be excessive. However, suppose you are going to be a professional audio editor and wish to pursue this in your professional life.
In that case, this is the best audio editor for Mac that there is. Avid Pro Tools First is used by experts, so you can quickly get help related to the software online.
Features:
- It is the free version of the industry-standard in audio editing.
- It has a large user base. Thus, you can get related information quickly.
- It has almost all the features that an audio editor can possess.
8. Fission
Fission is a Mac audio editing software that concentrates on quick, uncompressed editing in a sleek and beautiful design.
The software includes with itself a friendly trial version that offers you complete access to everything but one essential feature, that is, the capability to keep high-res audio recordings.
Fission has a plethora of functions, such as batch processing, basic waveform formatting, FLAC and WAV compatibility, and uncompressed editing for pre-compressed MP3 and AAC audio.
You can batch transform files from one type to another. A convenient Podcasts window makes it simple to bundle and distribute your products online. Overall, it is undoubtedly one of the best audio editor for Mac if you do not want to spend a lot on your editor.
Features:
- It is compatible with various audio file formats.
- It offers a free trial version so you can know beforehand whether it is the correct software for you or not.
- It has a separate Podcasts pane, which you can use to work on your podcasts.
9. Apple Logic Pro X
With the Apple Logic Pro X release, Apple made a giant stride forward in the realm of electronic dance music creation.
The current edition of Logic Pro X offers expert sound processing for digital sound recordings, movie soundtracks, soundtracks editing, and post-production at an affordable price.
With the inclusion of quasi electronic music creation and sliced musical concerts, the new 10.5 edition provides stiff competition to competitor DAWs in the market.
Because it received the Editor’s Option award, Logic Pro is the greatest Digital Audio Processor and the top selection for most experts in music creation. Those looking for interoperability with other studios might also choose Avid Pro Tools.
Because Apple Logic Pro X does not require any form of hardware or software security for copying, you may easily download and execute it as long as you are logged in to the Apple Store.
To download all of the instrument cycles, bundled synthesizers, and effects, you’ll need at least 72 GB of free space.
Step Sequencer is perhaps the most pleasing update to Apple Logic Pro X 10.5. It is also one of the best individual stocks digital audio workstation step sequencers due to its excellent mix of customization options and user-friendliness.
When Apple named the new sampling instrument, they utilized their imagination to develop the sleek new alternative to EXS24 sampling software with a more popular and automatic approach and features for improved synthesis.
However, the sampler may still create files with the .exs suffix, suitable for all EXS24 components.
Apple Logic Pro X is undoubtedly one of the best audio editor for Mac available, and its extensive collection of features and characteristics make it well worth the money you pay for it.
Features:
- It is an Apple-developed software. Thus, it integrates better with Mac.
- The quality of the filters is outstanding.
- Apple constantly improves this application to make it the industry standard in audio editing.
10. Audiotool
AudioTool is a full-featured audio editing program developed for startups, small businesses, SMEs, and organizations.
AudioTool audio editing software for Web-Based offers an easy-to-use UI. AudioTool is suitable for Desktop and provides edge-to-edge services to Mac operating systems.
AudioTool aids in the creation of instrumentation, combining, sequencing, and effects. It also aids in support of many audio formats, better product visualization, and beat-based modification.
Percussion, blending, routing, filters, multiple audio format compatibility, enhanced product visualizer, and beating effects are the most common uses for AudioTool. It features a basic UI and is easy to use. You may also consult instruction booklets and take an online demonstration at Techjockey.com for further details.
AudioTool can be downloaded for free. It has various price options to suit a wide range of customers. The cost will vary depending on aspects such as customization, extra functions needed, users, and deployment method.
Features:
- It is a free tool.
- It offers a lot of pre-downloaded instrument sounds and effects.
- It has an easy-to-use interface.
Conclusion
So here ends our list of the best audio editor for mac devices. Audio editing is a professional process, therefore we have included industry-level software that is used by famous music producers.
However, if you need to edit a couple of audios for an event or something, the free version of the softwares will be enough for you. But if you are into music production, or audio editing for a filmmaking company, Pro Tools and Logic Pro X are the two audio editors I’d recommend.
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