Berkeley Integrated Audio Software (BIAS) Inc. on Thursday announced the release of SoundSoap 2, a major new version of its audio noise reduction and restoration software for Mac OS X and Windows XP. The new US$99 software will be widely available in November, 2004 and costs $49 to upgrade from previous versions.
SoundSoap still retails a “one click” audio restoration capability, but v2 sports new features including Remove Click & Crackle and Enhance and sports compatibility with Audio Units and RTAS/AudioSuite host applications. It is plug-in compatible with VST host applications, as well.
The software provides simple interface controls to enable users to clean up their audio — clicking the “Learn Noise” button and adjusting two knobs can remove most common problems from audio tracks like hiss, fan noise from ventilation systems and other background noise, according to the developer. Discrete controls enable users to remove hum, remove rumble, preserve voice and more.
The new Enhance feature helps liven up recordings by applying compression and equalization using a single parameter control. And with Audio Units support, SoundSoap 2 can now work directly within Apple’s GarageBand, SoundTrack, Final Cut Pro and Logic software applications, and others that support the Audio Units architecture. RTAS support lets SoundSoap 2 work as part of a Digidesign workflow, as well.
A standalone application edition with movie support is available that works with QuickTime and Windows Media files; it provides the same functionality as the plug-in version, allowing users to clean up audio embedded in a digital video clip.