MAGIX Audio Cleaning Lab has a simple layout that is inviting. There are very few controls, menus and toolbars. The audio editing window sits atop your workspace with the transport in the middle and your file manager at the bottom. This audio editor presents itself cleanly and encourages the novice user with its simplified interface.
The bottom left of the work window is where you will find the majority of the audio restoration tools within the audio editor. They are neatly broken down into four sections – import, cleaning, mastering and export.
To test each audio editor's file compatibility, we imported a number of different audio file formats. This audio editing software was able to import all audio extensions that we used to test. We found that you can also convert your audio files to a number of different formats, except for AIFF and AU.
With a little extra equipment, such as a vinyl turntable converter or cassette converter, you can import vinyl and cassettes straight into this audio editing program. Under the import section, tabs allow you to select the correct settings to upload CDs, vinyl and cassette audio recordings.
To test this audio editor, we imported a vinyl audio sample with noticeable cracks, pops and hum generally associated with old vinyl recordings. We ran the audio sample through the cleaning tools. The tools are easy to use – all you have to do is turn on the tool, then slowly turn a knob until your audio sample sounds the way you want. By using the denoising tool and the declick tool, we were able to remove most of the noise in our recording sample. We were impressed with the overall ease of use and the final results of our audio testing.
Where this software falls short compared to other top audio editing software, like WavePad, is its lack of audio editing tools. This audio editing program is missing many of the effects that other audio editors offer. Many of the other audio editors we reviewed allow you to apply delay, chorus, flanger and other effects to your audio – effects not present in Audio Cleaning Lab. We also made a few dozen small changes to the audio file and tried to undo all of them, but the software wouldn't allow it.
If you are new to restoring audio and are looking for a simple but effective program, MAGIX Audio Cleaning Lab is exactly that. It doesn't overload you with buttons and menu options, yet it provides you with the noise reduction tools to successfully import and clean audio recordings.
