View source for Adobe Audition

{{Short description|Digital audio workstation}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=September 2018}}
{{Infobox software
| name = Adobe Audition
| logo = Adobe Audition CC 2026 icon.svg
| screenshot = Adobe_Audition_CC_Screenshot.png
| caption = Adobe Audition CC, running on [[OS X El Capitan]]
| developer = [[Adobe Inc.]]
| released = {{Start date and age|2003|08|18}}
| latest release version = 2025 (25.2<ref>{{cite web|date=April 2, 2025|title=Adobe Audition Release Notes|url=https://helpx.adobe.com/audition/audition-releasenotes.html#:~:text=Latest%20version,2024%20release%20(version%2024.4)|publisher=Adobe Inc.|access-date=October 31, 2025}}</ref>)
| latest release date = {{Start date and age|2025|4|2}}
| operating system = [[Windows 10]] (64-bit) V22H2 or later<br/>[[macOS Monterey]] (version 12) or later<ref>{{cite web|title=Audition System requirements|url=https://helpx.adobe.com/audition/system-requirements.html|publisher=Adobe Inc.|access-date=September 15, 2024|archive-date=September 4, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170904152259/https://helpx.adobe.com/audition/system-requirements.html|url-status=live}}</ref>
| platform = [[x86-64]], [[AArch64|ARM64]]
| language = *[[American English]]{{flagicon|US}},* [[British English]]{{flagicon|UK}}, *[[Mandarin Chinese]]{{flagicon|China}}, *[[French language|French]]{{flagicon|France}}, *[[German language|German]]{{flagicon|Germany}}, *[[Italian language|Italian]]{{flagicon|Italy}}, *[[Japanese language|Japanese]]{{flagicon|Japan}}, *[[Korean language|Korean]]{{flagicon|South Korea}}, *[[Portuguese language|Portuguese]]{{flagicon|Portugal}}, *[[Spanish language|Spanish]]{{flagicon|Spain}}
| language count = 9
| genre = [[Digital audio workstation]]
| license = [[Trialware]], [[Software license#Proprietary software licenses|Proprietary]], term
| website = {{URL|https://adobe.com/audition}}
}}

'''Adobe Audition''' is a [[digital audio workstation]] developed by [[Adobe Inc.]] featuring both a [[multitrack recording|multitrack]], [[non-destructive editing|non-destructive]] mix/edit environment and a destructive-approach waveform editing view.

==Origins==
Syntrillium Software was founded in the early 1990s by Robert Ellison and David Johnston, both former [[Microsoft]] employees. '''{{visible anchor|Cool Edit}}''', an audio editing program distributed as [[crippleware]] for Windows computers, was among Syntrillium's early offerings beginning in 1995 with the release of Cool Edit 95.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://homerecording.com/bbs/threads/cool-edit-audition-release-history.235201/|title=Cool Edit/Audition release history|website=homerecording.com|date=April 14, 2007|access-date=November 21, 2023|archive-date=November 22, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231122011255/https://homerecording.com/bbs/threads/cool-edit-audition-release-history.235201/|url-status=live}}</ref> By 1999, the program had matured into its final two versions: Cool Edit 2000, for ordinary users, and Cool Edit Pro, for audio editing professionals. Both drew very positive reviews.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://rapmag.com/a/00/oct00/cool-edit-2000-review|title=Test Drive: Cool Edit 2000 from Syntrillium Software|website=RapMag.com|access-date=November 21, 2023}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.adobe.com/aboutadobe/pressroom/pressreleases/200305/051903Syntrillium.html|title=Adobe Acquires Leading Audio Application and Technology from Syntrillium Software|website=Adobe.com|access-date=November 21, 2023|archive-date=May 23, 2003|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20030523033527/http://www.adobe.com/aboutadobe/pressroom/pressreleases/200305/051903Syntrillium.html|url-status=live}}</ref>

'''{{visible anchor|Cool Edit Pro}}''' introduced the capability to work with multiple tracks as well as other features. Audio processing, however, was done in a destructive manner. (At the time, few computers had sufficient processor power and memory capacity to perform non-destructive operations in real time.) Cool Edit Pro v2 added support for real-time non-destructive processing, and v2.1 added support for [[surround sound]] mixing and unlimited simultaneous tracks (up to the limit imposed by the computer hardware). Cool Edit 2000 and Pro also included plugins such as [[noise reduction]] and [[Fast Fourier transform|FFT]] [[Equalization (audio)|equalization]].

From the beginning, consumer and professional versions of Cool Edit supported numerous import/export codecs for various audio file formats.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.soundonsound.com/reviews/syntrillium-cool-edit-pro-v2|title=Syntrillium Cool Edit Pro v2|website=www.soundonsound.com|access-date=February 29, 2020|archive-date=June 2, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210602215402/https://www.soundonsound.com/reviews/syntrillium-cool-edit-pro-v2|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.softwarert.com/combine-music-sound-recordings-audio-audition-pc/|title=Combine music, sound recordings, audio files using Audition – Software Review RT|accessdate=May 27, 2021|archive-date=June 2, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210602213455/https://www.softwarert.com/combine-music-sound-recordings-audio-audition-pc/|url-status=live}}</ref> When [[MP3]] became popular, Cool Edit licensed and integrated the original [[Fraunhofer Society|Fraunhofer]] MP3 encoder. The software had an [[Software development kit|SDK]] and supported codec plugins (FLT filters). The developer community wrote a wide range of import/export format plugins to open and save in a number of audio compression formats. Popular audio formats and containers supported by Cool Edit with built-in codecs or plugins included Fraunhofer [[MP3]], [[LAME|LAME MP3]], [[Dolby Digital|Dolby AC3]], [[DTS (sound system)|DTS]], [[Windows legacy audio components#Audio Compression Manager|ACM]] [[WAV|Waveform]], [[Pulse-code modulation|PCM]] [[Raw audio format|waveform]], [[Audio Interchange File Format|AIFF]], [[Au file format|AU]], [[.cda file|CDA]], [[MPEG-1 Audio Layer I|MPEG-1 Audio]], [[MPEG-1 Audio Layer II|MPEG-2 Audio]], [[Advanced Audio Coding|AAC]], [[High-Efficiency Advanced Audio Coding|HE-AAC]], [[Ogg]] [[Vorbis]], [[FLAC]], True Audio, [[WavPack]], [[QuickTime]] MOV and MP4 (import only), [[Adaptive differential pulse-code modulation|ADPCM]], [[RealMedia]], [[Windows Media Audio|WMA Standard]], [[Windows Media Audio#Windows Media Audio Professional|WMA Professional]], [[Windows Media Audio#Windows Media Audio Lossless|WMA Lossless]] and WMA Multichannel.

Adobe purchased Syntrillium's technology assets, including Cool Edit, in May 2003 for $16.5 million,<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.adobe.com/aboutadobe/invrelations/pdfs/q2_fy03_form_10q.pdf |title=United States SEC Form 10-Q, Adobe Systems, Inc., May 30, 2003 |access-date=August 20, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151030212330/http://www.adobe.com/aboutadobe/invrelations/pdfs/q2_fy03_form_10q.pdf |archive-date=October 30, 2015 |url-status=dead}}</ref> as well as a large [[music loop|loop]] library called "Loopology." Adobe then renamed Cool Edit Pro to "Adobe Audition" and terminated Cool Edit 2000.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.radioworld.com/tech-and-gear/cool-edit-passes-its-39audition39|title=Cool Edit Passes Its 'Audition'|website=radioworld.com|date=April 23, 2004 |access-date=November 21, 2023|archive-date=October 3, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221003145604/https://www.radioworld.com/tech-and-gear/cool-edit-passes-its-39audition39|url-status=live}}</ref>

==Version==

===Version 1===
Adobe Audition was released on August 18, 2003. It had bug fixes but no new features and was essentially a more polished Cool Edit Pro 2.1 under a different name. Adobe then released Audition v1.5 in May 2004; major improvements over v1 included [[pitch correction]], [[frequency space]] editing, a [[CD]] project view, basic video editing and integration with [[Adobe Premiere]], as well as several other enhancements.

===Version 2===
Adobe Audition 2 was released on January 17, 2006. With this release, Audition (which the music recording industry had once seen as a value-oriented home studio application, although it has long been used for editing by radio stations) entered the professional [[digital audio workstation]] market. The current version included two sections. Multitrack View supported up to 128 digital audio mono or stereo tracks at up to 32-bit resolution. In the track controls section one could select the input and output for each track (the program supported multiple multi-channel sound cards), select "record", "solo", and "mute", and access the effects rack. New features included [[Audio Stream Input/Output]] (ASIO) support, VST ([[Virtual Studio Technology]]) support, new mastering tools (many provided by [[iZotope]]), and a redesigned [[user interface|UI]]. Adobe also included Audition 2.0 as part of its Adobe Production Studio bundle.

===Version 3===
Adobe Audition 3 was released on November 8, 2007. New features included [[VSTi]] (virtual instrument) support, enhanced spectral editing, a redesigned multi-track interface, new effects, and a collection of royalty-free loops.

CS2 activation servers' shutdown: Adobe Audition 3, with some other CS2 products, was released with an official serial number, due to the technical glitch in Adobe's CS2 activation servers ([[Adobe Creative Suite|see Creative Suite 1 & 2]]).

===Version 4 (CS5.5)===
Audition 4, also known as Audition CS5.5, was released on April 11, 2011, as part of [[Adobe Creative Suite]]. Audition 4 was shipped as part of the Adobe Creative Suite 5.5 Master Collection and Adobe Creative Suite 5.5 Production Premium, replacing the discontinued [[Adobe Soundbooth]]. Audition 4 was also made available as a standalone product. Enhanced integration with Adobe Premiere Pro allowed editing of multitrack Premiere projects, and users of third-party software were served by the introduction of [[Open Media Framework|OMF]]- and [[XML]]-based import-export functions. Other new features included improved 5.1 multichannel support, new effects (DeHummer, DeEsser, Speech Volume Leveler, and Surround Reverb), a history panel, faster and fully supported real-time FFT analysis, and a new audio engine (more reliable and faster) for non-ASIO devices.

According to Adobe,<ref>{{cite web|url=https://forums.adobe.com/thread/838570|title=Audition CS 5.5 and the future of Audition - Adobe Community|website=forums.adobe.com|date=April 14, 2011|access-date=June 4, 2019|archive-date=September 13, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170913141222/https://forums.adobe.com/thread/838570|url-status=live}}</ref> Audition CS5.5 was rewritten from the ground up to take advantage of parallel/batch processing for performance and make it a platform-agnostic product; this is the first version compatible with Mac OS. Over 15 years' worth of C++ code was analyzed, and many features of the previous version were ported or enhanced. Notable removed features include [[VSTi]] support and [[MIDI]] sequencing. Many other features from previous Windows versions of Adobe Audition, such as FLT filters, DirectX effects, clip grouping, many effects (Dynamic EQ, Stereo Expander, Echo Chamber, Convolution, Scientific filters, Binaural Auto-Panner, etc.) were removed <ref>{{Cite web|url=https://media3.webcollage.net/74fc07f9d9c64756fa028290188d6b21364b3aac?response-content-type=application%2Fpdf&AWSAccessKeyId=AKIAIIE5CHZ4PRWSLYKQ&Expires=1893532678&Signature=UfN93CqaPSxo1nUIt63y%2Bj%2FNXvU%3D|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210522152758/https://media3.webcollage.net/74fc07f9d9c64756fa028290188d6b21364b3aac?response-content-type=application%2Fpdf&AWSAccessKeyId=AKIAIIE5CHZ4PRWSLYKQ&Expires=1893532678&Signature=UfN93CqaPSxo1nUIt63y%2Bj%2FNXvU%3D|url-status=dead|archive-date=2021-05-22|title=Adobe Audition CS6 Version Comparison}}</ref> as the product was rewritten to have identical cross-platform features for Windows and macOS. Some of the features were later restored in Audition CS6 but the wide range of audio codec compression/decoding filters for import/export of various audio file formats were discontinued.

===Version 5 (CS6)===
Adobe showed a [[sneak preview]] of Audition CS6<ref>{{cite web|url=http://max.adobe.com/|title=Adobe Technology Sneaks 2012 - Adobe Audition CS6 Sneak Peek on Adobe TV|last=Adobe|website=AdobeTV|access-date=June 4, 2019|archive-date=June 5, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190605054348/https://max.adobe.com/|url-status=live}}</ref> in March 2012 highlighting clip grouping and automatic speech alignment (which had its technology previewed<ref>{{cite web|url=https://max.adobe.com/|title=Adobe MAX 2019 – The Creativity Conference - November 2–6, 2019|website=Adobe MAX 2019|access-date=June 4, 2019|archive-date=August 21, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230821052831/https://max.adobe.com/|url-status=live}}</ref> in September 2011).
Audition CS6 was released on April 23, 2012, as part of both Creative Suite 6 Master Collection and Creative Suite 6 Production Premium. It included faster and more precise editing, real-time clip stretching, automatic speech alignment, EUCON and Mackie [[audio control surface|control surface]] support, parameter automation, more powerful pitch correction, HD video playback, new effects, and more features.

===Version 6 (CC)===
Adobe Audition 6, also more commonly known as Audition CC, was released on June 17, 2013. It is the first in the Audition line to be part of the [[Adobe Creative Cloud]]. Also, Audition CC is now the first 64-bit<ref>{{cite web|title=Review: Adobe Audition CC a solid upgrade hampered by subscription pricing|last=Breen|first=Christopher|url=http://www.macworld.com/article/2043340/adobe-audition-cc-solid-upgrade-hampered-by-subscription-pricing.html|work=Macworld|publisher=IDG Consumer & SMB|access-date=July 22, 2013|archive-date=July 15, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130715055600/http://www.macworld.com/article/2043340/adobe-audition-cc-solid-upgrade-hampered-by-subscription-pricing.html|url-status=live}}</ref> application in the Audition line. This can provide faster processing time when compared to Audition CS6.{{citation needed|date=October 2014}} New features include sound remover, preview editor, and pitch bender.<ref>{{cite web|title=Adobe Audition CC Features|url=https://www.adobe.com/products/audition/features.html|work=Adobe|access-date=July 22, 2013|archive-date=July 23, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130723130616/http://www.adobe.com/products/audition/features.html|url-status=live}}</ref>{{failed verification|date=October 2014}}

==See also==
{{Portal|Music}}
*[[Comparison of multitrack recording software]]
*[[Adobe Enhanced Speech]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
*{{Official website|http://www.adobe.com/products/audition/}}

{{Audio editors}}
{{Digital audio workstations}}
{{AdobeCS}}
{{Adobe Systems}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:2003 software]]
[[Category:Adobe software|Audition]]
[[Category:Adobe Creative Suite|Audition]]
[[Category:Digital audio workstation software]]