CD Architect provides the functionality required to produce Red Book Standard CDs on the Windows platform. It can perform full PQ code editing, apply effects, create customised cross-fades, and generate disc-at-once pre-masters suitable for replication. Originally introduced by Sonic Foundry, Sony has further developed CD Architect to include many features required by the modern mastering engineer.
File Formats Supported
It imports WAV, CD Audio CDA, CD Architect 4 or 5 project CDP, AIFF, MP3, WMA, OGG, QuickTime Audio, PCA, Sony Wave 64, Sony Creative Software Audio, VOX, IVC, AU, SND and Sound Designer 1 files. It exports Wave Image WAV and CD Architect 5 Project CDP files.
Platform and Hardware Requirements
Microsoft Windows 2000 SP4, XP or Vista. Processor: 500MHz. Hard drive: 40MB space for program installation. RAM: 128MB. Windows-compatible sound card, CD-ROM drive for installation and supported CD-Recordable drive for CD burning. Software: Microsoft DirectX 8.0 or later and Internet Explorer 5.1 or later, both are included on the CD-ROM.
Licensing and Support
Sony products are licensed for use on a single computer. Technical Support and software updates are available online at www.scvlondononline.co.uk, telephone technical support is available on 020 8418 1472. Educational establishments, (schools, colleges and universities), may qualify for discounts and multi-user licences. Contact Sales for further information.
CD ARCHITECT 5.2
Source audio up to 192kHz 32-bit is supported. Re-sampling and dithering, with noise-shaping, converts the source audio ready for CD burning. Multiple file formats are supported and converted. Automatic backup of the project every five minutes gives complete confidence. Undo and redo history restores previous edits with ease. The user may zoom to sample-level and perform precise edits, fades and cross-fades. The software offers the capabilities to move, cut, copy, paste, and split events and invert audio phase and normalise tracks. Audio scrubbing is provided, depending on hardware. Real-time pitch changes and time stretching are supported.
Complex cross-fade transitions between and layering of tracks are easily achieved, graphically, on screen. Audio in between tracks and 'hidden tracks' are allowed. Volume envelopes can be graphically modified and locked to events if required. Audio tracks may be arranged using simple drag-and-drop operations. Multiple takes of a track can be previewed and switched between to determine which best fits the project. Processing of the CD, using over twenty real-time DirectX effects including EQ, compression, reverb, and noise-gate, can be applied to individual tracks, sections of a track, or to the master 'output' bus. The software supports non-destructive editing of tracks and export to Sound Forge, see separate entry, or other audio editor. Any edits in such are updated and reflected in the CD project.
Full PQ code editing, including track and index positions, ISRC codes, and pause times, may be performed. A wide variety of CD burners, including FireWire, USB, IDE, and SCSI devices are supported. Test burns can be performed and buffer under-run protection, preventing unusable discs, is supported. Track list information can be shared with other applications or a CD replication house, for example. Track list information can be copied and shared with other applications, saved to a text file, or printed directly from within the CD Architect application.