Reaper vs Cakewalk vs Ardour?

[Wabatuckian]

I'm about done with Audacity. While it's awesome for what it is, one of my biggest issues is that I can't make adjustments during playback.

I'm therefore looking for a different DAW, but I know next to nothing about them.

All I really want to do is take vocal and guitar tracks I record with a Zoom 4-track, make them sound good together, and then combine them into a stereo signal, and maybe mix in a percussion track at a later date.

Another thing I've noticed about Audacity is that the sound from it is "thinner" than the same track played through other programs and devices. I'm really not sure why that is, but it seems unique to Audacity.

Keep in mind I'm mostly a beginner.

Any thoughts are welcome.

Thanks!

 

[TalismanRich]

I haven't tried Cakewalk, but I have installed Ardour on a Linux machine. It was ok, but I'm firmly in the Reaper camp. I've been using it since V4, and they are currently on V7.85. It does everything that I could want, and I find the workflow very logical.

As for why Audacity might sound "thinner" (it shouldn't), it might be that the other programs you're using are being modified with Window's "enhancements". These should be turned off in the system settings. Audacity doesn't sound any different from Media Player or Reaper on my system.

 

[Wabatuckian]

I haven't tried Cakewalk, but I have installed Ardour on a Linux machine. It was ok, but I'm firmly in the Reaper camp. I've been using it since V4, and they are currently on V7.85. It does everything that I could want, and I find the workflow very logical.

As for why Audacity might sound "thinner" (it shouldn't), it might be that the other programs you're using are being modified with Window's "enhancements". These should be turned off in the system settings. Audacity doesn't sound any different from Media Player or Reaper on my system.

I'm leaning toward Reaper, too. It has a 60 day trial so I can wring it out thoroughly, and then only costs $60 or so.

I'm pretty sure I have all the Windows enhancements off. It's one of the first things I do and I double-checked it again tonight. While there might be something buried under another setting someplace, nothing's obvious.

Playing it back through headphones attached to the H4e sounds fuller, too, so I really think it's something going on with Audacity.

I also have plans to ditch my PC speakers (which are good as far as PC speakers go), and hook the output to one of the spare stereos I have laying around.

 

[Eric V]

I use Reaper also. Very (relatively) east to work with. I personally would get some good powered monitors.