Sonnox Fraunhofer Pro-Codec V3 builds on V2 with the inclusion of meta-data entry, editing and batch processing using the included standalone Pro-Codec Manager application. Pro-Codec Manager is an advanced and expanded version of Sonnox’s own standalone Codec Toolbox manager software. It has faster off-line operation, an improved finder and many new features such as file Normalization in addition to the Clip Safe mode.
Pro-Codec directly encodes audio with sample rates up to 192kHz and bit rates up to 32-bit with no need to down sample before-hand. The Pro-Codec Manager supports editing of two different metadata formats: ID3v2 and iTunes Metadata. In addition, Pro-Codec integrates the Fraunhofer AAC and mp3 codecs including MPEG Surround and multi-channel AAC formats for surround mixing.
I found the Fraunhofer Pro-Codec V3 to be the gold standard in a single, powerful audio encoding plug-in for use in Pro Tools 12 mixing. Without a close rival, it sounds wonderful and works flawlessly to audition and show to my clients exactly how my mix sounds when made into the targeted mp3 or AAC file. And that is an awesome capability to offer.
Pro-Codec Version 3 sells for $495 MSRP and is 64-bit compatible and for AAX, RTAS, VST hosts.
Barry Rudolph is a recording engineer/mixer who has worked on over 30 gold and platinum records. He has recorded and/or mixed Lynyrd Skynyrd, Hall & Oates, Pat Benatar, Rod Stewart, the Corrs and more. Barry has his own futuristic music mixing facility and loves teaching audio engineering at Musician’s Institute, Hollywood, CA. He is a lifetime Grammy-voting member of NARAS and a contributing editor for Mix Magazine. barryrudolph.com
