[ARSCLIST] Multitrack editors for Mac

[andy Kolovos <akolovos@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Folks,

I apologize for a somewhat off topic post.  The Vermont Folklife Center is
poised to begin a Youth Documentary Radio project.  Our original intent
was to use Pro Tools LE as our editing software (via Mbox2 hardware), but
funding concerns (ample resources for administrative and staff expenses,
little for actual gear) have made the purchase of 5 Mbox2 units (at around
$450 each) unlikely.  Our radio producer works with Pro Tools LE pretty
much exclusively--with an exception being Audacity, which we've used in
several of our training seminars.  I'm hoping--with the wide range of
audio experience out there on this list--to receive some suggestions for
multitrack audio editing software up to the task of creating 5 to 10
minute audio documentaries on the Mac platform that falls in the $75 to
$300 price range.

Audacity continues to be an option, but the stable version--and those of
you who have worked with it probably agree--is wonderful for some stuff,
but for complex editing tasks leaves much to be desired.  The current beta
release holds promise, but as far as I know isn't really up to snuff yet.

In my survey of this stuff, I've turned up the following contenders:

Garage Band ($80), Bias Deck LE ($100), DSP-Quattro ($150) and Mackie
Tracktion 2 ($150).

Any insight into these programs for this application, and any thoughts on
other options will be greatly appreciated.

Thanks in advance,

andy

--
Andy Kolovos
Archivist/Folklorist
Vermont Folklife Center
www.vermontfolklifecenter.org
akolovos @ vermontfolklifecenter.org