14 DAY TRIAL // Many programs on the web have the "center" particle in their name and in fact are not that centered at all, neither in what their names state nor in what they actually do. Not very often do we find software which can really claim the "center"-label and which really accomplishes the things it claims and is expected to do.
While other softwares try to do every imaginable audio job and fail in doing at least one well, others can't even gather enough features for a half-legitimate "center" name. Fortunately, Ashampoo Audio Center can brag about doing what its producers claimed and also about doing those things well. Whether it's on audio CD ripping, audio conversion, tagging and so on, Ashampoo Audio Center works easy and efficiently, being suited for both advanced and experienced users and even for newbies who need help and guidance in their attempt to finalize certain tasks.
It is usually said that software which bundle together many options are either ripoffs or - should they really work OK - they are pretty expensive. Ashampoo Audio Center is a piece of code which doesn't leave you with an empty wallet, while at the same time delivering serious and reliable work for the price you've paid. It simply acts as a real audio "center", offering almost everything you might need when you usually think about music.
The Looks
Being oriented towards both advanced and inexperienced users, the Ashampoo Audio Center has a GUI that is balanced a bit in favor of the latter but - in any case - it does not have a dull result. The main window acts as a center console, allowing quick access to Ashampoo Audio Center's different functions with just a mouse click.
The normal mode-interface displays short explanations below each-category's title and icon, while the expert-mode does not. Nevertheless, once the user has selected an action, both modes are lookalike. One thing I liked was the absence of futile skins or color-sets for this software; after all, it is intended only for music processing and not for a cool look! Thus, the Ashampoo Audio Center borrows the Windows' native color scheme and this ensures a nice fit-in with any OS.
General-operation buttons are Windows native; the only thing that makes a difference is to be found in the Ashampoo Audio Center's category-icons: they are very stylish, with bright and clean colors, very "XP", carefully drawn and this way very intuitive. Maybe a bit too stylish, some might say...well, not for me: since Ashampoo Audio Center is a tool-complex, meant for almost all kind of users, I really don't see such an urge for hyper-professional looking buttons and altogether sober appearance. After all, I really guess a bit of sparkling button-design is indeed welcome in all very commonly-looking programs.
No matter which module would you launch, all the interfaces are very light, easy to read and use, with minimal text directions and staged in numbered steps. One must be totally unfamiliar with basic notions about computers and audio if he/she claims to encounter problems in using the Ashampoo Audio Center; and that's because the program has some very explicit drop-menus and checkboxes to guide you through whatever processing you might have in mind, so producing good results is almost a sure thing.
The generic appearance does not change during the use of these modules (remember: conversion, ID tag editor, audio or mp3 CD burning?) and this helps the highly inexperienced users to learn it all much rapidly. I guess the advanced users don't even see or they don't pay too much attention to such details, as they are usually much more interested in the proper works of the software.
The Works
What Ashampoo Audio Center does is a series of common and simple tasks but this software seems to do them both well and fast, all from one single easy-to-use location, accessible by means of very few mouse clicks. There are 6 different modules which separately carry out the tasks you demand:
The audio CD rip (obviously) lets you extract the content of an audio CD and write it down on your HDD in 4 different formats: MP3, WAV, OGG and FLAC. As expected, you can set the output directory that - by default - is a very convenient one, and Ashampoo Audio Center even makes a desktop shortcut for it.
The second module helps the user burn audio or MP3 CDs via a classical-looking CD-burner interface, with a load meter and the so-easy drag and drop support.
The conversion module has two different functions which complete each other in a brilliant way: on one hand, it changes tracks from one format to another and, on the other hand, it can truly edit the specs of the track. Meaning that you keep the same format but you are also able to modify bitrate, sampling frequency and so on, technically being allowed to up/downsample a song; indeed, extremely handy when certain size-restrictions are met!
Another nice feature in Ashampoo Audio Center lets you normalize the level of a certain set of songs you choose: technically you can build a compilation CD with all kinds of tracks with different master-levels and by using this module, you'll get a pro-sounding even volume on the entire length of the CD. Easy, fast and reliable!
Whether you make a compilation or just want to modify data associated with certain tracks, the Edit module is what you need. You can upload many tracks and then edit their tags one by one in a very orderly, visually intuitive and easy way. Really, no computer science needed here.
Finally, the last module is some sort of emergency track-utility. It is intended to be used when the so-called "broken" files are met. This module will allow you to open, move, etc., or at least attempt to do so. Many options regarding both the original and the resulting files are available, such as move, rename, delete and so on.
One thing that must be added is that all operations in Ashampoo Audio Center are fast and simple and this - combined with all the other features - result in a very nice set of specs for this software. The unregistered version tested for this material had an entire menu dedicated to web-related tasks, such as links to the Ashampoo newsletter, support and homepage, current special offers from the producer and so on; that is a feature which is rather rarely met in everyday software...especially if we think that it is intended to allowed the user to get a glimpse on the special hot deals the producer offers at a certain time.
The Good
Ashampoo Audio Center really is one "audio center" in the full meaning of the word: one location with many directions to follow. From tracks on audio CDs to compilations, from songs with empty tags to full albums with complete auxiliary data, Ashampoo Audio Center is a program that will surely get you there; and all this, for less money than you might think. Simple and easy to use, raising no problems even for inexperienced users, this piece of code can quickly become your henchman when it comes to more-or-less routine operations involving audio tracks.
The Bad
No bad things for this version of the Ashampoo Audio Center, but rather some things to be added on a potential wish list, such as: more control in the normalize module, some generic setting for the output files, so you wouldn't need not do that each time you switch modules. Nevertheless, a "clean and clear" program without observable flaws.
The Truth
Nicely-developed program, noticeable efforts from the creators' team to put up a simple-to-operate, yet complex, tasks-capable application. It's worth each penny spent on it when no professional-grade processing is required.
Find out more on Ashampoo Audio Center from the screenshots I prepared for you:
