Adobe Audition
Adobe Audition is a digital audio workstation (DAW) for recording, editing, mixing, and restoring audio, commonly used in podcast production, broadcast, and film post-production.
Definition
Adobe Audition is a digital audio workstation (DAW) for recording, editing, mixing, and restoring audio, commonly used in podcast production, broadcast, and film post-production.
Overview
Audition provides both a Waveform view for detailed single-track editing and a Multitrack view for arranging and mixing many audio tracks together, giving editors flexibility to zoom into fine details like clicks and breaths or step back to balance a full mix. Its restoration tools use spectral analysis to visually identify and remove noise, hum, and other unwanted sounds, which is particularly valuable in dialogue cleanup for film and broadcast work. Because it's part of Adobe's Creative Cloud, Audition integrates tightly with Adobe Premiere Pro, letting editors send audio between the two applications for detailed cleanup before returning it to a video timeline, which makes it a common choice for video-centric production teams rather than music producers, who more often reach for a performance-oriented DAW like Ableton Live. Audition is widely used for podcast editing, radio and broadcast production, dialogue cleanup for film and television, and general audio restoration, positioning it as a post-production and cleanup-focused tool within the broader Adobe Creative Cloud lineup rather than one built around live performance or music composition.
Key Features
- Waveform and Multitrack editing views for detailed and full-mix work
- Spectral frequency display for visual noise identification and removal
- Automatic speech alignment and loudness normalization tools
- Tight integration with Adobe Premiere Pro for video-audio handoff
- Multitrack mixing with effects racks and automation
- Restoration tools for removing hum, clicks, and background noise
Use Cases
History
Adobe Audition is a professional digital audio workstation for recording, mixing, editing, restoration, and podcasting. It traces back to Cool Edit, an audio editor Syntrillium Software began shipping in 1995 (Cool Edit 95), which matured into Cool Edit Pro for professionals. Adobe acquired the Cool Edit technology from Syntrillium in May 2003 and released the first version of Adobe Audition in August 2003 — essentially Cool Edit Pro rebranded — with substantial new features arriving in version 1.5 (2004). Audition became Adobe's dedicated audio tool within Creative Cloud, tightly integrated with Premiere Pro for video post-production sound.
Sources
- Adobe — "Cool Edit Pro is now Adobe Audition" · as of 2026-07-17
- Adobe — Audition product page · as of 2026-07-17