Hear - Mac & PC ($19.99)

I installed Hear, audio enhancement software from Prosoft Engineering. I love my music and I have a wide range of tastes, from classical to folk to good old rock and roll. I'm a writer and I will often set the style of music to the type of writing I'm crafting. Sometimes, however, I just relax to my tunes, recharging my inner battery and getting ready for or resting up from the day.

Like I said, I love my music. I'm always on the lookout for a good software program that will enhance the sound on my computer and my entire listening experience. Unfortunately, there seemed to be two camps of programming when it comes to audio control software. The one favors simplicity over function. The user is presented with presets that allow for little, if any customization. He or she is at the mercy of the programmer's personal preferences.

The other, quite frankly, takes a super technical approach that can leave the average listener baffled as to what to adjust, what to push and how the stuff all works. Unless the user is familiar with the mystifying jargon of the music recording field, he is left standing there scratching his head and wondering what to do next.

To be honest with you, that second camp was my first impression of Hear. After I installed it and opened the program for the first time, I sat there with my jaw dropped down to my chest. There were tabs with words I did not know. There were buttons and sliders and options that I had never heard of before. I quickly yelled for my son-in-law; he has a band and records for them, along with several others. He knows this stuff inside and out.

The first words out of his mouth after checking it out were, "Cool! Impressive!" He started to explain all of the settings and what they could do. He must have seen the blank look on my face because he then told me, "You could always use the presets and adjust from there, you know." A sense of calm returned and I started fiddling with the program myself. Yes, presets. Presets are good, very good.

Prosoft has accomplished what few others have with the Hear audio control program. In my opinion, it is difficult to create a program that appeals to both the techie and non-techie alike. Hear gives you as much or as little control as you desire. Furthermore, their operating manual explains what all those buttons, sliders and settings mean and what they do. I can now talk about ambience, limiters, maximizers and fidelity with a little more confidence. I now know that a DeWoofer is not something I put on my dog. Imagine that!

The software comes with an impressive array of audio presets. Using those presets as a starting point, I have adjusted and tweaked them to get just the right sound to suit me. The customized settings can be saved as a personal preset and applied at any time. My custom presets and some of the others included have enhanced my music to the point that I now hear things I didn't know were there. Snares on the drums, tinkling cymbals and other quieter sounds could be discerned, adding richness and color to the music.

There are options that will make even inexpensive speakers sound good. I installed it on my laptop and while the internal speakers sounded better, it really stood out when I added my little externals. The wife made me turn it down, though. I surely don't want to wake the grandbaby, now do I?

If you are into watching movies or Internet TV on your machine, there are presets to enhance the audio on them as well. Even audible books and podcasts can get the augmented sound treatment.

Obviously I can't go into a lot of detail on the program here. Well, I could; but that wouldn't let you try out the software for yourself. If you are an audiophile and know all about this stuff, you will probably spend hours tinkering with tweeters, woofers, special effects and other neat settings. If you are music-setting challenged, like me, the presets will make your tunes sound fantastic with a minimum of fuss. You might even click a few advanced settings, just to see what happens. You can always reset them, thank goodness.

I honestly expected this program to cost me an arm and a leg. However, the price tag is only about $20, well within my music budget. I've paid more for a single album before. The program works on both PCs and Macs, so there is something for almost everyone. Prosoft offers a free demo download that is fully functional for 30 days, so you can try it before you buy it. It didn't take me 30 days to realize this software was for me. It works great right out of the box, so to speak. Even so, if you have trouble with installation, operation or other tech issues, Prosoft's support team is standing at the ready to assist you.

I must leave now. I think I hear my media player calling to me. It's time to rock out for a while!"