FREE software program that lets you record any sound from your sound card and save the recording directly into MP3, WMA or WAV files.

Pros: Free Sound Recorder records audio through the sound card directly into MP3, WMA and WAV formats. The application is able to record your own voice, music or any other sound by working directly with the sound card. It supports the record input/source from a microphone, streaming audio from the Internet, external input devices (e.g. CDs, LP, music cassettes, phone line etc.) as well as other applications like Winamp, Media Player, etc.

The user interface is made to look like a music system. Controls are simple and easy to use. Recording parameters are settable quite easily. One sets the general settings for setting the type of recording, the visual display of input and output file name/path selection. Output format selection lets the user trade off file size vs. quality of recording for the three file formats. Automatic recording level settings and enabling/disabling of voice activated recording also is available.

The linked feature of a visual editor was a pleasant surprise of this package. That interface too is quite well organized and easy to use. Visual spectrum display and cut, paste edit metaphor is nice as also the filters. The effects and the batch operation makes this practically a full featured editor.

Cons: Not many formats are supported. No format conversions are offered, which would have made the application really useful. With such a nice graphical editor being part of the package conversion would be useful. Making one music collection suitable for various devices or to collect from several sources the support for other formats and inter-conversion feature would be really useful.

Overall: Nice and simple interface, well integrated editor, this is a good application. Easily rates at 3 star level.