Behind all of the 16-bit stereo sounds and colorful icons in the new ClixSoundMaster control panel, lies the heart of a classic piece of Macintosh shareware. Jeff Click licensed the use of the latest version of SoundMaster from Bruce Tomlin to use with his sounds, and did not so much as change a single thing about it. Well, OK, he added the name "Clix" to SoundMaster at the top of the control panel.
SoundMaster allows you to attach a sound to almost any function of the Finder. If you have always wanted your Mac to hum the national anthem every time you open a window, SoundMaster can do it. Here is a list of just a few of the Finder functions you can add sounds to: startup, shutdown, inserting a disk, ejecting a disk, opening a window, closing a window, resizing a window, hourly chimes, and much more.
  To connect a sound to a function is as simple as
selecting the function, say startup, and then
selecting the sound using a standard open/save
type window. One of the things about SoundMaster
that differs from most programs of its type, is
that you do not store the sounds you use for it in
the system file. In fact, SoundMaster is not able to
access sounds that are there. I like this feature
because it allows me to put the sounds were I want
them, and it keeps the size of my system down.
You can also record your own sounds from within SoundMaster. This is handy for creating quick messages for anyone else who might use your Mac. Just create the message, attach it to some common function, and take off. Just remember to let the other person know how to turn it off or they may have to listen to your message every time the system beeps...
If you have forgotten what a particular sound sounds like, you can always double-click it in the selection window and SoundMaster will play it for you. Just make sure that when you do this, you do not accidentally assign the sound to any of the available functions. The best way to avoid this is to first select (sample) in the function list.
I have only two reservations regarding the Clix version of SoundMaster. The first is that for some reason the volume level selector has been deactivated. For the majority of the sounds, this is no problem since they default to the system volume. Unfortunately, the startup and shutdown sounds are all defaulted to the maximum sound setting. I tend to use my computer at all times during the day and the last thing I want is for my startup and restart sounds to go off at full blast early in the morning, waking up Alex, my two year old son.
The second problem I have has to do with documentation. The SoundMaster 1.8.1 package has a built-in help area that is well written and easy to use. It also includes a separate text file which contains a long list of bugs and incompatibilities. The package from Jeff offers no such file. It is a minor omission in what is otherwise a fine package.
All in all, SoundMaster is an excellent utility for adding a variety of sounds to Finder functions. But, what sets the Clix version apart is the wide variety of sounds that are included in the package. Continue reading to find out more about the different sound packages Jeff has to offer.
Stereo Sounds (Tim Lewallen)
The stereo version of ClixSoundMaster is quite a piece of work. All of the sounds feature stereo effects that make your stereo speakers or AudioVison monitor shine. The sounds feature music, sound effects, and voices that alert you to a variety of actions. All of the sounds are clear and very well engineered. They range in size from 45 Kb to 347 Kb.
My favorite sound out of this bunch would have to be the Copy Done sound. It simply says “Copy Complete” and has a bit of a reverb effect. Short, simple, and to the point while still being dramatic. I would like for ClixSounds to produce a minimalist set of sounds that are similar to this particular sound.
On the downside, a few of the sounds are very long and when the sounds are playing you are not able to perform any other actions. This really is not a problem with the Startup, Restart, and Shutdown sounds, but it can get annoying during disk inserts, ejects, and other operations.
Cyber Sounds (Mark Brooks)
After hearing all of the different packages, I can honestly say that they all have their own good points. In the end, we split up the reviews and I won Cyber Sounds, enabling me to avoid making that decision. I was in a better position than the others, however, since I enjoy longer sounds. For instance, I had "I'm sorry Dave, I'm afraid you can't do that" as my beep sound for a long time. I've also used SoundMaster off and on. But, let's get back to the sounds.
Cyber Sounds are perfect for those who loved the Net or the movie of Johnny Mnemonic. These sounds range in size from 34 Kb to 281 Kb. Most of the "spoken sounds" were made by Jeff's infamous female voice. He then added those futuristic sound effects to create Cyber Masterpieces.
Well, some are not quite masterpieces. However, some of these sounds are outstanding, especially the second beep. The startup, restart, and shutdown sounds were also quite good. If you're trying to achieve a future-tech feel on your Mac, these are definitely the way to go. Personally, I would also like a minimalist set of sounds from Jeff.
Sexy Sounds (Tim Lewallen)
The sexy version of the ClixSoundMaster features a seductive sounding female voice that lets you in on the actions of your Macintosh. They also feature a variety of sounds, music, and effects. All of the sounds are up to the standard of the other ClixSounds products, which is consistently above shareware standards. These sounds range in size from 36 Kb to 225 Kb.
While the sexy sounds are well made and will appeal to some people, some seem a bit corny to me. Some of the sounds were verbose and some kitsch, but overall they were entertaining.
