I still take crap from sanctimonious Justin Long-loving Mac people about the the holy artsy abilities of the Macintosh.

No doubt, bro. Mac’s got mad skillz. Word to your one button mouse.

Adobe Creative Suite runs just fine on my Dell, but for audio, and for the past, oh, 10 years, it’s been Acid Pro.

As I’ve said in a previous review, anyone can pick up Acid and make something happen with it. If you actually spend some time with the software, you can do absolutely wonderful things with the software. You can still get Acid Studio for about $40 if you just want to dabble, though.

In its most basic form, you can use Acid to mix together and cross-fade the perfect mix tape for your sweetheart. You can also compose a synchronized video soundtrack in Dolby Digital 5.1.

Acid Pro 7, released at the end of 2008, has all the features you’ve come to expect from the franchise — multi-track recording, loop-based production, MIDI sequencing, and lots of freebie effects. This iteration, however, has some features that are just plain delicious if you’re a musician.

Pro 7 features a dedicated sound and MIDI mixing console that has the ability to let you assign effects, working seamlessly with a good keyboard.

A look at the Acid Pro 7 interface

Sophisticated input busses allow the user to record from external sources and mix your audio and instruments. You can also plug external effects processors in and monitor them from the program. You can also direct that processed audio to other external hardware.

Basically, Acid Pro 7 is a modular recording, processing, and producing station.

The software also has native Flac support, which will make those people who record at concerts happy.

Best of all, the software loads up quickly, runs as fast as your computer will let it and puts out excellent sound.

The Logitech Squeezebox really tickled our fancy. This product will forever change the way we listen to music. We like it, in part, because the Internet provides tons of free choices from radio stations all over the world.

It would be fair to go into the ring not expecting much of a fight out of the plucky $300 Logitech — it’s based on fairly lossy streaming Internet audio after all and built on good if not basically mediocre drivers. But no. It sounds good. Not audiophile, but you’re not paying for audiophile either, are you?

One of the funnest things about the Logitech Squeezebox Boom is listening to Radio One London from an apartment in Boston.

That’s why Blast loves the Squeezebox: expanded horizons.

One of the funnest things about the Logitech Squeezebox Boom is listening to Radio One London from an apartment in Boston.

Tuning via a knob is much easier than tediously and repeatedly pressing buttons over and over, so that’s a big plus as well.

Download an audio design white paper on the Squeezebox Boom.

Pros: Internet radio provides a number of free choices from radio stations all over the world, giving you not only a wide range of music, but a little culture. A ton of the content is free, and you can also stream your existing music collection from your computer to the Squeezebox. It plugs into your network or downloads via Wi-Fi.

Cons: You have to download special software to send your MP3s and music files to the device. It doesn’t automatically find them on your network.

The final word: This is really more of a lifestyle choice than an impulse buy, meaning it will change your music listening life. We loved it.

Don’t miss John Guilfoil’s “Five ways to listen to music without an iPod” story, in The Boston Globe.