Looking for an AC3 or AAC editor

[MrAngles]

I've found references to a lot of different multi-channel audio editing programs here and elsewhere on the web, but none of them seem to do what I'm looking for. I simply want a multi-channel audio editor that can create an AC3 or AAC file. It seems like every program I've tried so far only creates wav files, and for whatever reason I'm unable to convert the resulting wav files to AC3 or AAC. I'm trying to create a test file that isolates each channel of a 5.1 system for testing purposes. Anyone have any ideas?

[Skelsgard]

If you're having trouble getting an encoder to accept your multichannel file, it might be that the WAV has a WaveFormatEx header which some encoders can't deal with.
Try exporting as WAV PCM if possible or convert your WaveFormatEx audio to WAV PCM with Wavewizard.

Sony SoundForge 9 can create multichannel files and export them as AC3. But SoundForge is paid software, the AC3 plugin means some extra $$$, and, although it can also export to AAC, it cannot export "multichannel AAC" (and I don't know how well it compares to Nero or CT encoders).
Sony Vegas can do this too, for that matter, but same downs apply.

For a totally free option, Audacity as editor and multichannel exporter, Aften for AC3 encoding, or Nero/CT for AAC encoding.

For a testing file, you can record the testing sound of your soundcard (every soundcard, including onboard ones, have a settings panel where you can soundcheck/soundtest your speaker configuration).

Later

[shon3i]

Did you try Nero WaveEditor. I think is only editor who can work with multichannel AC3/AAC files directly without conversion