I have ordered an iMac and iPod. I plan to move my music library from DAT (digital audio tape) to CDs and then to the iMac and iTunes and finally the iPod. All the music was recorded either from vinyl or CDs.

Some of the tracks were not separated or not separated in the right place. So I'll need to break tracks into multiple songs. I'll need to move the end of one track to the beginning of the next, in some cases.

Some of the songs in my collection were recorded louder or softer than the others. (Often, the original CD music was too soft or too loud.) So, I also want to be able to adjust the volume of a song.

I'd also like to be able to mix the end of one song with the beginning of the next song, in some cases.

I'd greatly apprecate any help you can give me in selecting the right software for this rather limited purpose.

tc spark, emagic waveburner, roxio jam.
one or all of these will "hook you up".

Peak LE or Spark ME would be my choice as well. You definitely don´t need the ´pro´versions of the software for cutting up the tracks.

Thanks!

Can I overlap tracks with these LE packages?

Do they show the waveforms and let you set precise start/ends?

Is one better than the other?

Your help is much appreciated!

I'd recommend Toast With Jam: great results, flexible editing, crossfade presets or create your own, then burn a CD directly in Toast. It also comes with Peak LE for even more editing options. To do a pretty good job much cheaper ($45 or so) try Sound Studio 2.0 from felt tip software (felttip.com or something like that). It's a really good editing program with lots of features that'll easily do everything you mention. Both are OS X compatible.

also, of course, spark me is free, audacity is free, and you get free cd burning software with your mac!
everything i've mentioned except waveburner works just fine under x...
if we're talking free software, visit apples' osx download pages.
enough free software to drive you CRAZY.