Recommend an easy-to-use sound playback and recording
 

Hi,
I currently have problems with sound apps that came together with my CentOS 4.2 so I am looking for an easy-to-install and easy-to-use sound recording and playback app where format doesn't matter (it doesn't have to record/playback mp3's for example, but if it plays back or records wav's that would be great).
My Helix player just stalls after I choose a file for playback/ or requires RealPlayer kind of addon (with which I had horrible expirience last time around when I had to reinstall OS). The Music Player just sits and displays a message "not playing" when chosen to play a wav, and the recorder records nothing... although the soundcard has been tested to work...
Currently I have the zinf player but how do I start it? The way its "documentation" describes the startup, it doesn't work ("bash: zinf is not a command")...
Is there a silver bullet for Linux sound recording and playback?

Most people use Audacity for recording and xmms for playback.

Are you looking to edit the files or just record/play them?

Maybe I'm thinking to simply but have you tried mplayer? Or for editing audacity?

I've never used CentOS so not sure if those programs are available.