# Colossus Piano — user reviews

> 112 indexed App Store user reviews of Colossus Piano by Christian Schoenebeck d/b/a Crudebyte, rated 3.30/5 from 65 ratings.

- Source: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/colossus-piano/id1122637899/reviews
- App overview in markdown: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/colossus-piano/id1122637899.md
- Rating breakdown: 5★ 31 · 4★ 2 · 3★ 6 · 2★ 5 · 1★ 21

## What do users think of Colossus Piano?

Overall sentiment: mixed

**Pros**

- 🎶 Amazing piano sound quality
- 🎹 Realistic and detailed samples
- 🎧 High-fidelity audio
- ✨ Professional-grade instrument
- 💡 Inspiring and expressive
- 🚀 Fast MIDI response
- 👍 Great with external controllers
- 🌟 Best on iOS
- 💯 Worth the price for quality

**Cons**

- 💰 Expensive in-app purchases
- 🚫 No free trial or demo sounds
- 💸 Overpriced for some users
- 💾 Large storage requirements
- 🐌 Slow download times
- 🪲 Glitchy AUv3 interface
- 📉 Low overall volume
- 🤔 Confusing pricing model
- 😵 Overwhelming interface
- 👎 Outdated interface

**Commonly reported bugs**

- Crashes when exporting to WAV/M4A in GarageBand
- App crashes when switching piano models
- Audio Unit extension crashes
- No sound when exporting to GarageBand
- Plugin crashes in DAWs during export/freeze
- App crashes when loading MIDI files
- Hammer sound too loud even at lowest settings
- Low C1 note out of tune
- Electric Grand F4 note sample start time issue
- Electric Grand G#4, D5 notes have noise on attack
- Plugin not loading properly in hosts
- AUv3 interface scaled back
- Exporting to WAV results in silence
- App crashes during export/freeze
- Japanese Grand has low volume
- Colossus Concert Grand needs improvement
- G1 key has loud, annoying noise
- B flat 3 key sounds too flat
- Crashing in AU mode
- Bass notes drop out when holding damper pedal
- Voice stealing makes piano perform unacceptably
- Bass is muddy in Concert Grand
- Note 26 (Bb2) sounds like an upright
- Subtle nuance playing is nearly impossible
- App crashes or freezes randomly
- MIDI player doesn't work with GarageBand
- Audio Units extension terminates unexpectedly

**Most requested features**

- Add chorus effect
- Global EQ
- Release control
- Tap tempo for modulation speed
- Save velocity curves
- More intuitive UI
- Zoom function for keys
- Add release samples
- MIDI export/import
- Three-band EQ
- Layering sounds on multiple MIDI keyboards
- Ability to save setups
- Improve AUv3 functionality
- Add more piano models

## Newest reviews (12 of 112)

### 4/5 — Old interface but great sounds

*2025-09-18, version 2.4*

I’ve been using this connected to my Roland digital piano for years, the sound quality is a thousand times better than my piano defaults. The only real negative is the outdated interface that’s hardly changed in the 5+ years I’ve been using it.

### 3/5 — Good Piano

*2024-08-18*

Edit: Dropped a start because after two plus years beyond maintenance update to work with newer devices, this good piano never really improves or gets new updates that improve the functionality of the app. All of the things that could greatly improve this app haven’t been done. Still the hammer think is too loud at lowest settings. Still no global eq. 

Dev how do you feel about the issues mentioned below?

Older review:

A lot of people moan that you don’t get to try first. If anything buy the piano’s with the higher velocity layers, they sound good. If you don’t like it from off the bat get a refund. The 24 layer piano is a bit overpriced, I’m yet to try it because of the price. Each piano has its own character. 
I’d hoped for more from the bright Japanese as it is meant to have 12 velocity layers although it is only about a gig in size so I’m guessing the quality of the samples is not that great. By far my favourite is the vintage upright which has 8 velocity layers at 3.4 gig. I feel the sampled have been normalised and denoised and sound a bit pristine. The low C1 is a good bit out of tune. 

 The thunk of the hammers is way too loud even if set at zero and is basically the same sample for each note and sounds unnatural when on. This needs sorting. The reverbs are okay. 

The halls, rooms are decent. The cathedral sound a bit mad and unnatural in my honest opinion. A global eq and some presets would be handy.

### 3/5 — Switching apps

*2024-04-05, version 2.3.2*

Wonderful app great sound, but do something about switching between apps without pressing a million keys of the piano. Very annoying!

### 2/5 — 音は良いが、GarageBandとの相性は劣悪

*2023-11-23*

今まで無料音源を使っていたので、有料音源にも手を出してみようかと、このアプリで音源を購入させて頂きました。

音自体は非常に良いです。
GarageBandで、Audio units拡張機能として使っても、ノイズや音が切れたり、音源が落ちたりすることもありません。

ですが！
曲をエクスポートすると、途中でこちらのアプリが強制終了したとポップアップが表示されます。エクスポートが完了する直前でGarageBandが落ちます。絶対に落ちます。再起動しても、アプリの再起動をしても変わりませんでした。
恐らく、このアプリはGarageBandでの用途でなく、電子キーボードとiPhoneを連携させて使うためのアプリなのだと思いました。

GarageBandに対応などとの表記はないので、このアプリ自体悪いものではありません。そこだけはご理解を...!

ただし、GarageBandでの用途では使い物にはなりませんでした。

### 2/5 — App chère et gourmande en mémoire

*2023-11-20*

App excessive en mémoire et en prix, et d’un point de vue qualitatif dépassée par la concurrence

### 3/5 — Test piano

*2023-07-02, version 2.3.2*

You should give a free piano sound to encourage us to purchase more ?

### 3/5 — Add a chorus effect please!

*2023-02-02, version 2.3.2*

Reverb options only?? Come on guys, add a basic chorus effect to use with the CP80! I know you can do it!

### 4/5 — Great concept, great sound, UI needs a little work in AUV3

*2022-02-13*

Ok, so, first and foremost the acoustic pianos are really some of the best on iOS.  If you’re looking for a useable upright in particular, this is the place to get it.  There are not really deep uprights on IOS.  The stand-alone app is great, though minimalistic.  The focus is definitely on the samples.

What will get me to 5 stars?

The AU is … well it’s glitchy.  I have issues occasionally with it not loading properly in my hosts (KeyStage and AUM).  Once the AU glitches out, you have to close the whole host program and reload it all again, not just reload Colossus.  Has to be something with the stream from disk if I’m to take a guess.

Also, the AUv3 interface is WAY scaled back from the standalone.  That’s a huge miss for using it.  There aren’t a lot of options to begin with, but some of the more interesting functionality is built around them — trance slicer, the modulation, pad level, etc.

Bring the functionality to AUv3 and track down your glitches, I’ll pop to 5 stars.

### 3/5 — Currently Unusable with Auv3

*2021-12-06, version 2.2.4*

I purchased this app about six months ago, at the time it worked great as an Auv3 plug-in. Currently the plug-in crashes any time I try to export the song or freeze the track. This happens in GarageBand, Cubasis 3, and Auria Pro, with even as few as 3 notes. I have tried it on both a 3rd Gen iPad Pro 12.9 and an iPhone 12 pro, same results. Their support team responds very quickly and tried to help me resolve the issue but gave up after I restored my iPad to factory settings, performed a fresh install of Cubasis 3 and Colossus Piano, and had the same results. I will note that I only purchased the EP sound pack and have not tried the app with any of the other sounds, they might work better than the EP’s. At this time I would recommend only purchasing this app if you want a standalone piano app. 

Edit: The issue is somewhat resolved, in apps like Cubasis 3 where you can choose real time mixdown/freeze, the Auv3 works great. If real time mixdown/freeze is disabled or if you try to export or merge in other apps like GarageBand, this will still cause the Auv3 to crash! However the app can (partially) function the way it was Intended so I have updated my rating (partially)

### 4/5 — Sounds great

*2021-12-01, version 2.2.4*

I haven’t been using this app for a couple of years as I found it not suitable for me, I rated one star. But I’ve recently been checking it again an I have to say devs have been working hard to improve it. They read the reviews and have them into consideration so be descriptive when writing reviews for this app.
The 14Gb grand it’s just incredibly good and it loads in a decent amount of time. Still not good enough for live performances but who relies on iPad for that anyways.
You have to be patient after purchasing as it takes time to download but it absolutely worth it. Good job!

### 5/5 — Beste Sounds!

*2021-06-15*

Habe mir etliche Pianos für das iPad zugelegt (im Vergleich zu Mac Preisen liegt man ja 5 bis 10 mal niedriger, da kann man sich das schon mal gönnen). Akustik: Alan Parson Imp. Grand von Sampletank (der Schwächste von allen), Ravenscroft 275, Korg Ivory American D und eben einige von Colossus ( Grand, Baby Grand, Japanese Grand,..)
Natürlich viel Geschmacksache dabei. Letzlich nutze ich von allen praktisch nur noch den Grand (Bösendorfer) von Colossus, auch wenn er mit Abstand den größten Speicher braucht. Traumhaft als Solopiano und in der Band setzt er sich auch authentisch durch. Für mich der beste ( …ist ja auch der teuerste…). 

Bei den E-Pianos ist es das Mark 2 aus dem Colossus E-Piano Bundle, was ich auf der Bühne einsetze. 

Spiele die Pianos aus AUv3 heraus. Dort muss ich Hall zusätzlich einschleifen, weil ich über das dort reduzierte Colossus Fenster nicht an den Colossus Hall komme. Vielleicht geht das ja im nächsten Update…

### 5/5 — Concert Grand - excellent

*2021-02-08, version 2.0.8*

The most expensive and biggest piano app (~15 Gbyte installed) but is in my opinion an outstanding sound and a pleasure to play with great dynamic response as a result of having so many layers. 
I have tried the others but alway come back to the Concert Grand for practice and play.

## Most critical reviews (10 lowest-rated)

### 1/5 — $75! No trial offered!

*2025-05-17, version 2.3.6*

Why would anyone pay $75 when Korg Module Grand Piano is completely free

### 1/5 — Poor interface design

*2025-02-09, version 2.3.4*

I use the Music Studio app to work in music. The Crudebytes Piano app is seen as an Inter-App in muisc studio. Load the piano sound and the spund SOON DISAPPEARS and this makes the app UNUSEABLE, you cant depend on it. Also has no Release Control in Music Studio, you cant get the piano sound to continue being heard after you Release the piano keyboard keys. I paid too much for this overhyped up app

### 1/5 — オーディオファイルにするとなぜか無音

*2024-11-12*

全く改善されてない

### 1/5 — Why do I have to buy a normal grand

*2022-06-17, version 2.3.1*

Why does it cost money to play one piano

### 1/5 — Not free!

*2022-03-13*

Like many apps on iPad, this one does not tell the true costs in the App Store. This is borderline to illegal, but at least bad style. So know, that the grand piano sounds for this app is 50€.

**Developer response:** Darauf wird ausdrücklich am Anfang der App Store Beschreibung hingewiesen:

"Note: this app requires in-app purchases to provide its functionalities!"

Die Preise und Download-Größe der einzelnen Piano Modelle sind ebenfalls sowohl im App Store und in der App deutlich gelistet.

### 1/5 — Totaler Müll

*2021-12-09*

Habe mich hier von den Fake Bewertungen und schön gemachten Demos verleiten lassen Elektrik Pianos für knapp 20 Euros als Inapp Kauf zu erwerben. Totaler Reinfall!
Klang ist sehr enttäuschend und nicht zu gebrauchen.Hat keinerlei
Ähnlichkeit mit den Vintage Pianos. Klingt als ob nur 2 Vel.layers
vorhanden sind und es ist immer noch zu viel Latenz vorhanden auch wenn es auf 1ms steht. Ich empfehle die sehr gut gelungenen 
E-Pianos von Neo Soul und Elektric Vintage!
Lasst euch nicht verarschen!

**Developer response:** Die oben rechts angezeigte Latenz ist die reale, stets in Echtzeit gemessene Latenz. Sollte die gemessene Latenz höher sein als die vorgenommenen Latenz-Einstellung, dann liegt dies normalerweise entweder an den angeschlossenen Ein-/Ausgabegeräten, oder aber an einer aktuell hohen Systemlast, z.B. wenn noch andere Audio Apps im Hintergrund aktiv sind oder gerade ein iOS Update im Hintergrund vorbereitet wird:
https://doc.crudebyte.com/Colossus-Piano/Advanced_Usage/#latency

### 1/5 — Dommage que je ne puisse pas mettre 0 étoile

*2021-03-25*

Bonjour, je viens ici me plaindre et cela avec beaucoup d’énervement en moi. Je trouve ça inadmissible de faire paraître  une application gratuite sur l’appstore alors que lors de l’essaie le seul moyen de l’utiliser est de payer un piano. Cela est une fraude le savez-vous ?

### 1/5 — Big Data for big money but poor download servers!

*2021-02-11*

give those guys more money for the app so that they can afford stable download servers!

### 1/5 — Worst app ever

*2020-11-09, version 2.0.8*

I bought the Baby piano for 26$ and When I opened the app i can’t use it and the keep asking me to buy it again, They will stole ur money like what they did to me

### 1/5 — 환불요청합니다

*2020-10-26, version 2.0.8*

제가 생각한 악기와 너무 다릅니다. 환불 해주시면 감사드립니다.

## Most praised reviews (10 highest-rated)

### 5/5 — Best piano App.

*2026-05-16*

I bought it and wasn’t that impressed, UNTIL I played it on my NEW iPad. WOW! This thing is incredible.. maybe the set up on my old iPad was incorrect. Don’t know.. i’ve tried all the rest. This one is the best.. The Grand, the Upright, amazing. ❤️🎹

### 5/5 — Best piano ap I’ve ever tried. It’s perfect.

*2026-04-19*

It’s a virtual Clavinova. Outstanding with external midi controller. It can get expensive but its so worth it. Just get it. You’ll use it all the time.

### 5/5 — Amazing Piano Sound

*2025-01-09, version 2.3.3*

I’ve been using keyboards for more than 30 years and I can tell you now that this piano sound is one of the best piano sounds there is available. It is amazing to me that we can get such quality Sounds on an iPad. With all due respect to the other reviewers, having used professional grade equipment all my life, I can tell you that the price for this Piano is nothing compared to what you would pay for professional grade equipment. If you want a free piano sound, then by all means use the GarageBand default piano, but if you want a good quality sound, then please don’t expect it for free!

### 5/5 — YES!

*2024-04-01, version 2.3.2*

The quality of the Colossus Grand Piano with its 24 layers of sampled velocity is so finely detailed in the sound that I mistakenly thought it was a fault at first! 

Just a two hours of trying different styles of piano music and I was pleasantly realizing the detail I heard enables me to identify notes by more than their pitch, as if I were sitting in front of a real piano I had played for a few years and was familiar with!

Fantastic realism in this Colossus Grand Piano!

### 5/5 — El mejor

*2023-12-14, version 2.3.2*

Es el mejor piano de la AppStore. Otros están bien si vas a tocar en grupo y no necesitas una dinámica muy extensa, pero con este puedes tocar solo y sientes todo el rango dinámico. Un piano para pianistas!!
Eso si, te tiene que gustar el sonido tipo Bechstein. A mi me encanta.

Sería muy deseable que se añadiese un nuevo control en el que se controlase la relación entre el timbre y la velocidad, no solamente la velocidad como hasta ahora. Esto permitiría a los pianistas con más dinámica controlarla en más teclados controladores y decidir con que velocidad se disparan las muestras de f y ff.
Si no con solo la velocidad o suena enseguida con timbre de fuerte con la curva alta o hay que disminuir mucho la curva y se hacen difílices los pp, p y mp.
Por lo demás a años luz del resto, pero como digo, según lo que toques y como toques hay otros que suenan bien y dan el pego.

### 5/5 — iOS最高峰のピアノ音源

*2023-03-11*

最初に無料でダウンロードされるのは空っぽのサンプラーです。アプリ内に数種類のピアノの紹介動画があるので、それを視聴して気に入ったピアノがあれば購入する → データがダウンロードされる。自分は最初にJapanese Grandを購入しました (エルトン・ジョンのレッド・ピアノが由来でしょうか)。とても良いです。愛用してます。KORG Module Pro (のIvoryやIvory American D)、UVIのRavenscroft 275 Piano、IKのiGrand Piano、等々、iOSの名だたるピアノ音源は多分全部持ってますけど (あくまでもギタリストです笑)、肉厚や立体感その他諸々、Colossus Pianoが一番いいです。リアル。ただどうしても最上位のColossus Concert Grandだけは購入する勇気が出ないんですよね。めちゃめちゃ良いんですけど。スタジオでエンジニアにマイク立ててもらうのと遜色ないクオリティーだと思います。24ベロシティ・レイヤー／データ容量14GB／お値段8,000円也。こいつだけはどうしても購入する勇気が出ない (我ながらヘタレ泣)。いえ、ほんとめちゃめちゃ良いので、音だけでも聴いてみるといいと思います。変なアプリではないので購入しないのに課金されたりということもありませんし、断じて。なんか変なレビューが混じっていたので正確な内容を書いておこうと思って書きましたけど、そういうレベルのピアノ音源です。ぶっちゃけセミプロ以上向き。iPhoneやiPadがガチのピアノ音源になります。

### 5/5 — Nice sounding instruments in nice written app

*2022-09-05, version 2.3.1*

It seems that lot’s of work was put to sampling. I like sound of piano, midi player works nicely, no problems with work in background (iPad Pro) perfect for piano lessons or just simple piano playing with greater dynamic range No problems with external audio interfaces - tested with Steinberg URs. Lots of tuning settings worth exploring. I’ve tried with Cubasis (basic settings) - works for my basic needs. I was not able to cause app crush or behave weirdly during 2hrs session.
I regret that I found this app so late…

### 5/5 — Sounds better than my Kontakt piano libraries lol

*2022-01-25, version 2.2.4*

Cheaper too ;)

### 5/5 — Different than all the rest

*2021-09-05*

Lots of character and long evolving sounds throughout the decay. Still my favorite piano app.

### 5/5 — 5 Holzbergersterne

*2021-08-02*

Ich liebe es. 
Der Sound ist wirklich phänomenal und wie echt. 
Das vorgänger App mit dem weissen Flügel ist um in der Farbe zu bleiben, auch ein absolutes Sahnestück.
Bei diesem App hier, spiele ich am liebsten das braune Klavier oder meist beide zusammen 50/50! Also beide App‘s gleichzeitig. 
Besten Dank für die tollen App‘s.

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*Data collected daily from the US App Store and indexed by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/). User reviews are verbatim App Store reviews. Ratings, prices and chart positions refresh continuously; this snapshot is from 2026-08-21.*