# iSEM Synthesizer — user reviews > 243 indexed App Store user reviews of iSEM Synthesizer by Arturia, rated 4.15/5 from 61 ratings. - Source: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/isem-synthesizer/id673921187/reviews - App overview in markdown: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/isem-synthesizer/id673921187.md - Rating breakdown: 5★ 38 · 4★ 7 · 3★ 5 · 2★ 5 · 1★ 5 ## What do users think of iSEM Synthesizer? Overall sentiment: positive **Pros** - 🎹 Fantastic sound quality - 💯 Faithful to the original Oberheim SEM - 🎨 Versatile sound design capabilities - 🎚️ Intuitive and responsive interface - 🔊 Rich, warm, and analog-like tones **Cons** - 🐛 Frequent crashes and stability issues - 🔌 Poor integration with DAWs and MIDI controllers - 🕰️ Slow preset loading times - 🔇 Limited modulation options compared to hardware - 🤔 Uninspiring factory presets **Commonly reported bugs** - Preset loading issues - MIDI connectivity problems - Unexpected crashes when switching between presets - Envelopes causing clicks and pops in some patches - Unresponsive controls when used as an AUv3 **Most requested features** - Add MIDI program change support - Improve preset management and organization - Implement a global tuning option - Enhance MIDI mapping and automation capabilities - Provide more comprehensive AUv3 support ## Newest reviews (16 of 243) ### 2/5 — auV3? Yes! Good Synth? No! *2024-02-28* I usually go to the pad presets first when I get a music app. These were really not good. They all sounded the same and were completely uninspiring. When I started to create my own, I quickly realized why they all sound the same. The only variation I could find was the speed and length of the detuning - to the point where the thing was barely musical. The leads were much better and as an Oberheim port, they should be. Congrats that this is the only Arturia product which seems to be AU compatible. They should stop embarrassing themselves on iOS and stick to Hardware and VST. I love my MicroFreak! Especially with firmware 5! ### 2/5 — Crashes constantly. *2023-08-25, version 1.5* Constant crashes in Cubasis 3.Real pity,it used to be great. ### 4/5 — Big Sound *2023-05-07, version 1.5* Love this softsynth. Gut please let me know how to Switch Mono/Poly if used as AU Extension in AUM or GarageBand ### 2/5 — Almost unusable in cubasis 3 *2023-04-14, version 1.5* Dunno what happened but the auv3 is a crash fest in cubasis 3 these days. Sometimes it doesn’t reload, sometimes it just goes blank middle of a project and the interface and sound disappear out of the blue. Shame was one of my favourites but unusable with lack of support and last update 3 years ago. Comon arturia sure you can put 1 guy to look after mobile apps. ### 4/5 — Ottimo e versatile, ma i preset preferiti? *2023-03-09, version 1.5* Adoro il SEM anche nella sua versione PC della Arturia e qui ho ritrovato la stessa versatilità e solidità, i suoni di basso sono semplicemente stupendi, difficile trovare di meglio a 11 euro. Però c’è un problema. Vorrei poter migliorare il workflow per i live. Servirebbe un modo per poter salvare e ordinare i propri preset preferiti in funzione di una performance live. Attualmente la soluzione sta nel ricreare i preset da 0 e salvarli tra i personali, ma capite bene che è parecchio scomodo. Implementate un a funzione preferiti come nelle versioni della V collection su pc please! Do 4 stelle solo per questo. ### 4/5 — Superbe synthétiseur *2022-11-19, version 1.5* Excellent, apparemment Arturia a cessé de développer sur iOS. Les synthétiseurs iOS ne sont plus référencés sur le site. Très dommage ### 4/5 — L’experience Arturia *2022-05-07, version 1.5* La société Française met son savoir-faire dans ses app IOS. Ça sonne, c’est efficace, pas trop gourmand en cpu. SVP, Arturia, continuez à développer sur IOS, et à maintenir vos application. J’ attends avec impatience le support AUV3 de vos synthés virtuels, et mes étoiles passeront directement à 5 pour les notes App Store. Merci. ### 3/5 — Fantastic app, but... *2021-12-23, version 1.5* This is one of the first synthesizer apps I got for my iPad. I have been an Oberheim fan for decades, and owned several of their hardware instruments. This is an amazing recreation of the Oberheim Synthesizer Expander Module. The sound is fantastic, the effects and arpeggiator are very useful additions, and the programming of individual voice variations is fantastic. I LOVE THIS APP. Why only 3 stars? Because Arturia support for this app is practically nonexistent. There is no way to contact or request tech support other than to go to the tech support web page and fill out a form, which includes a “serial number” and an “unlock code”, neither of which exist for iOS apps, which means the form can NOT be filled out. I have had a problem with the iSEM AUv3 in AUM, for years. Once it was fixed by offloading the app and reinstalling it. That no longer works. If I were to be able to make contact with Arturia support and get this problem fixed, I would change this review to 5 stars immediately. ### 3/5 — Error loading *2021-11-04, version 1.5* in Cubasis 3 :( ### 3/5 — Often hangs in the background - eats the battery *2021-06-13, version 1.5* The program is not involved anywhere, but the constant background activity of dozens of hours. ### 2/5 — Constant crashing *2020-12-15, version 1.5* iOS 14 crashing constantly in standalone, haven’t checked AUv3 but it is suddenly unusable. ### 5/5 — Take it for what it is...awesome *2020-10-12, version 1.5* Lots of competition and plenty of haters. This one has the “sound” for me. Thick and creamy. ### 3/5 — Bien mais... *2020-09-04, version 1.5* Super sons, mais instable en AUv3 et bugs divers. *** Great sounding but unstable when used as an AUv3 plug-in and filled with bugs... ### 5/5 — Great synth *2020-06-27, version 1.5* It took me a while to really appreciate this synth. It really cuts through the mix so well. The sounds have such character. Filter is great, and performance controls are very useable. Also very stable in Zenbeats. ### 5/5 — Finally purchased *2020-06-21, version 1.5* Held off due to reviews (you guys are a very tough crowd!) This thing is awesome. Very different from any other synth app I own and I own a lot of them. The sounds are great and I have to say I really appreciate the history lesson and photos within the manual as well (so cool!) Going with 5 stars right out of the gate. May come back to revise. Keep going Arturia! We need someone to compete in this market. Pretty soon, the iPad will come with a big K on the back instead of an Apple. We need more names in this game, what the hell have you guys been doing for the past 5 years? 3 apps? Very strange to me. Let’s boogie! ### 3/5 — Useful but... *2020-05-26, version 1.5* The instrument is suggestive and fascinating. Definitely useful in my projects, but needs to fix some bugs in the audio unit part. When used on Garageband it often loses the preset tool set. At other times the instrument is not loaded as an audio unit and Garageband tells me that the instrument is not installed. In some cases crashing Garageband. Frustrating. ## Most critical reviews (10 lowest-rated) ### 1/5 — Leider derzeit völlig veraltet, und damit unbrauchbar *2025-04-25, version 1.5* Habe die App schon seit vielen Jahren in Gebrauch, und immer gerne verwendet. Leider als AUV3 Plugin unter Logic nicht mehr verwendbar… Sehr schade! ### 1/5 — iSem Audio Unit won’t load in Cubasis 3.6.1 *2024-01-06, version 1.5* Well, it’s been a year since I notified Arturia of this exact issue using Cubasis 3.4.1, and sadly we are at that point where iSem seems to be forgotten. 4 years since a revision. Pulling up Cubasis 3.6.1 (latest Jan 2024) on an iPad Pro M1 12.9 inch, with 2Tb SSD and lots of room on there, and so on, trying to add an instance of the iSem Audio Unit, results in it possibly seeming to work, but close down Cub3 and restart, and there’s no way to get iSem to show its face/fascia. Also, add a second instance/track of the iSem AUv3, and it never shows its face not even once. Any midi track info obvs does not play, and the fact the fascia won;t load once you duck out of Cubasis 3 even temporarily, and return, is indicative of no state being preserved etc. Useless as an AU in Cubasis essentially - every other Audio Unit instrument, and I tried a dozen, all invoked fine, saved their state on shutdown of Cub3, etc. Other weirdness includes the fascia of the previous instrument you had up, remaining in place, it all seems connected to iSem not loading up? Over to you Arturia, sorry, iSem’s dead in the water for me as it stands. ### 1/5 — Sustain problem as auv3 *2022-08-18, version 1.5* Using iSEM in a daw like Camelot the cc64 sustain function isn’t received. It seems that the sustain pedal produces some little noises but not hold the note. ### 1/5 — unter 15.2 kaputt *2022-06-01, version 1.5* defekt, spielt immer eine Sägezahnwelle, egal welches Preset, sogar wenn Master aus ### 1/5 — Arturia has failed yet again *2020-03-14, version 1.5* Since the last update, yes...it loads faster....but now it doesn’t recall presets used inside of Daws. Every time I open it , the preset I used doesn’t load... sooooo basically...Arturia makes great hardware and great desktop software.....but fails at IPad app with all their apps. I thought they got this one right but they missed with this one too. ### 1/5 — Вылетает !!! *2020-02-25, version 1.5* Вылетает с garage band через 11 секунд записи. И ещё, как записывать звук без garage band? Где кнопка записи? Почему в приложении такие ошибки, за что мы платим? Чтоб посмотреть на красивую заставку? ### 1/5 — Plante systématiquement *2019-11-14, version 1.3* L.appli crash systématiquement dès qu.on lance le menu préset. C.est donc inutilisable. 10,90 euros de gaspillé je suis sur un nouvel iPad 7 ### 1/5 — Программа вылетает! *2019-10-29, version 1.3* iPadOS 13.1.3 ipad 5gen, программа самопроизвольно закрывается при выборе пресета, пользоваться ей невозможно! Разработчиков прошу исправить этот баг! ### 1/5 — crashes *2019-10-23, version 1.3* why does it always crash with iOS 13.1 when I select a sound? ### 1/5 — Inkompatibel mit ios13 *2019-09-28, version 1.3* Leider stürzt die App beim Verwenden des Presetbrowsers sofort ab. ## Most praised reviews (10 highest-rated) ### 5/5 — iSem Audio Unit loads again in Cub3 - thanks! *2026-03-15, version 1.5* Works! Brief try March 2026 all seems good, back to 5 stars, lovely little synth. Issues previously…Well, it’s been a year since I notified Arturia of this exact issue using Cubasis 3.4.1, and sadly we are at that point where iSem seems to be forgotten. 4 years since a revision. PullingUseless as an AU in Cubasis essentially - every other Audio Unit instrument, and I tried a dozen, all invoked fine, saved their state on shutdown of Cub3, etc. Other weirdness includes the fascia of the previous instrument you had up, remaining in place, it all seems connected to iSem not loading up? Over to you Arturia, sorry, iSem’s dead in the water for me as it stands. ### 5/5 — Это Шедевр ! *2024-02-11, version 1.5* Очень жду магазин звуков и наборов новых Импорт новых звуков синхронизация тоже нужны … Спасибо 😊!!! ### 5/5 — Love this synth but… *2023-11-13, version 1.5* This is by far my favourite iOS synth, however it’s starting to crash now as AUV3. Any updates on the horizon? ### 5/5 — Fantastic sounding analogue synth, one of a kind *2023-07-27, version 1.5* Superb, if occasionally unstable, unique analog synth. Perhaps my favourite iOS synth, the filters are perfect, it has this classic bronze sem sound. Please keep this updated, it’s one of the best on iOS. ### 5/5 — Hourargh! *2023-07-25, version 1.5* Ouff! Anything else just isn’t the Sem.. .. please do not the cat .. ### 5/5 — A gem *2022-11-11, version 1.5* This synth sound really great. Arturia knows how to recreate classic sound like nobody else. Arturia comeback to iOS. ### 5/5 — Great Sound. Easy to learn. *2022-11-08, version 1.5* Nice sound for a virtual synth. Can’t produce that genuine analog flavour, but nothing digital can. For what it is, it’s one of the best I’ve heard. Easy to create your own patches. The included ones mostly sound like junk, more quantity than quality. Would rather have had a handful of really nice presets instead. One negative is the save/enter key is just below the delete/backspace, do I accidentally overwrote some of my patches when making a new one with a new name. Drives me nuts but It is what it is! ### 5/5 — Sounds Amazing *2022-08-24, version 1.5* Sounds like a dream, I hope it is not forgotten and the software goes out of date. ### 5/5 — Brilliant! *2021-03-25, version 1.5* I’m a little tired of rewriting reviews because mine have a habit of disappearing, however, this app is worth a second attempt. It’s my favourite synth, always has been and perhaps always will be. It would be great to keep this updated? ### 5/5 — Très bon synthétiseur et le Audio Unit iOS *2020-12-09, version 1.5* C’est un très bon synthétiseur, le premier Audio Unit iOS et la meilleure application d’Arturia! --- *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 2026-06-10.*