# Soundbeam

> Real-time audio analyzer visualizing sound as oscilloscope and spectral displays. (iPhone/iPad app by PZ Mobile Limited.)

- Source: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/soundbeam/id494982357 (this page in markdown: same URL + `.md`)
- Developer: [PZ Mobile Limited](https://appshunter.io/developer/1780374779)
- Category: Music, Education
- Price: $0.99
- Rating: 4.50/5 from 74 App Store ratings · 120 written reviews indexed
- Age rating: 4+
- Requires: iOS 11.0 · 7 MB
- Languages: American English
- Released: 2012-01-19
- Data updated: 2026-08-26
- Monetization: free
- User reviews in markdown: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/soundbeam/id494982357/reviews.md

## What is Soundbeam?

Soundbeam helps you see what everyday sounds look like and visualizes sounds you can't even hear! 

Plug in your electric guitar, a mic or any other (hi-Z) device to your mini-jack input and get accurate measurements. You can always use the built-in mic.

We paired stylish controls and an old-school interface with high precision signal processing algorithms, creating a new way to experience sound.

Soundbeam is an real-time audio analyzer (RTA) that processes the input of your microphone displaying it like a classic oscilloscope. It also features a spectral visualization of the audio using high resolution fourier transform (FFT) for accurate measurements.

Get a dose of nostalgia with Soundbeam now!

Key Features:

* Spectrum and waveform views
* Recording functionality
* Gesture support for frequency range and intensity levels adjustment
* Visualization controls 
* ...and one more thing! Plug in your headset or guitar and watch what happens!

Controls:

* While in "spectrum mode", pinch the monitor vertically or horizontally to change frequency range and intensity levels respectively. You can also pan the soundwave with one finger.

* In "waveform mode" pinch the screen vertically to adjust intensity levels.

* Double tap on the screen to reset view.

* Tap & slide the intensity knob horizontally to adjust it.

## Key features

- Spectrum and waveform views
- Real-time audio analysis
- High-resolution Fourier transform
- Recording functionality
- Gesture controls for adjustments
- Connect external audio devices

## What do users think of Soundbeam?

Overall sentiment: positive

**Pros**

- 👍 Intuitive and user-friendly interface
- 🎨 Beautiful, elegant skeumorphic design
- ⚡ Smooth performance with no lag or crashes
- 🔬 Effective oscilloscope and spectrum analyzer functionality
- 💰 Excellent value for price (under $1)
- 📊 Real-time waveform and frequency visualization
- 🎯 Works well with external audio interfaces and microphones
- 📱 Compact pocket-sized oscilloscope alternative
- 🎓 Great educational tool for learning about sound waves
- 🖼️ High-quality graphics and attention to detail

**Cons**

- 🔊 Audio blocking issue when app is running
- 📈 No timebase control for oscilloscope mode
- ⏱️ Limited recording duration (14-15 seconds)
- 🎚️ Difficult intensity knob adjustment
- 📱 Poor support for newer iPhone/iPad screen sizes
- 🔊 Processor noise artifacts at certain frequencies (7.7kHz, 15.4kHz)
- 🎙️ iPhone's built-in high-pass filter limits low frequencies
- 🔄 App not updated for iOS 6/7 standards
- ⚙️ Lacks trigger and advanced oscilloscope controls
- 🎨 Limited customization (background color, etc.)

**Commonly reported bugs**

- App crashes on iPhone 5 with no waveform display
- Waveform display not appearing despite controls working
- Quarter-second latency between audio and display
- Moving waveform displayed even when music is paused
- iPhone reset during app usage
- Orientation rotation not intuitive (tap top-left corner undocumented)

**Most requested features**

- Longer recording capability (with IAP option)
- Horizontal zoom in waveform mode with time scale display
- X/Y function for advanced analysis
- Timebase adjustment controls
- Trigger functionality
- iPad-specific universal app version
- Absolute SPL (Sound Pressure Level) measurement
- dB level display in waveform mode
- Black background option for cleaner display
- Support for internal audio playback monitoring
- Music library integration as visualizer
- Lower frequency range support (down to 10-20Hz)
- Record and compare feature for sound matching
- Adjustable scan rate for slow sampling

## Recent user reviews (10 of 120)

All indexed reviews: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/soundbeam/id494982357/reviews.md

### 5/5 — Super handy tool

*2026-01-19*

Other than the processor noise that seems to sneak in at 7.7 and 15k4 hz, absolutely perfect. ( ok, there’s a ton more things it could do but sometimes this is all you need!)

### 5/5 — I think I am one of the first people to download this app when it first came out years ago!

*2025-02-01*

Very powerful and robust little app! A fascinating, teaching aid for both technical and non-Technical applications! Extremely interesting!!!

### 5/5 — Awesome little oscilloscope!

*2024-11-25*

This is a delightful app that functions as an oscilloscope for audio frequencies. I used an audio frequency generator (Function Generator Pro) on one device and plugged it into my iPhone via an audio cable and was able to view sine, square and triangle waveforms as if I were using an actual physical oscilloscope. I also built an electronic circuit to generate a sine wave and fed it into my iPhone via a Scarlett audio interface and that also worked wonderfully, showing the sine wave and frequency! The iPhone has a high-pass filter that cuts off anything over 10KHz, but for my projects that frequency was plenty high enough.

Running an audio app and Soundbeam on my iPhone simultaneously showed me the waveform and the FFT-style spectrum analysis—the audio came out the speaker and back in via the microphone. What a great and inexpensive way to help understand how sound waves work!

Enhancement request: let me zoom in horizontally while in waveform mode, and display the time scale.

### 4/5 — GODZILLA san

*2024-03-03*

シンクロスコープを思い出して今も時々起動しています。貴重なアプリです。

### 5/5 — Great fun.

*2023-05-02*

Plugged into the USB port of my piano and was very entertained by the waveforms generated. Great fun and well done.

### 1/5 — Can’t listen to audio while app is running.

*2022-12-19, version 1.9*

Good luck trying to listen to your signal via an interface , the app blocks all audio when the Scope is running , utterly useless.

### 5/5 — Sound design, the best $.99 cents you’ll ever spend

*2022-07-18*

100% great!  I love this application I use it to monitor modulation characteristics on my Ham radio with the external microphone input. The graphics are really good kinda hard to tell your not looking at a dedicated scope, in spectrum mode you can clearly see band pass filter roll off. I would like to be able to vary the time base in scope mode perhaps in another version or update you do have the option of adjusting the vertical gain in scope mode and selecting linear or logarithmic display in spectral mode. Truly a five star development 73 de KF6FOK

### 5/5 — works well

*2022-05-16*

best software scope out there

### 5/5 — Awesome app

*2022-05-04*

Love the UX and design. Great stuff. Would love an X/Y function though.

### 5/5 — メチャ気に入ってます。

*2021-04-07*

簡単に録音出来るし、モーター取り替え後の変化が目で分かるのは非常に良いです。

## Frequently asked questions about Soundbeam

### What does Soundbeam do?

Soundbeam is a real-time audio analyzer that visualizes everyday sounds. It displays audio input as a classic oscilloscope and provides a spectral visualization using high-resolution Fourier transform, allowing you to see and understand sound frequencies and intensity.

### What are the key features of Soundbeam?

Key features include spectrum and waveform views, recording functionality, gesture support for adjusting frequency range and intensity levels, and visualization controls. You can also connect external audio devices like guitars or microphones.

### Is Soundbeam free to use?

Yes, based on the provided information, Soundbeam is available for free. There are no mentions of in-app purchases or subscription models.

### What devices is Soundbeam compatible with?

The app is designed for mobile devices and can utilize the built-in microphone. It also supports connecting external audio devices with a mini-jack input, such as electric guitars or other hi-Z devices.

### How can I use Soundbeam?

You can use Soundbeam to visualize the sound of instruments plugged into your device, analyze ambient sounds captured by the built-in mic, or explore audio frequencies and intensity in real-time. It's useful for musicians, audio enthusiasts, and for educational purposes.

## Version history (last 5 releases)

### 1.9 — 2022-10-07

* Fixes issue where the beam will appear choppy in iOS 16.
* Performance improvements and optimizations.

### 1.8 — 2018-04-16

This app has been updated by Apple to display the Apple Watch app icon.

* Fixes crash when trying to save and image or a video of a recording.
* Gestures in the Help view now work properly.

### 1.7 — 2017-04-17

* 64-bit support!
* Support for larger displays
* Improved sharing functionality
* Bug fixes

### 1.5 — 2012-11-08

★ New feature: Soundbeam can now record up to 15 seconds of audio and render it into a neat, easily shareable video file.

### 1.3 — 2012-04-25

★ Added Facebook support
★ Included one of the best help screens you've ever seen :P
★ Did you ever wonder how's the rear view of Soundbeam? ;)
★ Option to change db labels between DBFS and DBSPL
★ Device won't dim the display or go to lockscreen automatically
★ minor improvements.. everywhere!

## Apps similar to Soundbeam

| App | Rating | Price | Category |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| [TB Equalizer](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/tb-equalizer/id1473111210) | 4.6 (66) | $9.99 | Music |
| [Spectrum Analyzer: Spectrogram](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/spectrum-analyzer-spectrogram/id981810895) | 4.2 (195) | Free | Music |
| [Bass Booster - Audio Equalizer](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/bass-booster-audio-equalizer/id1471431235) | 4.3 (4,709) | Free | Music |
| [Equalizer+ Music amp & Podcast](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/equalizer-plus-music-amp-and-podcast/id814288775) | 4.0 (782) | Free | Music |
| [Equalizer Fx: Bass Booster App](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/equalizer-fx-bass-booster-app/id1084228340) | 4.2 (27,913) | Free | Music |
| [TB Equalizer Pro](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/tb-equalizer-pro/id6502974933) | 4.7 (19) | $12.99 | Music |

## More apps by PZ Mobile Limited

- [Anagramma](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/anagramma/id509596249)
- [Anagramma Pro](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/anagramma-pro/id536390746)
- [Horizon Camera](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/horizon-camera/id778576249)
- [Linkpack](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/linkpack/id953813916)
- [Bricks Camera](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/bricks-camera/id1194489616)

All apps by PZ Mobile Limited: https://appshunter.io/developer/1780374779

---

*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 2026-08-26.*