# SpectrumView — user reviews

> 162 indexed App Store user reviews of SpectrumView by Oxford Wave Research Ltd., rated 3.10/5 from 74 ratings.

- Source: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/spectrumview/id472662922/reviews
- App overview in markdown: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/spectrumview/id472662922.md
- Rating breakdown: 5★ 29 · 4★ 8 · 3★ 6 · 2★ 7 · 1★ 24

## What do users think of SpectrumView?

Overall sentiment: mixed

**Pros**

- 👍 Accurate and reliable spectrogram visualization
- 🎯 Highly configurable FFT and sampling settings
- 🎨 Beautiful and intuitive user interface
- 📊 Excellent for analyzing speech, music, and animal sounds
- ⚙️ Useful for professional audio calibration and research
- 🆓 Powerful functionality available in free version
- 📱 Works well on iPad and iPhone devices
- 🔧 Data export capabilities for external use

**Cons**

- 💰 Aggressive in-app purchase model for basic features
- 🔐 Unexplained location permission requests
- 📉 Linear frequency scale wastes screen space
- ⏱️ Slow app startup times
- 🎯 Limited frequency range (8kHz cap in recent versions)
- 🖥️ Outdated GUI not optimized for modern devices
- 📝 Unclear pricing and feature structure
- ⚠️ Frequent crashes after updates

**Commonly reported bugs**

- App crashes on startup after updates
- Crashes when attempting to zoom on spectrograms
- Crashes when playing files from iTunes library
- Microphone hijacking error messages
- Pinch-to-zoom and pan features not functioning properly
- App freezes when backgrounded
- Spectrogram resets when rotating device orientation
- Audio plays through speaker instead of headphones
- Blank screen with no display output
- Incompatibility with older iOS versions
- Requires in-app purchase prompts for all features after iCloud restore

**Most requested features**

- Logarithmic frequency scale for audio analysis
- Adjustable time scale/window for spectrograms
- Ability to analyze audio from music library/iTunes
- Longer-term averaging for spectrum analyzer
- A-weighting frequency selection
- Batch delete option for recordings
- Real-time audio input from playing songs
- Metadata storage (timestamp, location) in WAV files
- SPL meter functionality
- 3D display option
- Adjustable color range for spectrogram
- Auto-readout of highest amplitude frequency
- Higher frequency range support (above 20kHz)

## Newest reviews (14 of 162)

### 3/5 — Not adjustable?

*2026-07-26, version 2.4.2*

I couldn’t find settings for dynamic range or scrolling rate.

### 3/5 — Librarの順番がバラバラになる

*2026-06-07*

SpectrumView Libraryのソート順がおかしい．
順番に並ばない．

基本的な機能は大変優れている

**Developer response:** Thanks for the useful feedback and the issue you are facing with the file order in the library. Could you please send an email with the details of the issue to techsupport@oxfordwaveresearch.com, so that we can properly investigate and help you better?

### 4/5 — good

*2026-03-26*

generally very good!

Using the slider bar makes it difficult to set values such as gain precisely. It would be very helpful if values could also be entered directly by typing.

**Developer response:** Thank you for the 4-star review and the helpful feedback! We’re glad to hear the app is working well for you. we have passed this request along to our development team for their consideration in future updates to the app.

### 3/5 — Limited to 8kHz?

*2024-11-22*

I distinctly remember being able to have both spectrogram and analyzer zoom up to 20kHz… that’s why I paid for it. Now it’s limited to 8kHz, and the setting no longer allows for anything higher.

**Developer response:** Thanks for your review. From what I understand, it seems that the audio sample rate in your SpectrumView settings was set at 16 kHz, thereby it shows only up until 8 kHz. If you go into the settings and change the audio sample rate to 48 kHz you will be able to view up until 24 kHz. Let me know if this helps please by sending an email to techsupport@oxfordwaveresearch.com. Thanks for using SpectrumView and kind regards.

### 4/5 — Useful

*2024-06-26*

Thanks for the software

**Developer response:** Thanks for using it Pitir!

### 2/5 — too expensive yet not maintained

*2023-12-20*

教育・研究用途としては正確な機能を有しているのかもしれないが，元々のSpectrumView Plusの価格が高い上に，機能を細かく切って売っているため高く見える（対数スケールのためだけに300円？？）．UIも最新のiPadに最適化されておらず，単にオーディオビジュアライザーとして使いたい場合には不適．

**Developer response:** Thank you very much for the feedback. We'll discuss the issues you mentioned with the development team. In the meantime, if you have any further questions or request, please feel free to send us an email: techsupport@oxfordwaveresearch.com

### 5/5 — best spectrogram on the appstore

*2023-11-26, version 2.4.1*

ive tried many, this one is just the best and easiest to use. recommended for anyone to use, whether you're analyzing audio or just looking at your voice

### 2/5 — Extended log

*2023-03-19*

I paid for the ability to see a log view. Then I need to pay again to see log above 8k? And then again for pan?
Any other payment surprises waiting for me. 
Count me out.

**Developer response:** Thanks for using SpectrumView and also for the feedback. I'm really sorry to hear about the inconvenience caused. It appears that when log scale is turned on and then SpectrumView is restarted, it does not show the full frequency range. Currently, changing the FFT order in settings fixes that and full frequency range can be observed without a need for pinch to zoom feature. We are aiming to fix this issue in the next build. Please let us know, by sending an email to "techsupport@oxfordwaveresearch.com", if there is anything else we can do to help or if you have any further questions.

### 5/5 — Excellent app (please allow changing time window)!

*2023-03-06*

Very useful app! I would appreciate the ability to change the time scale - my phone screen is too narrow, and it’s hard to see vibrato

**Developer response:** Thank you very much for not only using SpectrumView but also spending time to provide some valuable feedback. I let our team know about the issue you are facing. I hope you continue to enjoy using SpectrumView.

### 4/5 — Very useful app for nature sounds, noise pollution

*2022-12-15*

I wish the app would load much faster, as I often miss interesting, if not important, sounds / noise.

**Developer response:** Thanks for the feedback Doug and for also using SpectrumView. We’ll keep this in mind for future releases.

### 5/5 — Unbelievable

*2022-12-04, version 2.4.1*

This tool is exceptional, so many uses, almost like hacking the universe @bway

### 5/5 — Cave sounds

*2022-02-04*

I just downloaded this to see if i can play sounds from prerecorded videos

### 2/5 — Used to be good

*2022-01-15*

This was my go to spectrum viewer for years. I hadn’t used it recently and when it was restored from iCloud nothing worked! Instead, every button click asked for an in app purchase. There’s also likely a real bug in that nothing appears on the screen.

I’ll be uninstalling and giving my money to another app, as I just can’t support the in-app purchase model for something that should have most basic features enabled out of the box (pinch to zoom, for example).

### 5/5 — The best I’ve found

*2021-09-14*

After trying 3 other highly-rated paid apps in addition to this one, this is clearly the best. Very configurable, no nonsense, WORKS, with easy-to-understand settings, and some features like data export that I haven’t seen in other apps. The only thing lacking is the ability to set the time scale for the spectrogram.

## Most critical reviews (10 lowest-rated)

### 1/5 — web file analyzer doesn't work

*2025-02-23*

i purchased the web file analyzer but the url doesn't work.

**Developer response:** Sorry to hear that the web file transfer url does not work as expected. Can you please send an email to techsupport@oxfordwaveresearch.com and describe the issue you are facing in more detail? This way we can help you sort the issue out better.

### 1/5 — Asks for location permission

*2024-10-07, version 2.4.2*

There is no reason for an audio spectrum viewer to need location permissions.

### 1/5 — Crashes - Useless

*2023-08-19*

Using iOS 16.6 on an iPhoneXs, was able to transfer a sound recording from my in-phone files folder to the SpectrumView app. Initially, I could play the file and view the spectrogram. I payed $1.99 just to be able to zoom in on the spectrogram (a ridiculous price for a very basic functionality!) to focus in on specific sounds. Following my attempt to zoom, the app crashed. Now every time I attempt to view the file, the app crashes. Perhaps this is by design as you have to pay $0.99 just to access files from iTunes or SoundCloud (which I also purchased). This app seems useful if only one could use it!

**Developer response:** Thanks for using SpectrumView. We are really sorry for the inconvenience. Please send us an email at techsupport@oxfordwaveresearch.com for us to know more about your problem in order to help you better.

### 1/5 — in app purchases are both broken and misleading

*2023-07-12*

I purchased the pinch to zoom in order to get good screenshots of zoomed in spectrograms.

Both the pinch to zoom and the pan symbols are now clickable, but the pan does not move horizontally and the pinch to zoom only moves in one dimension

**Developer response:** Thank you for your feedback. Currently, 'pinch to zoom' is possible only in the frequency space to view a specific tone or frequency in more detail. That's why you can pan just vertically in the spectrogram view and horizontally in the spec analyser view. We are really sorry for the inconvenience. Please send us an email at techsupport@oxfordwaveresearch.com for us to try and help you further.

### 1/5 — Bad

*2022-03-15, version 2.4.1*

Was forced to download for school

### 1/5 — Why does it need my location?

*2021-12-21, version 2.4.1*

Most spectrum, audio, and recording apps need access to the microphone. 

But SpectrumView insists on using Location Services and won’t activate its display without it. Shady.

### 1/5 — location needed?

*2021-07-17*

i didn’t allow location and the app then didn’t work. other apps for this don’t need it

### 1/5 — Unhappy

*2020-06-09, version 2.3*

Purchased the iTunes library access feature. Crashes every single time I hit play. IPhone 8 Plus. Disappointing

### 1/5 — Garbage

*2019-10-13, version 2.3*

This app used to be useful, but now you have to pay for everything. It’s garbage.

### 1/5 — Cant actually play music from library

*2019-06-07*

Got the free version, spent 1$ on the upgrade to import a music file from my library to find out what sub-bass frequencies are in each song. Click a song to load and app crashes. Waste of 1$

## Most praised reviews (10 highest-rated)

### 5/5 — Sehr gut

*2026-06-28*

Die App ist super! Hat mir sogar bei einer beweiserhebung geholfen wegen stalkings:-)
Ein Verbesserungsvorschlag habe ich dennoch es wäre Mega geil wenn man die Tonträger filtern könnte ✊🏽😎❤️

**Developer response:** Ihr Verbesserungsvorschlag ist ein hervorragender Punkt. Da wir die App kontinuierlich weiterentwickeln, würden wir gerne mehr über Ihren Anwendungsfall erfahren und darüber, wie genau Sie die Filterfunktion benötigen würden.


Bitte senden Sie uns eine kurze E-Mail an techsupport@oxfordwaveresearch.com. Unser Entwicklungsteam schaut sich Ihr Feedback gerne näher an, um zu sehen, wie wir die App in zukünftigen Updates für Sie noch besser machen können!


Herzliche Grüße,

### 5/5 — 非常好的app，帮我找到电流声来源，不是我幻听！

*2025-11-27*

界面清晰实用，可以去设置里调整检测频率范围

**Developer response:** Thanks for the nice review. We are happy to hear that SpectrumView helped you locate the source of an electrical noise.

### 5/5 — Cool!

*2025-10-30*

This is very good! But I got a bug, why if I import a loud audio, the music is crashing, pls fix this.

**Developer response:** Thanks for the review and feedback. Could you please send an email to techsupport@oxfordwaveresearch.com and let us know more about the loud audio issue? So that we can understand it better and help you more.

### 5/5 — Great for education

*2024-12-19*

I used this app in a few lectures on sound for people in sound therapy training to visualise concepts such as overtones and beats, pitch etc. Really fantastic costumer support too!

**Developer response:** Happy to hear that you find Spectrumview useful. Thank you very much for the nice feedback.

### 5/5 — An avid user

*2024-10-21*

Very useful for recording and visualising speech. Thanks.

**Developer response:** Thanks for your feedback. We hope you continue to enjoy using SpectrumView.

### 5/5 — An avid user

*2024-10-11*

Very useful for recording and visualising speech.

### 5/5 — Best app for bird (song) watching

*2024-05-17*

With number of samples turned all the way down and samples per second turned all the way up, you can actually get a visual on bird songs and their fast pitch changes. Fascinating.

**Developer response:** Thank you very much for your  very nice feedback and kind comment. We hope that you continue to enjoy using SpectrumView.

### 5/5 — awesome

*2024-04-28*

great for comparing sounds from different sources

**Developer response:** Very happy to hear that you find SpectrumView useful. Thanks for the great feedback.

### 5/5 — Great app

*2024-02-02*

Helpful for doing on the fly tape calibration without hooking up oscilloscope.

**Developer response:** Thanks for your kind feedback Ian. It's great to hear that you find SpectrumView helpful. We hope you continue to enjoy using it.

### 5/5 — 無料でこれ！？

*2023-12-04*

まじで使いやすい

**Developer response:** Happy to hear that you found it easy to use Umeboshi!

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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.*