SpellSynth: Retro Vocal Synth

SpellSynth: Retro Vocal Synth

Talking AUv3 + Phonics games

11 ratings
12 reviews
$2.99

Lowest price: $2.99 6 months ago (-0%)


Price history


Details

Released
April 22, 2026
Updated
October 2, 2026

Features

SpellSynth: Retro Vocal Synth screenshot #1 for iPhone
SpellSynth: Retro Vocal Synth screenshot #2 for iPhone
SpellSynth: Retro Vocal Synth screenshot #3 for iPhone
SpellSynth: Retro Vocal Synth screenshot #4 for iPhone
SpellSynth: Retro Vocal Synth screenshot #5 for iPhone
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About

This app recreates a classic 1978 spelling toy with four engaging game modes. It allows users to type any word or phrase and hear it spoken aloud using vintage synthesized voices. Explore different speech synthesis eras and even play the keypad with a MIDI keyboard.

✓Type and hear any word spoken
✓Four game modes (Free Play, Spell, Mystery Word, Say It)
✓Three distinct vintage voice characters
✓MIDI keyboard support
✓Export audio to WAV
✓Adjustable gap between words
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What's New in SpellSynth

1.5.0

October 2, 2026

1.5.0 — Bonjour: The French Edition. • SpellSynth speaks French. Pick Français under VOICE LANGUAGE in Settings and the voice, the words and the game screens all switch over. • Built after the 1981 French edition of the spelling toy: ÉPELLE, MYSTÈRE and DIS-LE with 360+ French words, and an apostrophe key for words like L'ÉCOLE. • Accents show on the display but are never typed — spell ÉCOLE as E-C-O-L-E, just like the original. • The AUv3 speaks French too: set Language to Français, then type a word or put French words on the SEQ steps. Every vintage voice works in both languages. • Bug fixes and stability improvements for the AUv3 plug-in. Bug reports or feature requests welcome at zhiii0x@gmail.com — Zhi

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User reviews

Got perfect with the updates

I was almost about to ask for refund as an early adopter of this app. But with all the updates they’ve made it got perfect !

Response from developer

Thanks for your support :)

Time travel goodness

This little gem is a faithful representation of yestuyear. Fun little synth. Thanks for making it!

Response from developer

Thanks for support :)

Brilliant!

The latest update, September 2026, now allows for full text-to-speech conversion. So much fun and so easy to incorporate into your songs when you use it as an AUv3 in your DAW. Can very easily get Kraftwerk-style robot vocals with this app, or percussive sounds. Love it!

Response from developer

thanks for support! yes, it has type mode on 1.2.6 ver.

Still doesn’t work

An update claims to be able to say any word. This is not true. It still just says each letter individually after hitting the ‘say’ button, and that’s only after waiting like five seconds. It even says “couldn’t say” by the word you enter. Still disappointed with my purchase.

Response from developer

Can you tell me where you hit it? The AUv3 plugin inside a DAW, or the app itself — and what word you typed. The two behave differently, so that would tell me what you ran into. Here or zhiii0x@gmail.com, and I'll look into it. 1.4.0 is in review now and fixes several AUv3 reports, including words coming out spelled instead of spoken. Thanks for the report.

Love it!

SpellSynth is great for adding voices and phonics to your music. Nice design, easy to use although I wish there was an option to switch to a QWERTY key layout instead of the default alphabetical order of the original Speak and Spell hardware it’s kind of emulating. Great start though, five stars, looking forward to adding voices to loops and drones.
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Response from developer

thanks for support! yes, it has type mode on 1.2.6 ver.

Developer apps

FAQ

What is SpellSynth?

SpellSynth is a playable application that recreates a 1978 spelling toy for iPhone, iPad, and Mac. It features four game modes, a VFD display, and vintage voice characters from different eras of speech synthesis.

How does SpellSynth speak words?

You can type any word or phrase, and SpellSynth will speak it back using its bundled retro voices or the system engine. It caches spoken words for instant playback on subsequent taps.

What are the game modes in SpellSynth?

SpellSynth offers Free Play for typing and hearing words, Spell for testing spelling skills, Mystery Word for guessing hidden words, and Say It for pronunciation practice.

Can I use SpellSynth with a MIDI keyboard?

Yes, you can connect a USB, Bluetooth, or Network MIDI keyboard to your iPad. Notes C4–C6 will trigger letters A–Z, allowing you to play the keypad with physical keys.

What vintage voices are available in SpellSynth?

SpellSynth includes three vintage voices: 1968 ODYSSEY (calm, deep-baritone), 1978 LPC (original Speak & Spell character), and 1986 DECTALK STYLE (monotone, computery). A DEFAULT clean system voice is also available.

Can I export audio from SpellSynth?

Yes, you can render any word or phrase to a WAV file and share it via Files, AirDrop, or your Digital Audio Workstation (DAW). What you hear is exactly what you save.

What is the price of SpellSynth?

SpellSynth is a paid application priced at $2.99.

Does SpellSynth have ads?

No, SpellSynth does not contain advertisements. It is a paid application.