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SpellSynth: Retro Vocal Synth

SpellSynth: Retro Vocal Synth

Talking AUv3 + Phonics games

11 ratings
13 reviews
#74 in paid Music
📚 Education
🎵 Music
$4.99

Details

Released
April 22, 2026
Updated
October 2, 2026

Features

Developer

Chih Han Lin
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iphone
ipad
📉no. 74
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⭐13
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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
Show original description

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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Charts

Top Paid

📉 74-4

Music

This app dropped -4 positions in Music chart.

Last updated on November 9, 2026.

User reviews

Most RecentHighest RatedLowest Rated

App still sucks after each update

I doubt this will ever be an actual speech synthesizer. It can only say predetermined words that have been added by the developer. Don’t bother with this.
Aangryreviewer36912

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.

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 !
ARAlexandros Roussos

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!
RRma74

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!
CBCotswold Boy

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.
Aangryreviewer36912

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.

See 8 more reviews

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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.