# VHS Synth \| 80s Synthwave — Lo-Fi & Chill with this AUv3 > 80s-inspired synth instrument with VHS-recorded and resampled sounds. (iPhone/iPad app by Audiobus Pty Ltd.) - Source: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/vhs-synth-80s-synthwave/id1615208667 (this page in markdown: same URL + `.md`) - Developer: [Audiobus Pty Ltd](https://appshunter.io/developer/672585101) - Category: Music, Entertainment - Price: Free with in-app purchases (on sale, was $4.99) - Rating: 4.00/5 from 132 App Store ratings · 83 written reviews indexed - Age rating: 4+ - Requires: iOS 14.5 · 167 MB - Languages: American English - Released: 2022-05-05 - Data updated: 2026-08-19 - Monetization: subscription - User reviews in markdown: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/vhs-synth-80s-synthwave/id1615208667/reviews.md ## What is VHS Synth | 80s Synthwave? VHS Synth features synths recorded with a VCR, then resampled. Perfect for Synthwave, Hip Hop, Indie, Rock, Movie Soundtracks, Lo-Fi, Ambient, Vaporwave, Retro Pop, and more. Create instant lo-fi and cool retro vibes. Press a key. Elevate your music. Includes over 280+ Presets by Jakob haQ, Red Sky Lullaby, The GarageBand Guide, DJ Puzzle, Sound of Izrael, DJ Montra, Marc Hupkens, AnalogMatthew, JEC, Da Fingaz, Brian Funk, and more. "BEST Lo-Fi instrument I’ve ever played, seriously good sounds!" - The SoundTest Room "VHS Synth is a Retrowave dream!" - iPad Loops "Turns Your iOS Device Into An 80s Time Machine" - Synthtopia Classic Synths were recorded to VHS Tape with a VCR, then re-sampled. "VHS Synth is the ULTIMATE Retro Synth App" - The GarageBand Guide FEATURES: • Standalone app + iOS AUv3 Plugin • Over 280+ presets to inspire you • Compressed to under 140mb to save space • VCR Sound Effects (Buttons, Tape Hiss, More) • VCR FX section to customize the sounds • FREE Expansion Pack: OP-1 recorded with a VCR ++ iPhone & iPad version included for one low price Real analog feel and dirt. Vintage hardware was recorded into a VCR and then re-sampled. Subscribe to access to premium app features; subscription details are the following: - Length: weekly or yearly - Free trial: only on selected subscriptions - Your payment will be charged to your iTunes Account as soon as you confirm your purchase - You can manage your subscriptions and turn off auto-renewal from your Account Settings after the purchase - Your subscription will renew automatically, unless you turn off auto-renew at least 24 hours before the end of the current period - The cost of renewal will be charged to your account in the 24 hours prior to the end of the current period - When canceling a subscription, your subscription will stay active until the end of the period. Auto-renewal will be disabled, but the current subscription will not be refunded - Any unused portion of a free trial period, if offered, will be forfeited when purchasing a subscription Terms & Conditions: [https://magic-cake-e95.notion.site/VHS-Synth-80s-Synthwave-Terms-Conditions-150cf6557a0880aca270f4f8ccee8d3e?pvs=4](https://www.notion.so/VHS-Synth-80s-Synthwave-Terms-Conditions-150cf6557a0880aca270f4f8ccee8d3e?pvs=21) Privacy Policy: [https://magic-cake-e95.notion.site/VHS-Synth-80s-Synthwave-Privacy-Policy-150cf6557a088019bec6ccb33ae5bb09?pvs=4](https://www.notion.so/VHS-Synth-80s-Synthwave-Privacy-Policy-150cf6557a088019bec6ccb33ae5bb09?pvs=21) * NOTE: This app has no official affiliation with AudioKit Pro, LLC. It was built using the free AudioKit source code. ## Key features - VHS-recorded and resampled synths - Over 280+ presets - Standalone app and AUv3 plugin - VCR sound effects - VCR FX section for customization - Free expansion pack included ## Pricing and in-app purchases Base price: Free. **Subscriptions** | Subscription | Price | Period | | --- | --- | --- | | Weekly premium | $2.99 | per 7 days | | Yearly premium | $9.99 | per year | | Weekly premium | $2.99 | per 7 days | | Yearly premium | $9.99 | per year | ## What do users think of VHS Synth | 80s Synthwave? Overall sentiment: negative **Pros** - 🎵 Excellent lo-fi and retro 80s sound quality - 🎹 Extensive library of high-quality presets - 💰 Affordable pricing (at original purchase) - 🎨 Intuitive and clean interface design - 🔊 Versatile sounds for multiple genres - ⭐ Great value for money initially - 🎼 Capable MIDI implementation - 👨‍🎨 Featured preset artist (Mark Hupkins) creates exceptional sounds **Cons** - 💸 Aggressive subscription model for previously purchased app - 🔄 Conversion from AudioKit broke existing projects - 📊 User data tracking added without clear benefit - 🚫 Removed access to previously purchased presets/banks - 😠 Lack of developer communication about changes - 🎯 Disrespectful treatment of original AudioKit legacy - 💼 Perceived as 'hijacking' of abandoned app - 🤝 Loss of customer trust due to business model shift **Commonly reported bugs** - GarageBand compatibility broken after updates - App not recognized in Logic Pro after updates - Inconsistent sound quality across different registers - Patch/preset settings not retained after closing DAW - Audio Unit Extension crashes in GarageBand - Duplicate track sounds different from original - Display shows 'Welcome' instead of loaded patch - Thin black keys difficult to hit on keyboard - Missing top C key on keyboard - Sounds inconsistent when exported from GarageBand - App disappears from projects after ownership change **Most requested features** - Mac OS version for DAW compatibility - Velocity sensitivity settings for keyboard - Pitch bend and modulation wheels with actual functionality - Better keyboard design with proper key sizing - Improved UI layout to reduce wasted space in AUv3 mode - Access to original synth parameters instead of sample-based playback - Direct routing to IAA output for FL Studio Mobile ## Recent user reviews (10 of 83) All indexed reviews: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/vhs-synth-80s-synthwave/id1615208667/reviews.md ### 1/5 — 根本他妈进不去 *2026-08-12* 根本进不去 ### 5/5 — Awesomeness *2026-07-01, version 1.2.2* Excellent features and great sounds! ### 5/5 — Great fun *2026-06-26* Lots of fun, easy controls, like it a lot, wish could one time buy but 12 bucks for a year is forgettable enough, ### 1/5 — Pricing is absurd *2026-03-17* I’ve never seen any other synth with the option to rent it weekly, and this synth is not worth a monthly or even yearly subscription at any cost, compared to the other iOS synths, it should be what the weekly cost is to just buy it outright. You can get synth one (both regular and j6) and a free lo fi/tape effect and get better results that aren’t just playing back multi samples of stuff that was run through a tape vst. **Developer response:** Thank you for sharing your thoughts. If there's anything else we can assist you with, feel free to contact us at audiobus.help@gmail.com. ### 1/5 — Scam *2026-01-27, version 1.2.2* They made the newest few updates break when putting it in GarageBand so you’d have to buy their new subscription based app. Pretty scummy. ### 5/5 — Love this synth *2026-01-23* I love the lo-fi vibes. This is one of my favorites. So far I’ve just been having fun tweaking the presets, there are some good ones. I’m sure I’ll get some great results once I initialize a patch and see what I can come up with. Seems like a very capable little synth with great vibes. ### 1/5 — high jacked by audiobus … *2026-01-23* i remember this app (& a few others now under the audiobus pty banner) was initially developed & released by audiokit pro a few years ago & after a while considered deprecated & time consuming so I assume in good faith passed on these apps to audiobus pty to maintain to allow audiokit pro to focus on newer apps (of which there is a version 2 of this one & others?) i gather some other audiokit pro apps were also passed on to some other devs, but i digress.. now there is a subscription gate here & on the other ex audiokit pro apps & the claim this app & others was made using audiokit pro code system implying not by audiokit pro initially now this isn’t exactly true is it & a disrespect to audiokit pro who don’t engage in subscription shenanigans. this comes across as hijacking to be fair & i dont care about the arrangement/agreement between audiokit pro & audiobus pty as a lay customer who obviously had nothing to do with it & didn’t know anything about it. “but I need to feed my family” says the audiobus pty dev. well, don’t we all …. Dass vhs teknik… Dass oder benetzoid ist grosse kaputznik muss. Dass Uber zuber boomber gerecht. Schnell flammėn, langseim Schön… **Developer response:** We value your input and appreciate your feedback. If there's anything we can assist you with, please get in touch with us at audiobus.help@gmail.com. ### 5/5 — So many great presets. The subscription model is garbage *2025-11-08* Bummer how they chose this absurd subscription model, immediate hate from the community and absolute silence from the developer. I love the presets in this and VHS, they are really really good and there's a preset artist featured (Mark Hupkins) who is an absolute mastermind and doesn't appear in any of the other audiokit apps to my knowledge. It's a great app, one that I use often- the choir and bell presets are so lush. It really is a bummer that the subscription mode thing is preventing folks from even considering it- but that's understandable. ### 1/5 — Data collection *2025-09-26* Deleted the app once user data started being collected. Wont buy any more. **Developer response:** We apologize for the inconvenience and understand your frustration. Your feedback is essential in helping us improve, and we'd love the chance to assist you. Reach out to us anytime at audiobus.help@gmail.com for further support. ### 4/5 — Love this app. But there is one problem. *2025-09-25* I’ve been using this app for a couple years now and it is amazing. I just learned how to use it in GarageBand. After I updated my iPhone 16 Pro Max to iOS 26 the app will no longer work in GarageBand as an Extension. Here is the error message that I get every time I try to load it as an extension. “Audio Unit Extension Quit: The Audio Unit Extension has quit unexpectedly. Tap Reload to reload the extension, or tap Disable to disable the extension and continue.” I would love to continue using this app as an extension in GarageBand. Would you guys please fix this? Thanks much. ## Frequently asked questions about VHS Synth | 80s Synthwave ### What kind of sounds does VHS Synth create? VHS Synth creates unique synth sounds by recording classic analog synths to VHS tape and then resampling them. This process imparts a characteristic lo-fi, retro, and vintage character to the sounds, perfect for genres like Synthwave, Hip Hop, and Ambient. ### What are the key features of VHS Synth? Key features include over 280+ presets, the ability to function as both a standalone app and an AUv3 plugin, built-in VCR sound effects, and a VCR FX section for sound customization. It also includes a free expansion pack. ### How does the subscription model work? The app offers weekly or yearly subscriptions, with a free trial available on selected plans. Payments are charged to your iTunes Account upon purchase confirmation. You can manage subscriptions and auto-renewal in your Account Settings, with auto-renewal needing to be turned off at least 24 hours before the current period ends. ### What devices is VHS Synth compatible with? The app is available for both iPhone and iPad, with the purchase including access to both versions. It functions as a standalone app and an AUv3 plugin, making it compatible with music production apps that support this format on iOS. ### Who would benefit from using VHS Synth? Musicians, producers, and sound designers looking to add authentic 80s-inspired retro vibes and lo-fi textures to their music will benefit from VHS Synth. Its extensive preset library and sound-shaping tools make it suitable for a wide range of genres, from Synthwave and Vaporwave to Indie and Movie Soundtracks. ## Version history (last 5 releases) ### 1.2.2 — 2025-02-26 Bug fixing and improvements ### 1.2.1 — 2025-02-10 Bug fixing and improvements ### 1.2 — 2025-02-04 Bug fixing and improvements ### 1.1 — 2024-12-18 Bug fixing and improvements ### 1.0.7 — 2024-11-13 + Bug fixes and performance improvements ## Apps similar to VHS Synth | 80s Synthwave | App | Rating | Price | Category | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | [LE01 \| Bass 808 Synth + AUv3](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/le01-bass-808-synth-plus-auv3/id1502480224) | 4.8 (1,129) | Free | Music | | [Audiobus: Mixer for Music Apps](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/audiobus-mixer-for-music-apps/id1129130361) | 4.5 (594) | Free | Music | | [AudioKit Retro Piano](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/audiokit-retro-piano/id1514017716) | 4.3 (158) | Free | Music | | [LE05: Digitalism 2000 + AUv3](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/le05-digitalism-2000-plus-auv3/id1547016343) | 4.2 (138) | Free | Music | | [Cubasis 3 - DAW & Music Studio](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/cubasis-3-daw-and-music-studio/id1207839273) | 4.6 (3,456) | $49.99 | Music | | [BandLab – Music Maker & Beats](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/bandlab-music-maker-and-beats/id968585775) | 4.7 (499,131) | Free | Music | ## More apps by Audiobus Pty Ltd - [Audiobus Remote](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/audiobus-remote/id964755325) - [Audiobus: Mixer for Music Apps](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/audiobus-mixer-for-music-apps/id1129130361) - [AudioKit FM Player 2: DX Synth](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/audiokit-fm-player-2-dx-synth/id1307785646) - [AudioKit Digital D1 Synth](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/audiokit-digital-d1-synth/id1436905540) - [LE01 \| Bass 808 Synth + AUv3](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/le01-bass-808-synth-plus-auv3/id1502480224) - [AudioKit Retro Piano](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/audiokit-retro-piano/id1514017716) All apps by Audiobus Pty Ltd: https://appshunter.io/developer/672585101 ## Related topics [vhs synth](https://appshunter.io/ios/topics/vhs-synth) · [synth](https://appshunter.io/ios/topics/synth) · [synth video](https://appshunter.io/ios/topics/synth-video) · [auv3 synth](https://appshunter.io/ios/topics/auv3-synth) · [audiobus](https://appshunter.io/ios/topics/audiobus) · [arpeggiator](https://appshunter.io/ios/topics/arpeggiator) · [synthesizer](https://appshunter.io/ios/topics/synthesizer) · [auv3](https://appshunter.io/ios/topics/auv3) · [garageband plugins](https://appshunter.io/ios/topics/garageband-plugins) --- *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 2026-08-19.*