Comparison

PlaySections vs Surreal Machines Diffuse

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

PlaySections

This app allows users to mark and play specific sections of audio and video files. It's ideal for practicing music, learning languages, or transcribing audio with features like loop playback, speed and pitch adjustment, and vocal cancellation.

Highlights
  • Section marking and playback
  • Loop playback for sections or songs
  • Adjustable playback speed and pitch
  • Vocal cancellation and EQ
  • Import from Music Library and other apps
  • YouTube video support
  • Background playback
Features
Read full description

PlaySections is an audio/video player that allows you to freely set marks and play back specific sections of your audio/video files. For example, while you're playing music, you can insert marks where the song transitions between the verse and the chorus, dividing the song into sections. Then you can pick a section from the generated section list and listen to any part of the song. For each section title, you can enter multiple lines of text. As a result, in addition to verse/chorus labels, you can make notes about the chord progression, measure count, lyrics, and so on, offering a tool that you can use for many purposes. PlaySections supports section and song loop playback, allowing you to listen to your favorite section on loop. It also features useful functionality including tempo/playback speed adjustment, pitch shift, vocal cancellation, 7 band equalizer, and flip video, making it a perfect app to use in instrument, vocal, or dance practice, or when playing music by ear. Not only can it read files from the iOS Music Library, but by using the Share Extension/Open-in functionality, you can import files from other applications. For example, you can load a recording from the Voice Memo app that comes standard on the iPhone, letting you create and play back a section list for a song that you performed yourself. Even more, you can use it to study a new language, or to prepare meeting notes. Version 4.0.0 adds support for YouTube videos. Many uses - Set marks for intro, verses, chorus, instrumental solo - Set chord progressions and lyrics for each section - Practice of playing musical instruments, singing, and dancing - Analyze music structure, chords for music dictation - Great for language learners, transcription from audio files of meeting/conference Feature Highlights - Music Library Integration - YouTube video - Waveform scroll - Section Marks - Section title edit - Loop playback (section, song) - Speed control (-50% to +200%) * - Pitch control (-12 to +12) ** - 7 bands EQ control (-24dB to +12dB) ** - FX (vocal cancel) ** - Flip Video (except for YouTube videos) - Share Extension, Open-in support (File import) - Remote control, AirTurn support - Low latency playback (Audio Unit support) - Supports all major audio/video formats (AAC, MP3, WAV, AIFF, FLAC [requires iOS 11], MP4, MOV...) - Background playback (except for YouTube videos) - VoiceOver - Drag & Drop on iPad - Inter-App Audio,** * No support for DRM contents (Apple Music, ...) ** No support for Video, YouTube and DRM contents Support http://playsections.github.io/ https://twitter.com/PlaySections playsections@gmail.com --- Video by TRIAMPERSANDY - ROLLY-POP https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0RC_rV_dCCg

About

Surreal Machines Diffuse

This audio effect plugin blends analog-modeled delay with classic digital reverb, allowing users to morph between the two for unique soundscapes. It offers intuitive control over smearing, echoes, and damping, inspired by vintage hardware.

Highlights
  • Analog-modeled delay
  • Classic digital reverb
  • Morphing between delay and reverb
  • Nonlinearities and tape-style delay
  • Intuitive control over smearing, echoes, damping
  • AUV3 plugin compatibility
Read full description

Diffuse is inspired by classic hardware delay and reverb effects from the 1970’s and 1980’s. It takes a Surreal Machines look at the frontier between delays and reverbs. It's an analog/digital hybrid - an analog modeled delay fused with a classic reverb design used in early digital units. In Diffuse you get more than the best of both worlds - you can morph between delays and reverbs, and find all kinds of fantastical sounds in between the two. You’ll also find plenty of nonlinearities and smooth tape-style delay changes. Diffuse gives you complete control over smearing, echoes and damping in the most intuitive ways possible. ****** Diffuse is an Audio Unit V3 plugin; it benefits from an AUV3 host like Logic, GarageBand, Cubasis, FL Studio Mobile, AUM, etc.

Screenshots

PlaySections4 screens
Surreal Machines Diffuse1 screens

Verdict

The call

PlaySections and Surreal Machines Diffuse both sit at 4.9 stars, but that hides the real split: 100% of Surreal Machines Diffuse's written reviews are positive against 76% of PlaySections's. Surreal Machines Diffuse also leads on iOS requirement (14 vs 16.6). PlaySections's advantage is price ($3.99 vs $7.99). On rating, ratings volume, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

PlaySections costs $3.99 and Surreal Machines Diffuse $7.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.9 for PlaySections against 5.0 for Surreal Machines Diffuse. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 15 and 6 respectively. Written reviews are what separate them: 76% of PlaySections's written reviews are positive against 100% of Surreal Machines Diffuse's.

Scorecard3 real differences · 7 level
PlaySections versus Surreal Machines Diffuse: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterPlaySectionsSurreal Machines Diffuse
Price$3.99 — better$7.99
Rating4.9 (15 ratings)5.0 (6 ratings) — better
Positive reviews76.3% of reviews100.0% of reviews — better
Number of ratings15 — better6
Update frequencyEvery 3 weeks—
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationPaidPaid
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPad, iPod — better
Requires iOS16.614 — better
Further details — not scored
Size14 MB8 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperHiroshi KajihataSurreal Machines

Customer experience

PlaySections

All ratings15 ratings
Positive93.3%
Neutral6.7%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews38 reviews
Positive76.3%
Neutral10.5%
Negative13.2%

Surreal Machines Diffuse

All ratings6 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews2 reviews
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

In-app purchases

None

PlaySections

No in-app purchases

None

Surreal Machines Diffuse

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is PlaySections free?
PlaySections costs $3.99, with no in-app purchases.
Is Surreal Machines Diffuse free?
Surreal Machines Diffuse costs $7.99, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, PlaySections or Surreal Machines Diffuse?
Surreal Machines Diffuse is rated higher. PlaySections averages 4.9 out of 5 from 15 ratings, while Surreal Machines Diffuse averages 5.0 from 6 ratings.
Do PlaySections or Surreal Machines Diffuse have ads?
Neither PlaySections nor Surreal Machines Diffuse shows ads.

Other comparisons