Comparison

Alina String Ensemble vs Compact DeLuxe

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

Head to head
About

Alina String Ensemble

This app is a musical keyboard simulator that recreates the authentic sounds of the Solina String Ensemble from the 1970s. It features a 49-key, 4-octave keyboard with multiple instrument sounds and built-in effects like reverb and modulation.

Highlights
  • Solina String Ensemble sound simulation
  • 6 pre-loaded instruments
  • 49-key, 4-octave keyboard
  • Core MIDI and MIDI compatible
  • Built-in spring reverb effect
  • Adjustable modulation
Features
Read full description

Alina String Ensemble is a musical keyboard application for iPhone/iPad/iPod touch that simulates the Solina String Ensemble. The sound is in reference to Solina String Ensemble (Serial number "SERIES 22, No.0093158”) manufactured by N.V. EMINENT BODEGRAVEN HOLLAND in the 70’s. You are sure to be surprised at the real sound generated from this App. Features: - Pre-loaded with 6 instruments including Viola, Violin, Brass, Horn, Cello, Contra Bass - 49key, 4-octave Keyboards with scrollable - Core MIDI and MIDI compatible - Scrollable Keyboard & dual Keyboards(Only iPad) - BASS tone(Cello, Contra Bass) is assigned on lowest 20 keys - Built-in Reverb that simulates a spring reverb - Modulation that can adjust the rate and depth Special thanks: Jun Kawabata courtesy of AIRPLANE LABEL & Studio Peach Blue Peach

About

Compact DeLuxe

This app emulates a classic Italian transistor organ, offering authentic sound generation through component modeling. It features a full polyphony, realistic key click, and adjustable vibrato, along with built-in stereo delay and reverb effects.

Highlights
  • Component modeling engine
  • Full polyphony
  • Authentic key click simulation
  • Realistic register filters
  • Adjustable vibrato
  • Built-in stereo delay and reverb
Features
Read full description

Please note: This App comes with an AUv3 plugin extension. GSi Compact DeLuxe is a component modeling emulation of a Farfisa Compact DeLuxe. INSTRUMENT BACKGROUND Among the many transistor organs of the past, also known as "Combo Organs" (mostly because some of them also had a rhythm section and built-in speakers), the Farfisa Compact DeLuxe, along with its big brother the Compact Duo, was one of the most used organs at least in the european beat scene of the early and mid seventies. The electronic circuit of this kind of organ is relatively simple, at least on paper: rather than using a mechanical tone generator like the tonewheel models (Hammond and Pari), the transistor organs used a circuit called "Top Octave Synthesizer", TOS for short, responsible of the generation of 12 waveforms, one for each note of the last octave of the organ keyboard. The basic waveform was usually something halfway between a ramp and a triangular. The lower octaves were produced by means of "divider" circuits that could halve the frequency of each waveform, going so forth for each lower octave down to the pedalboard tones. At each division, something was lost and something was gained in terms of harmonic content. The result was that the same notes of different octaves had oscillators perfectly in sync, so all C notes were in sync, all C#, all D and so on. This same technique was also used in so-called "string machines" or "stringer keyboards" that emulated orchestral sounds (violins, trumpets, etc.) - see GSi's Electrorchestra. The various registers in combo organs were produced by passing the raw waveforms through a filter bank, so some waveforms were low-pass filtered for bass-like sounds, some were high-pass filtered for violin-like sounds, etc. and some waveforms also went through more than one filter. This also adds some level of phase shifting between waveforms coming from different registers, the reason why the sum between, e.g. a Flute 8' and a Violin 8' isn't exactly the superimposition of the two waveforms, but something slightly different. And this is one of those underrated details that made the sound of some Combo Organs pretty unique. The sound engine of GSi Compact DeLuxe is also included in the GSi Gemini as well as in the Crumar Mojo 61. Of course this type of instrument gives its best if run through external effects and amps. Have a look at the GSi catalog and experiment with some of the effects offered by GSi. Main features: - Component Modeling engine (no samples, all real-time synthesis) - Full Polyphony (61 notes, 12 Top-Octave Oscillators + Frequency Dividers) - Key multi-contact simulation with authentic and adjustable key click - Authentic recreation of the Farfisa register filters - Recreation of the background noise and leakage - Adjustable vibrato (speed and depth) - Built-in Stereo Delay effect - Built-in Stereo Reverb effect - Built-in programmer with unlimited Programs - Embedded user's manual - Available as Stand-alone application and audio plugin - Very low CPU and RAM usage

Screenshots

Alina String Ensemble4 screens
Compact DeLuxe3 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Compact DeLuxe at 100% against Alina String Ensemble's 52%. Compact DeLuxe also leads on rating (4.9 vs 4.2) and iOS requirement (9.3 vs 14.0). Alina String Ensemble's advantage is price ($3.99 vs $14.99). On ratings volume, update cadence, 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

Alina String Ensemble costs $3.99 and Compact DeLuxe $14.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Compact DeLuxe holds the better App Store score, 4.9 against 4.2. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 20 and 7 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 52% of Alina String Ensemble's written reviews are positive against 100% of Compact DeLuxe's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Alina String Ensemble ships an update every 4 months, Compact DeLuxe every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on September 22, 2026 and August 26, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard4 real differences · 6 level
Alina String Ensemble versus Compact DeLuxe: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterAlina String EnsembleCompact DeLuxe
Price$3.99 — better$14.99
Rating4.2 (20 ratings)4.9 (7 ratings) — better
Positive reviews52.4% of reviews100.0% of reviews — better
Number of ratings20 — better7
Update frequencyEvery 4 monthsEvery 2 months — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationPaidPaid
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS14.09.3 — better
Further details — not scored
Size131 MB7 MB
Age rating4+4+
Developerinsideout ltd.Genuine Soundware

Customer experience

Alina String Ensemble

All ratings20 ratings
Positive75.0%
Neutral5.0%
Negative20.0%
Written reviews21 reviews
Positive52.4%
Neutral0.0%
Negative47.6%

Compact DeLuxe

All ratings7 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews1 reviews
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

In-app purchases

None

Alina String Ensemble

No in-app purchases

None

Compact DeLuxe

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Alina String Ensemble free?
Alina String Ensemble costs $3.99, with no in-app purchases.
Is Compact DeLuxe free?
Compact DeLuxe costs $14.99, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, Alina String Ensemble or Compact DeLuxe?
Compact DeLuxe is rated higher. Alina String Ensemble averages 4.2 out of 5 from 20 ratings, while Compact DeLuxe averages 4.9 from 7 ratings.
Do Alina String Ensemble or Compact DeLuxe have ads?
Neither Alina String Ensemble nor Compact DeLuxe shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Alina String Ensemble or Compact DeLuxe?
Alina String Ensemble ships an update every 4 months, and Compact DeLuxe every 2 months. Most recently, Alina String Ensemble was updated on September 22, 2026 and Compact DeLuxe on August 26, 2026.

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