Comparison

Surround Speaker Check vs Smart Speaker Controller

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

Head to head
About

Surround Speaker Check

Test and optimize your Dolby Atmos home theater system. This app provides over two hours of spatial audio content to verify surround sound decoding, speaker configuration, and enjoy immersive audio experiences on compatible soundbars and headphones.

Highlights
  • Verify Dolby Atmos decoding
  • Test speaker configuration
  • Evaluate height channels
  • Subwoofer test suite
  • Manual speaker troubleshooting
  • Spatial audio demos
  • Dolby Atmos test tracks
Features
Read full description

Surround Speaker Check is a fun and entertaining utility to help you set up and enjoy Dolby Atmos on your home theater gear! Also works as great way to test spatial audio on Dolby Atmos-compatible sound bars and headphones! Surround Speaker Check is more than just the world’s most popular AV utility app - with over 2 hours of content, it’s now THE best way to experience Dolby Atmos spatial audio like you’ve never heard before! SURROUND SOUND TESTING - Verify your system is properly decoding Dolby Atmos surround sound audio - Confirm your speakers are properly configured - Hear and evaluate your surround speakers in isolation (including height channels) - Tune your room, test your sub with the new Subwoofer Test Suite - Use the Manual Speaker Check feature to help troubleshoot and fine-tune your system - Confirm your Apple TV is properly set-up for surround sound playback DOLBY ATMOS TEST TRACKS - True Dolby Atmos audio support provides an accurate and complete test environment - Supports up to 7.1.4 speaker layouts - Works with Atmos-compatible soundbars SPATIAL AUDIO PLAYGROUND - Over two hours of spatial audio demos and Dolby Atmos test tracks - Regularly updated Dolby Atmos demos experimental spatial audio content - Enjoy spatial object scenes designed to unleash the full potential of your home theater Uses specially-produced Dolby Atmos surround tracks with on-screen 3D graphics Designed by guitarist and immersive audio producer Jeff Perrin as a means to confirm the integrity of various surround systems while producing surround sound music tracks. NOTE: Playback of test content on speakers requires an Apple TV (or similar AirPlay-compatible streaming device) connected to a Dolby Digital-compatible home theater system. Spatial audio support over headphones requires compatible iOS device with Dolby Atmos-compatible AirPods or Dolby Atmos-compatible headphones. When played back over an optical connection or non-Atmos devices, surround content will fold down to Dolby Digital 5.1 or stereo 2.0 format, depending on device capabilities. In all cases, a fast internet connection is highly recommend. *Playback of Dolby Atmos content on non-Apple devices requires that the device supports multichannel audio (ie. Dolby Digital 5.1 or Atmos) over AirPlay 2. Please check your device specifications. Please try out the free included test tracks so as to ensure compatibility with your hardware before making any purchases. Terms of Use (EULA): https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/

About

Smart Speaker Controller

Control your smart speakers using your smartphone without needing to speak. This app functions like a TV remote for your smart speakers, offering pre-registered commands and a recording feature for custom voice prompts.

Highlights
  • Control smart speakers via smartphone
  • No speaking required
  • Universal compatibility
  • Pre-registered commands
  • Voice recording function
  • Editable wake-words
Features
Read full description

This is a remote control app that allows you to easily control your smart speakers with your smartphone. When you wake up from sleep and have a hard time speaking, or when you have a sore throat and can't speak, this app allows you to easily control your smart speakers without speaking. You can use this app to control your smart speakers just like a TV remote control. <Functions> Compatible with all smart speakers! It is compatible with all smart speakers. Ready to use! The 15 buttons are registered with frequently used words from the beginning, so you can use them without registration. Recording function You can record your voice and call it out with a single tap. You can record your voice and call out with a single tap. Pre-registered wake-word The wake-word of the smart speaker is already registered, so you can use it just by selecting it. Of course, you can edit the wake-words freely, so please feel free to use them. If there are any features you would like to see added or improved in future updates, please let us know in the review section.

Screenshots

Surround Speaker Check4 screens
Smart Speaker Controller3 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Smart Speaker Controller at none against Surround Speaker Check's 4. Smart Speaker Controller also leads on update cadence (every 3 weeks vs every 5 months) and review sentiment (67% vs 54%). Surround Speaker Check's advantage is ads (none vs shown). On price, rating, ratings volume and device support 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

Both are free to download. Surround Speaker Check sells 4 in-app purchases, starting at $19.99 per year. Smart Speaker Controller asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 3.8 for Surround Speaker Check against 3.9 for Smart Speaker Controller. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 41 and 23 respectively. Written reviews are what separate them: 54% of Surround Speaker Check's written reviews are positive against 67% of Smart Speaker Controller's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Surround Speaker Check ships an update every 5 months, Smart Speaker Controller every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 6, 2026 and September 28, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard6 real differences · 4 level
Surround Speaker Check versus Smart Speaker Controller: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterSurround Speaker CheckSmart Speaker Controller
PriceFreeFree
Rating3.8 (41 ratings)3.9 (23 ratings) — better
Positive reviews54.3% of reviews66.7% of reviews — better
Number of ratings41 — better23
Update frequencyEvery 5 monthsEvery 3 weeks — better
AdsNo — betterYes
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesAd-supported — better
DevicesiPhone, iPad, Apple TViPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS16.614.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size180 MB5 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperJeff Perrin Music LLCYuki Kubota

Customer experience

Surround Speaker Check

All ratings41 ratings
Positive65.9%
Neutral9.8%
Negative24.4%
Written reviews35 reviews
Positive54.3%
Neutral11.4%
Negative34.3%

Smart Speaker Controller

All ratings23 ratings
Positive69.6%
Neutral4.3%
Negative26.1%
Written reviews12 reviews
Positive66.7%
Neutral16.7%
Negative16.7%

In-app purchases

4 purchases

Surround Speaker Check

Subscriptions2
  • Unlimited Access$19.991 Year
  • Unlimited Access$24.991 Year
One-time2
  • Subwoofer Check$0.99
  • Center Speaker Check$0.99
None

Smart Speaker Controller

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Surround Speaker Check free?
Surround Speaker Check is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Smart Speaker Controller free?
Smart Speaker Controller is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, Surround Speaker Check or Smart Speaker Controller?
Smart Speaker Controller is rated higher. Surround Speaker Check averages 3.8 out of 5 from 41 ratings, while Smart Speaker Controller averages 3.9 from 23 ratings.
Do Surround Speaker Check or Smart Speaker Controller have ads?
Smart Speaker Controller shows ads; Surround Speaker Check does not.
Which is updated more often, Surround Speaker Check or Smart Speaker Controller?
Surround Speaker Check ships an update every 5 months, and Smart Speaker Controller every 3 weeks. Most recently, Surround Speaker Check was updated on October 6, 2026 and Smart Speaker Controller on September 28, 2026.

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