Comparison

AUM vs Troublemaker

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

Head to head
About

AUM

This app is a versatile audio mixer, recorder, and connection hub for mobile devices. It allows users to connect various audio sources, route signals, apply effects, and record mixes with high fidelity. It supports advanced features like MIDI control, synchronization, and integration with other audio apps and hardware.

Highlights
  • Connect hardware inputs/outputs
  • Route audio and MIDI
  • Host Audio Unit extensions
  • Record mixes and individual tracks
  • Synchronize with Ableton Link
  • Built-in processing nodes
  • MIDI control and routing
Features
Read full description

AUM is the flexible audio mixer, recorder, and connection hub for your iPad, iPhone and iPod touch. Connect hardware inputs and outputs, Audio Unit extensions, Inter-App Audio apps, Audiobus, soundfile players, built-in signal processing and filters, in any configuration you want. Route anything to anywhere with mix-busses, effect sends, audiobus ports, and external multi-channel audio interfaces. Play hosted synths and instruments using the built-in keyboard or external MIDI controllers, or sequence them with AU MIDI plugins or from other apps using Virtual MIDI. Record mixes, individual tracks, or both, straight into the storage space of AudioShare (no copying of files needed), with synchronized start and end for perfect loops. Play back recordings, soundfiles and loops as channel sources in the mixer for backing tracks, further processing or mixing. Soundfiles can be opened from anywhere, including USB drives on iOS 13 and later. Route and filter MIDI in any way you like using the MIDI matrix. Combine and filter MIDI endpoints using MIDI buses. Synchronize everything with the transport clock and play in time with other apps or devices using Ableton Link. Connect external music machines and synchronize them with MIDI Clock. Includes built-in processing nodes for various stereo processing, Mid/Side balance and conversion, EQs and filters, limiting, clipping and saturation. Or use any 3rd party Audio Unit extension or Inter-App Audio effect. All controls in the mixer can be controlled via MIDI, including parameters of hosted and built-in plugins. "A brilliant idea that has been brilliantly executed. Top-notch technical stuff and highly recommended" - MusicAppBlog "Feature rich, powerful, intuitive, and simple to use" - DubSpot "Executes live mixing with surprising ease, with a load of extensive features under the hood, quick snappy response on the screen and audio" - AudioNewsRoom FEATURES • High quality audio up to 32-bit 192kHz • Clean and intuitive user interface with crisp vector graphics • Unlimited number of channels • Unlimited number of effect slots • Inserts and sends are configurable pre/post-fader • Internal busses for mixing, effect sends, signal splitting • Supports multi-channel audio interfaces for both inputs and outputs • Supports built-in speaker and mic, including stereo mic on devices that has it. • Supports Audio Unit extensions, Inter-App Audio and Audiobus • Route MIDI output from Audio Unit extensions • Supports Audio Unit multiple output and input busses (for side-chaining etc) • Highly accurate transport clock • Metronome with selectable output and optional pre-roll • Sends host sync to Audio Unit plugins and IAA apps • Play in time with Ableton Link, with Start/Stop support • Slave external hardware via MIDI Clock • FilePlayer with sync and looping with access to all your soundfiles • Records straight into AudioShare storage space • Record synchronized beat-perfect loops • Built-in nodes for stereo processing, filtering and dynamics • Latency compensation makes everything align at the outputs • Optional manual compensation using TimeOffset • Multiple Inter-App Audio / Audiobus output ports • Audiobus state saving • Built-in MIDI keyboard • Fully MIDI controllable • MIDI Matrix for routing MIDI anywhere • MIDI filtering for any MIDI destination • Combine MIDI sources or destinations using MIDI buses BUILT-IN SIGNAL PROCESSING • Stereo balance • Stereo to mono • Stereo panning • Mid/Side balance • Mid/Side - Stereo convert • Invert Phase • Parametric EQ • Low-shelf filter • High-shelf filter • Low-pass resonant filter • High-pass resonant filter • LP/HP combo filter • First order All-pass filter • Second order All-pass filter • Gain • Hard clip • Saturation • Lookahead peak limiter • System-provided Apple Audio Units

About

Troublemaker

This app emulates the iconic TB-303 bassline synthesizer, offering its distinctive sound with a diode filter, sawtooth, and square wave oscillators. It provides extensive MIDI and sequencer features, allowing for creative sound design and integration with DAWs.

Highlights
  • Diode filter emulation
  • Sawtooth and square wave oscillators
  • Realtime Mutation Probability Engine
  • Standalone sequencer (1-64 steps)
  • Audio Unit (AUv3) compatibility
  • MIDI CC controllers
  • MIDI Clock Sync
Features
Read full description

Featured in the US Appstore! Here's what the reviews say: "Perfect for on the move acid sessions, the Trouble Maker app faithfully recreates the sound of the original TB-303" - DJ Mag "Troublemaker is absolutely no trouble at all to heartily recommend" - SoundOnSound "If you want to make the bassline from Josh Wink’s ‘Higher State of Consciousness’ on the bus, this is the app for the job" - Factmag.com "Top-notch stuff from a developer that just keeps getting better" - Musicappblog.com "This app has been consuming all of my time this week! Love it!" - Discchord.com Introducing Troublemaker: this is not a 303 The legendary TB-303 has magical properties; it is filled to the brim with analog shimmer. Its output jack is a gateway to a parallel universe and when you twiddle the filter knobs an army of highly trained pixies chisel the square waves from freshly harvested unicorn souls. So if you want a TB-303, you should buy a TB-303. But if you're after *that sound* Troublemaker will give you everything you need in spades. Troublemaker sports a carefully crafted diode filter emulation and among the available oscillators are the typical raspy, nasal sawtooth and rubbery square wave with its oddball shape and shifting pulse width. It also has the wow. Troublemaker is fully Audio Unit (AUv3) compatible, so you can go wild running multiple instances in your favorite DAWs. It also has: - MIDI CC controllers for all knobs (predefined), - Core Midi, Virtual Midi, Bluetooth Midi input, - MIDI Clock Sync, MIDI Start / Stop support - Realtime Mutation Probability Engine - Standalone sequencer supports 1-64 steps - Audiobus 3 support (audio + MIDI) - Exports MID and WAV files from the standalone sequencer - User manual and MIDI charts on ruismaker.com - Comes with an extra AUv3 plugin version of a modded Troublemaker unit And unlike the TB-303, it can actually sound like a bass guitar ;-)

Screenshots

AUM4 screens
Troublemaker2 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is price: Troublemaker at $8.99 against AUM's $24.99. Troublemaker also leads on in-app purchases (none vs 4) and update cadence (every 2 weeks vs every 3 months). AUM's advantage is ratings volume (535 vs 64). On rating, review sentiment, ads 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

AUM costs $24.99 and Troublemaker $8.99 up front. AUM sells 4 one-off in-app purchases. Troublemaker asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.7 for AUM against 4.6 for Troublemaker. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: AUM has 535 ratings behind it against 64, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 82% of AUM's written reviews are positive against 78% of Troublemaker's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

AUM ships an update every 3 months, Troublemaker every 2 weeks. The most recent releases landed on November 1, 2026 and October 29, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard5 real differences · 5 level
AUM versus Troublemaker: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterAUMTroublemaker
Price$24.99$8.99 — better
Rating4.7 (535 ratings) — better4.6 (64 ratings)
Positive reviews81.9% of reviews — better77.9% of reviews
Number of ratings535 — better64
Update frequencyEvery 3 monthsEvery 2 weeks — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
MonetizationFree with in-app purchases — betterPaid
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS12.012.0
Further details — not scored
Size13 MB4 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperKymatica ABBram Bos

Customer experience

AUM

All ratings524 ratings
Positive93.3%
Neutral1.5%
Negative5.2%
Written reviews315 reviews
Positive81.9%
Neutral5.7%
Negative12.4%

Troublemaker

All ratings64 ratings
Positive90.6%
Neutral3.1%
Negative6.3%
Written reviews95 reviews
Positive77.9%
Neutral10.5%
Negative11.6%

Bugs and requests

AUM

Reported bugs

3 issues
  • Crashes or freezes when using certain plugin combinations
  • Compatibility issues with iOS 15 and newer
  • Inconsistent MIDI transport controls

Requested features

4 requests
  • Add MIDI clock sync receive capability
  • Implement a timeline/sequencer view
  • Provide more visual customization options
  • Improve support for external hardware integration

Troublemaker

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

4 purchases

AUM

One-time4
  • Small Tip$0.99
  • Medium Tip$1.99
  • Large Tip$4.99
Show 1 more
  • Huge Tip$9.99
None

Troublemaker

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is AUM free?
AUM costs $24.99, and also offers in-app purchases.
Is Troublemaker free?
Troublemaker costs $8.99, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, AUM or Troublemaker?
AUM is rated higher. AUM averages 4.7 out of 5 from 535 ratings, while Troublemaker averages 4.6 from 64 ratings.
Do AUM or Troublemaker have ads?
Neither AUM nor Troublemaker shows ads.
Which is updated more often, AUM or Troublemaker?
AUM ships an update every 3 months, and Troublemaker every 2 weeks. Most recently, AUM was updated on November 1, 2026 and Troublemaker on October 29, 2026.

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