AUM vs H4essential Control
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
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.
- 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
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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
H4essential Control
Control your ZOOM H4essential Handy Recorder wirelessly from your iPhone or iPad. Manage recording, playback, parameters, and monitor vital information like waveforms and battery life.
- Wireless remote control
- Start/stop recording and playback
- Add marks
- Set parameters
- Monitor waveforms
- Check battery and recording time
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H4essential Control is an app that enables wireless control of the ZOOM H4essential Handy Recorder. An iPhone, iPad or iPod Touch can be used as a remote control for an H4essential. In addition to the fundamental operations of starting/stopping recording/playback and searching forward/backward, this app can be used to add marks and to set various parameters. The app can also be used to check the waveforms of input signals and the remaining battery charge as well as to monitor the remaining recording time. Note: A BTA-1 wireless adapter is necessary to operate an H4essential with H4essential Control.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is price: H4essential Control at Free against AUM's $24.99. H4essential Control also leads on in-app purchases (none vs 4). AUM's advantage is rating (4.7 vs 2.4) and review sentiment (82% vs 50%). On ads, device support and iOS requirement 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
H4essential Control is free to download; AUM costs $24.99 up front. AUM sells 4 one-off in-app purchases. H4essential Control asks for nothing beyond the download.
AUM holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 2.4. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: AUM has 535 ratings behind it against 5, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 82% of AUM's written reviews are positive against 50% of H4essential Control's.
AUM ships an update every 3 months, H4essential Control every 14 months. The most recent releases landed on November 7, 2026 and November 3, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | AUM | H4essential Control |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $24.99 | Free — better |
| Rating | 4.7 (535 ratings) — better | 2.4 (5 ratings) |
| Positive reviews | 81.9% of reviews — better | 50.0% of reviews |
| Number of ratings | 535 — better | 5 |
| Update frequency | Every 3 months — better | Every 14 months |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | Yes | No — better |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free — better |
| Best chart rank | #45 — better | — |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod — better | iPhone, iPod |
| Requires iOS | 12.0 — better | 13.0 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 13 MB | 28 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Kymatica AB | ZOOM CORPORATION |
Customer experience
AUM
H4essential Control
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
H4essential Control
Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.
In-app purchases
AUM
- Small Tip$0.99
- Medium Tip$1.99
- Large Tip$4.99
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- Huge Tip$9.99
H4essential Control
No in-app purchases









