Sync³ Remote vs Koala Sampler
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Sync³ Remote
This iPad app emulates the original Synclavier® Velocity-Pressure Keyboard interface with modern touch controls. It connects to your Synclavier³ installation via custom MIDI messages, offering full hardware integration. Multiple iPads can be used simultaneously for expanded studio control.
- Recreates Synclavier® Velocity-Pressure Keyboard interface
- Modern touch-screen technology
- Custom MIDI message communication
- Complete Synclavier® hardware integration
- Timbre design and Digital Memory Recorder panels
- Supports multiple iPad control stations
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Sync³ Remote, formerly Synclavier® Touch, is an iPad app that faithfully recreates the original Synclavier® Velocity-Pressure Keyboard button interface using modern touch-screen technology. Sync³ Remote communicates with your Synclavier³ installation using custom MIDI messages. The integration with the Synclavier® hardware is complete - touching a button on the iPad lights the button on the VK for example. The VK buttons are organized in two panels - one for Timbre design, one for controlling the Digital Memory Recorder. And, two - or more - iPads could be used simultaneously to set up multiple remote control stations within your studio. This latest build operates Synclavier³ using the Synclavier Knob attached to the iPad.
Koala Sampler
This app allows you to record sounds with your phone's microphone, transform them with effects, and create beats and tracks. Its intuitive interface focuses on a fast and fun music-making process.
- Record up to 64 samples with mic
- Apply 16 built-in effects
- Load and use own samples
- Create beats with high-resolution sequencer
- Export loops and tracks as WAV
- AI sample separation
- AUv3 and MIDI compatibility
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Koala is the ultimate pocket-sized sampler. Record anything with your phone's mic or load your own sounds. Use Koala to create beats with those samples, add effects and create a track! Koala's super intuitive interface helps you make a track in a flash - there is no brake pedal. You can also resample the output of the app back into the input, through the effects, so the sonic possibilities are endless. Koala's design focuses totally on making the music-making process instant, keeping you in the flow and keeping it fun, not getting bogged down by pages of parameters and micro-editing. "Been putting that $4 koala sampler to good use lately. Undeniably great tool that puts some of these expensive beat boxes to shame. A must cop." -- flying lotus, twitter * Record up to 64 different samples with your mic * Transform your voice or any other sound with 16 superb built-in fx * Load your own samples * Choose from one of 250 built-in sounds * Resample the output of the app back into a new sample * Export loops or entire tracks as professional quality WAV files * Direct export to Ableton Live Set * Copy/paste or merge sequences just by dragging them * Create beats with the high-resolution sequencer * Import samples from the Files app or even from videos * Keyboard mode lets you play chromatically or one of 9 scales * Quantize, add swing to get the right feel * Normal/One-shot/Loop/Reverse playback of samples * 6 Choke groups * Attack, release and tone adjustable on each sample * Mute/Solo controls and note repeat * Add any (or all) of the 16 effects to the entire mix * AUv3 compatible - use in GarageBand, Logic, Cubasis etc etc * MIDI controllable - play your samples on a keyboard, map the effects to knobs * Jam with others over WiFi with Ableton Link * Free copy of Ableton Live Lite included * AudioShare compatible * Use AI to separate samples into individual instruments (drums, bass, vocals and other) * Set your own background image and choose from a growing list of background visual FX 8 Built-in Microphone FX: * More Bass * More Treble * Fuzz * Robot * Reverb * Octave up * Octave down * Synthesizer 16 Built-in DJ Mix FX: * Bit-crusher * Pitch-shift * Comb filter * Ring modulator * Reverb * Stutter * Gate * Resonant High/Low Pass Filters * Cutter * Reverse * Dub * Tempo Delay * Talkbox * VibroFlange * Dirty * Compressor Features included in SAMURAI In-App Purchase * Pro-quality Timestretch (5 modes: Modern, Retro, Beats, Re-pitch and Cyclic) * Piano roll editor * Auto-chop (auto, equal, and lazy chop) * 3 Band EQ * Pocket operator sync out * Quokka Synth - powerhouse polyphonic synthesizer * MIDI Out - control external MIDI hardware with Koala's sequencer * Chopper - multimodal sample chopping instrument Features included in MIXER In-App Purchase * Mix your beats professionally with a 4 channel mixer + main bus * Route any sample to any channel * Mute/solo, faders and accurate metering on every channel * 5 effect slots per channel * 29 high-quality effects - compressors, filters, phasers and more, with new effects to come * Host AUv3 plugins - both audio effects and instruments
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is price: Sync³ Remote at Free against Koala Sampler's $4.99. Sync³ Remote also leads on rating (5.0 vs 4.8) and review sentiment (100% vs 88%). Koala Sampler's advantage is update cadence (every 3 weeks vs every 31 months) and ratings volume (1.4K vs 2). On 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
Sync³ Remote is free to download; Koala Sampler costs $4.99 up front. Sync³ Remote sells 1 one-off in-app purchase and Koala Sampler sells 8 one-off in-app purchases. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.
Sync³ Remote holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.8. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Koala Sampler has 1.4K ratings behind it against 2, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 100% of Sync³ Remote's written reviews are positive against 88% of Koala Sampler's.
Sync³ Remote ships an update every 31 months, Koala Sampler every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on September 29, 2026 and October 12, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Sync³ Remote | Koala Sampler |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free — better | $4.99 |
| Rating | 5.0 (2 ratings) — better | 4.8 (1.4K ratings) |
| Positive reviews | 100.0% of reviews — better | 88.2% of reviews |
| Number of ratings | 2 | 1.4K — better |
| Update frequency | Every 31 months | Every 3 weeks — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Monetization | Free — better | Free with in-app purchases |
| Best chart rank | — | #5 — better |
| Devices | iPad | iPhone, iPad, iPod — better |
| Requires iOS | 9.0 — better | 14.0 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 13 MB | 59 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Synclavier Digital Corporation Ltd | Mazbox Limited |
Customer experience
Sync³ Remote
Koala Sampler
Bugs and requests
Sync³ Remote
Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.
Koala Sampler
Reported bugs
3 issues- Samples not loading or disappearing after app updates
- Sequencer timing and quantization issues
- Crashes when using certain features or with large projects
Requested features
5 requests- Ability to record and edit MIDI sequences
- More comprehensive effects and sound processing tools
- Improved sample management and organization features
- Support for external MIDI controllers and hardware integration
- Customizable color schemes and UI themes
In-app purchases
Sync³ Remote
- Synclavier® Touch Full Feature$79.99
Koala Sampler
- Koala AUv3 Plugin$1.99
- Ese-O's Sample Pack$2.99
- Solar Studies Samplepack$2.99
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- Soon Come Dub Sample Pack$2.99
- Analog Astronaut Samplepack$2.99
- Cirrus Cuts Sample Pack$2.99
- Samurai Edition$3.99
- Mixer$4.99
Questions
Is Sync³ Remote free?
Is Koala Sampler free?
Which has better reviews, Sync³ Remote or Koala Sampler?
Do Sync³ Remote or Koala Sampler have ads?
Which is updated more often, Sync³ Remote or Koala Sampler?
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