Comparison

Discord4 vs ShockWave

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

Head to head
About

Discord4

This stereo pitch-shifting delay app offers three distinct algorithms for vintage, clean, or experimental granular effects. It features tempo-synced delays, a reverb in the feedback loop, and flexible LFO modulation for extensive sound design. Control pitch shifts with MIDI and fine-tune effects with buffer size adjustments.

Highlights
  • Three pitch-shifting algorithms (Vintage, Clean, Granular)
  • Tempo-synced and free-running delays
  • Reverb in feedback loop for shimmer effects
  • Flexible LFO modulation
  • MIDI note control for pitch shifting
  • True stereo operation with panorama controls
  • Resizable vector-based GUI
Features
Read full description

Discord4 is the Audio Damage stereo pitch shifter, in its fourth generation. Each channel has its own pitch shifter, delay, bandpass filter, and feedback, and every repeat runs back through the shifter, so the same effect can double a vocal, stack fifths into an arpeggio, or send echoes spiraling up or down. Three engines set the character. Vintage is modeled on the H910 and H949 and has their grainy, glitchy character. Modern is cleaner and more transparent. Both have a buffer control from 32 to 2048 samples that changes the character of the shift. Granular cuts the signal into grains from 15 to 100 ms long, with an interval control and a Chaos knob that scrambles them, for anything from soft clouds to complete destruction. Detune the two sides a few cents in opposite directions over a short delay for a wide doubler. Set one side a fifth up, sync the delays, and raise the feedback so each repeat climbs another step. Keep the reverb in the loop for shimmer, then hit Freeze to hold a pad under the part. Turn on MIDI Shift to play harmonies from a keyboard, or ride the pitch wheel for bends. • Three pitch-shift engines: Vintage, Modern, and Granular • True stereo: each side has its own shifter, delay, filter, feedback, and pan, or link them so the right follows the left • Up to three octaves up or down, set by the cent or locked to semitones • Delays up to two seconds per side, free-running or tempo-synced, with feedback and cross-feedback • A bandpass filter in each feedback path, set from an XY pad • A stereo reverb inside the loop, with Freeze to hold the tail indefinitely • Saturation in the loop to keep runaway feedback in check • Two flexible LFOs for pitch, delay time, and filter frequency, shaped by Wave, Skew, and Warp, free from 0.01 to 14 Hz or synced to tempo • MIDI Shift: play the shift amount from a keyboard, with pitch bend, in hosts that send MIDI to effects • A preset browser with folders and favorites, and 50 factory presets from everyday doubling to the thoroughly strange Discord4 runs as an AUv3 plugin inside any compatible iOS host, including AUM, Cubasis, Drambo, and apeMatrix, and as a standalone app with background audio for live input. It is also available for macOS, Windows, and Linux as a desktop plugin. Requires iOS 16 or later. An AUv3 host app is recommended. No subscriptions. No accounts. No nonsense. Buy it once, own it forever.

About

ShockWave

This app is a monophonic synthesizer for iOS and AUv3 plugins, utilizing Phase Distortion synthesis. It offers dual PD oscillators, sequencers, LFOs, and envelopes for complex sound design. Almost any control can be modulated by multiple sources, with real-time visual feedback.

Highlights
  • Phase Distortion Synthesis
  • Dual PD Oscillators
  • Dual 8-step Sequencers
  • Dual ASR Envelopes
  • Tempo-syncable LFOs
  • Extensive Modulation Matrix
  • MIDI and MPE Support
Features
Read full description

ShockWave is a monophonic Synthesizer designed to bring modular style workflow to the world of iOS & AUv3 plugins. Built around the concept of Phase Distortion (PD) Synthesis, Shockwave includes a pair of PD Oscillators each capable of creating everything from pure Sine Waves over smooth Sawtooth and Square Waves to Resonance & Sync sweeps, filtered Noise and more. In addition to the Synth Voice, ShockWave includes a dedicated control section housing a pair of 8 step sequencers, a sample & hold module as well modules for trigger divisions, logic comparisons and controlled randomness. A pair of Low Frequency Oscillators and 2 Attack/Sustain/Release (ASR) Envelopes serve as main modulation sources and can be used in a number of ways. Envelopes can be triggered from a number of internal sources including other modules such as trigger divider, logic or chance module but can also be connected to each other allowing for a wide range of patches usually only possible in large modular systems. LFOs are individually tempo sync-able and capable of producing total of 5 different waveforms each. The two sequencers can run independently or combine to one 16 step sequence where rate and length can be controlled independently for each of the two. In true modular nature almost any control within ShockWave can be modulated with up to 11 sources - simultaneously. Modulations are setup simply by holding a control and dialling in the desired amount in a list of all available sources. A special X-Ray mode adds a realtime display of all currently active modulations right at their corresponding control making it easy to understand what's happening inside the synthesizer at any given time. Synth Voice and Control Section are accompanied by built-in Delay and Reverb sections placed on send busses with all of their controls including the send levels being available as mod destinations. Last but not least, ShockWave features a solid MIDI implementation including support for, aftertouch, velocity, wheels, custom CC mappings and up to 4 dimensions of expression when using MPE compatible controllers, such as the Roli Seaboard, Linnstrument, Geoshred, KB-1 and others. MIDI Output is supported as well and includes Note and Control Change output generated from various internal sources including Sequencers, Envelopes and LFOs making it possible to control external MIDI gear or chain multiple plugin instances for advanced, self driving patches. Overview: - Semi Modular Monophonic Synth Voice - Phase Distortion Synthesis (PD) - Dual PD Oscillators with 5 Waveforms + Noise - Dual ASR Envelopes with variable trigger source - Dual LFO with Tempo Sync - Cross Modulation with Linear/Exp. FM, PM, AM & RM - Mixer section with individual pan and level controls per oscillator - Output VCA with variable control source - Pattern Generator for generating sequences from various internal sources - Quantizer to force note input into a specific scale (19 Scales + User Scales) - Step Sequencer with 2x8 or 1x16 steps, individual rate and number of steps per row - Trigger Divider for dividing internal trigger sources - Probability Gate for adding controlled randomness - Sample & Hold for additional randomness - Logic Module to create triggers from various internal sources - Built-in Delay & Reverb Effects - MIDI Note and CC output for controlling external gear or chaining multiple instances - Semi Modular Architecture - 11 Modulation Sources - 40 Modulation Destinations - 2 Color Themes MIDI Input: - 4D Expression (Glide, Slide, Pressure & Velocity) - Mod & Pitch-Wheel - Tempo Sync - Custom CC Control MIDI Output: - Note - Control Change Connectivity: - Standalone - AUv3 - AudioBus - IAA

Screenshots

Discord42 screens
ShockWave4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is price: Discord4 at $3.99 against ShockWave's $19.99. ShockWave's advantage is update cadence (every 2 months vs every 14 months) and ratings volume (188 vs 29). On rating, review sentiment, 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

Discord4 costs $3.99 and ShockWave $19.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.7 for Discord4 against 4.6 for ShockWave. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: ShockWave has 188 ratings behind it against 29, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 61% of Discord4's written reviews are positive against 55% of ShockWave's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Discord4 ships an update every 14 months, ShockWave every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on November 11, 2026 and November 6, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard3 real differences · 7 level
Discord4 versus ShockWave: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterDiscord4ShockWave
Price$3.99 — better$19.99
Rating4.7 (29 ratings) — better4.6 (188 ratings)
Positive reviews61.1% of reviews — better54.7% of reviews
Number of ratings29188 — better
Update frequencyEvery 14 monthsEvery 2 months — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationPaidPaid
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPad, iPod — better
Requires iOS16.015.6 — better
Further details — not scored
Size29 MB42 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperAudio Damage, Inc.Kai Aras

Customer experience

Discord4

All ratings29 ratings
Positive93.1%
Neutral0.0%
Negative6.9%
Written reviews18 reviews
Positive61.1%
Neutral11.1%
Negative27.8%

ShockWave

All ratings188 ratings
Positive89.9%
Neutral2.7%
Negative7.4%
Written reviews64 reviews
Positive54.7%
Neutral10.9%
Negative34.4%

Bugs and requests

Discord4

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

ShockWave

Reported bugs

20 issues
  • "Bad Signal" errors in AUM, stops sound generation.
  • Intermittent "bad signal" prompt in AUM, requires reloading.
  • Sounds awful, very distorted with glitchy UI.
  • App crashes frequently.
  • No sound coming out of AUv3 in GarageBand.
Show 15 more
  • More than half of the sounds do not play.
  • Performance remains but synth loads blank when returning to work after closing.
  • App stops producing sound after a few minutes of use.
  • Preset browser causes the app to stop producing sound.
  • No audio output on iPhone 6 & 7 plus, sometimes noise when changing presets, keyboard doesn't work.
  • Randomize button not viewable on iPhone 6.
  • App crashes when returning to a project.
  • App crashes on the loading screen on iPhone 11, but works on iPhone 7.
  • Hangs and freezes, won't load/work in AUM or GarageBand.
  • Horribly laggy, almost unusable.
  • Volume is noisy and glitchy.
  • Response on dials needs more work.
  • Modulation tab issues, unable to turn other knobs properly.
  • DAW incompatibility issues.
  • App crashing, won't even load.

Requested features

6 requests
  • Provide a proper manual detailing all parameters and sections with examples.
  • Implement a key trigger option for the sequencer to allow MIDI controller playback.
  • Add a poly mode.
  • Improve documentation and tutorials.
  • Standardize knob appearance and response.
Show 1 more
  • Increase the number of available patches beyond 128.

In-app purchases

None

Discord4

No in-app purchases

None

ShockWave

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Discord4 free?
Discord4 costs $3.99, with no in-app purchases.
Is ShockWave free?
ShockWave costs $19.99, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, Discord4 or ShockWave?
Discord4 is rated higher. Discord4 averages 4.7 out of 5 from 29 ratings, while ShockWave averages 4.6 from 188 ratings.
Do Discord4 or ShockWave have ads?
Neither Discord4 nor ShockWave shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Discord4 or ShockWave?
Discord4 ships an update every 14 months, and ShockWave every 2 months. Most recently, Discord4 was updated on November 11, 2026 and ShockWave on November 6, 2026.

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