Comparison

K7D vs OtherDesertCities

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

Head to head
About

K7D

This app offers a vintage tape delay effect with analog emulation and modern controls. It recreates classic hardware echo machines for a warm, characterful sound. Use it standalone or as an AUv3 plugin in iOS DAWs.

Highlights
  • Analog modeled dual playhead delay
  • Modeled microphone input with saturation
  • Normal and Ping Pong modes
  • High pass and Low pass feedback filters
  • Powerful LFO time modulation
  • BPM syncable delay time
  • MIDI delay time modulation
Features
Read full description

K7D is a powerful and affordable, vintage tape delay effect plugin for iOS. K7D recreates the hardware echo machines of the past using Imaginando’s signature style of obsessive analog emulation, but with an enhanced level of control from a sleek, modern interface. Using this approach allows a whole new world of creative possibilities, while still retaining a warm, full-bodied analog sound, bursting with character and personality. To give K7D it’s distinctive analog flavour, we studied and analysed the tiny details of what makes classic hardware delays great, and painstakingly recreated every subtle nuance for a fantastically authentic sound. Available as a standalone app and audio unit plugin, you can use it digital audio stations for iOS such as Garage Band, AUM, Cubasis, Auria, Audiobus, etc. Features - 1ms to 1 sec. dual playhead analog modeled delay with noise, tape distortion and mechanical vibration models - Modeled microphone input with pre-amp saturation - Normal and Ping Pong modes - Optimized gain staging and saturation algorithms for very musical results - Delay time spread between heads and stereo width control - High pass and Low pass filter on feedback path - Powerful LFO bipolar time modulation with multiple waveforms (sine, triangular, saw, square, sample and hold and filtered sample and hold) and possibility of inverted LFO phase on second play head (for added stereo imaging) - Delay time syncable with BPM - Possibility of delay time modulation via incoming midi notes - Oscilloscope visualisation of audio waveform and LFO waveform - Built-in patch manager - Audiounit compatible

About

OtherDesertCities

Explore a versatile audio effect with six unique delay algorithms, offering everything from classic stereo delays to experimental granular pitch-shifting. Extensive modulation and I/O controls allow for deep sonic manipulation and creative sound design.

Highlights
  • Six unique delay algorithms
  • Extensive modulation capabilities
  • Tempo-synced LFOs
  • Envelope follower
  • Diffusor for feedback smearing
  • Advanced I/O control
  • Granular pitch-shifting
Features
Read full description

Other Desert Cities, named for a famous sign on the I-10 highway leaving Los Angeles, is a workshop for creativity. As its namesake implies, there are many strange and wonderful things lurking inside. With six delay algorithms, each with its own personality, and extensive modulation, Other Desert Cities covers everything from basic stereo dual delays to never-before-heard granular pitch-shifting chaos. ALGORITHMS 01 Desert Shores Stereo Delay. A standard dual delay, with basic EQ, saturation, crossfeed, and spread. 02 Mecca Reverse Delay. A normal dual delay, except the repeats play backwards, with smooth crossfading and an optional Reflect mode that alternates direction on each repeat. 03 Cactus Dual-Delta Delay. More like a pair of tape decks in use, with individual speed controls from zero to 2x in either direction, and pitch quantizing to octaves, fifths, or semitones. 04 Thermal Multi-Tap Delay. A dual multi-tap with sixteen taps per side, spread, crossfeed, and basic EQ. 05 Mirage Multi-Head Delay. Imagine a tape delay, but the head is the rotating head of a VCR. Experimental, strange, and wonderful. 06 Sky Valley Granular Delay. A pitch-shifting granular delay, with control over grain size and scatter, and EQ. TEMPO Sync to your host, or don't: set the sync source to Tap and everything synced follows the tap button instead. Tap on screen, or assign a MIDI note or CC and tap from your controller; the AUv3 accepts MIDI input directly. MODULATION Other Desert Cities includes a full suite of modulation. Two tempo-synced variable-waveshape LFOs and an envelope follower, sourced from the main input or a sidechain, can modulate nearly every control in the user interface. DIFFUSOR A built-in diffusor smears the feedback path, pushing Other Desert Cities toward reverb territory, especially with the Thermal algorithm. LEVELS The secret superpower is I/O control. Every aspect of the signal chain's gain structure can be controlled and modulated: ducked, panned, oscillated, and enveloped to your heart's content. Mute and Input Level feed only the delay block, not the dry signal, so you get natural tails and send-style behavior from an insert. PRESETS A full factory bank, plus designer presets from Matthew Lyon, Red Means Recording, and Time Rival. Presets are cross-platform (patches made on the desktop version work on iOS, and vice versa) and appear in your host's own preset list, so you can change sounds without opening the UI. FEATURES - AUv3 plugin and standalone app - Delay times up to 2 seconds free, 10 seconds tempo-synced - Tap tempo from the screen or MIDI - Resizable, scrolling user interface - Cross-platform XML preset manager Also available for macOS, Windows, and Linux in CLAP, VST3, AAX, AudioUnit, and LV2 formats at audiodamage.com.

Screenshots

K7D2 screens
OtherDesertCities4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is price: K7D at $3.99 against OtherDesertCities's $6.99. On rating, review sentiment, ratings volume and update cadence 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

K7D costs $3.99 and OtherDesertCities $6.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

OtherDesertCities holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 4.6. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 79 and 59 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 80% of K7D's written reviews are positive against 86% of OtherDesertCities's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

K7D ships an update every 3 months, OtherDesertCities every 2 months. Both last shipped on November 3, 2026.

Scorecard1 real difference · 9 level
K7D versus OtherDesertCities: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterK7DOtherDesertCities
Price$3.99 — better$6.99
Rating4.6 (79 ratings)4.8 (59 ratings) — better
Positive reviews80.0% of reviews86.2% of reviews — better
Number of ratings79 — better59
Update frequencyEvery 3 monthsEvery 2 months — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationPaidPaid
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPad
Requires iOS17.016.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size114 MB29 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperImaginando LdaAudio Damage, Inc.

Customer experience

K7D

All ratings79 ratings
Positive87.3%
Neutral6.3%
Negative6.3%
Written reviews45 reviews
Positive80.0%
Neutral8.9%
Negative11.1%

OtherDesertCities

All ratings59 ratings
Positive94.9%
Neutral1.7%
Negative3.4%
Written reviews29 reviews
Positive86.2%
Neutral0.0%
Negative13.8%

Bugs and requests

K7D

Reported bugs

8 issues
  • App crashing with many instruments
  • Project crashes and data loss
  • App not opening after crashes
  • App deleting progress
  • Randomiser not working
Show 3 more
  • App will not load
  • Digital pops and clicks with Audiobus 3
  • Dry signal only in one ear with stereo input

Requested features

9 requests
  • Fix background audio standalone
  • Fix randomiser feature
  • Improve CPU efficiency
  • Make iPad and iPhone versions compatible
  • Add reverse playback option
Show 4 more
  • Allow MIDI assignment for knobs/functions
  • Improve input selection for interfaces
  • Update for Audiobus 3 compatibility
  • Make UI elements larger and more visible

OtherDesertCities

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

None

K7D

No in-app purchases

None

OtherDesertCities

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is K7D free?
K7D costs $3.99, with no in-app purchases.
Is OtherDesertCities free?
OtherDesertCities costs $6.99, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, K7D or OtherDesertCities?
OtherDesertCities is rated higher. K7D averages 4.6 out of 5 from 79 ratings, while OtherDesertCities averages 4.8 from 59 ratings.
Do K7D or OtherDesertCities have ads?
Neither K7D nor OtherDesertCities shows ads.
Which is updated more often, K7D or OtherDesertCities?
K7D ships an update every 3 months, and OtherDesertCities every 2 months. Most recently, K7D was updated on November 3, 2026 and OtherDesertCities on November 3, 2026.

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