Comparison

Time Machine AUv3 Plugin vs Combustor

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

Head to head
About

Time Machine AUv3 Plugin

This audio plugin emulates the warm, crackly sound of vintage vinyl records and tube amplifiers. Add nostalgic character, warp, dust, and hiss to your music. It's designed to enhance recordings with authentic analog warmth and saturation.

Highlights
  • Vinyl emulation with warp, dust, and scratches
  • Tube amplifier sound simulation
  • Adjustable saturation for harmonic richness
  • Smooth fade-in/out effect
  • Compatible with major DAWs
Read full description

This is an AUv3 compatible plugin which can be used with your favourite DAW such as Cubasis, Auria, Meteor or GarageBand. It does not function as a standalone program. Time Machine is a plugin that allows you to go back to the days of vinyl and tube amplification.  If you still long for those nostalgic days of warped records, worn needles, static laden, crackle ridden vinyl then this plugin is what you've been waiting for. It simulates the sound of early gramophones, radiograms, record players, through to late 80's turntables. You can either select an 'Age' or tweak individual settings to add warp, dust, scratches and good old fashion hiss to your recordings. The tube emulation mimics the old valve driven amplification which can be overdriven to add a nice warm tonal quality to your sound. It even allows you to add additional harmonics using the saturation knob to mimic the effect of tube amplification. It's a subtle but effective way of adding character and punch to thin sounds without changing pushing them in to the realms of distortion. When you turn on the Vinyl emulation you can choose to emulate the needle hitting the record, while the power button smoothly fades the effect in and out. We've all heard those great intros that sound like a blast from the past before diving into an aural onslaught. Well this might just be the tool to help lull your audience into that false sense of security! This is one of those playful fun effects designed to add a bit of spice into your songs and inspire ideas.

About

Combustor

This audio effect extension transforms tracks with a unique time-bending resonator. Create vibrant textures, subtle resonances, and dynamic sweeps. It's designed for electronic musicians and producers seeking to add wild or organic qualities to their sounds.

Highlights
  • Time bending resonator effect
  • Creates distorted textures and physical resonance
  • Envelope follower for dynamic control
  • MIDI input for melodic control
  • Performative interface
  • AUv3 compatible
Features
Read full description

*** Note: Combustor is an Audio Unit effect extension and requires an AUv3 compatible host app, like Logic Pro, Drambo or GarageBand. It does not run as a standalone app *** Combustor is a unique, wild resonating body fashioned to spice up or extremely transform your tracks. At the heart of Combustor is a custom time bending resonator that doesn't sound like anything you have heard before. You can create anything from vibrant, distorted texture, perfectly suited for "hardcore" electronic musicians, to subtle physical resonance, which is often lacking in synthesized sounds. Combustor contains an envelope follower, to create dynamic-controlled pitch or filter sweeps. It also has MIDI input, that controls resonator's pitch, to make something melodic and organic out of non-melodic sounds, like drums. With just a few knob turns, a boring sound can be turned into screaming madness that sounds like it went out of control. A simple and straightforward interface makes Combustor a performative tool that allows you to directly interact with your sound.

Screenshots

Time Machine AUv3 Plugin2 screens
Combustor1 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: Combustor at 4.7 against Time Machine AUv3 Plugin's 4.2. Combustor also leads on update cadence (every 2 months vs every 11 months) and price ($4.99 vs $9.99). On ratings volume, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model 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

Time Machine AUv3 Plugin costs $9.99 and Combustor $4.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Combustor holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 4.2. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 14 and 19 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 60% of Time Machine AUv3 Plugin's written reviews are positive against 80% of Combustor's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Time Machine AUv3 Plugin ships an update every 11 months, Combustor every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on September 9, 2026 and September 20, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard4 real differences · 6 level
Time Machine AUv3 Plugin versus Combustor: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterTime Machine AUv3 PluginCombustor
Price$9.99$4.99 — better
Rating4.2 (14 ratings)4.7 (19 ratings) — better
Positive reviews60.0% of reviews80.0% of reviews — better
Number of ratings1419 — better
Update frequencyEvery 11 monthsEvery 2 months — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationPaidPaid
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS13 — better14.0
Further details — not scored
Size6 MB4 MB
Age rating4+4+
Developer4Pockets.comBeepStreet

Customer experience

Time Machine AUv3 Plugin

All ratings14 ratings
Positive71.4%
Neutral14.3%
Negative14.3%
Written reviews10 reviews
Positive60.0%
Neutral20.0%
Negative20.0%

Combustor

All ratings19 ratings
Positive94.7%
Neutral0.0%
Negative5.3%
Written reviews10 reviews
Positive80.0%
Neutral10.0%
Negative10.0%

In-app purchases

None

Time Machine AUv3 Plugin

No in-app purchases

None

Combustor

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Time Machine AUv3 Plugin free?
Time Machine AUv3 Plugin costs $9.99, with no in-app purchases.
Is Combustor free?
Combustor costs $4.99, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, Time Machine AUv3 Plugin or Combustor?
Combustor is rated higher. Time Machine AUv3 Plugin averages 4.2 out of 5 from 14 ratings, while Combustor averages 4.7 from 19 ratings.
Do Time Machine AUv3 Plugin or Combustor have ads?
Neither Time Machine AUv3 Plugin nor Combustor shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Time Machine AUv3 Plugin or Combustor?
Time Machine AUv3 Plugin ships an update every 11 months, and Combustor every 2 months. Most recently, Time Machine AUv3 Plugin was updated on September 9, 2026 and Combustor on September 20, 2026.

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