AU3FX vs OtherDesertCities
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
AU3FX
This professional audio effect plugin offers high-quality real-time reverb for iOS devices. It allows for extensive parameter tweaking to create a vast range of sonic spaces, from intimate rooms to infinite expanses. The app includes built-in presets and filters, with full external control and session saving capabilities.
- High quality 32-bit DSP engine
- Extensive parameter tweaking
- Built-in resonant filters
- Bundled presets
- Multiple instances
- Save/load session state
- External parameter control
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High quality real time reverb AudioUnit effect, for everything between small rooms, resonators, and infinitely large spaces. This app is part of the AU3FX series, a collection of simple and powerful audio unit effect plugins. • High quality 32-bit DSP engine. • A multitude of parameters to tweak to get a wide range of sounds. • Built-in resonant filters. • Comes with several bundled presets. • Use multiple instances at the same time. • Save/load session state in host. • External access and control of all parameters from host. • User presets shared across hosts (on iOS 13 and later).
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.
- Six unique delay algorithms
- Extensive modulation capabilities
- Tempo-synced LFOs
- Envelope follower
- Diffusor for feedback smearing
- Advanced I/O control
- Granular pitch-shifting
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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
Verdict
The clearest difference is rating: AU3FX at 5.0 against OtherDesertCities's 4.8. AU3FX also leads on review sentiment (100% vs 86%) and price ($4.99 vs $6.99). OtherDesertCities's advantage is update cadence (every 2 months vs every 6 months) and chart position (#184 vs unranked). On ads, in-app purchases, monetization model and device support 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
AU3FX costs $4.99 and OtherDesertCities $6.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.
AU3FX holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.8. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 14 and 59 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 100% of AU3FX's written reviews are positive against 86% of OtherDesertCities's.
AU3FX ships an update every 6 months, OtherDesertCities every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on October 29, 2026 and October 30, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | AU3FX | OtherDesertCities |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $4.99 — better | $6.99 |
| Rating | 5.0 (14 ratings) — better | 4.8 (59 ratings) |
| Positive reviews | 100.0% of reviews — better | 86.2% of reviews |
| Number of ratings | 14 | 59 — better |
| Update frequency | Every 6 months | Every 2 months — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Monetization | Paid | Paid |
| Best chart rank | — | #184 — better |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod — better | iPhone, iPad |
| Requires iOS | 12.0 — better | 16.0 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 2 MB | 29 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Kymatica AB | Audio Damage, Inc. |
Customer experience
AU3FX
OtherDesertCities
In-app purchases
AU3FX
No in-app purchases
OtherDesertCities
No in-app purchases
Questions
Is AU3FX free?
Is OtherDesertCities free?
Which has better reviews, AU3FX or OtherDesertCities?
Do AU3FX or OtherDesertCities have ads?
Which is updated more often, AU3FX or OtherDesertCities?
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