Comparison

SynthMaster 2 vs DJ Drops

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

Head to head
About

SynthMaster 2

This powerful software synthesizer offers a vast array of sound design capabilities, including multiple oscillator modes, extensive modulation options, and a wide selection of filters. Explore over 1000 factory presets or create your own unique sounds. Available as a standalone app or AUv3 plugin.

Highlights
  • Multiple oscillator modes (Basic, Additive, Wavetable, Vector)
  • Extensive modulation architecture
  • 6 filter categories
  • Import custom wave files
  • 1000+ factory presets
  • Standalone app and AUv3 plugin
Read full description

KV331 Audio is proud to announce the availability of their award winning software synthesizer SynthMaster 2.9 on iOS platform. As being the first app developed using KV331 Audio’s new cross-platform UI framework, SynthMaster 2 runs as a standalone app or AUv3 plugin on iPads with iOS 11 and above. SynthMaster 2 supports native resolutions of various iPad devices. User interfaces are provided for 9.7, 11 and 12.9 inch iPads in 4 different skins (Blue, White, Dark, Proto). Separate interfaces are provided for the AudioUnit plugin as well. SynthMaster 2 comes with 1000 factory presets designed by world class sound designers such as BigTone, Nori Ubukata, NatLife and Yuli Yolo. Thanks to the comprehensive preset browsing features, users can easily filter presets by author name, bank name, instrument type or preset name and find the sounds that they are looking for. There’s also an IAP Shop, which lets users purchase additional sounds: 1. "Desktop Presets Upgrade": This IAP adds all factory presets in SynthMaster 2.9, increasing the total preset count to 2000. 2. "All Expansions Bundle": This IAP adds all current 38 SynthMaster preset expansion banks. Sound Engine: At the heart of SynthMaster 2’s powerful sound engine lies its oscillators, modulators, and filters. Oscillators: The oscillators can operate in 4 different modes to generate sound: 1. In Basic mode, the oscillator plays single cycle waveforms or samples. With the Oscillator Unison turned on, up to 8 voices per oscillator can be played. 2. In Additive mode, 8 Basic oscillators can be stacked up to create richer tones. 3. In Wavetable mode, the oscillator can play wavetables with up to 256 frames. 4. In Vector mode, 4 Basic oscillators are mixed in 2 dimensions. Modulators: Modulators are simply basic oscillators that can be added to other oscillators or modulate other oscillators’ or modulators’ phases. By connecting modulators to other oscillators or modulators, complex FM tones can be synthesized. Importing Wave Files into SynthMaster: While designing sounds, users can easily import wave files into SynthMaster 2. SynthMaster 2 can categorize those files into waveforms, wavetables or multi samples and import them accordingly. Filters: Once the sound is generated by the oscillators it goes through SynthMaster’s filters, which can operate in 6 different categories: Digital, VAnalog, Ladder, Diode Ladder, State Variable and Bite. Custom distortion can be applied before or after the filters as well. Modulation Architecture: SynthMaster 2 features a comprehensive modulation architecture with a wide range of modulation sources: 1. MIDI controls 2. Macros controls 3. 4 ADSR envelopes per layer 4. 4 Multisegmented envelopes per payer 5. 4 LFOs per layer 6. 4 Sequencers per layer 7. 4 Keyscalers per layer There’s real-time visual feedback that lets users see how modulation sources and targets are changing when a note is being played. This is extremely helpful when designing sounds with SynthMaster 2. New modulations can be created easily by dragging and dropping a modulation source onto a knob or slider control. Users can easily see which controls are modulated by a modulation source by clicking on that source. Controls that are being modulated by that source will display modulation amounts. By long pressing a control, the modulation amount can be edited without the need to go through the mod matrix. Arp/Sequencer: SynthMaster features a comprehensive arpeggiator / sequencer with 32 steps. Users can easily create sequences by recording steps one by one. Effects: Each of the 2 layers in SynthMaster has 5 insert effect slots. 13 different types of effects can be instantiated in any of those slots. There are also 2 global effect send busses which can be used to create more complex effect routings.

About

DJ Drops

Read full description

DJ Drops is a fast, touch-friendly soundboard for DJs who need reliable access to voice drops, utility sounds, effects, and other short samples during sets, streams, radio shows, and recording sessions. BUILD YOUR SOUNDBOARD • Import common audio files from your device. • Edit each sample’s name, color, and symbol. • Reorder, duplicate, move, or delete samples. • Play multiple standard samples at the same time. • Stop active playback quickly from the main soundboard. • Use automatic playback normalization to reduce large volume differences between samples. • Work across iPhone, iPad, and Mac without creating a separate DJ Drops account. FREE FEATURES The Free version includes bundled starter drops, core import and playback features, sample editing and management, built-in symbols, the Standard layout density, default light and dark backgrounds, and one page with up to 16 samples. DJ DROPS PRO DJ Drops Pro adds: • Unlimited pages with up to 24 samples on each page • Global pitch, speed, and volume controls • Live performance effects and advanced playback controls • Loop playback • Scratch Mode and advanced Scratch Control settings • Additional background colors and layout densities • Named Workspaces with iCloud sync • Custom SVG glyph artwork SUBSCRIPTION INFORMATION DJ Drops Pro is offered as an annual auto-renewable subscription. Terms of Use: https://djdrops.app/terms/ Privacy Policy: https://djdrops.app/privacy/

Screenshots

DJ Drops4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is price: DJ Drops at Free against SynthMaster 2's $0.99. DJ Drops also leads on ads (none vs shown) and device support (3 vs 1). SynthMaster 2's advantage is iOS requirement (15 vs 26.2). On 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

DJ Drops is free to download; SynthMaster 2 costs $0.99 up front. SynthMaster 2 sells 10 one-off in-app purchases and DJ Drops sells 1 in-app purchase, starting at $9.99 per year. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Scorecard4 real differences · 6 level
SynthMaster 2 versus DJ Drops: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterSynthMaster 2DJ Drops
Price$0.99Free — better
Rating4.8 (474 ratings) — better—
Positive reviews68.5% of reviews—
Number of ratings474 — better—
Update frequencyEvery 3 weeks—
AdsYesNo — better
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchases—
DevicesiPadiPhone, iPad, Mac — better
Requires iOS15 — better26.2
Further details — not scored
Size918 MB14 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperKV331 AudioKG76 LLC

Bugs and requests

SynthMaster 2

Reported bugs

4 issues
  • Presets not loading correctly
  • Modulation not working after loading project
  • Skin resets to default
  • App crashes frequently

Requested features

2 requests
  • Pitch bend/glide for imported samples
  • Integration with AUM audio mixer

DJ Drops

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

10 purchases

SynthMaster 2

One-time10
  • BigTone Analog Basics 02$4.99
  • BigTone Analog Basics$4.99
  • BigTone Signature Sounds Vol.1$4.99
Show 7 more
  • NU Sounds of the World$4.99
  • Historical Synth Giants Vol.4$4.99
  • Historical Synth Giants Vol.1$4.99
  • Historical Synth Giants Vol.2$4.99
  • Japan Vintage$4.99
  • Desktop Presets Upgrade$9.99
  • All Expansions Bundle$49.99
1 purchases

DJ Drops

Subscriptions1
  • DJ Drops Pro$9.991 Year

Questions

Is SynthMaster 2 free?
SynthMaster 2 costs $0.99, and also offers in-app purchases.
Is DJ Drops free?
DJ Drops is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do SynthMaster 2 or DJ Drops have ads?
SynthMaster 2 shows ads; DJ Drops does not.

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