OtherDesertCities vs Phonolyth Cascade
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
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
Read full descriptionHide 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.
Phonolyth Cascade
This app offers a versatile reverb and diffusion processor with an experimental edge. It allows for the creation of expansive modulated spaces, stereo widening, and hybrid delay/reverb effects. Explore unique sonic territories with a wide range of controls and randomized modulation.
- Expansive modulated supernatural spaces
- Stereo widening and transient smearing
- Hybrid delay/reverb effects
- Chorus, flanger, and resonator-like effects
- Randomized modulation
- Infinity and Freeze buttons
- Mix Lock for preset switching
Read full descriptionHide full description
Cascade is a versatile reverb and diffusion processor with an experimental edge. Designed first and foremost with expansive modulated supernatural spaces in mind, it features an extensive set of controls to explore other sonic territories such as stereo widening, transient smearing, hybrid delay/reverb and chorus/flanger/resonator-like effects. Features: - Wide range of diffusion textures spanning from subtle smearing and widening to otherworldly reverberation - Lush randomized modulation - Infinity and Freeze buttons for never-ending reverb bliss - Mix Lock for switching presets while keeping the dry/wet mix constant - Freely resizable UI with light and dark color schemes - Cross-platform preset format for sharing across plugin formats and OSes - 30 factory presets to get you started - Includes an AudioUnit v3 plugin for use in host apps such as GarageBand and AUM, and a standalone app
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is update cadence: OtherDesertCities at every 2 months against Phonolyth Cascade's every 7 months. OtherDesertCities also leads on price ($6.99 vs $7.99). Phonolyth Cascade's advantage is review sentiment (100% vs 86%) and iOS requirement (12.0 vs 16.0). On rating, ratings volume, 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
OtherDesertCities costs $6.99 and Phonolyth Cascade $7.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.
On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.8 for OtherDesertCities against 4.9 for Phonolyth Cascade. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 59 and 30 respectively. Written reviews are what separate them: 86% of OtherDesertCities's written reviews are positive against 100% of Phonolyth Cascade's.
OtherDesertCities ships an update every 2 months, Phonolyth Cascade every 7 months. Both last shipped on October 18, 2026.
| Parameter | OtherDesertCities | Phonolyth Cascade |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $6.99 — better | $7.99 |
| Rating | 4.8 (59 ratings) | 4.9 (30 ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | 86.2% of reviews | 100.0% of reviews — better |
| Number of ratings | 59 — better | 30 |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months — better | Every 7 months |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Monetization | Paid | Paid |
| Best chart rank | #196 | #179 — better |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPad, iPod — better |
| Requires iOS | 16.0 | 12.0 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 29 MB | 10 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Audio Damage, Inc. | Yuri Turov |
Customer experience
OtherDesertCities
Phonolyth Cascade
In-app purchases
OtherDesertCities
No in-app purchases
Phonolyth Cascade
No in-app purchases







