Comparison

MIDI Layers vs QuaDelay

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

Head to head
About

MIDI Layers

This app allows musicians to intelligently route MIDI data, enabling complex keyboard splits, layered instruments, and seamless scene switching for live performances. Create up to 12 scenes with numerous layers, each with customizable MIDI output and note remapping.

Highlights
  • Up to 127 layers per scene
  • 12 scenes per preset
  • 16 output ports and channels
  • Remote scene switching
  • Layer mutes and mute groups
  • Scales per scene
  • Per-layer velocity curves
Features
Read full description

MIDI Layers is an AUv3 MIDI plugin designed to allow sophisticated routing of MIDI data in hosts such as AUM or Cubasis. Have you ever wanted to play multiple instruments from a single master keyboard during a live performance? Would you like to be able to set up keyboard splits, crossfade layers or create an ensemble of layered instruments? If you answered yes to either of those questions, then MIDI Layers may be your solution. Layers allows you to create up to 12 scenes, each with up to 127 layers, spanning your entire master keyboard. These scenes allow you to seamlessly switch between various layer mappings at any time during a performance. Each layer controls the MIDI output, which can be routed to one of MIDI Layers 16 output ports and 16 channels. So if you have 5 layers in your scene, each layer is able to divert MIDI key input to 5 destinations, allowing you to control 5 instruments from one master keyboard. Layers can overlap, meaning you can create an ensemble of two or more instruments. Layers can also have cross fades so that you can fade from one instrument to another across a specified range. You can also control the velocity curves of a layer if you need to emphasize note velocity at a certain set of octaves. Each layer can also be remapped so that you can target a different key range on the destination instrument. This allows you to have several single note layers that can target specific drum machine samples for instance. You can assign a song per scene, or have several scenes containing parts of the same song. Switching scenes is simple, using the on screen scene buttons, via AU parameters, or you can even add a special control layer to a scene which can then be triggered via your master keyboard. It is also possible to assign a Program Changes to a layer. When you switch scenes, each layer can fire off its own program change to your destination instruments. Each scene can be assigned its own scale, which enables you to play using only the white notes so say goodbye to wrong notes. Finally, layers can be assigned to mute groups, allowing you to quickly turn on/off groups of layers with a single key or button press. Features: ○ Up to 127 layers per scene. ○ 12 scenes per preset. ○ Supports 16 output ports and 16 channels. ○ Remote switching of scenes using MIDI or AU. ○ Supports layer mutes and mute groups. ○ Named scenes with large scene selection mode. ○ Supports scales per scene which can be played using white notes only. ○ Each layer can define a Program Change that is sent when scenes are switched. ○ Supports per layer velocity curve. ○ Supports per layer remapping of notes on output. ○ Each layer can have a cross fade settings assigned. ○ Definable Master Keyboard size (6, 7, 8 or 10 octave). ○ Scene and mute control layers. ○ Provides default custom layouts. Please Note: This product will not work with GarageBand since it cannot load AUv3 MIDI plugins.

About

QuaDelay

This audio effect plugin creates unique stereo delay soundscapes using four independent delay lines. It offers advanced control over delay times, regeneration, modulation, and filtering for ambient and experimental audio textures. It can be used standalone or within compatible host applications.

Highlights
  • Four independent stereo delay lines
  • Adjustable delay times and ratios
  • Variable regeneration (feedback)
  • Stereo modulation effect
  • Low-pass filter for repeats
  • Integrated reverb effect
  • Standalone and AUv3 compatible
Read full description

QuaDelay Delay-Scaper (AUv3) QuaDelay is an audio effect plugin that can run standalone, or in any AU compatible host application such as Logic or GarageBand. Overview QuaDelay is a stereo delay effect that uses four independent delay lines to create interesting, and sometimes mesmerising "delay-scapes". QuaDelay is not your typical ping-pong delay, so if you're looking for tempo-sync'd quarter note triplets and dotted eighths, that's not really what QuaDelay is about. If on the other hand, you're interested in creating lush and ambient delay-based effects, this might just be the delay for you! Parameters Active - Toggles the effect On or Off. Note that when you set the effect to Off, you will still hear the delay repeats, but your input signal is no longer fed into the delay processing. This is a similar idea to the "trails" feature in many delay effects units and pedals. Delay - Sets the base delay time between 100ms and 8 seconds. Other delays will be heard at different times depending on the Ratios setting. Ratios - Changes how the other three delay line times are calculated. The 2:3:4 setting is probably the most obviously rhythmic, as it's based on the formula 1-(1/x) which produces the ratios of 50, 67 and 75%. These ratios are applied to the base delay time, so for a base delay time of 1000ms, one delay will occur after 1000ms and the others at 500ms, 667ms and 750ms. The Gold and Silver Ratios calculations are based on Prime numbers and the Golden and Silver Ratio in Mathematics. These calculations are the QuaDelay "secret sauce" ! Regen - Sets the regeneration or feedback of the delay repeats up to 100% "endless" repeats. Note that at high Regen levels, the sound will appear to degrade in quality and become "washed-out" or "murky". This is intentional, and an attempt to capture the sound of analog delays with limited fidelity. Compression and limiting are also applied internally to prevent excessive build-up, which can also result in a "crunchy" sound at extreme settings as the repeats are squashed each time they're layered on top of each other. Again, this tends to be a sonic characteristic of analog and tape-based delays. Mod - Applies a variable amount of stereo modulation to the delayed sound. LPF - Sets the cutoff frequency of a lowpass filter applied to the delay repeats. Reduce the LPF control for a darker echo sound. Dry - Sets how much of the dry / incoming signal is added to the output stage, and can be muted entirely if desired. Wet - Sets the overall level of the generated delay / effect. Reverb - Applies a large-sounding stereo-tastic reverb to the combined Dry and Wet output. Adding Reverb helps "smear" the delay repeats, creating ambient washes of sounds. By setting the Wet level to zero, you can use QuaDelay as a simple reverb effect. If the name sounds familiar, QuaDelay is an improved version of the QUADELAY module developed for Voltage Modular by Waverley Instruments. For more info and support please visit: www.waverley-instruments.com/robjackson

Screenshots

MIDI Layers4 screens
QuaDelay3 screens

Verdict

The call

MIDI Layers and QuaDelay both sit at 4.7 stars, but that hides the real split: 57% of MIDI Layers's written reviews are positive against 0% of QuaDelay's. QuaDelay's advantage is price ($1.99 vs $12.99) and update cadence (every 3 days vs fortnightly). 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

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

MIDI Layers costs $12.99 and QuaDelay $1.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.7 for MIDI Layers against 4.7 for QuaDelay. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 13 and 6 respectively. Written reviews are what separate them: 57% of MIDI Layers's written reviews are positive against 0% of QuaDelay's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

MIDI Layers ships an update fortnightly, QuaDelay every 3 days. The most recent releases landed on September 21, 2026 and August 1, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard3 real differences · 7 level
MIDI Layers versus QuaDelay: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterMIDI LayersQuaDelay
Price$12.99$1.99 — better
Rating4.7 (13 ratings)4.7 (6 ratings)
Positive reviews57.1% of reviews — better0.0% of reviews
Number of ratings13 — better6
Update frequencyFortnightlyEvery 3 days — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationPaidPaid
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod, Mac — better
Requires iOS1312.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size15 MB12 MB
Age rating4+4+
Developer4Pockets.comRob Jackson

Customer experience

MIDI Layers

All ratings13 ratings
Positive92.3%
Neutral0.0%
Negative7.7%
Written reviews7 reviews
Positive57.1%
Neutral14.3%
Negative28.6%

QuaDelay

All ratings6 ratings
Positive83.3%
Neutral16.7%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews1 reviews
Positive0.0%
Neutral100.0%
Negative0.0%

In-app purchases

None

MIDI Layers

No in-app purchases

None

QuaDelay

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is MIDI Layers free?
MIDI Layers costs $12.99, with no in-app purchases.
Is QuaDelay free?
QuaDelay costs $1.99, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, MIDI Layers or QuaDelay?
MIDI Layers and QuaDelay are both rated 4.7 out of 5 on the App Store, from 13 and 6 ratings respectively.
Do MIDI Layers or QuaDelay have ads?
Neither MIDI Layers nor QuaDelay shows ads.
Which is updated more often, MIDI Layers or QuaDelay?
MIDI Layers ships an update fortnightly, and QuaDelay every 3 days. Most recently, MIDI Layers was updated on September 21, 2026 and QuaDelay on August 1, 2026.

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