Comparison

Air vs RingsFX

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

Head to head
About

Air

This app creates a unique, ever-changing audio-visual experience using vocal and piano samples. Users can influence the composition through different modes and even spread the sound across multiple devices.

Highlights
  • Generative audio-visual composition
  • Vocal and piano sample assembly
  • Four 'Conduct' modes for user control
  • Three 'Listen' modes for arrangement choice
  • Multi-device sound spreading option
Features
Read full description

Air is a generative audio-visual work created by musician / software designer Peter Chilvers and Irish vocalist Sandra O’Neill.  Based on concepts developed by Brian Eno, with whom Chilvers created Bloom, Air assembles vocal and piano samples into a beautiful, still and ever changing composition, which is always familiar, but never the same. Air features four ‘Conduct’ modes, which let the user control the composition by tapping different areas on the display, and three ‘Listen’ modes, which provide a choice of arrangement.  For those fortunate enough to have access to multiple iPhones and speakers, an option has been provided to spread the composition over several players. Recommended for headphones and external speakers. "Air is like 'Music for Airports' made endless - which is how I always wanted it to be" - Brian Eno

About

RingsFX

This music app emulates a renowned physical modeling synthesizer, offering diverse synthesis techniques and polyphonic capabilities. It allows for real-time parameter manipulation and can process external audio, creating unique sonic textures and rhythms.

Highlights
  • Physical modeling synthesis emulation
  • Multiple polyphony modes (Mono, Duo, Quad, True Polyphonic)
  • Supports MIDI MPE and velocity sensitivity
  • External audio excitation
  • Mod Matrix for real-time parameter control
  • 7 unique synthesis modes
  • 6 mod-able and 6 global effects
Features
Read full description

RingsFX is an AUv3 plugin based on the famous Mutable Instruments Rings, one of the most dedicated and fully-featured Physical Modeling Eurorack modules ever created. At its core is a resonator that needs to be 'excited' or 'strummed' by MIDI input, noise, or external audio excitation. RingsFX emulates vibrations of structures simulated by 3 different synthesis techniques that can be plucked or process external signals: Modal Synthesis, Sympathetic Strings, and Inharmonic Strings. Traditionally, Rings was only monophonic but used a unique approach to polyphony that allowed the previous note to 'ring' out and decay while a new note was played. Rings FX provides these same modes (Mono, Duo, and Quad), but expands it with a true Polyphonic mode. RingsFX also expands the capabilities of the original engine by adding support for velocity sensitivity and MIDI MPE mode. The new polyphonic mode allows RingsFX to play up to 12 notes of true polyphony, depending on the settings. Doing so requires RingsFX to use multiple Rings resonators, but the more true polyphony you use, the more processing power it requires. Running in the traditional Monophonic, Duophonic, or Quadrophonic modes may be preferred in order to keep CPU usage under control. RingsFX has 7 modes in total, by combining the 3 basic modes with additional properties such as chords or specially tuned reverbs. The original hardware also had a secret 'Easter Egg' mode, which in RingsFX is simply calling 'Synthesizer' mode, rumoured to be based on one of the early Korg synthesis methods. This mode supported a number of mutable effects which now work on in all resonator modes. RingsFX also has a Mod-Matrix which allows you to combine the built-in LFOs and FEGs to great effect by manipulating parameters and mutable effects in realtime. Finally, RingsFX can be loaded as an AUv3 effect plugin. Set the Exciter Source to 'INPUT', and you can pass any audio through RingsFX and use this audio as an external exciter. For example, it can be used to great affect on a drum beat to create some crazy rhythms. Use the Output Mix to combine the original audio with the synthesised resonator output to create some stunning effects. Features ○ 7 unique synthesis modes. ○ Supports Mono, Duo, Quad and true polyphony. ○ Supports 2 fluid LFO's per note. ○ Up to 4 FEG's per note. ○ External Exciter modes. ○ White noise Pulse Sequencer. ○ Supports 6 mod-able effects and 6 global effects. ○ Mod Matrix ○ Input and white noise filters. ○ Program Manager with drag and drop. ○ Preset Search and Favourites. ○ Easy export and import of banks and presets. ○ Extensive help manual. ○ Web Transfer for backing up to PC/Mac. ○ MPE Support.

Screenshots

Air4 screens
RingsFX4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is price: Air at $1.99 against RingsFX's $14.99. Air also leads on iOS requirement (9.0 vs 13.0). RingsFX's advantage is review sentiment (100% vs 55%) and update cadence (fortnightly vs every 12 months). 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

Air costs $1.99 and RingsFX $14.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

RingsFX holds the better App Store score, 4.9 against 4.5. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 10 and 26 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 55% of Air's written reviews are positive against 100% of RingsFX's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Air ships an update every 12 months, RingsFX fortnightly. The most recent releases landed on October 17, 2026 and October 16, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard5 real differences · 5 level
Air versus RingsFX: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterAirRingsFX
Price$1.99 — better$14.99
Rating4.5 (10 ratings)4.9 (26 ratings) — better
Positive reviews55.3% of reviews100.0% of reviews — better
Number of ratings1026 — better
Update frequencyEvery 12 monthsFortnightly — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationPaidPaid
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS9.0 — better13.0
Further details — not scored
Size33 MB23 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperOpal Limited4Pockets.com

Customer experience

Air

All ratings10 ratings
Positive90.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative10.0%
Written reviews141 reviews
Positive55.3%
Neutral14.9%
Negative29.8%

RingsFX

All ratings26 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews5 reviews
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

In-app purchases

None

Air

No in-app purchases

None

RingsFX

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Air free?
Air costs $1.99, with no in-app purchases.
Is RingsFX free?
RingsFX costs $14.99, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, Air or RingsFX?
RingsFX is rated higher. Air averages 4.5 out of 5 from 10 ratings, while RingsFX averages 4.9 from 26 ratings.
Do Air or RingsFX have ads?
Neither Air nor RingsFX shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Air or RingsFX?
Air ships an update every 12 months, and RingsFX fortnightly. Most recently, Air was updated on October 17, 2026 and RingsFX on October 16, 2026.

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