Comparison

Trope vs NoInputMixer

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

Head to head
About

Trope

Create evolving soundscapes by tracing abstract shapes on your screen. This app offers a darker, more introspective and atmospheric musical experience, ideal for generative music exploration. Recommended for use with headphones or external speakers.

Highlights
  • Generative soundscape creation
  • Interactive touch interface
  • Evolving musical textures
  • Introspective and atmospheric tone
  • Abstract shape tracing
Features
Read full description

Trope, designed by ambient pioneer Brian Eno and musician / software designer Peter Chilvers, expands further on the ideas introduced by Bloom, their acclaimed iPhone application.  Darker in tone, Trope immerses users in endlessly evolving soundscapes created by tracing abstract shapes onto the screen, varying the tone with each movement. Recommended for headphones and external speakers. "Trope is a different emotional experience from Bloom - more introspective, more atmospheric. It shows that generative music, as one of the newest forms of sonema, can draw on a broad palette of moods." - Brian Eno

About

NoInputMixer

Explore experimental sound design by creating feedback loops with a virtual analog mixer and effects rack. Generate unique electronic textures, from unsettling soundscapes to glitchy elements, with extensive configuration options and presets.

Highlights
  • Virtual analog mixer modeling
  • Feedback loop creation
  • Extensive effects rack
  • Algorithmic noise generators
  • Adjustable signal path
  • Hi-res/lo-fi processing options
  • MIDI support
Features
Read full description

No-Input Mixing is an experimental technique for creating a wide range of amazing, otherworldly electronic sounds by feeding the mixer output back to the input, thereby making a feedback loop. This application models an analog mixing console and effects rack in detail, providing the ability to make a huge number of feedback configurations with additional effects. By using this technique in the creative process, the sound designer can explore many different and special ways to create sound. Unsettling soundscapes perfect for sci-fi, dystopian and horror projects, like strange noises, disrupted signals, broken communication, buzzing drones, faulty machinery, futuristic tech sounds, and glitchy elements are some results of the No-Input Mixing technique. The downside of this technique, which can scare off beginners, is extreme unpredictability and instability, when the movement of any knob on the mixer can dramatically change the sound in the most unexpected way. But at the same time, this discover an endless space of experimentation and inspiration when creating new and unique sounds or live performance. In addition, a large set of ready-to-use drone and noise presets with a parameter randomizer provide a great point for quickly getting started with this application. NoInputMixer consists of a seven-channel mixer and an effects rack with eight slots. Each effect slot can be configured as an insert effect for a mixer channel or used with two send/return buses. Effects has an option for hi-res or lo-fi sound processing. Each mixer channel has its own algorithmic generator of different types of noise, which can be added to the feedback signal or used separately. The input selector switches between multiple points in the signal path to make different types of feedback loops or can be switched to an external input for any channel to use it as an effect processor. Also this application provides several additional options not found in usual mixers, such as preamp tube type and mode selection, op-amp type selection, adjustment of overload protection circuit, and other features that greatly expand the possibilities for experimenting with sound. The user interface can be presented in the form of a classic mixer, or in the form of complete control of a single channel. NoInputMixer is a universal application for iOS and macOS. It can work on iPhone and iPad as well as Mac / MacBook with M1 chip (and later). NoInputMixer works on iPhone and iPad standalone, as an Audio Unit or Inter-App Audio module, and supports Audiobus. On MacOS, NoInputMixer can works both as a standalone application and as an Audio unit (AUv3) with DAWs and other hosts that support AUv3 plugins. All application features are available on iOS and macOS, including MIDI support (with a MIDI learn option) and audio unit parameters. NoInputMixer has a built-in detailed description of all parameters also available as PDF file on the application website. Quick start and demos: https://youtu.be/K7yh0-34Llw https://youtu.be/74LyfDM2dQM https://youtu.be/AeF3oBoXp80 https://youtu.be/95AM6OGoTdo You can find more information on NoInputMixer and other experimental audio processing apps at: https://motion-soundscape.blogspot.com

Screenshots

Trope4 screens
NoInputMixer4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is price: Trope at $3.99 against NoInputMixer's $15.99. NoInputMixer's advantage is review sentiment (95% vs 64%) and update cadence (every 5 months vs every 34 months). 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

Trope costs $3.99 and NoInputMixer $15.99 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 — 4.8 for Trope against 4.8 for NoInputMixer. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 38 and 28 respectively. Written reviews are what separate them: 64% of Trope's written reviews are positive against 95% of NoInputMixer's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Trope ships an update every 34 months, NoInputMixer every 5 months. The most recent releases landed on October 13, 2026 and October 12, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard4 real differences · 6 level
Trope versus NoInputMixer: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterTropeNoInputMixer
Price$3.99 — better$15.99
Rating4.8 (38 ratings)4.8 (28 ratings)
Positive reviews63.7% of reviews95.0% of reviews — better
Number of ratings38 — better28
Update frequencyEvery 34 monthsEvery 5 months — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationPaidPaid
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS15.613.4 — better
Further details — not scored
Size39 MB31 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperOpal LimitedIgor Vasiliev

Customer experience

Trope

All ratings38 ratings
Positive94.7%
Neutral5.3%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews146 reviews
Positive63.7%
Neutral11.6%
Negative24.7%

NoInputMixer

All ratings28 ratings
Positive92.9%
Neutral3.6%
Negative3.6%
Written reviews20 reviews
Positive95.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative5.0%

Bugs and requests

Trope

Reported bugs

12 issues
  • Does not run in background/sleep mode
  • App speeds up sleep timer
  • Errors about iOS 11 incompatibility
  • Cannot listen and create after update
  • Screen looks awful (outdated UI)
Show 7 more
  • App doesn't work/programmed feel
  • Music doesn't stop when app is closed
  • Sleep timer not working correctly in iOS6
  • Glitchy sound/static at note start
  • ノイズが入る (Noise occurs)
  • 音が割れる (Sound distortion/crackling)
  • Bug that changes line type back to default after erasing

Requested features

11 requests
  • Ability to save compositions
  • Option to turn off random background noises
  • More control over sound parameters (attack, duration)
  • User sound input option
  • Recording function
Show 6 more
  • More variety in sounds and moods
  • Mac app store version
  • Streaming to AirPort Express
  • Improve responsiveness to touches
  • Option to remove random tones
  • Background tasking/multitasking improvements

NoInputMixer

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

None

Trope

No in-app purchases

None

NoInputMixer

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Trope free?
Trope costs $3.99, with no in-app purchases.
Is NoInputMixer free?
NoInputMixer costs $15.99, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, Trope or NoInputMixer?
Trope and NoInputMixer are both rated 4.8 out of 5 on the App Store, from 38 and 28 ratings respectively.
Do Trope or NoInputMixer have ads?
Neither Trope nor NoInputMixer shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Trope or NoInputMixer?
Trope ships an update every 34 months, and NoInputMixer every 5 months. Most recently, Trope was updated on October 13, 2026 and NoInputMixer on October 12, 2026.

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