Attenuator vs Spectrolite
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Attenuator
Calculate output voltage, power, and attenuation based on input values and dB of attenuation. Features NMR-specific calculations for pulses and measures local magnetic fields and barometric pressure.
- Calculate output voltage and power
- Specify input voltage (Vpp or Vrms)
- Calculate attenuation in dB
- NMR pulse calculations
- Measure local magnetic field
- Display barometric pressure
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Attenuator is a utility for anyone working with radio frequency sources and needs to know power and voltage after attenuation. You can specify an input voltage (Vpp or Vrms) and dB of attenuation to get the output voltage, power and attenuation. The impedance can be specified, typically 50Ω for most systems. There is a new emphasis on NMR utility, with options for calculating pulses based on reference power and pulse length. Powers are in Watts, dBm, and dB values. Measure local magnetic field to check stray static fields from magnets. See the local barometric pressure, useful if the magnet boil-off is high
Spectrolite
This app visualizes sound in real-time using various spectrogram types. Explore detailed audio data with intuitive touch controls and adjustable parameters. An optional purchase unlocks advanced measurement tools.
- Real-time spectrogram visualization
- Constant-Q, linear, and mel frequency scales
- Full human hearing frequency range
- Intuitive touch panning and zooming
- Adjustable gain, Q, and other parameters
- Pro version: grids, scales, spectrum view, tap-to-measure
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Spectrolite visualizes sound as spectrograms in real time. Spectrolite supports constant-Q spectrograms, which use a logarithmic frequency scale for a display where musical notes are evenly spaced. Spectrograms based on linear and mel frequency scales are also supported. The display covers the full frequency range of human hearing. Intuitive touch panning and zooming lets you dive in and explore the spectrograms in detail. Gain, Q, and other parameters can be adjusted in real time and instantly apply to the display of past signals as well as future ones. The Pro in-app purchase adds grids and scales for time, frequency, and amplitude, as well as a spectrum view and a tap-to-measure function. This expands Spectrolite into an audio measurement tool that you can use to measure frequencies, musical pitches, amplitudes, and durations.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is review sentiment: Attenuator at 100% against Spectrolite's 83%. Attenuator also leads on rating (5.0 vs 4.8). Spectrolite's advantage is ratings volume (51 vs 8) and device support (3 vs 1). On price, update cadence, 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
Both are free to download. Attenuator sells 1 one-off in-app purchase and Spectrolite sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.
Attenuator holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.8. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Spectrolite has 51 ratings behind it against 8, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 100% of Attenuator's written reviews are positive against 83% of Spectrolite's.
Attenuator ships an update every 7 months, Spectrolite every 8 months. The most recent releases landed on September 14, 2026 and September 23, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Attenuator | Spectrolite |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 5.0 (8 ratings) — better | 4.8 (51 ratings) |
| Positive reviews | 100.0% of reviews — better | 83.3% of reviews |
| Number of ratings | 8 | 51 — better |
| Update frequency | Every 7 months — better | Every 8 months |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Devices | iPhone | iPhone, iPad, iPod — better |
| Requires iOS | 17.6 | 15.6 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 1 MB | 1 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Tim E. Burrow | Waxing Wave |
Customer experience
Attenuator
Spectrolite
In-app purchases
Attenuator
- Remove all ads$1.99
Spectrolite
- Pro$4.99
Questions
Is Attenuator free?
Is Spectrolite free?
Which has better reviews, Attenuator or Spectrolite?
Do Attenuator or Spectrolite have ads?
Which is updated more often, Attenuator or Spectrolite?
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