# Golden Ear vs FIELD KIT Playback Engine

The clearest difference is rating: FIELD KIT Playback Engine at 4.5 against Golden Ear's 3.8. FIELD KIT Playback Engine also leads on review sentiment (80% vs 57%) and update cadence (every 2 weeks vs every 6 weeks). Golden Ear's advantage is price ($4.99 vs $9.99) and ratings volume (22 vs 4). On ads, in-app purchases, monetization model and device support there is nothing between them.

Golden Ear costs $4.99 and FIELD KIT Playback Engine $9.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

FIELD KIT Playback Engine holds the better App Store score, 4.5 against 3.8. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Golden Ear has 22 ratings behind it against 4, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 57% of Golden Ear's written reviews are positive against 80% of FIELD KIT Playback Engine's.

Golden Ear ships an update every 6 weeks, FIELD KIT Playback Engine every 2 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 19, 2026 and October 5, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Golden Ear | FIELD KIT Playback Engine |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | **$4.99** | $9.99 |
| Rating | [3.8 (22 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/golden-ear/id407945101/reviews) | **[4.5 (4 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/field-kit-playback-engine/id6810484807/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **22** | 4 |
| Positive reviews | 57.4% of reviews | **80.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 6 weeks | **Every 2 weeks** |
| Monetization | Paid | Paid |
| Best chart rank | — | **#140** |
| Size | 5 MB | 12 MB |
| Requires iOS | **9.0** | 15.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [潮激 李](https://appshunter.io/developer/342075158) | [Field Tone Audio, LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1891479237) |

## What reviewers say

### Golden Ear

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/golden-ear/id407945101)

This app is a high-quality audio player designed for audiophiles, supporting a wide range of lossless music formats. It offers advanced features like CUE file support, customizable playlists, and file management directly on your device.

**Highlights:** Supports FLAC, APE, WAV, WavPack, AIFF, ALAC, CUE file support for track listing, Album art display, File management on device, Multiple playback modes, AirPlay support

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none


### FIELD KIT Playback Engine

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/field-kit-playback-engine/id6810484807)

**Currently charting:** #140 Top Paid · Music (US App Store)

Transform audio recordings into evolving textures, rhythms, and atmospheres. Create up to four independent playback windows with customizable speed, direction, and effects. Explore new sonic material from your recordings.

**Highlights:** Up to four independent playback windows, Variable playback speed and direction, Drive and filtering per window, Routable modulation sources, Save and recall .fieldkit files, Standalone app and AUv3 Audio Unit

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Golden Ear free?

Golden Ear costs $4.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Is FIELD KIT Playback Engine free?

FIELD KIT Playback Engine costs $9.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Golden Ear or FIELD KIT Playback Engine?

FIELD KIT Playback Engine is rated higher. Golden Ear averages 3.8 out of 5 from 22 ratings, while FIELD KIT Playback Engine averages 4.5 from 4 ratings.

### Do Golden Ear or FIELD KIT Playback Engine have ads?

Neither Golden Ear nor FIELD KIT Playback Engine shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Golden Ear or FIELD KIT Playback Engine?

Golden Ear ships an update every 6 weeks, and FIELD KIT Playback Engine every 2 weeks. Most recently, Golden Ear was updated on October 19, 2026 and FIELD KIT Playback Engine on October 5, 2026.

---

*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*