Crystal Synth XT vs luapsel
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Crystal Synth XT
Create lush, evolving soundscapes with a powerful semi-modular synthesizer for mobile devices. Explore subtractive and FM synthesis, extensive modulation, and built-in effects. Share sounds with the desktop version and connect MIDI keyboards for a full hardware synth experience.
- Semi-modular synthesis engine
- Subtractive and FM synthesis
- Extensive modulation control (>90 parameters)
- Multi-stage envelopes with graphical editors
- Tempo-synced envelopes, LFOs, and delays
- Built-in effects (chorus, flanger, echo)
- MIDI keyboard input and virtual MIDI support
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Crystal Synth XT is a full featured semi-modular synthesizer, ideally suited to creating lush evolving soundscapes. Crystal VST has long been a popular synthesizer on the desktop. Crystal Synth XT brings that same powerful synthesis engine to the iPad and iPhone. Crystal Synth XT features MIDI keyboard input via Apple's camera adapter and sharing of sounds with the desktop version of Crystal. == Features == Browse through the included sounds and use the 2 octave keypad or keyboard to trigger notes to produce evolving, rhythmic, or melodic sounds. Create your own sounds with a single button press using the breed feature. When using an iPad, you can delve into a tweaker's dream by using the extensive editing features to sculpt sounds to your heart's content (editing features are only available when used on an iPad). Crystal features both subtractive synthesis and frequency modulation (FM) synthesis. It offers abundant modulation control with over 90 parameters which may be modulated, multi-stage envelopes with graphical editors, extensive tempo sync of envelopes/lfo rates/delay times, built-in effects for chorus/flanging/comb filtering/echoes, and a band splitter for effects processing by frequency band. Not only that, Crystal has wave sequencing and granular synthesis. The musical applications for Crystal are literally boundless. == MIDI == With MIDI keyboard input, you can connect a MIDI keyboard to your iPad or iPhone and play Crystal Synth XT like a hardware synth. == Virtual MIDI == Use virtual midi to play Crystal Synth XT from a midi controller app. Use the Settings app to turn on the Background Audio mode to enable Crystal to play audio when in the background. You can then play Crystal from a midi controller app which supports virtual midi. == Sharing == With patch sharing you can create sounds on your iPad or iPhone while away from the studio, then transfer them to the desktop Crystal when you get back to the studio to use in recording projects. Or, create banks of sounds on the desktop Crystal, then transfer them to the iPad/iPhone Crystal to use in a live performance for a truly portable rig. Use Audio copy/paste to record your performance on Crystal and transfer that performance to another app. Or copy your recorded performance to your computer. == Inter App Audio and Audiobus == To use IAA or Audiobus to record into other apps, turn on Background Audio for Crystal Synth XT in the Settings app. See demonstration videos on the greenoak.com website. == Different Versions == If you don't need all the features of Crystal Synth XT, try the basic version of Crystal, also available in the app store from Green Oak Software. With the basic version you can browse sounds, play notes, and create new sounds, taking advantage of its powerful semimodular synthesis engine. The XT version adds features like MIDI keyboard input via the iPad's camera adapter, IAA/Audiobus, and patch sharing with the desktop version. Choose the app that is best for you! == Notes == Important note for iPhone users: Crystal Synth XT runs on both the iPad and the iPhone. Because of the limited screen space on the iPhone however, the editing pages, which contain the edit controls, are not available when running on that device. However, on the iPhone you can still browse sounds, play notes from the keypad, create new sounds with the Breed feature, modify patches with the Design feature, and share sounds with desktop Crystal VST. For videos and information about Crystal Synth XT, visit: http://www.greenoak.com
luapsel
Create calming electric guitar ambience with reversed samples and built-in effects. Offers polyphonic playback, multiple articulations, and real-time sound shaping tools for unique musical textures.
- Polyphonic reversed guitar sounds
- Round Robin sampling
- Multiple articulations
- Built-in delay, reverb, chorus
- Real-time low-pass filter
- ADSR Release control
- Standalone samples available
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luapsel: Unique Evolving Electric Guitar Ambience luapsel is a collection of Electric Guitar samples, meticulously multi-sampled in Round Robin and reversed in the most transparent way possible to offer your projects an easy-to-use calming vibe. Play around with built-in delay, reverb, and chorus effects, or go au naturel. Sound design is a breeze with real-time filters, release control, and tuning options. Get luapsel for free inside Decent Sampler or just enjoy the raw samples, or grab the new improved app for just $1. Features -Polyphonic reversed guitar sounds -Round Robin sampling for nuanced playback -Four articulations: Original, Looped, Fast, & Slow -Built-in delay, reverb, and chorus effects -Real-time low-pass filter (Tone) -ADSR Release control and real-time sampling tuning -Available for Decent Sampler or as standalone samples
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is update cadence: luapsel at every 6 days against Crystal Synth XT's every 4 months. luapsel also leads on price ($0.99 vs $4.99) and chart position (#189 vs unranked). Crystal Synth XT's advantage is rating (4.9 vs 4.5) and ratings volume (20 vs 4). On ads, in-app purchases, monetization model and device support 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
Crystal Synth XT costs $4.99 and luapsel $0.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.
Crystal Synth XT holds the better App Store score, 4.9 against 4.5. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Crystal Synth XT has 20 ratings behind it against 4, so its average is the more settled of the two.
Crystal Synth XT ships an update every 4 months, luapsel every 6 days. The most recent releases landed on September 21, 2026 and September 7, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Crystal Synth XT | luapsel |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $4.99 | $0.99 — better |
| Rating | 4.9 (20 ratings) — better | 4.5 (4 ratings) |
| Positive reviews | 78.4% of reviews | — |
| Number of ratings | 20 — better | 4 |
| Update frequency | Every 4 months | Every 6 days — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Monetization | Paid | Paid |
| Best chart rank | — | #189 — better |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Requires iOS | 11.0 — better | 12.0 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 36 MB | 101 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Green Oak Software | OSC Audio |
Customer experience
Crystal Synth XT
luapsel
Bugs and requests
Crystal Synth XT
Reported bugs
15 issues- App not working, splash screen disappears
- Screen in background
- Envelope points not moving
- Breed fan not working properly
- Crashing on launch
Show 10 moreShow fewer
- Clicks and crashes when adjusting parameters
- Sounds distorted and buggy
- Won't play any sounds
- Crashes when hitting record
- Play surface stopped responding
- Crash when trying record function
- Crackles and pops in sound engine
- Audiobus fails, breaks up when switching apps
- Preset name editing gone after iOS 7 update
- Splash screen appears for a second, then disappears
Requested features
22 requests- AUv3 support
- Update to an AU3 standard
- Newer interface
- Fix breed fan access to all presets
- Fix preset system variations between devices
Show 17 moreShow fewer
- AUv3 implementation
- Update the envelope points
- AUv3 standard transformation
- Multiple instances in DAWs
- Dark mode option
- Advanced analytics dashboard
- Fix preset name editing
- In-app purchase for a second instance
- Load/Save banks
- Metronome or timer capability
- Newer app icon
- Redesign for Retina Display
- Polyphony on iOS version
- Recording facility
- Keyboard option
- Virtual MIDI support
- Advanced patch editing on iPod version
luapsel
Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.
In-app purchases
Crystal Synth XT
No in-app purchases
luapsel
No in-app purchases
Questions
Is Crystal Synth XT free?
Is luapsel free?
Which has better reviews, Crystal Synth XT or luapsel?
Do Crystal Synth XT or luapsel have ads?
Which is updated more often, Crystal Synth XT or luapsel?
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