# Timbales vs iSymphonic Orchestra

The clearest difference is review sentiment: iSymphonic Orchestra at 63% against Timbales's 0%. iSymphonic Orchestra also leads on rating (3.8 vs 1.6) and update cadence (every 2 months vs every 38 months). Timbales's advantage is price ($0.99 vs $9.99) and in-app purchases (none vs 12). On ads, device support and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

Timbales costs $0.99 and iSymphonic Orchestra $9.99 up front. iSymphonic Orchestra sells 12 one-off in-app purchases. Timbales asks for nothing beyond the download.

iSymphonic Orchestra holds the better App Store score, 3.8 against 1.6. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: iSymphonic Orchestra has 103 ratings behind it against 10, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 0% of Timbales's written reviews are positive against 63% of iSymphonic Orchestra's.

Timbales ships an update every 38 months, iSymphonic Orchestra every 2 months. Both last shipped on November 1, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | Timbales | iSymphonic Orchestra |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | **$0.99** | $9.99 |
| Rating | [1.6 (10 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/timbales/id458018961/reviews) | **[3.8 (103 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/isymphonic-orchestra/id892220800/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 10 | **103** |
| Positive reviews | 0.0% of reviews | **62.5% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 38 months | **Every 2 months** |
| Monetization | Paid | **Free with in-app purchases** |
| Best chart rank | **#156** | — |
| Size | 17 MB | 1.3 GB |
| Requires iOS | **11.1** | 12.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Guido Diaz](https://appshunter.io/developer/455577037) | [Christian Schoenebeck d/b/a Crudebyte](https://appshunter.io/developer/428367741) |

## What reviewers say

### Timbales

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/timbales/id458018961)

**Currently charting:** #156 Top Paid · Music (US App Store)

Experience a realistic timbale set with authentic sounds. Play your favorite rhythms in real-time with this virtual instrument.

**Highlights:** Realistic timbale set, Authentic sounds, Real-time playing, Virtual instrument

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

**In-app purchases:** none


### iSymphonic Orchestra

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/isymphonic-orchestra/id892220800)

This app provides sophisticated, realistic orchestral sounds for musicians. Connect a MIDI keyboard to your device to access a wide range of instruments for live performance or composition. It supports advanced audio and MIDI connections with other apps.

**Highlights:** Realistic orchestral instrument sounds, MIDI keyboard connectivity, Audio Unit and Inter-App Audio support, Low latency audio engine, Integrated effects with presets, MIDI recording and playback

**Features:** Family Sharing

**In-app purchases (12)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Arpa Sound Set | $8.99 | one-time |
| Vento Sound Set | $8.99 | one-time |
| Pro Sound Set | $11.99 | one-time |
| Canto Sound Set | $11.99 | one-time |
| Boato Sound Set | $11.99 | one-time |
| Voce Sound Set | $11.99 | one-time |
| Varia Sound Set | $11.99 | one-time |
| Aulos Sound Set | $11.99 | one-time |
| Perla Sound Set | $11.99 | one-time |
| Cupra Sound Set | $16.99 | one-time |
| Corda Sound Set | $16.99 | one-time |
| Keys Sound Set | $24.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🎵 Exceptional sound quality and realistic orchestral samples
- 👍 Easy to use and intuitive interface
- 🎹 Highly responsive to MIDI keyboard input and expression controls
- 🔌 Seamless integration with DAWs like GarageBand, Cubasis, and AUM
- 🎼 Wide variety of articulations and instrument combinations

**What reviewers complain about**

- 💰 Expensive in-app purchases for additional sound packs
- 🐛 Crashes when used as AU plugin with multiple instances
- ⚠️ Random loud distortion artifacts at unpredictable times
- 🎹 On-screen keyboard is too small and difficult to use
- 🔊 Inconsistent volume levels across different notes and instruments

**Reported bugs**

- App crashes when using multiple AU instances in AUM
- GarageBand integration fails during export and audio merging
- Audio cuts out or plays only partially during export
- Track deletion causes complete app crash and data loss
- Reverberation artifacts on specific notes (C4, C5)

**Requested features**

- Ability to hide unowned sound packs for easier navigation
- Zoom function for keyboard section
- Adjustable attack and release envelope controls
- Filter to show only owned sounds
- Dedicated save/record/play controls on main screen


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Timbales free?

Timbales costs $0.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Is iSymphonic Orchestra free?

iSymphonic Orchestra costs $9.99, and also offers in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Timbales or iSymphonic Orchestra?

iSymphonic Orchestra is rated higher. Timbales averages 1.6 out of 5 from 10 ratings, while iSymphonic Orchestra averages 3.8 from 103 ratings.

### Do Timbales or iSymphonic Orchestra have ads?

Neither Timbales nor iSymphonic Orchestra shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Timbales or iSymphonic Orchestra?

Timbales ships an update every 38 months, and iSymphonic Orchestra every 2 months. Most recently, Timbales was updated on November 1, 2026 and iSymphonic Orchestra on November 1, 2026.

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