Comparison

SampleTank CS vs LC4 Controller

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

Head to head
About

SampleTank CS

This professional mobile sound and groove workstation brings desktop-level virtual instrument power to your iPhone and iPad. It offers a vast array of world-class instruments and patterns for live performance and composition, with expandable sound libraries available for purchase.

Highlights
  • 23 free instruments in 16 categories
  • 8-part multitimbral sound module
  • Expandable sound library with 2300+ instruments
  • Over 1,200 melodic and rhythmic patterns
  • 8-track MIDI recorder with audio export
  • Intuitive interface and new sound engine
  • Song and Live environments
Read full description

SampleTank 2 for iOS is a professional, fully featured mobile sound and groove workstation that brings the sound, power and features of desktop virtual instruments to your iPad and iPhone — without compromise. It is designed for professional live performance, song composition and puts a comprehensive array of world-class instruments, sounds and patterns right at your fingertips. SampleTank CS provides all the functionality of the full app, with 23 instruments in 16 categories, so you can try out this powerful workstation for free. Additional sounds are available a la cart via in-app purchase. SampleTank gives you 8 multitimbral instrument slots that you can easily layer or split. Choose from a comprehensive, expandable sound collection that covers virtually every acoustic and electronic sound imaginable. Plus, each instrument category includes instrument riffs and grooves so you can start composing and playing in no time. The included instruments and the new sound engine are derived from the desktop version of SampleTank, IK's flagship workstation, offering you unmatched realism, variety of sound and audio performance. For the first time on iOS, thousands of professional sample-based sounds and patterns can be easily accessed, layered and used for playing live or in the studio. What’s more, SampleTank offers an ever-growing library of sounds and are available via in-app purchase: • Elektronika - a series of electronica and EDM-oriented groove libraries and sound collections that make it easy to create hits in today’s most popular styles • Miroslav Philharmonik — the legendary orchestral libraries, now available on your mobile device! Stunningly realistic and expressive samples of a wide range of orchestra and percussion instruments. • SampleTank PRO - the latest and most high-end sounds and grooves available, letting you create professional-grade compositions on your mobile device • Plus additional libraries covering cinematic sounds, the finest pianos, drum libraries from iconic drummers and much more! SampleTank for iOS offers over 2,300 instruments and over 1,200 MIDI patterns — the largest collection of sounds available for any virtual instrument for iOS. Features: • 23 sounds in 16 categories included free • 8-part multitimbral professional quality sound and groove module • Expandable sound library with 2300+ instrument • Over 1,200 melodic and rhythmic patterns • 8-track MIDI recorder with audio export • Totally redesigned intuitive interface • New sound engine derived from SampleTank 3 for Mac/PC • Zones feature lets you easily create splits & layers on your controller • Song and Live environments for composing and playing • Built-in insert effects and master reverb • MIDI learn feature makes programming external controllers easy • Plug-and-play compatibility with iRig interfaces and controllers • Polyphony: up to 64 voices on new Apple devices

About

LC4 Controller

This app provides wireless control for a music lab, allowing educators to manage student interactions and broadcast music from anywhere in the room. It includes features like student icon customization, attendance tracking, and access to the iPad's music library for class-wide playback.

Highlights
  • Wireless control of Yamaha LC4 Music Lab
  • Customize and position student icons
  • In-app attendance tracker
  • Integrated notepad
  • Broadcast music from iPad library
  • Full hardware function access
Read full description

The exclusive LC4 Controller App gives you full control over the Yamaha LC4 Music Lab wirelessly from anywhere in the room. Music educators now have the freedom to leave their teacher station and visit students individually at their instruments to demonstrate passages, correct technique and posture, all the while maintaining the ability to operate the lab hardware wirelessly. The LC4 Controller App provides convenient access to all of the hardware functions and even adds more features. The app lets you customize and position student icons in the classroom view to match the physical layout of the instruments in the room. The in-app attendance tracker and notepad are conveniently included, eliminating the need for additional software. The LC4 Controller App even accesses the iPad’s music library and allows the teacher to broadcast songs wirelessly to the class. The LC4 Controller App is compatible only with the Yamaha LC4 Music Lab, and requires the optional LC4 WIFI KIT.

Screenshots

SampleTank CS4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is review sentiment: LC4 Controller at 100% against SampleTank CS's 29%. LC4 Controller also leads on rating (5.0 vs 3.1) and in-app purchases (none vs 15). SampleTank CS's advantage is update cadence (every 2 months vs every 26 months) and ratings volume (143 vs 1). On price and ads 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

Both are free to download. SampleTank CS sells 15 one-off in-app purchases. LC4 Controller asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

LC4 Controller holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 3.1. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: SampleTank CS has 143 ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 29% of SampleTank CS's written reviews are positive against 100% of LC4 Controller's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

SampleTank CS ships an update every 2 months, LC4 Controller every 26 months. The most recent releases landed on October 28, 2026 and October 30, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard8 real differences · 2 level
SampleTank CS versus LC4 Controller: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterSampleTank CSLC4 Controller
PriceFreeFree
Rating3.1 (143 ratings)5.0 (1 ratings) — better
Positive reviews28.9% of reviews100.0% of reviews — better
Number of ratings143 — better1
Update frequencyEvery 2 months — betterEvery 26 months
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree — better
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod — betteriPad
Requires iOS13.0 — better16.4
Further details — not scored
Size1.5 GB9 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperIK Multimedia US, LLCYamaha Corporation of America

Customer experience

SampleTank CS

All ratings144 ratings
Positive52.1%
Neutral8.3%
Negative39.6%
Written reviews298 reviews
Positive28.9%
Neutral10.4%
Negative60.7%

LC4 Controller

All ratings1 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews1 reviews
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

Bugs and requests

SampleTank CS

Reported bugs

3 issues
  • Incompatible with latest iOS versions
  • MIDI issues and lack of device detection
  • Purchased content not properly restored

Requested features

4 requests
  • Add AU/AUv3 support for better DAW integration
  • Improve MIDI functionality and mapping
  • Allow importing custom samples
  • Enhance performance controls (e.g., pitch bend, modulation)

LC4 Controller

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

15 purchases

SampleTank CS

One-time15
  • Organ$4.99
  • Strings$4.99
  • Brass$4.99
Show 12 more
  • Synth Leads$4.99
  • Synth Pads$4.99
  • Woodwinds$4.99
  • Acoustic Drums$4.99
  • Electric Piano$7.99
  • The Grid$14.99
  • Upgrade to SampleTank$24.99
  • Miroslav Philharmonik - Mobile Edition$24.99
  • Sample Moog - Mobile Edition$24.99
  • Sonik Synth - Mobile Edition$24.99
  • All Sounds$64.99
  • SampleTank PRO - All Sounds Pack$64.99
None

LC4 Controller

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is SampleTank CS free?
SampleTank CS is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is LC4 Controller free?
LC4 Controller is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, SampleTank CS or LC4 Controller?
LC4 Controller is rated higher. SampleTank CS averages 3.1 out of 5 from 143 ratings, while LC4 Controller averages 5.0 from 1 ratings.
Do SampleTank CS or LC4 Controller have ads?
Neither SampleTank CS nor LC4 Controller shows ads.
Which is updated more often, SampleTank CS or LC4 Controller?
SampleTank CS ships an update every 2 months, and LC4 Controller every 26 months. Most recently, SampleTank CS was updated on October 28, 2026 and LC4 Controller on October 30, 2026.

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