# AV CONTROLLER vs Sound Bar Controller

The clearest difference is rating: Sound Bar Controller at 4.4 against AV CONTROLLER's 2.5. Sound Bar Controller also leads on ratings volume (6.8K vs 760). AV CONTROLLER's advantage is review sentiment (39% vs 22%). On price, update cadence, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

Sound Bar Controller holds the better App Store score, 4.4 against 2.5. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Sound Bar Controller has 6.8K ratings behind it against 760, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 39% of AV CONTROLLER's written reviews are positive against 22% of Sound Bar Controller's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

AV CONTROLLER ships an update every 3 months, Sound Bar Controller every 5 months. Both last shipped on October 12, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | AV CONTROLLER | Sound Bar Controller |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [2.5 (760 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/av-controller-us/id467496375/reviews) | **[4.4 (6.8K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/sound-bar-controller/id1464871680/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 760 | **6.8K** |
| Positive reviews | **38.9% of reviews** | 22.1% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 3 months** | Every 5 months |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Size | 92 MB | 153 MB |
| Requires iOS | 10.0 | 10.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Yamaha Corporation of America](https://appshunter.io/developer/408058585) | [Yamaha Corporation](https://appshunter.io/developer/353469356) |

## What reviewers say

### AV CONTROLLER

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/av-controller-us/id467496375)

Transform your iPhone or iPad into a Wi-Fi remote for compatible Yamaha network products. Control inputs, volume, power, and stream music directly from your device to your AV system. Enjoy seamless control over your home entertainment setup.

**Highlights:** Wi-Fi remote control, Input selection, Volume and power control, Music streaming from device, DSP and SCENE selection, Blu-ray player control

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Phenomenal internet radio and USB audio playback
- 👍 Intuitive and easy to use
- 🚀 Flawless receiver control
- 👍 Excellent range of setup and ease of use
- 👍 Convenient remote control

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Frequent connection issues and app crashes
- 🐛 Lack of support for newer receivers
- 🐛 Unreliable performance, often fails to connect
- 🐛 Buggy updates break functionality
- 👎 Cluttered and unintuitive user interface

**Reported bugs**

- App stuck in demo mode, unable to connect to receiver
- Crashes when trying to access certain features
- Compatibility issues with newer iOS versions
- Receiver not recognized after firmware updates

**Requested features**

- Ability to search and play music by song title
- Independent volume control for multiple zones
- Apple Watch and Apple TV apps
- HomeKit and Siri support
- Customizable user interface and favorites


### Sound Bar Controller

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/sound-bar-controller/id1464871680)

Control select Yamaha sound bars remotely from your iOS device. Manage volume, input selection, and set up Alexa voice control. Stream audio from your phone or NAS drive over Wi-Fi.

**Highlights:** Alexa voice control setup, Volume and input control, Wi-Fi audio streaming, Wireless surround speaker control

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Great sound quality
- 👍 Easy to use
- 🚀 Intuitive app
- 👍 Lots of sound settings

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Connectivity issues
- 🐛 App crashes frequently
- 🐛 Unreliable Alexa integration
- 🐛 Unintuitive user interface

**Reported bugs**

- App unable to connect to sound bar
- Sound bar randomly disconnects
- Firmware updates cause issues
- Bluetooth connectivity problems

**Requested features**

- Equalizer for more sound customization
- Better volume control options
- Improved Alexa integration
- Simplified app navigation


## Frequently asked questions

### Is AV CONTROLLER free?

AV CONTROLLER is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Sound Bar Controller free?

Sound Bar Controller is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, AV CONTROLLER or Sound Bar Controller?

Sound Bar Controller is rated higher. AV CONTROLLER averages 2.5 out of 5 from 760 ratings, while Sound Bar Controller averages 4.4 from 6.8K ratings.

### Do AV CONTROLLER or Sound Bar Controller have ads?

Neither AV CONTROLLER nor Sound Bar Controller shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, AV CONTROLLER or Sound Bar Controller?

AV CONTROLLER ships an update every 3 months, and Sound Bar Controller every 5 months. Most recently, AV CONTROLLER was updated on October 12, 2026 and Sound Bar Controller on October 12, 2026.

---

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