Comparison

Denon Audio vs Shure PLAY

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

Head to head
About

Denon Audio

This app enhances your listening experience with a premium audio player, offering advanced EQ customization for your music library and internet radio. Create custom playlists, access global radio stations, and stream wirelessly to compatible devices.

Highlights
  • Customizable graphical equalizer
  • Create and save EQ presets
  • Queue-based playback system
  • Save playback queues as playlists
  • Access to 70,000+ internet radio stations
  • Real-time spectrum analyzer
  • Stream music over AirPlay and Bluetooth
Features
Read full description

Designed to enhance the listening experience with Denon’s new line of Music Maniac™ headphones, the Denon Audio app is designed for the on-the-go audiophile. The Denon Audio app features a premium audio player that lets you experience the best possible sound quality from your iPod music library and favorite Internet radio stations. Create & save custom EQ curves, create & save instant playlists, enjoy internet radio stations via the built-in TuneIn service, and more. The Denon Audio app will quickly replace all of your other music apps. The Denon Audio app features a customizable graphical equalizer that lets you contour your own sound by directly manipulating more than 1000 discrete bands of equalization without adding spatial distortion or decreasing sound quality. Pump up the bass, restore those highs, and start jammin’! EQ FEATURES: Note: The EQ features require an In-App Purchase. • Graphical equalizer for your iPod music library and streaming Internet Radio • 1000 possible discrete bands • 10 built in EQ Presets • Create and save your own EQ Presets • Bypass mode to quickly compare the original and equalized audio • Real-time spectrum analyzer • Linear phase design • No spatial distortion IPOD MUSIC LIBRARY FEATURES: • Enhances your listening experience with Denon Music Maniac Headphones or other audio playback devices such as docking stations, a/v receivers, car stereos via USB, Bluetooth, or Airplay. • Powerful queue based playback system lets you build and order your own playlist on the fly. • Save the playback queue as a new playlist • A single song, all songs on an album, all songs by an artist, and all songs in a genre can easily be added to the now playing queue. • Supports both portrait and landscape modes for browsing, playing, and equalizing • Shuffle and repeat playback modes • iPod library browsing by Playlist, Artist, Album, Song, Genre, Composer, Compilation, and Podcast (no importing needed) INTERNET RADIO FEATURES: • The TuneIn service provides global access to Internet radio – covering over 70,000 radio stations and 2 million on-demand programs including sports, news, talk, music and comedy. • Browse Internet radio stations by location, genre, language or Podcast (on-demand programs). • Powerful search feature for your iPod music library and Internet Radio • Save your favorite Internet Radio stations or programs as convenient presets and share them with other TuneIn compatible devices • Ability to choose high or low quality streams offered by broadcasters ADDITIONAL FEATURES: • Streams music over AirPlay to any Denon AirPlay compatible receiver or HiFi product • Streams music over Bluetooth in your car or to any Bluetooth speaker or headphones • Share what you’re listening to via Facebook, Twitter, Email, or Text Message (iMessage) NOTICES: • The Denon Audio app requires iOS 5 or later and works with the iPhone 3GS or newer, the iTouch 3rd generation or newer, and all iPads (in 2x mode). • DRM protected iTunes music is NOT supported by the Denon Audio app (or any 3rd party music app) • iTunes Match will be supported in a future update • Wi-Fi or data connection required to stream Internet radio

About

Shure PLAY

This app allows users to personalize their Shure AONIC wireless listening products. It offers advanced EQ customization, adjustable noise cancellation, and a built-in high-resolution music player for an enhanced audio experience.

Highlights
  • Customize Shure AONIC product settings
  • Parametric EQ for audio customization
  • Save EQ settings to device
  • Adjust Environment Mode
  • Active Noise Cancellation control
  • High-res music player
Read full description

Shure PLAY lets you personalize and update Shure AONIC products, as well as play high-res audio files. Listen with advanced parametric EQ in the app or save your EQ settings directly to your supported Shure devices for a customized experience wherever you get your music, podcasts, and more. Features: • Customize your Shure AONIC wireless listening products — choose button functionality, select prompts & tones, and more • Customizable EQ in the app or on your device — choose a preset or create your own • Modify Environment Mode to interact with your surroundings • Block out the noise with adjustable Active Noise Cancellation • Interactive User Guide — get to know your product • Hi-Res Music Player — import and play your music files * ANC, button customization, and hardware EQ are available on select products

Screenshots

Denon Audio1 screens
Shure PLAY4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: Shure PLAY at 4.5 against Denon Audio's 3.9. Shure PLAY also leads on in-app purchases (none vs 1). Denon Audio's advantage is review sentiment (64% vs 44%) and iOS requirement (9.3 vs 17.0). On price, ratings volume, update cadence 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. Denon Audio sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Shure PLAY asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Shure PLAY holds the better App Store score, 4.5 against 3.9. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 472 and 1.2K respectively. Written reviews complicate that: 64% of Denon Audio's written reviews are positive against 44% of Shure PLAY's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Denon Audio ships an update every 6 weeks, Shure PLAY every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on November 1, 2026 and October 25, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard5 real differences · 5 level
Denon Audio versus Shure PLAY: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterDenon AudioShure PLAY
PriceFreeFree
Rating3.9 (472 ratings)4.5 (1.2K ratings) — better
Positive reviews63.7% of reviews — better43.6% of reviews
Number of ratings4721.2K — better
Update frequencyEvery 6 weeks — betterEvery 2 months
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree — better
DevicesiPhone, iPod — betteriPhone
Requires iOS9.3 — better17.0
Further details — not scored
Size20 MB71 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperD&M HoldingsShure

Customer experience

Denon Audio

All ratings471 ratings
Positive73.5%
Neutral6.2%
Negative20.4%
Written reviews402 reviews
Positive63.7%
Neutral9.0%
Negative27.4%

Shure PLAY

All ratings1,195 ratings
Positive87.6%
Neutral4.4%
Negative8.0%
Written reviews326 reviews
Positive43.6%
Neutral16.0%
Negative40.5%

User reviews

Denon Audio

From 472 App Store ratings

What we love

  • 🎨 Excellent equalizer with customizable settings
  • 🔊 Significantly improves audio quality
  • 📚 Integrates well with music library
  • 🎶 Versatile playback options (queue, playlists, etc.)
  • 🌐 Provides access to online radio stations

Room to improve

  • 🐛 Occasional crashes or stability issues
  • 🔋 High battery consumption
  • 💸 Equalizer feature requires in-app purchase
  • 📱 User interface could use modernization
  • 🔍 Difficulty finding or accessing certain features

Shure PLAY

From 1.2K App Store ratings

What we love

  • 🚀 Great sound quality
  • 👍 Intuitive and easy to use
  • 🎨 Excellent EQ customization
  • 🔋 Good battery life
  • 🎧 Works well with Shure headphones

Room to improve

  • 🐛 Frequent crashes and freezes
  • 🔌 Connectivity issues with some devices
  • 🔊 Volume control problems
  • 📚 Limited music library integration
  • 🕰️ Slow app performance

Bugs and requests

Denon Audio

Reported bugs

3 issues
  • Equalizer settings not persisting after app restart
  • Playback issues with certain songs or albums
  • Compatibility problems with newer iOS versions

Requested features

5 requests
  • Gapless playback
  • Ability to control music from Apple Watch
  • Support for more audio file formats
  • Better integration with streaming services
  • Improved search and browsing functionality

Shure PLAY

Reported bugs

4 issues
  • Inability to update firmware
  • Inconsistent Bluetooth pairing
  • Music playback issues after iOS updates
  • Unreliable battery level reporting

Requested features

5 requests
  • Ability to use EQ with other music apps
  • Playlist import and management
  • Firmware update support for more Shure products
  • Improved multi-device connectivity
  • Customizable button controls

In-app purchases

1 purchases

Denon Audio

One-time1
  • Equalizer$1.99
None

Shure PLAY

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Denon Audio free?
Denon Audio is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Shure PLAY free?
Shure PLAY is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, Denon Audio or Shure PLAY?
Shure PLAY is rated higher. Denon Audio averages 3.9 out of 5 from 472 ratings, while Shure PLAY averages 4.5 from 1.2K ratings.
Do Denon Audio or Shure PLAY have ads?
Neither Denon Audio nor Shure PLAY shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Denon Audio or Shure PLAY?
Denon Audio ships an update every 6 weeks, and Shure PLAY every 2 months. Most recently, Denon Audio was updated on November 1, 2026 and Shure PLAY on October 25, 2026.

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