Nave vs iVCS3
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Nave
This app is a powerful wavetable synthesizer for creating complex and evolving sounds. It features advanced oscillators, a versatile filter, and extensive modulation options. Users can craft unique wavetables from audio files or speech synthesis, and record their musical ideas.
- Advanced Wavetable Oscillators
- Überwave Oscillator Module
- Multimode Filter
- Extensive Modulation Matrix
- Speech and Audio File Wavetable Creation
- 4-Track Recorder
- Blades for Polyphonic Modulation
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Nave - next generation Wavetable Synthesis Nave is Waldorf’s first synthesizer App development – created by chief engineer and director Stefan Stenzel, NLog mastermind Rolf Wöhrmann and Design Guru Axel Hartmann. The Nave sound engine includes two novel Wavetable oscillators, leaving every previous attempt in wavetable synthesis far behind. The spectrum of a sound can be transposed independently of its pitch. The waves are being rendered periodically to noisy. Especially sounds with an accent on formants can be reproduced easily, which made us integrate a speech synthesizer for the easy creation of wavetables. The clearly structured UI invites both beginners and advanced users to experiment, and the large display of the iPad makes Wavetable creation and editing a blast. Besides Speech Synthesis, Wavetables can also be made by analysing audio files. Further stretching, rotating and shifting in spectral domain allows Wavetables to be further refined or distorted. All factory Wavetables from Microwave, Wave and Blofeld are included, complemented by new ones that make extensive useof the enhanced possibilities. In addition to the Wavetable Oscillators, Nave offers an oscillator module featuring the novel Überwave that can fatten your sound by up to eight detuned oscillators. The filter offers the familiar outstanding Waldorf sound, featuring lowpass, bandpass and highpass with either 12dB or 24dB slope. The Drive section offers different characteristics, and it can be positioned in the signal path: before or after the filter, or as a summing overdrive before or after the equalizer - for those who prefer harsh screaming sounds over delicate Wavetable sweeps. An extended modulation matrix and diverse real time control functionality is waiting for animating Nave sounds in any desired direction. Besides the classic virtual chromatic keyboard, Nave can be played with the “Blades” that allow for dynamic triggering of polyphonic modulation by sliding the fingers in x or y direction. The 4-track recorder can be used to build your own Nave songs or to simply sketch your music, inspired by the sounds of Nave. Audio Demos: nave.waldorfmusic.de/sound Nave Specifications per Voice: · Two independent advanced Wavetable Oscillators · Osc module with up to 8 oscillator Überosc with sawtooth, triangle, PWM, white or pink noise · Two Ring Modulators · Multimode Filter with LP,BP and HP, each either 12 dB or 24 dB · 3 Envelopes · 2 LFO · 10 Modulation Matrix Entries · Drive with adjustable curve, depth and position Effects: · Modulation Effect with either Chorus, Flanger or Phaser · Modulation Delay · High Quality Reverb · Three band parametric Equalizer · Compressor Additional Features: · Keyboard with adjustable size, scrolling and glissando modes · Blades with musical scales and optional chord mode · Polyphonic X/Y finger modulation on keyboard and blades · Modulation Wheel and Pitch Bender · Up to 3 X/Y Control Pads · Four Track Recorder with clip based editing · Core MIDI in / out support · MIDI device manager for external hardware and virtual connections · Sync to MIDI Clock or WIST · MIDI Learn · Audiobus compatible · Background Audio · Arpeggiator · Polyphonic Unisono · Speech Synthesizer for Wavetables · 3D Wavetable Editing · Generation of Wavetables from external audio files · Audio Copy / Paste Support · Patch Management with unlimited user banks and categories · Import / Export audio and sound patches from iTunes
iVCS3
This application emulates the iconic EMS VCS3 synthesizer, a pioneering portable synthesizer from 1969. It recreates the original's unique sound generation capabilities, including its oscillators, filters, and patch matrix, allowing users to explore its distinctive sonic palette.
- Official EMS VCS3 emulation
- Three oscillators (2 VCOs, 1 LFO)
- Noise generator
- Voltage controlled low pass filter (VCF)
- Patch board matrix
- Joy-stick controller
- Voltage controlled spring reverb
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iVCS3 Official EMS VCS3 emulator The VCS3 was created in 1969 by Peter Zinovieff's EMS company. The electronics were largely designed by David Cockerell and the machine's distinctive visual appearance was the work of electronic composer Tristram Cary. The VCS3 was more or less the first portable commercially available synthesizer—portable in the sense that the VCS 3 was housed entirely in a small, wooden case. The VCS3 was quite popular among progressive rock bands and was used on recordings by The Alan Parsons Project, Jean Michel Jarre, Hawkwind, Brian Eno (with Roxy Music), King Crimson, The Who, Gong, and Pink Floyd, among many others. Well-known examples of its use are on The Who track "Won't Get Fooled Again" (as an external sound processor, in this case with Pete Townshend running the signal of a Lowrey Organ through the VCS3's filter and low frequency oscillators) on Who's Next. Pink Floyd's "On the Run" (from The Dark Side of the Moon) made use of its oscillators, filter and noise generator, as well as the sequencer. Their song Welcome to the Machine also used the VCS3. The bassy throb at the beginning of the recording formed the foundation of the song, with the other parts being recorded in response. The VCS3 was also a staple at the BBC’s Radiophonic Workshop, and was a regular (and most frightening) sound generator for the Dr Who TV series. Many fo the monsters and atmoshere;s created for the show came directly from the VCS3. Description The VCS3 has three oscillators (in reality, the first 2 oscillators are normal oscillators and the 3rd an LFO or Low Frequency Oscillator), a noise generator, two input amplifiers, a ring modulator, a 18dB/octave (pre-1974) or 24dB/octave (after 1974) voltage controlled low pass filter (VCF), a trapezoid envelope generator, joy-stick controller, voltage controlled spring reverb unit and 2 stereo output amplifiers. Unlike most modular synthesizer systems which use cables to link components together, the VCS3 uses a distinctive patch board matrix into which pins are inserted in order to connect its components together. Keyboards controller DK1 keyboard controller Although the VCS3 is often used for generating sound effects due to lack of built-in keyboard, there were external keyboard controllers for melodic play. The DK1 in 1969 was an early velocity sensitive monophonic keyboard for VCS3 with an extra VCO and VCA. Later it was extended for duophonic play, as DK2, in 1972. Also in 1972, Synthi AKS was released, and its digital sequencer with a touch-sensitive flat keyboard, KS sequencer, and its mechanical keyboard version, DKS, were also released. (See: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/VCS3)
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Nave at none against iVCS3's 10. Nave also leads on iOS requirement (10.3 vs 17.0). iVCS3's advantage is rating (4.9 vs 4.5). On price, review sentiment, ratings volume and update cadence 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
Nave costs $19.99 and iVCS3 $19.99 up front. iVCS3 sells 10 one-off in-app purchases. Nave asks for nothing beyond the download.
iVCS3 holds the better App Store score, 4.9 against 4.5. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 77 and 206 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 87% of Nave's written reviews are positive against 91% of iVCS3's.
Nave ships an update every 3 months, iVCS3 every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on October 1, 2026 and October 3, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Nave | iVCS3 |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $19.99 | $19.99 |
| Rating | 4.5 (77 ratings) | 4.9 (206 ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | 87.2% of reviews | 90.7% of reviews — better |
| Number of ratings | 77 | 206 — better |
| Update frequency | Every 3 months | Every 2 months — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No — better | Yes |
| Monetization | Paid | Free with in-app purchases — better |
| Devices | iPad | iPhone, iPad — better |
| Requires iOS | 10.3 — better | 17.0 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 198 MB | 107 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Waldorf Music | apeSoft |
Customer experience
Nave
iVCS3
User reviews
Nave
From 77 App Store ratingsWhat we love
- 🚀 Powerful sound engine
- 👍 Intuitive and visually appealing interface
- 🎨 Vast sound design capabilities
- 💯 High-quality presets
- 🎹 Excellent on-screen keyboard
Room to improve
- 🐛 Stability issues and crashes
- 🔋 High battery consumption
- 🔀 Preset navigation could be improved
- 🔒 Lack of AUv3 support
- 🔇 Some presets rely heavily on built-in effects
iVCS3
From 206 App Store ratingsWhat we love
- 🚀 Faithful recreation of the original
- 👍 Powerful and versatile sound
- 🎨 Gorgeous vintage interface
- 💡 Additional features beyond the original
- 🎛️ Excellent integration with MIDI and other apps
Room to improve
- 🐛 Occasional crashes and bugs
- 🤔 Steep learning curve
- 🔍 Difficult to navigate the matrix
Bugs and requests
Nave
Reported bugs
3 issues- Audio dropouts and glitches when used with other apps
- Presets not saving correctly
- Keyboard issues like lack of lock function
Requested features
4 requests- Add AUv3 support for better integration with other apps
- Improve preset management and organization
- Implement a basic sequencer or MIDI recording
- Add more modulation options and deeper sound design capabilities
iVCS3
Reported bugs
3 issues- Presets not loading
- Crashes on iOS 15.04
- Sampler not functioning properly
Requested features
3 requests- Mac compatibility
- Improved preset management
- Expanded sampling capabilities
In-app purchases
Nave
No in-app purchases
iVCS3
- Red Sky Lullaby - 180 PresetsFree
- Singe Difficile by RUST(i)KFree
- RUMBLEFree
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- OLD GRIT - COLLECTIONFree
- JEC 2018 Iconic PinkFloydFree
- JEC EMS-50Free
- SINAPSYA - Under The Dust$2.99
- LALA - Sonic Pleasures$3.99
- JEC Mega Bank$4.99
- Essential EMS Modifications$6.99









