Comparison

volumeCTRL vs BLEASS Tides

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

Head to head
About

volumeCTRL

Gain precise control over your device's audio levels with this utility app. Adjust volume by percentage or dBFS, fine-tune with incremental steps, and temporarily dim or mute sound. Ideal for music, podcasts, and late-night media consumption.

Highlights
  • Precise volume adjustment by percentage or dBFS
  • Keypad for exact value input
  • Fine-tune volume with customizable step sizes
  • Temporary dim and mute functions
  • Seamless integration with device volume controls
  • Universal app for iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch
Read full description

volumeCTRL is a simple utility that works alongside your iPhone/iPad’s built-in volume controls to give you precise control over its level. It is designed for anyone who needs or wants tighter, repeatable control over volume level. volumeCTRL lets you set the volume level using either Percent or dBFS (decibels from Full Scale). You can key in exact values with a handy on-screen keypad. Fine tune your setting using buttons which change the value in small steps. Dim or Mute the sound when you get interrupted temporarily. volumeCTRL is the perfect iPad Split View or Slide Over companion for listening to music, audiobooks, or podcasts. Use it with your favorite music app, such as Apple Music, Spotify, Qobuz, TIDAL Music, or Pandora. With volumeCTRL, you can get your late night listening level just right when you stream movies or TV shows while everything else is quiet. If you're picky about exactly how loud your device audio is, volumeCTRL is the right app for you. FEATURES - volumeCTRL lets you set your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch volume precisely + New Favorite Volume options let you set preferred volumes for various listening cases - Selectable Units: Percent (%) or Decibels from Full Scale (dBFS) - Virtual Keypad allows you to key in exact values - Volume Up/Down Buttons let you change the volume in fine-grained 0.5 % or about 0.5 dB steps + New in Version 1.1 You can customize the step size - Dim and Mute Buttons let you temporarily lower the volume and easily get back to your previous level - Dim lowers the volume by a fixed amount (Customizable, Default: 18 dB) Super handy for quieting down loud commercials! - Mute silences the audio completely - volumeCTRL peacefully coexists with the device’s built-in volume controls — use either and the other follows seamlessly - Supports both Dark and Light Mode Appearances - Supports Hardware Keyboards connected to iPads - volumeCTRL is a Universal App - it works on iPad, iPhone, & iPod touch - User Guide embedded in App - no internet connection required to read it - auDSPr strives to design Apps for Everyone - Languages: All auDSPr audio apps support for 简体中文, Español, русский, 日本語, Français, Deutsch, Svenska, Latviešu - Accessibility Features - VoiceOver screen reader support assists visually impaired users APPLICATIONS - Setting impactful yet safe listening levels when using headphones or in-ear monitors - Setting repeatable reference volumes for studio control rooms or audiophile listening rooms - Setting precise levels for hearing aid intelligibility SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS - BUYER BEWARE: Some Bluetooth devices have coarse volume implementations (see picture above). The coarse hardware volume defeats volumeCTRL’s fine software volume setting and prevents performance from behaving optimally! - volumeCTRL is verified to work beautifully with Apple AirPods - Compatible with iOS 11.0 & up (iPhone 5S, iPhone SE (1st Generation), iPod touch (6th Generation) & up) - Compatible with iPadOS 11.0 & up (iPad (5th Generation), iPad Pro (1st Generation), iPad Air (1st Generation), iPad mini 2,& up)

About

BLEASS Tides

This music app offers a unique delay processing experience with fluid delay times and advanced modulation. Shape your echoes with input filters and a flexible feedback path featuring multiple effect processors. Its intuitive interface is designed for both touch and mouse interaction.

Highlights
  • Fluid delay time alteration
  • Enhanced modulation system (LFOs, envelope followers)
  • Input filter with resonant bands
  • Feedback path with 11 insertable effect processors
  • Interactive delay visualizer
  • Momentary Freeze and Kill buttons
Read full description

BLEASS Tides washes away the dry, uninspiring echoes of conventional delay processors with wave after wave of richly characterful reflections. The plugin's fluid approach to delay processing means delay times can be altered without the unpleasant warping results produced by other delay processors, with the option of a controlled tape-like timing shift, or a simple crossfade between differently timed delays. Better still, with an enhanced modulation system provided by BLEASS' latest plugin technology, you can take full advantage of this delay time fluidity with stereo LFOs, envelope followers and macro controllers that allow you to explore new horizons of exciting delay effects. There's more to creating unique and enthralling delay lines than timing alone, and so BLEASS Tides provides many different ways of shaping and adding character to its repeats. An input filter combining low- and high-pass resonant bands allows you to easily mould the incoming signal and thereby sculpt the resulting echoes. Then, for even deeper and more exhilarating shaping, Tides' feedback path features five insert points into which any of 11 different effect processors can be loaded. These include distortions, filters, pitch and frequency shifting, ring modulation, and even an additional delay processor, all of which can be brought to life with the plugin's stereo modulators. Tides is the first plugin to use BLEASS' v2 plugin engine, its reimagined interface design giving a crisp and clean look to the plugin whilst retaining the familiar and welcoming look and feel of previous BLEASS plugins. The new interface is as easy to use with touchscreens as it is with a mouse, and includes innovative interactive elements such as Tides' delay visualiser that, when clicked with the mouse or touched with a finger, produces fascinating interactive frequency shifting effects. Further realtime interaction comes in the form of momentary Freeze and Kill buttons that are perfect for creating spontaneous, organic effects, whether on stage, on the go, or in the studio. BLEASS Tides' unique approach brings delay processing to new shores with never before heard stereo effects and modulations, extensive tonal shaping, and a user interface that's both easy on the eye and easy to use. More information on https://www.bleass.com/tides

Screenshots

volumeCTRL3 screens
BLEASS Tides4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is price: volumeCTRL at $4.99 against BLEASS Tides's $14.99. BLEASS Tides's advantage is rating (4.9 vs 3.2) and review sentiment (75% vs 50%). On ratings volume, update cadence, ads and in-app purchases 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

volumeCTRL costs $4.99 and BLEASS Tides $14.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

BLEASS Tides holds the better App Store score, 4.9 against 3.2. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 9 and 8 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 50% of volumeCTRL's written reviews are positive against 75% of BLEASS Tides's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

volumeCTRL ships an update every 9 months, BLEASS Tides every 5 months. The most recent releases landed on October 23, 2026 and October 16, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard3 real differences · 7 level
volumeCTRL versus BLEASS Tides: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParametervolumeCTRLBLEASS Tides
Price$4.99 — better$14.99
Rating3.2 (9 ratings)4.9 (8 ratings) — better
Positive reviews50.0% of reviews75.0% of reviews — better
Number of ratings9 — better8
Update frequencyEvery 9 monthsEvery 5 months — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationPaidPaid
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS11.0 — better12.0
Further details — not scored
Size22 MB28 MB
Age rating4++4
DeveloperauDSPrBLEASS

Customer experience

volumeCTRL

All ratings9 ratings
Positive55.6%
Neutral0.0%
Negative44.4%
Written reviews12 reviews
Positive50.0%
Neutral8.3%
Negative41.7%

BLEASS Tides

All ratings8 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews4 reviews
Positive75.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative25.0%

In-app purchases

None

volumeCTRL

No in-app purchases

None

BLEASS Tides

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is volumeCTRL free?
volumeCTRL costs $4.99, with no in-app purchases.
Is BLEASS Tides free?
BLEASS Tides costs $14.99, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, volumeCTRL or BLEASS Tides?
BLEASS Tides is rated higher. volumeCTRL averages 3.2 out of 5 from 9 ratings, while BLEASS Tides averages 4.9 from 8 ratings.
Do volumeCTRL or BLEASS Tides have ads?
Neither volumeCTRL nor BLEASS Tides shows ads.
Which is updated more often, volumeCTRL or BLEASS Tides?
volumeCTRL ships an update every 9 months, and BLEASS Tides every 5 months. Most recently, volumeCTRL was updated on October 23, 2026 and BLEASS Tides on October 16, 2026.

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