Comparison

Surreal Machines Diffuse vs VAMonoMkII

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

Head to head
About

Surreal Machines Diffuse

This audio effect plugin blends analog-modeled delay with classic digital reverb, allowing users to morph between the two for unique soundscapes. It offers intuitive control over smearing, echoes, and damping, inspired by vintage hardware.

Highlights
  • Analog-modeled delay
  • Classic digital reverb
  • Morphing between delay and reverb
  • Nonlinearities and tape-style delay
  • Intuitive control over smearing, echoes, damping
  • AUV3 plugin compatibility
Read full description

Diffuse is inspired by classic hardware delay and reverb effects from the 1970’s and 1980’s. It takes a Surreal Machines look at the frontier between delays and reverbs. It's an analog/digital hybrid - an analog modeled delay fused with a classic reverb design used in early digital units. In Diffuse you get more than the best of both worlds - you can morph between delays and reverbs, and find all kinds of fantastical sounds in between the two. You’ll also find plenty of nonlinearities and smooth tape-style delay changes. Diffuse gives you complete control over smearing, echoes and damping in the most intuitive ways possible. ****** Diffuse is an Audio Unit V3 plugin; it benefits from an AUV3 host like Logic, GarageBand, Cubasis, FL Studio Mobile, AUM, etc.

About

VAMonoMkII

This app is a virtual analog bitimbral synthesizer for iOS and macOS. It offers two 8-voice synthesizers with extensive modulation, classic analog filter models, and built-in effects. Create and export music with its sequencer and audio visualization tools.

Highlights
  • Virtual analog bitimbral synthesizer
  • Dual oscillators with variable waveforms
  • Transistor Ladder and Sallen-Key filter models
  • Built-in effects suite (delay, reverb, chorus, etc.)
  • 16-bar sequencer with piano roll and automation
  • Audio Unit Extension (AUv3) support
  • Ableton Link and MIDI 2.0 compatibility
Features
Read full description

VAMonoMkII is a virtual analog bitimbral synthesizer for iPhone, iPad and Mac. It features two 8 voice synthesizer, effects, sequencer and audio visualization tools. It operates as a stand alone or as an AudioUnit Extension (AUv3). Stand Alone supports Ableton Link, MIDI and audio file export. The bitimbral synthesizer consists of two synthesizer, which features two oscillators, two ADSR envelopes, resonant high pass and low pass filter and an amplifier per voice. The oscillators features continuously variable wave shape and wide variety of modulation. The filters are modeled on Transistor Ladder filter circuit and the Sallen-Key filter circuit for classic analog sound. The Effects include delay, chorus, flanger, reverb, eq and compressor. The sequencer features piano roll and parameter automation editor to program 16 bar pattern per clip. Project files can be saved in iCloud Drive, so that the project can be accessed from iPhone, iPad or Mac. - Main Features - Virtual analog bitimbral synthesizer Two type of Lowpass filter, Transistor Ladder model and Sallen-key model. Maximum 8 voice polyphony. it depends on performance of the device it is running. Operate as monophonic or polyphonic. Patch points for modulation. Support MIDI 2.0 User Interface built by SwiftUI for improved performance. Built-in Sequencer. 16 bar patterns per clip. Total 8 clips. Piano Roll and Parameter automation. Support Audio Unit Extension (AUv3) Works on iPhone, iPad and Mac. Support iCloud Drive to share project files between the platforms. Audio Export. Linear PCM format (AIFF, WAV and CAF) and compressed format (AAC) Support Ableton Link, Bluetooth MIDI, MIDI In / Out. 360 bitimbral presets and more. - System Requirements - A13 Fusion or above is recommended. AudioUnit Extension (AUv3) requires host application which support AudioUnit Extension. AudioUnit Extension is supported by Apple Logic and Apple Garage Band on iOS and macOS. For any other DAW, it depends on the application and some of them don’t support AudioUnit Extension. Sound may be distorted if CPU of the device doesn't have enough power. If it happens reduce number of voices.

Screenshots

Surreal Machines Diffuse1 screens
VAMonoMkII4 screens

Verdict

The call

Surreal Machines Diffuse and VAMonoMkII both sit at 5.0 stars, but that hides the real split: 100% of Surreal Machines Diffuse's written reviews are positive against 0% of VAMonoMkII's. Surreal Machines Diffuse also leads on price ($7.99 vs $14.99) and iOS requirement (14 vs 16.6). On rating, ratings volume, 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

Surreal Machines Diffuse costs $7.99 and VAMonoMkII $14.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 5.0 for Surreal Machines Diffuse against 5.0 for VAMonoMkII. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 6 and 4 respectively. Written reviews are what separate them: 100% of Surreal Machines Diffuse's written reviews are positive against 0% of VAMonoMkII's.

Scorecard3 real differences · 7 level
Surreal Machines Diffuse versus VAMonoMkII: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterSurreal Machines DiffuseVAMonoMkII
Price$7.99 — better$14.99
Rating5.0 (6 ratings)5.0 (4 ratings)
Positive reviews100.0% of reviews — better0.0% of reviews
Number of ratings6 — better4
Update frequency—Every 11 months
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationPaidPaid
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, Mac
Requires iOS14 — better16.6
Further details — not scored
Size8 MB16 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperSurreal MachinesRyo Togawa

Customer experience

Surreal Machines Diffuse

All ratings6 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews2 reviews
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

VAMonoMkII

All ratings4 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews1 reviews
Positive0.0%
Neutral100.0%
Negative0.0%

In-app purchases

None

Surreal Machines Diffuse

No in-app purchases

None

VAMonoMkII

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Surreal Machines Diffuse free?
Surreal Machines Diffuse costs $7.99, with no in-app purchases.
Is VAMonoMkII free?
VAMonoMkII costs $14.99, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, Surreal Machines Diffuse or VAMonoMkII?
Surreal Machines Diffuse and VAMonoMkII are both rated 5.0 out of 5 on the App Store, from 6 and 4 ratings respectively.
Do Surreal Machines Diffuse or VAMonoMkII have ads?
Neither Surreal Machines Diffuse nor VAMonoMkII shows ads.

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