Comparison

501 Chorus Echo vs sub808

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

Head to head
About

501 Chorus Echo

This audio plugin meticulously models the iconic Roland RE-501 Chorus Echo, offering authentic analog warmth with modern digital flexibility. It provides producers with classic tape delay, BBD chorus, and spring reverb sounds, enhanced by DAW tempo sync and expanded controls for any music genre.

Highlights
  • Authentic analog sound reproduction
  • Extended creative control with DAW sync
  • Intuitive user interface
  • Versatile for any music genre
  • Independent SOS timings
  • Linear preamp option
Features
Read full description

"Legendary Analog Warmth: Authentic Spring Reverb, Classic Tape Delay, and Lush BBD Chorus in a Cutting-Edge Plugin" Rediscover the iconic sound of the Roland RE-501 Chorus Echo*, now reborn as the NA 501 Chorus Echo plugin by Nembrini Audio. This meticulously modeled plugin captures the essence of the legendary tape echo, BBD chorus, and spring reverb, enhanced with modern digital functionality for today's music producers. Ideal for adding rich, analog textures to any genre, the NA 501 is a versatile tool for musicians and producers seeking that classic sound with contemporary flexibility. Key Features:: 1 - Authentic Sound Reproduction: Delivers the classic warmth and character of the Roland RE-501 through precise digital modeling. 2 - Extended Creative Control: Offers advanced features like DAW tempo sync, expanded chorus and delay parameters, and independent SOS timings. 3 - Intuitive User Interface: Designed for ease of use, blending vintage aesthetics with modern digital efficiency. 4 - Versatility for Any Genre: Whether you're producing rock, electronic, ambient, or beyond, the NA 501 fits seamlessly into any musical project. Equipped with features tailored for modern production, the NA 501 includes DAW tempo synchronization, a wide parameter range for the BBD chorus and analog tape delay, separate left and right SOS timings, and a linear preamp option. These technical enhancements ensure that the NA 501 not only emulates the classic sound but elevates it to new levels. Works as a standalone app, AudioUnit v3 effect, or Inter-App Audio effect Legal Disclaimer: RE-501 Chorus Echo is a registered trademark of Roland Inc. NA 501 Chorus Echo was developed by Nembrini Audio SRL based on its modeling techniques. Roland has not endorsed nor sponsored the NA 501 Chorus Echo in any manner, nor licensed any intellectual property for use in this product.

About

sub808

Create powerful sub-bass sounds with this intuitive instrument app. Explore analog-inspired flavors, fine-tune saturation, and sculpt your basslines with versatile envelope and shaper controls. Compatible across devices for seamless production.

Highlights
  • 50 Factory Presets
  • 4 Analog Flavors
  • 8 Saturation Modes
  • Filter Cutoff & Glide
  • Handcrafted Envelope & Shaper
  • Cross-platform Compatibility
Features
Read full description

Sub atomic bass. Anywhere. For any mix. sub808 is the end result of countless hours dialing in and perfecting the perfect 808 - so you don’t have to! Experience the instant power of sub808 in your productions and sculpt your bass into something uniquely yours with our intuitive interface, all within moments. At its core, sub808 includes 50 Factory Presets, featuring 4 distinct flavors: Smooth, Tape, Gritty, and Nasty. Each flavor comes with its own unique analog character, providing excellent starting points for your creativity. Fine-tune these sounds to perfection with 8 Saturation modes, offering precise control over drive and mix levels. Smooth Easy-To-Dial-in Filter Cutoff & Glide Times: Experience enhanced versatility with a filter cutoff featuring both pre and post saturation modes, enabling you to position your filter precisely within the signal chain. Elevate your bass playability with the added convenience of an easily adjustable glide function, facilitating seamless pitch bending between your bass lines for added depth and expression. Handcrafted Envelope and Shaper: We’ve dialed in a customized amp envelope, giving you just what you need: Attack & Release. To complement this further, a specialized transient shaper that can sculpt your sound from a smooth bass pad, to PUNCH kick drum sound with ease. Collaborate, Anytime, Anywhere, on Any Machine: Wether you have a fleet of production machines, or if you collaborate with music makers around the world, we have you covered with cross-platform compatibility & presets to make switching between any machine fast and easy. Features - 50 Factory Presets covering multiple genres - 4 distinct Flavors with baked in Analog goodness - 8 Saturation Modes w/ Drive & Mix Controls - Punch Control for Smooth or Punchy bass - Sound sculpting Glide & Attack/Release Controls - Preset Manager included for saving, editing, and loading different presets - Standalone app and AUv3 included

Screenshots

501 Chorus Echo1 screens
sub8084 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is price: sub808 at $9.99 against 501 Chorus Echo's $14.99. sub808 also leads on update cadence (every 6 months vs every 17 months) and iOS requirement (12.0 vs 15). 501 Chorus Echo's advantage is rating (4.5 vs 4.2). On review sentiment, 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

501 Chorus Echo costs $14.99 and sub808 $9.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

501 Chorus Echo holds the better App Store score, 4.5 against 4.2. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 8 and 10 respectively. Written reviews split almost evenly too, at 0% and 0% positive.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

501 Chorus Echo ships an update every 17 months, sub808 every 6 months. The most recent releases landed on October 13, 2026 and September 23, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard4 real differences · 6 level
501 Chorus Echo versus sub808: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
Parameter501 Chorus Echosub808
Price$14.99$9.99 — better
Rating4.5 (8 ratings) — better4.2 (10 ratings)
Positive reviews0.0% of reviews0.0% of reviews
Number of ratings810 — better
Update frequencyEvery 17 monthsEvery 6 months — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationPaidPaid
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS1512.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size23 MB150 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperNembrini AudioOSC Audio

Customer experience

501 Chorus Echo

All ratings8 ratings
Positive87.5%
Neutral0.0%
Negative12.5%
Written reviews1 reviews
Positive0.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative100.0%

sub808

All ratings10 ratings
Positive80.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative20.0%
Written reviews3 reviews
Positive0.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative100.0%

In-app purchases

None

501 Chorus Echo

No in-app purchases

None

sub808

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is 501 Chorus Echo free?
501 Chorus Echo costs $14.99, with no in-app purchases.
Is sub808 free?
sub808 costs $9.99, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, 501 Chorus Echo or sub808?
501 Chorus Echo is rated higher. 501 Chorus Echo averages 4.5 out of 5 from 8 ratings, while sub808 averages 4.2 from 10 ratings.
Do 501 Chorus Echo or sub808 have ads?
Neither 501 Chorus Echo nor sub808 shows ads.
Which is updated more often, 501 Chorus Echo or sub808?
501 Chorus Echo ships an update every 17 months, and sub808 every 6 months. Most recently, 501 Chorus Echo was updated on October 13, 2026 and sub808 on September 23, 2026.

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