Performance Sampler vs NovaDrive
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Performance Sampler
Create malleable, performative sound with dynamic, real-time effects. This app offers a tactile approach to sample-based music creation with multi-touch gestures to sculpt audio. Explore new sounds, jam on the go, or perform live with a clean, fluid interface and robust sound-shaping tools.
- Real-time audio manipulation
- Multi-touch gestures for sound sculpting
- Customizable sample pads with FX chains
- Parametric EQ and tuner per pad
- Sequencer with up to 512 steps
- Ableton Link integration
- Resampling and mic/line in recording
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Samposium is a performance sampler built for real-time audio manipulation. Through fluid, multi-touch gestures inspired by modular synthesizers and the spirit of improvisation, you bend, shape, twist, and sculpt samples into rich, textured arrangements — sample putty you mold live, not just trigger. Whether you're playing live, jamming on the go, or exploring new sounds, Samposium turns your iPad or iPhone into an interactive musical instrument, welcoming to complete beginners and seasoned musicians alike. New in this release: Sequences just leveled up into Patterns. Build and edit up to 8 patterns (A–H) live, without ever stopping playback, so a simple loop can grow into a full arrangement without you ever losing the moment. Grab a Bluetooth MIDI controller and take hands-on control — every mapping in your project now lives in one screen, so you always know exactly what's wired to what. Professional beat-making and sound design at your fingertips • Create fully customizable sample pads - adjust colors, sizes, positions, and behaviors to match your style • Design unique sounds with independent effects chains on every pad, complete with 3-band EQ, tuning, and full effect order control • Layer drums realistically with choke groups, mute or solo any pad at a glance, and craft intricate beats with a powerful 64-step sequencer, up to 512 unique steps • Instantly clear every mute or solo with one tap when things get chaotic mid-set • Tap anywhere on a waveform to hear that exact moment instantly, even while the sequencer keeps running Record and capture your sound • Connect a USB audio interface and choose exactly which input channel feeds which pad, with mono/stereo recording and channel metering • Record your own samples or layer in royalty-free sounds with live Mic/Line In recording and resampling • Bundled project demos and 300+ MB of royalty-free samples to spark creativity immediately Make music your way, anywhere • Adaptive interface that flows seamlessly between portrait and landscape orientations • Choose from multiple layouts designed for different workflows - prioritize what matters to you • Show or hide views to keep your focus exactly where it needs to be • Fully customizable colors and colorblind-friendly options with light and dark modes Collaborate and create without limits • Sync seamlessly with other music apps and hardware using Ableton Link • Full MIDI control with visual feedback - map every pad, effect, and sequencer action with "push to learn," using wired or Bluetooth MIDI controllers • Per-pad MIDI settings for advanced production control • Get quick inspiration with intelligent randomization that respects your settings Stay in the creative flow • Quick-save and auto-save so your ideas are never lost, plus quick access to your 5 most recent projects • Intuitive multi-touch gestures and controls designed for fast, expressive playing • Effect range controls and step-size quantization for precise sound sculpting Everything you need, nothing you don't • One purchase, no subscriptions - create forever • Comprehensive user guide to master every feature • Works as a standalone app or as an AUv3 plugin, with full audio recording support • Run multiple instances of Samposium side-by-side inside your DAW What people are saying: "I'm always excited about any new, powerful multi-layer sampler for iOS. In this, I really like how fluid the interface and workflow are here." - Synth Anatomy "It's for music creation with your samples and it's for live jamming and it does all kinds of cool stuff. It's very elegant with the way it's been designed." - The Sound Test Room "It's fun, it is a performance sampler. There are no in-app purchases with this, you pay for it once! It works on your iPhone, it works on your iPad" - JadeStarr Questions? help@synthfamdsp.com Join our community on Discord https://www.synthfamdsp.com/#community
NovaDrive
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NovaDrive is a professional multi-mode distortion plugin featuring three legendary saturation engines and powerful SuperSitter spatial positioning. Get desktop-class processing with tube warmth, high-gain distortion, or analog saturation, plus unique forward/back spatial control that moves sounds closer or further in your mix as easy as panning left/right! A Revolution! Works amazingly in Logic Pro, GarageBand, Cubasis, and all AUv3 hosts. Three Legendary Distortion Modes: Overdrive - Classic tube-style warmth and dynamics. Soft Clip for smooth transparency or Classic Saturation for vintage character with simulated power supply sag. Excellent for blues, rock, country, and clean boost. Distortion - Aggressive, tight, and brutally powerful. Driven Tube for focused control or Modern High-Gain for multi-stage clarity. Awesome for metal, punk, hard rock, and extreme fuzz tones. Saturation - Subtle warmth to full analog character. Tube Saturation for transparent mastering warmth or Tape Saturation for compression and analog glue. Perfect for mastering, parallel processing, and vintage vibe. Intelligent Tone Shaping: Drive - Distortion intensity with mode-optimized ranges for each character Tone - Adaptive pre/post EQ that intelligently complements each mode Style - Seamlessly blend between two unique algorithms per mode for vast tonal variations Gain - Extra control of input level that works with the Drive for volume compensation Mix - Parallel processing from subtle enhancement to full saturation Output - Final gain stage (-12dB to +12dB) for precise level matching SuperSitter Spatial Technology: Our exclusive psychoacoustic SuperSitter system easily moves sounds forward or back in your mix, as intuitive as left/right panning! Forward brings sounds closer with intelligent enhancement. Back creates warm distance with spatial processing. Visual feedback shows exact position in real-time. 20 Professional Presets: Expertly crafted presets covering blues to extreme distortion. Each preset remembers settings for all three modes, giving you 60 total starting points! Plus, unlimited global user presets for saving and recalling your custom settings instantly and across multiple DAWs on your device. Advanced Sidechain Control: Route sidechain to dynamically control drive intensity or spatial positioning. Precise threshold, attack, release, and mix controls with self-signal capability (DAW dependent). Optimized for iOS/iPadOS Production: Touch-optimized interface designed for iPad and iPhone. Works seamlessly with Logic Pro, GarageBand, Cubasis, AUM, and all AUv3 hosts. Create professional tones on the go with desktop power in your hands. CPU-efficient design allows multiple instances without performance issues. Technical Excellence: - AUv3 format works with Logic Pro, GarageBand, Cubasis, AUM, and all AUv3 hosts - Lock-free real-time processing with anti-aliasing and DC blocking - Three separate processing engines with dual algorithms and intelligent gain compensation - True stereo processing with independent channel state - Full parameter automation - CPU efficient design for use on many tracks simultaneously - Professional factory presets plus unlimited global user preset storage The Nova series of plugins represents an evolution of audio plugins - combining professional desktop quality effects and utilities with intuitive spatial positioning and advanced sidechain control for your iPhone and iPad. Download NovaDrive now and hear professional studio-quality results in seconds!
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is price: NovaDrive at $9.99 against Performance Sampler's $14.99. NovaDrive also leads on iOS requirement (12.0 vs 18.6). On ads, in-app purchases and device support 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
Performance Sampler costs $14.99 and NovaDrive $9.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.
| Parameter | Performance Sampler | NovaDrive |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $14.99 | $9.99 — better |
| Rating | 5.0 (7 ratings) — better | — |
| Positive reviews | 100.0% of reviews | — |
| Number of ratings | 7 — better | — |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | — |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Monetization | Paid | — |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPad, iPod — better |
| Requires iOS | 18.6 | 12.0 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 411 MB | 19 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Joshua Totemwongse | Simon Alexander |
In-app purchases
Performance Sampler
No in-app purchases
NovaDrive
No in-app purchases







