Comparison

RingsFX vs MidiWrist Unleashed

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

Head to head
About

RingsFX

This music app emulates a renowned physical modeling synthesizer, offering diverse synthesis techniques and polyphonic capabilities. It allows for real-time parameter manipulation and can process external audio, creating unique sonic textures and rhythms.

Highlights
  • Physical modeling synthesis emulation
  • Multiple polyphony modes (Mono, Duo, Quad, True Polyphonic)
  • Supports MIDI MPE and velocity sensitivity
  • External audio excitation
  • Mod Matrix for real-time parameter control
  • 7 unique synthesis modes
  • 6 mod-able and 6 global effects
Features
Read full description

RingsFX is an AUv3 plugin based on the famous Mutable Instruments Rings, one of the most dedicated and fully-featured Physical Modeling Eurorack modules ever created. At its core is a resonator that needs to be 'excited' or 'strummed' by MIDI input, noise, or external audio excitation. RingsFX emulates vibrations of structures simulated by 3 different synthesis techniques that can be plucked or process external signals: Modal Synthesis, Sympathetic Strings, and Inharmonic Strings. Traditionally, Rings was only monophonic but used a unique approach to polyphony that allowed the previous note to 'ring' out and decay while a new note was played. Rings FX provides these same modes (Mono, Duo, and Quad), but expands it with a true Polyphonic mode. RingsFX also expands the capabilities of the original engine by adding support for velocity sensitivity and MIDI MPE mode. The new polyphonic mode allows RingsFX to play up to 12 notes of true polyphony, depending on the settings. Doing so requires RingsFX to use multiple Rings resonators, but the more true polyphony you use, the more processing power it requires. Running in the traditional Monophonic, Duophonic, or Quadrophonic modes may be preferred in order to keep CPU usage under control. RingsFX has 7 modes in total, by combining the 3 basic modes with additional properties such as chords or specially tuned reverbs. The original hardware also had a secret 'Easter Egg' mode, which in RingsFX is simply calling 'Synthesizer' mode, rumoured to be based on one of the early Korg synthesis methods. This mode supported a number of mutable effects which now work on in all resonator modes. RingsFX also has a Mod-Matrix which allows you to combine the built-in LFOs and FEGs to great effect by manipulating parameters and mutable effects in realtime. Finally, RingsFX can be loaded as an AUv3 effect plugin. Set the Exciter Source to 'INPUT', and you can pass any audio through RingsFX and use this audio as an external exciter. For example, it can be used to great affect on a drum beat to create some crazy rhythms. Use the Output Mix to combine the original audio with the synthesised resonator output to create some stunning effects. Features ○ 7 unique synthesis modes. ○ Supports Mono, Duo, Quad and true polyphony. ○ Supports 2 fluid LFO's per note. ○ Up to 4 FEG's per note. ○ External Exciter modes. ○ White noise Pulse Sequencer. ○ Supports 6 mod-able effects and 6 global effects. ○ Mod Matrix ○ Input and white noise filters. ○ Program Manager with drag and drop. ○ Preset Search and Favourites. ○ Easy export and import of banks and presets. ○ Extensive help manual. ○ Web Transfer for backing up to PC/Mac. ○ MPE Support.

About

MidiWrist Unleashed

Transform your Apple Watch into a standalone MIDI controller. Directly connect to Bluetooth LE MIDI devices without your iPhone, offering tactile control with haptic feedback and the digital crown. Customize knobs, buttons, and pages for a personalized music production experience.

Highlights
  • Standalone Apple Watch MIDI controller
  • Direct Bluetooth LE MIDI connection
  • Digital Crown control with haptic feedback
  • Configurable knobs, buttons, and pages
  • Transport control for DAWs
  • Motion data transmission
  • Save and manage presets
Features
Read full description

MidiWrist Unleashed turns your Apple Watch into a standalone MIDI controller that directly connects to any advertised Bluetooth LE MIDI device, without the need of your iPhone or any other proxy. The tactile feel of the digital crown combined with haptic feedback, gives you control over any MIDI device by touching your wrist, even when you're not looking. MidiWrist Unleashed makes no sound on its own and can't advertise itself as a Bluetooth LE MIDI device. NOTE: The reliability of Bluetooth LE MIDI support in hardware devices varies. MidiWrist Unleashed was tested with iPhone, iPad, Mac and CME WIDI devices. We can't guarantee the connection stability nor MIDI message latency with other devices. IMPORTANT: MidiWrist Unleashed can only connect to Bluetooth MIDI devices, and doesn't support Siri commands. If you need to connect to other MIDI devices or use the Siri features, the original MidiWrist app is still available with those features. Features: • Standalone MIDI controller for your Apple Watch • Fully configurable on your Watch, no external app is required • Watch face complication to launch the app straight from your watch face • Any number of knobs can be controlled with the Digital Crown • Macro control over multiple MIDI parameters from the Digital Crown • Remotely Play / Stop / Pause / Record / Rewind / Fast Forward your DAW from your Watch • Knobs can be controlled individually or simultaneously • Knobs can be linked to preserve their offsets • Any number of buttons can be toggled by tapping the Watch • Buttons can either be stateful or momentary • Double tap to actuate controls on Apple Watch Series 9, Ultra 2 and later • Buttons and triggers can send a single CC or channel pressure value instead of switching between a minimum and a maximum • Pages can be created with any combination of controls choosing from buttons and knobs • Program changes through the Digital Crown or by tapping the Watch • Transport control over MIDI Machine Control (MMC) or Mackie Control Universal (MCU) • Scrub transport with the Digital Crown • Save / Undo / Redo / Toggle Cycle / Toggle Click / Enter through MCU • XY pad with individual messages for each axis • Stepper panel to step through MIDI values with plus and minus buttons, accelerating as you hold • Motion data (pitch, roll, yaw, acceleration) can be sent in real time • Trigger thresholds for motion data to send discrete messages instead of a continuous stream • Configurable accelerometer range, so a strong movement can be told apart from an ordinary one when you wear the watch somewhere other than your wrist • Optional haptic feedback • Configurable colors for all knobs, buttons and panels • Configurable labels for knobs, buttons and panels • Configurable MIDI channels and MIDI messages (continuous control, program change, channel pressure, note) • Create any number of controller pages you need • Delete and rearrange controller pages • Save your configurations to presets for easy retrieval • MIDI learn for easy controller configuration • Delete and rearrange presets • Connect to other Bluetooth MIDI devices • Low latency and fast response

Screenshots

RingsFX4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: RingsFX at 4.9 against MidiWrist Unleashed's 4.2. RingsFX also leads on review sentiment (100% vs 80%) and ratings volume (27 vs 6). On price, 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

RingsFX costs $14.99 and MidiWrist Unleashed $14.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

RingsFX holds the better App Store score, 4.9 against 4.2. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 27 and 6 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 100% of RingsFX's written reviews are positive against 80% of MidiWrist Unleashed's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

RingsFX ships an update fortnightly, MidiWrist Unleashed every 3 weeks. Both last shipped on October 30, 2026.

Scorecard4 real differences · 6 level
RingsFX versus MidiWrist Unleashed: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterRingsFXMidiWrist Unleashed
Price$14.99$14.99
Rating4.9 (27 ratings) — better4.2 (6 ratings)
Positive reviews100.0% of reviews — better80.0% of reviews
Number of ratings27 — better6
Update frequencyFortnightly — betterEvery 3 weeks
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationPaidPaid
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod — betteriPhone, Apple Watch
Requires iOS13.0 — better17.0
Further details — not scored
Size23 MB4 MB
Age rating4+4+
Developer4Pockets.comUwyn, LLC

Customer experience

RingsFX

All ratings27 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews5 reviews
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

MidiWrist Unleashed

All ratings6 ratings
Positive66.7%
Neutral33.3%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews10 reviews
Positive80.0%
Neutral20.0%
Negative0.0%

In-app purchases

None

RingsFX

No in-app purchases

None

MidiWrist Unleashed

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is RingsFX free?
RingsFX costs $14.99, with no in-app purchases.
Is MidiWrist Unleashed free?
MidiWrist Unleashed costs $14.99, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, RingsFX or MidiWrist Unleashed?
RingsFX is rated higher. RingsFX averages 4.9 out of 5 from 27 ratings, while MidiWrist Unleashed averages 4.2 from 6 ratings.
Do RingsFX or MidiWrist Unleashed have ads?
Neither RingsFX nor MidiWrist Unleashed shows ads.
Which is updated more often, RingsFX or MidiWrist Unleashed?
RingsFX ships an update fortnightly, and MidiWrist Unleashed every 3 weeks. Most recently, RingsFX was updated on October 30, 2026 and MidiWrist Unleashed on October 30, 2026.

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