Comparison

Dial Upstrum vs VAPolyTZFM

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

Head to head
About

Dial Upstrum

Transform classic modem sounds into a unique musical instrument. Explore phase and pitch variations to create distinctive audio and visuals, and integrate with AUv3 hosts for advanced music production.

Highlights
  • Play 56k modem handshake sounds as an instrument
  • Adjust phase and pitch of sounds
  • Modify visuals alongside audio
  • AUv3 plugin support
  • Inspired by ZX Plectrum
Features
Read full description

Boot up that beige box, hear the sweet symphony of your 56k modem screeching into life, and prepare to surf the information superhighway like it's 1999! Play the 56k DialUp handshake sounds as a musical instrument on your iPhone or iPad! Change the modem sounds (and visuals) phase and pitch to make some weird, wonderful and familiar sounds! Plugin to your favourite AUv3 host and make unique music unlike anything else. Log on. Dial in. Based on the critically acclaimed ZX Plectrum! (but with more sounds and flexibility!) What people say about ZX Plectrum: "As seen on TV" on Dara O Briain's Go 8 Bit Used by multi-Platinum band Placebo in their live events. "ZX Plectrum lets you make music Spectrum style on your iPhone" pocket-lint.com "Utterly pointless but also utterly engaging" bamm.tv "For Nostlagia lovers of a very specific demographic this will sound like heaven" calmdowntom.com "The Greatest iPad App of ALL TIME" conoroneill.net

About

VAPolyTZFM

This app is a polyphonic synthesizer that utilizes Through Zero FM for musical sound generation. It offers a standalone mode with Ableton Link and MIDI support, as well as an AudioUnit Extension for use with other music software. Built-in effects and iCloud Drive integration enhance its creative capabilities.

Highlights
  • Through Zero FM synthesis
  • AudioUnit Extension (AUv3) support
  • Ableton Link and MIDI connectivity
  • Built-in effects suite
  • iCloud Drive project sharing
  • Analog style step sequencer
  • Up to 8 voice polyphony
Features
Read full description

VAPolyTZFM is polyphonic synthesizer featuring Through Zero FM, which is a type of linear frequency modulation and it is capable to maintain the pitch therefore it can deliver more musical results. VAPolyTZFM operates as a stand alone or as an AudioUnit Extension (AUv3) for iPhone, iPad and Mac. Stand Alone supports Ableton Link, MIDI and audio file export. Built-in Effects include delay, chorus, flanger, reverb, eq and compressor. Project files can be saved in iCloud Drive, so that the project can be accessed from iPhone, iPad or Mac. Main Features Through Zero FM Analog Style Step Sequencer. Eight Assignable Controllers. Maximum 8 voice polyphony. it depends on performance of the device it is running. Built-in effects and piano roll sequencer. Audio Export. Linear PCM format (AIFF, WAV and CAF) and compressed format (AAC) Support Audio Unit Extension (AUv3). Support MIDI 2.0. Support Foot Pedal and Per Note Control. Support Ableton Link, Bluetooth MIDI, MIDI In / Out. Works on iPhone, iPad and Mac. Support iCloud Drive to share project files between the platforms. Include 256 Factory Presets. Improvements Support MIDI Foot Pedal (CC#11, CC#64) Support MIDI2.0 Per Note Control Messages MIDI CC Settings are saved. It will be recovered when the app launched in the next time. System Requirements iOS 17.0 or later Devices with Apple Silicon are recommended. A13 Fusion or above is highly recommended. if sound is distorted when using a device with less CPU power, reduce number of voices. 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.

Screenshots

Dial Upstrum4 screens
VAPolyTZFM4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is review sentiment: VAPolyTZFM at 50% against Dial Upstrum's 0%. VAPolyTZFM also leads on rating (5.0 vs 3.7) and iOS requirement (16.6 vs 18.0). Dial Upstrum's advantage is price ($3.99 vs $14.99). On ratings volume, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model 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

Dial Upstrum costs $3.99 and VAPolyTZFM $14.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

VAPolyTZFM holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 3.7. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 3 and 3 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 0% of Dial Upstrum's written reviews are positive against 50% of VAPolyTZFM's.

Scorecard4 real differences · 6 level
Dial Upstrum versus VAPolyTZFM: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterDial UpstrumVAPolyTZFM
Price$3.99 — better$14.99
Rating3.7 (3 ratings)5.0 (3 ratings) — better
Positive reviews0.0% of reviews50.0% of reviews — better
Number of ratings33
Update frequency—Every 9 months
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationPaidPaid
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPad, Mac — better
Requires iOS18.016.6 — better
Further details — not scored
Size43 MB17 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperDave Sapien Ltd.Ryo Togawa

Customer experience

Dial Upstrum

All ratings3 ratings
Positive66.7%
Neutral0.0%
Negative33.3%
Written reviews1 reviews
Positive0.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative100.0%

VAPolyTZFM

All ratings3 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews2 reviews
Positive50.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative50.0%

In-app purchases

None

Dial Upstrum

No in-app purchases

None

VAPolyTZFM

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Dial Upstrum free?
Dial Upstrum costs $3.99, with no in-app purchases.
Is VAPolyTZFM free?
VAPolyTZFM costs $14.99, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, Dial Upstrum or VAPolyTZFM?
VAPolyTZFM is rated higher. Dial Upstrum averages 3.7 out of 5 from 3 ratings, while VAPolyTZFM averages 5.0 from 3 ratings.
Do Dial Upstrum or VAPolyTZFM have ads?
Neither Dial Upstrum nor VAPolyTZFM shows ads.

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