Comparison

GtrEQ vs Tapko Lift

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

Head to head
About

GtrEQ

This audio effect plugin is designed for guitarists to sculpt their tone with a 5-band EQ. It also features a "Buzz Kill" filter to reduce mains hum noise without significantly impacting the original guitar sound.

Highlights
  • 5-band EQ for guitar tone sculpting
  • Interactive EQ bands
  • Optional "Buzz Kill" filter for mains hum
  • Adjustable buzz reduction level
  • Output gain trim control
  • AUv3 compatible
Read full description

GtrEQ Guitar EQ & Buzz Kill (AUv3) GtrEQ is an audio effect plugin that can run standalone, or in any AU compatible host application such as Logic Pro or GarageBand. Overview GtrEQ is a 5-band EQ / tone-shaping effect made specifically for guitar players, with the 5 bands focused across the frequency spectrum where the guitar typically lives. The peak / resonance of each band is also more gentle compared to general-purpose EQs, so adjacent bands are very "interactive". This makes GtrEQ well suited for overall guitar tone "sculpting", as opposed to the surgical precision needed for targeting specific frequencies. GtrEQ also includes an optional "Buzz Kill" filter to help reduce mains hum noise. This buzzing can be a problem sometimes with single coil pickup guitars. Depending on your situation, GtrEQ might not be able to kill the buzz completely, but it should help reduce it significantly without impacting your original guitar tone too much. Controls Buzz Kill - Sets the target frequency of the mains hum noise filters which will depend on where you are in the world. For example, UK is 50Hz and US is 60Hz. Setting the control to Off will bypass the mains hum filters entirely. Reduction - Sets how much attenuation is applied to the mains hum noise. Ideally, you want to set this control so the noise is no longer noticeable, or is at least at a "manageable" level. Buzz Kill processing has been designed so that the original guitar signal is impacted as little as possible, but you may notice a less "full" guitar tone when the Reduction amount is at maximum. Buzz Kill processing, when enabled, occurs before the EQ section. EQ - Switches the EQ On or Off. This is a "soft switch" so is well suited for automation / MIDI CC control if your host supports it. EQ Bands - Sets a +/-12dB boost or cut for each of the labelled frequency bands. You can think of each band as affecting bass, low mids, high mids, treble and presence, but because of their interactivity, they don't work independently. You might be surprised by the range of tones you can get with just five bands! Out - Applies a final stage gain trim to the output at the very end of the internal signal chain, between -24dB and +12dB. Shameless plug alert... ANALOGyAMP GtrEQ partners really well with ANALOGyAMP, a retro guitar amp simulator. Placing GtrEQ before ANALOGyAMP in the signal chain allows GtrEQ to function as a boost, effectively driving the input stage of ANALOGyAMP harder. ANALOGyAMP has actually been designed to "take pedals well" albeit virtual ones! You could also use the EQ section in GtrEQ to accentuate the mid frequencies more, and roll-off the bass and treble sides in a similar way to a very famous green overdrive pedal when used primarily as a mid boost. And if you use a MIDI controller, you could potentially have four different virtual channels from two controller switch assignments, with no pops or clicks when you flip between them: SW1 - Toggle Channel Gain on ANALOGyAMP (clean / crunch for example) SW2 - Toggle EQ on GtrEQ (bypass / mid boost for example) Alternatively, place GtrEQ after ANALOGyAMP to sculpt your tone further, with an EQ specifically designed for guitar. For more info and support please visit: www.waverley-instruments.com/robjackson

About

Tapko Lift

This audio plugin provides an instant volume boost for live guitar performances on iPhone and iPad. It's designed to make your guitar stand out in the mix without altering your core tone, featuring a simple interface and adjustable boost levels.

Highlights
  • Instant volume lift for solos
  • Tap to latch, hold for momentary boost
  • 0 to +12 dB boost control
  • Three character modes: Lift, Heavy, Reach
  • AUv3 host parameter support
  • Lightweight, focused interface
Features
Read full description

Tapko Lift is a super simple AUv3 guitar boost plugin built for live playing on iPhone and iPad. When it is time for a solo, Tapko Lift gives you instant volume lift without turning your rig into another amp sim or overdrive pedal. It is designed to do one job extremely well: help your guitar step forward in the mix while keeping your core tone intact. Why is it good? - One huge SOLO button for fast live use - Tap to latch, hold for momentary boost - Boost control from 0 to +12 dB - Three subtle character modes: Lift, Heavy, and Reach - AUv3 host parameter support for direct control in hosts like Loopy Pro, AUM, Logic Pro for iPad, Cubasis, and GarageBand - Lightweight, focused interface that is easy to understand in seconds Modes: - Lift: clean level boost with no tone change - Heavy: warmer, bigger solo feel - Reach: tighter low end with more cut in the upper mids Use Tapko Lift after your amp and drive chain for a clean volume jump, or place it before the amp if you want your solo to push the front end harder. Tapko Lift is not an amp simulator, not a full EQ, and not a distortion collection. It is a focused utility pedal for getting heard when the lead moment arrives.

Screenshots

GtrEQ4 screens
Tapko Lift1 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is device support: GtrEQ at 4 against Tapko Lift's 2. GtrEQ also leads on iOS requirement (12.0 vs 16.0). Tapko Lift's advantage is price ($0.99 vs $1.99). 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

GtrEQ costs $1.99 and Tapko Lift $0.99 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 GtrEQ against 5.0 for Tapko Lift. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 1 and 1 respectively.

Scorecard3 real differences · 5 level
GtrEQ versus Tapko Lift: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterGtrEQTapko Lift
Price$1.99$0.99 — better
Rating5.0 (1 ratings)5.0 (1 ratings)
Number of ratings11
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationPaidPaid
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod, Mac — betteriPhone, iPad
Requires iOS12.0 — better16.0
Further details — not scored
Size12 MB1 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperRob JacksonDavid Lars Guva

Customer experience

GtrEQ

All ratings1 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

Tapko Lift

All ratings1 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

In-app purchases

None

GtrEQ

No in-app purchases

None

Tapko Lift

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is GtrEQ free?
GtrEQ costs $1.99, with no in-app purchases.
Is Tapko Lift free?
Tapko Lift costs $0.99, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, GtrEQ or Tapko Lift?
GtrEQ and Tapko Lift are both rated 5.0 out of 5 on the App Store, from 1 and 1 ratings respectively.
Do GtrEQ or Tapko Lift have ads?
Neither GtrEQ nor Tapko Lift shows ads.

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