Comparison

miniVerb vs sqsl Mantra

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

Head to head
About

miniVerb

This app recreates the classic 8-bit digital echo and reverb sound inspired by 80s game consoles. It offers a unique lo-fi effect with added filters, vibrato, and a bit crusher for a retro audio experience.

Highlights
  • 8-bit/chiptune reverb
  • Lo-fi sound recreation
  • Retro game console inspiration
  • Post and pre filters
  • Vibrato effect
  • Crusher (bit crusher, downsampler, pitch shifter)
Features
Read full description

miniVerb is an 8-bit/chiptune and lofi reverb effect inspired by the sound of 80s game consoles and retrocomputers. Early consoles didn’t have much power for DSP effects, so the video game composers at that time had to improvise. The most common way to add a sense of space/reverb to the sound was to sacrifice one of the internal tracks to play a delayed version of the original sound, essentially using a slapback echo to add depth. The technique evolved and eventually, consoles started to take advantage of more power for real internal effects. miniVerb recreates that classic digital echo/reverb sound, made famous by iconic consoles such as the NES and SNES, topping it with two filters (post/pre), vibrato, and crusher (bit crusher, downsampler, pitch shifter).

About

sqsl Mantra

This experimental MIDI sequencer generates musical patterns with multiple tracks, scales, and transformation options. It allows for deep customization of triggers, pitch, and rhythm, with features for pattern evolution and saving to MIDI files.

Highlights
  • 3-track MIDI sequencing
  • Heptatonic scales quantizer
  • Scale morphing
  • Pattern evolution
  • MIDI file export
  • Velocity modulation via LFO
  • Preset saving
Features
Read full description

Experimental MIDI sequencer/pattern generator designed for iPhones. // FEATURES - 3 tracks (A, B, C) - Triggers for each track (3 × 8 triggers) - Pitch values shared across tracks (row of 8 values) - Heptatonic scales quantizer (5 scale patterns × 7 modes × 12 roots) - Scale morphing using Triadic transformations - Degree mask per track (exclusion of specific degrees from the scale) - Degree shift (degree transposition) per track - Gate length per track - Track length control for Track A and Track B (with optional reset synced to Track C) - Track C Pause control (Track C will wait 0-8 steps before looping back to start) - Clock divider per track - Random step jump per track (probability) - Clock acceleration linked to B Track's playhead position - Swing and BPM clock control - Velocity and MIDI channel (1–3) per track - Velocity can be modulated by LFO (per track) with Rate and Amount control - Pattern evolution synced to Track C loop - Evolution has selectable groups of processes/transformations - Variations generator based on current pattern and evolution settings (16 x 4 variations) - Optional automatic capture of output to .MID files (synchronized to Play button) // EVOLUTION When evolution is triggered (Track C loop), it will randomly select one of the enabled transformation groups and apply one of the transformations contained in that group. Transformation groups can also be "locked-in" so they happen each time when evolution is triggered. List of available groups and transformations within them: PITCH - The order of pitch values is reversed - Two pitch values are swapped TRIGS - Two trigger states are swapped (within a single track) - Trigger patterns of two tracks are swapped - The trigger pattern of a single track is reversed SHIFT - The degree is shifted randomly on a single track MORPH - One of the 3 triads defining currently selected scale is rotated (replaced MODE transformation from previous version) PAUSE - Empty steps are added at the end of track C (0-8) FLIP - The pitch values of single track are inverted - The pitch values of all tracks are inverted STEPS - The track length of A or B track is randomized MASK - The degree mask is shifted horizontally by one step (left or right) BPM - BPM is halved or doubled - BPM is inverted (120 BPM taken as the axis) - BPM jumps to a random value READ 1ST - First variation on current variation page is loaded (this transformation is excluded from variation generation). ACCELERATE - Acceleration parameters is randomized (speed up of clock depending on Track B playhead position) RANDOM POSITION A - Random step parameter of Track A is randomized // PRESETS There are 5 × 24 available slots for user presets. BPM and scale settings can be ignored when loading a preset. Evolution variations (64) are saved within presets. // SAVING TO MIDI FILES Output can be automatically saved to a .MID type. File will be located at the “On My iPhone/sqsl Mantra” folder and named using the current date and time. Takes start when PLAY is activated and end/save when PLAY is deactivated. File saving can be enabled (“AUTO SAVE” setting on the MIDI page) even after playback has started, since note events are always automatically captured in memory. Important notes: - Mantra does not make any sounds on its own, it generates MIDI messages (notes). - Mantra is standalone application and it can not be loaded as AUv3 in other apps/hosts. For more information visit: https://www.seqsual.com

Screenshots

miniVerb1 screens
sqsl Mantra4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is price: miniVerb at $6.99 against sqsl Mantra's $14.99. miniVerb also leads on ratings volume (4 vs 1) and iOS requirement (12.0 vs 16.6). On rating, 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

miniVerb costs $6.99 and sqsl Mantra $14.99 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 miniVerb against 5.0 for sqsl Mantra. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 4 and 1 respectively.

Scorecard3 real differences · 7 level
miniVerb versus sqsl Mantra: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterminiVerbsqsl Mantra
Price$6.99 — better$14.99
Rating5.0 (4 ratings)5.0 (1 ratings)
Positive reviews100.0% of reviews—
Number of ratings4 — better1
Update frequency—Every 3 months
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationPaidPaid
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod — betteriPhone, iPad
Requires iOS12.0 — better16.6
Further details — not scored
Size11 MB5 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperAudioThing Ltd.Michal Macura

Customer experience

miniVerb

All ratings4 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews1 reviews
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

sqsl Mantra

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

In-app purchases

None

miniVerb

No in-app purchases

None

sqsl Mantra

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is miniVerb free?
miniVerb costs $6.99, with no in-app purchases.
Is sqsl Mantra free?
sqsl Mantra costs $14.99, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, miniVerb or sqsl Mantra?
miniVerb and sqsl Mantra are both rated 5.0 out of 5 on the App Store, from 4 and 1 ratings respectively.
Do miniVerb or sqsl Mantra have ads?
Neither miniVerb nor sqsl Mantra shows ads.

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