A/B Listener by Wavecolab vs Anacru
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
A/B Listener by Wavecolab
Instantly compare two audio files with seamless A/B switching. Ideal for music production, this app helps you identify subtle differences in mixes and masters. Supports manual or automatic switching and time-range comparisons for detailed analysis.
- Instant A/B switching
- Compare mix versions
- Reference track comparison
- Manual and automatic switching
- Time range comparison
- Offline listening
- No account required
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A/B Listener is a standalone audio comparison app for music teams, enthusiasts, and audio professionals. The app allows you to compare two audio files using instant A/B switching. It is designed to support recording, mixing, and mastering workflows by making it easy to hear differences between versions. Hear the real difference Hear the real difference in your mix with instant A/B switching. Compare versions with a reference track and make confident mix decisions. Load and compare audio versions Load two audio versions and switch between them during playback. This helps you focus on changes in balance, tone, dynamics, and overall sound. Manual and automatic switching Switch between versions manually, or enable automatic A/B switching for hands-free listening. This can be useful when listening outside the studio, such as in a car or while moving. Time range comparison Select specific time ranges and compare the same section across both versions. This is helpful for reviewing transitions, vocals, drops, or mastering changes. Designed for audio work A/B Listener can be used to: - compare different mix versions - compare a track with a reference track - validate decisions in different listening environments Simple setup - no account required - no sign-in - no file uploads Offline listening Audio files remain on your device. No uploads or cloud processing are required, and the app can be used without an internet connection. Choose two files and start listening. Availability A/B Listener is free to download and use.
Anacru
Build complex rhythms with interlocking meters, tempo changes, and nested tuplets. Visualize and hear intricate polyrhythms and metric modulations. Export your creations as MIDI files for use in digital audio workstations.
- Construct advanced rhythms
- Interlocking meters and phase shifts
- Metric modulation with tempo changes
- Nested tuplets
- Interactive visual wheel
- Export MIDI files to DAWs
- Private by design, no account needed
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Anacru is a scratchpad for constructing advanced rhythm. Most rhythm apps measure time — Anacru builds it. Instead of tapping along to a click, you assemble the rhythm you're hearing in your head from its parts: interlocking meters, tempo modulations, phase shifts, and tuplets nested inside tuplets. Then you play it back, watch it move, and export it to your DAW. Built for composers, drummers, producers, and teachers who work past 4/4 — and for students trying to finally *feel* how these ideas fit together. WHAT YOU CAN BUILD • Polymeter — stack independent layers, each with its own meter, subdivision, accent pattern, and phase offset. Watch 5/4 drift against 4/4 and snap back into alignment, locked to one shared pulse. • Metric modulation — pick the note value before and after a tempo change and get the exact new BPM instantly, with the direction never ambiguous. Chain modulations into a timeline the playback steps through as it loops. • Nested tuplets — put a quintuplet inside a triplet inside a bar. The engine handles the math; you just stack them. • Phase & accents — tap a pulse to accent it, or drag a layer's ring to rotate its phase. The wheel is the instrument. THE INTERACTIVE WHEEL Every layer is a ring of pulses on a single wheel, color-coded and voiced so you can follow each stream by eye and by ear. A playhead sweeps the cycle so you can see the relationships, not just hear them. HEAR IT PROPERLY Each layer gets its own pitch, stereo position, and selectable voice — woodblock, marimba, pluck, sine, or a kick/hi-hat drum kit — so interlocking parts read as separate instruments instead of one wash. SEE IT NOTATED Each layer is rendered on its own staff with correct meter, beaming, accents, and tuplet brackets. TAKE IT WITH YOU • Save and recall your patterns on-device. • Export a MIDI file — a clean tempo map carrying your modulation timeline, plus one track per layer — and drop it straight into any DAW. PRIVATE BY DESIGN No account. No sign-up. No tracking. No internet required. Everything lives on your device. One purchase, yours to keep.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is price: A/B Listener by Wavecolab at Free against Anacru's $4.99. Anacru's advantage is chart position (#194 vs unranked) and iOS requirement (15.6 vs 18.6). On rating, ratings volume, update cadence and ads 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
A/B Listener by Wavecolab is free to download; Anacru costs $4.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.
On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 5.0 for A/B Listener by Wavecolab against 5.0 for Anacru. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 2 and 2 respectively.
A/B Listener by Wavecolab ships an update every 2 months, Anacru monthly. The most recent releases landed on November 5, 2026 and November 10, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | A/B Listener by Wavecolab | Anacru |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free — better | $4.99 |
| Rating | 5.0 (2 ratings) | 5.0 (2 ratings) |
| Positive reviews | 100.0% of reviews | — |
| Number of ratings | 2 | 2 |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | Monthly — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Monetization | Free — better | Paid |
| Best chart rank | — | #194 — better |
| Devices | iPhone | iPhone, iPod — better |
| Requires iOS | 18.6 | 15.6 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 5 MB | 5 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Wavecolab Inc. | EVAN TRACEN POWERS |
Customer experience
A/B Listener by Wavecolab
Anacru
In-app purchases
A/B Listener by Wavecolab
No in-app purchases
Anacru
No in-app purchases
Questions
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