Comparison

42 Decibels vs SUB/WAVE

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

Head to head
About

42 Decibels

Features
Read full description

42db is the companion app for the ChaoticVolt 42db Bluetooth speaker products.. Use the app to discover and connect to your compatible speaker, then access speaker controls and settings from your iPhone or Apple Watch. Features: • Discover nearby compatible speakers • Connect and manage your 42db speaker • Adjust speaker settings • Quick access to essential controls • Companion support on Apple Watch 42db is designed specifically for compatible ChaoticVolt speaker hardware.

About

SUB/WAVE

Experience radio reborn with a single, shared audio stream. An AI DJ curates the music, provides commentary, and announces station IDs, creating a communal listening experience without playlists or algorithms. Enjoy seamless playback across devices and even request songs.

Highlights
  • AI DJ curates music and commentary
  • Single shared audio stream for all users
  • No playlist building or algorithmic personalization
  • Seamless playback with lock screen and CarPlay controls
  • Create and tune into custom SUB/WAVE broadcasts
  • Live visualizer and song information
  • Song and mood requests
Features
Read full description

Remember radio? One signal, everyone hearing the same song at the same moment. SUB/WAVE is that. No playlist to build, no algorithm studying you. You press play and join whatever's already on the air. A DJ runs the station. It's an AI, but it does what a good DJ does: picks the next track, reads the station ID, checks the weather, says something on the way into the song. It never just cuts between tracks in silence. Start it and you're live. Lock the phone, switch apps, get in the car, and it keeps playing, with controls on the lock screen, your headphones, and CarPlay. POINT IT AT ANY STATION It opens on the public station, but it'll play any SUB/WAVE broadcast. Run your own off your music library and paste the address to tune in. Saved a few? Switch between them whenever you like. WHAT'S IN IT • Now playing, with cover art and a live visualiser • The booth — every pick, station ID, and segment as it goes out • Timeline — scroll back through what's played • Requests — send the DJ a track or a mood, hear it answered on air • Schedule — what's coming up • Themes that recolour the whole app to match the station One stream. No skip. It's radio, not a playlist.

Screenshots

42 Decibels3 screens
SUB/WAVE4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is device support: 42 Decibels at 3 against SUB/WAVE's 1. On price, ads, in-app purchases and iOS requirement 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

Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

Scorecard1 real difference · 9 level
42 Decibels versus SUB/WAVE: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
Parameter42 DecibelsSUB/WAVE
PriceFreeFree
Rating—5.0 (4 ratings) — better
Positive reviews—100.0% of reviews
Number of ratings—4 — better
Update frequency—Weekly
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
Monetization—Free
DevicesiPhone, iPad, Apple Watch — betteriPhone
Requires iOS17.616.4 — better
Further details — not scored
Size16 MB68 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperRobin KluitPerminder Singh Klair

In-app purchases

None

42 Decibels

No in-app purchases

None

SUB/WAVE

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is 42 Decibels free?
42 Decibels is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is SUB/WAVE free?
SUB/WAVE is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Do 42 Decibels or SUB/WAVE have ads?
Neither 42 Decibels nor SUB/WAVE shows ads.

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