Comparison

TubeSound vs iRetroMuse

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

Head to head
About

TubeSound

This app emulates the warm sound of classic vacuum tubes for your audio. It offers 23 modeled tube circuits, from subtle harmonic coloration to amplifier-inspired saturation. Advanced controls allow for deep customization of tube behavior and aging.

Highlights
  • 23 modeled vacuum tube circuits
  • Subtle harmonic coloration
  • Pro Mode for advanced control
  • Tube aging simulation
  • AUv3 plugin support
  • Custom preset saving
Features
Read full description

TubeSound adds the warm, rich character of classic vacuum tubes to your audio. This is not a typical tube-style distortion effect. Many presets operate below 0.5% THD, producing subtle harmonic coloration rather than heavy saturation. REAL TUBE CIRCUITS 23 carefully modeled tube circuits inspired by legendary hi-fi and guitar amplifier designs from the 1950s to today. Each model recreates key parts of the original design, including triode curves, power supply sag, transformer behavior, and natural analog drift. PRO MODE Take full control over tube circuit behavior with advanced parameters such as plate voltage, grid bias, PSU stiffness, transformer saturation, and more. Includes 5 factory presets inspired by iconic circuits, plus the ability to save and manage your own custom Pro presets. TUBE AGING Three wear stages: New, Worn, and Old. Each stage changes the tube character with increased noise, wider drift, and reduced gain. AUv3 PLUGIN Use TubeSound as an Audio Unit effect in GarageBand, AUM, or any AUv3 host. FREE TO TRY All 23 circuits are available in the trial version. During the trial, audio mutes for 3 seconds every 30 seconds. A single in-app purchase removes this limitation. FOR • audiophiles and hi-fi enthusiasts • music producers and mixing engineers • mastering and subtle harmonic coloration • guitar and instrument processing • adding analog tube character to digital audio Product names are used for reference purposes only and are not affiliated with or endorsed by their respective owners.

About

iRetroMuse

Features
Read full description

iRetroMuseは、80〜90年代のオーディオ機器をモチーフにした、レトロデザインのミュージックプレイヤーアプリです。 レコード、カセット、CD、ポータブルプレイヤーなど、懐かしい再生スタイルを切り替えながら、お気に入りの音楽を楽しめます。 温かみのあるアナログ風UIに加え、本格イコライザーやVUメーター演出を搭載。見た目だけでなく、音楽を“触って楽しむ”感覚まで再現しました。 【主な機能】 ・4種類のプレイヤーモード  RECORD / CASSETTE / CD / PORTABLE ・レトロ感あふれるアナログVUメーター ・プリセット対応7バンドイコライザー  Flat / Pop / Rock / Jazz / Classical / Bass Boost ・ボーカル調整やディープベース機能 ・シンプルで使いやすい音楽ライブラリ操作 ・ダークで高級感のあるオーディオUIデザイン 懐かしいオーディオ機器が好きな人も、レトロデザインが好きな人も、毎日の音楽時間をもっと特別に。 イヤホンをつけた瞬間、あの頃の気分がよみがえります。

Screenshots

TubeSound4 screens
iRetroMuse1 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: iRetroMuse at none against TubeSound's 1. TubeSound's advantage is ads (none vs shown) and update cadence (weekly vs monthly). On price and device support 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. TubeSound sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. iRetroMuse asks for nothing beyond the download.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

TubeSound ships an update weekly, iRetroMuse monthly. The most recent releases landed on October 1, 2026 and October 5, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard4 real differences · 4 level
TubeSound versus iRetroMuse: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterTubeSoundiRetroMuse
PriceFreeFree
Positive reviews100.0% of reviews—
Update frequencyWeekly — betterMonthly
AdsNo — betterYes
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
MonetizationFree with in-app purchases—
DevicesiPhone, iPad, Mac — betteriPhone, iPad
Requires iOS16.0 — better26.5
Further details — not scored
Size7 MB10 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperBartosz PaprzyckiKouki Yoshimoto

In-app purchases

1 purchases

TubeSound

One-time1
  • Unlock Full Version$5.99
None

iRetroMuse

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is TubeSound free?
TubeSound is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is iRetroMuse free?
iRetroMuse is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Do TubeSound or iRetroMuse have ads?
iRetroMuse shows ads; TubeSound does not.
Which is updated more often, TubeSound or iRetroMuse?
TubeSound ships an update weekly, and iRetroMuse monthly. Most recently, TubeSound was updated on October 1, 2026 and iRetroMuse on October 5, 2026.

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