VAPolyMk5 vs Bit Splitter
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
VAPolyMk5
This is a powerful bitimbral polyphonic synthesizer with a re-designed step sequencer. It offers advanced oscillator features, a cascaded OTA low-pass filter, and extensive modulation capabilities. Operate it as a standalone app or an AudioUnit Extension.
- Bitimbral polyphonic synthesis
- Re-designed step sequencer
- Hard sync and through zero FM oscillators
- Cascaded OTA low-pass filter
- AudioUnit Extension (AUv3) support
- Ableton Link and MIDI 2.0 support
- Built-in effects suite
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VAPolyMk5 is bitimbral polyphonic synthesizer. Main feature of Mk5 is re-designed step sequencer which contains one note sequencer and three modulation sequencers. Oscillator feature hard sync and through zero FM. Low pass Filter is modeled on cascaded OTA -24dB per octave low pass filter circuit. Each synthesizer consists of three oscillators, resonant low pass and high pass filter, amplifier, three envelope generators, two LFO and key tracking. Two synthesizers can be configured as layer or split. Mk5 also features global LFO, output morphing, classic ring modulator and easy target assignment for mod wheel and aftertouch. VAPolyMk5 operates as a stand alone or as an AudioUnit Extension (AUv3) for iPhone, iPad and Mac. Stand Alone supports Ableton Link, MIDI and audio file export. Built-in Effects include delay, chorus, flanger, reverb, eq and compressor. Project files can be saved in iCloud Drive, so that the project can be accessed from iPhone, iPad or Mac. Main Features Bi-timbral Polyphonic Synthesizer Oscillators feature hard sync and through zero FM. Low pass Filter is modeled on cascaded OTA -24dB per octave low pass filter circuit. Re-designed step sequencer Re-designed offset control Improved output morphing. Improved classic ring modulator. Improved key tracking Easy target assignment for mod wheel and aftertouch Maximum 8 voice polyphony. it depends on performance of the device it is running. Built-in effects and piano roll sequencer. Audio Export. Linear PCM format (AIFF, WAV and CAF) and compressed format (AAC) Support Audio Unit Extension (AUv3). Support MIDI 2.0. Support Foot Pedal and Per Note Control. Support Ableton Link, Bluetooth MIDI, MIDI In / Out. Works on iPhone, iPad and Mac. Support iCloud Drive to share project files between the platforms. General Improvements Support MIDI Foot Pedal (CC#11, CC#64) Support MIDI2.0 Per Note Control Messages MIDI CC Settings are saved. It will be recovered when the app launched in the next time. UI Color can be selected from black, navy, gray or blown. Adjustable text size for title of controls Factory Preset 208 Synth CH Preset 256 Effect Preset 40 Default & Macro 8 System Requirements iOS 17.0 or later macOS 14.0 or later Devices with Apple Silicon are recommended. A13 Fusion or above is highly recommended. AudioUnit Extension (AUv3) requires host application which support AudioUnit Extension. AudioUnit Extension is supported by Apple Logic and Apple Garage Band on iOS and macOS. For any other DAW, it depends on the application and some of them don’t support AudioUnit Extension. Sound may be distorted if CPU of the device doesn't have enough power. If it happens reduce number of voices or enable Low Power Mode in setting panel. App launches in Low Power Mode in the first time on device with iOS earlier than iOS 18.0 as mono-timbral.
Bit Splitter
This app manipulates audio by isolating, gating, or masking specific bit-planes of the input signal. It offers unique sound-shaping capabilities for creating glitchy, degraded, or rhythmically chopped audio effects.
- Bit-plane isolation
- Gating with bit-planes
- Bit-depth reduction (masking)
- Adjustable bit selection
- Input drive control
- Dry/wet mix control
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BIT SPLITTER A bit-plane manipulator. The input is scaled and quantized to an 8-bit value, then a single bit-plane of that value is used to reshape the signal. Where a bit crusher reduces resolution and hands back a degraded copy of the sound, the bit splitter operates on one specific bit and can either output that bit on its own, use it to gate the input, or mask the signal down to a chosen number of bits. MODES ISOLATE Outputs the chosen bit-plane on its own as a bipolar square wave. The most-significant bit behaves like a sign comparator, producing a hard square that tracks the waveform; lower bits flip more often as the amplitude moves, giving increasingly noisy, aliased fuzz. This is the most literal reading of splitting a bit out. GATE Passes the dry input only while the chosen bit is high, and mutes it otherwise. The signal is chopped by its own bit-plane, producing glitchy, rhythmic gating that still carries the source material underneath. MASK Zeros every bit below the chosen one and reconstructs the result to audio. This is a bit-depth reduction in which BIT sets how many low bits are discarded: at 0 the signal is untouched, at 7 only the most-significant bit survives (1-bit). Closest of the three to a classic crusher, but with arbitrary bit selection. CONTROLS BIT In Isolate and Gate, selects which bit-plane is used, from 0 (LSB) to 7 (MSB). In Mask, sets the lowest bit that is kept, so it acts as a resolution control. Lower bits track fine detail and toggle rapidly; higher bits track the gross shape of the waveform. Range: 0 to 7 THRESH Input drive into the quantizer. The signal is divided by this value before being mapped to a byte, so lower settings push the signal harder into the 8-bit range (clipping into it sooner) while higher settings keep it quieter and more centered. It changes which bits are active for a given input level, and so reshapes the character of every mode. Range: 0.01 to 2.0 MODE Selects the bit-plane operation: Isolate, Gate, or Mask (see above). Switching mode changes what BIT means, so the two are best adjusted together. MIX Controls the balance between the unprocessed (dry) input and the processed (wet) output. At 0% only the dry signal is heard; at 100% only the processed signal passes through. Intermediate values produce a linear crossfade, useful for blending the harsher modes back under the source for parallel-style processing. Range: 0% to 100%
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is price: Bit Splitter at $1.99 against VAPolyMk5's $14.99. On review sentiment, 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
VAPolyMk5 costs $14.99 and Bit Splitter $1.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.
| Parameter | VAPolyMk5 | Bit Splitter |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $14.99 | $1.99 — better |
| Rating | — | 5.0 (3 ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | 100.0% of reviews | 100.0% of reviews |
| Number of ratings | — | 3 — better |
| Update frequency | Weekly | — |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Monetization | Paid | Paid |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, Mac — better | iPhone, iPad |
| Requires iOS | 16.6 — better | 17.0 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 21 MB | 7 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Ryo Togawa | Callback Audio, LLC |
Customer experience
VAPolyMk5
Bit Splitter
In-app purchases
VAPolyMk5
No in-app purchases
Bit Splitter
No in-app purchases








