Comparison

Tonic Synth vs VAPolyEnsemble

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

Head to head
About

Tonic Synth

A powerful synthesizer app offering three oscillators with diverse sound sources, including physical modeling and wavetables. It features eight analog filter simulations, extensive modulation options, and a full effects rack. Available as a standalone app or AU/AUv3 plugin for Mac and iOS.

Highlights
  • Three oscillators with physical modeling, virtual-analog, wavetable, SF2, and sysex FM
  • Eight analog filter simulations (LP/HP/BP/Notch, 12/24 dB)
  • Comprehensive modulation: LFO, envelope follower, note-per-note filter envelope
  • Full effects rack: chorus, delay, reverb, EQ, compressor, flanger, phaser
  • Standalone app and AU/AUv3 plugin support
  • Live performance features: editable presets, six scenes, MIDI Learn
Features
Read full description

Eight sound engines in one instrument — and a whole preset community living inside it. Physical modeling, virtual analog, 3D wavetable, 6-operator FM and a full SoundFont player: stack up to three engines per sound, each with its own filter, envelope and modulation. Play it standalone on iPhone, iPad and Mac, or load it as an AUv3 plug-in — instrument and effect — in your favorite host. One purchase. No subscription, no ads, nothing locked behind a paywall. • TONICA — THE SOUND COMMUNITY Your next signature sound might come from a player on the other side of the world. Browse what the community publishes without ever leaving the app: one tap auditions it under your fingers, two taps keep it. Love an author? Take their whole collection at once, into a bank named after them. And publish yours with a single tap — no account, no sign-up, no cost. • THREE OSCILLATORS Up to three independent layers — each with its own source, filter, envelope and modulation, plus mute/solo and keyboard split. From a simple patch to a fat, detuned stack on one spread knob. The Vector pad morphs across all three layers in real time: draw a path and the sound travels it on its own. • SOUND ENGINES Per layer: physical modeling (string, modal, wind, bowed), virtual analog (sine, saw, square, triangle, pulse and super-saw, with sub-oscillator and noise), wavetables up to 128 frames, SoundFont (.sf2 and compressed .sf3) and 6-operator FM that opens .syx cartridges. Record anything through the mic and turn it into a wavetable — or draw the waveform with your finger and hear it instantly, on a 3D landscape you can drag, rotate and resize. • FILTERS Eight analog-modeled voicings — LP/HP/BP/Notch, 12 or 24 dB per octave, resonance into self-oscillation, drive and 4× oversampling. From warm ladder to creamy SVF, from acid squelch to screaming resonance. • ARPEGGIATOR & SEQUENCER A step editor with a live playhead: ties, ratchets, accents and per-step probability, polymetric rhythm masks, capture of what you just played, swing, gate mode, key range and per-layer arping. Imports .mid patterns, follows MIDI Clock, and with Hold the pattern runs by itself. • EFFECTS RACK Chorus, tempo-synced ping-pong delay, 6-type FDN reverb, 5-band EQ, compressor and a Flanger/Phaser module — each one switchable and routable per layer. • BUILT FOR THE STAGE Six scenes (A–F) swap the entire patch live without cutting the sound: the note ringing out finishes naturally while the next one already speaks with the new tone. Switched apps mid-set? A sustain pedal left down or a mod wheel parked halfway no longer hijacks your sound — every control starts working again the moment you move it. The MIDI filter decides what each pedal, wheel or controller is allowed to do, and can target one specific device when there's more than one keyboard in the rack. Program Change and Bank Select switch sounds from your controller. MIDI Learn on any control, over USB or Bluetooth. • YOUR LIBRARY 280+ factory sounds in banks, and your own collection beside them: favorites, renaming, saving, tagging and search by name, tag or bank. Two file formats of its own — one to share sounds (.tpr) and one for a full library backup (.tbk). Double-click a file, or receive one by AirDrop, and it merges straight in without duplicating anything. • WHERE IT RUNS iPhone, iPad and Mac, from a single purchase. As an AUv3 it runs in the major recording apps on iOS and macOS. Using software that doesn't load AUv3 yet? See rsjb.com.br/support for the route other users have already proven. Thank you for playing with RSJB - made by musicians for musicians! Follow the news at www.rsjb.com.br/en

About

VAPolyEnsemble

Create rich, detuned synthesizer sounds with a powerful unison oscillator and multiple stereo filters. This app offers a built-in step sequencer, a variety of effects, and extensive MIDI support. It functions as a standalone application or an AudioUnit Extension for music production workflows.

Highlights
  • Unison oscillator with 7 detuned waves per voice
  • Stereo resonant low-pass and high-pass filters
  • Stereo amplifier
  • 3-channel analog-style step sequencer
  • Built-in delay, chorus, flanger, reverb, EQ, and compressor
  • Standalone and AUv3 extension support
  • Ableton Link and MIDI 2.0 support
Features
Read full description

VAPolyEnsemble features a unison oscillator that can produce seven detuned saw, pulse, or triangle waves per voice. It is followed by a stereo resonant low-pass filter, a stereo resonant high-pass filter, and a stereo amplifier. VAPolyEnsemble 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 Unison oscillator that can produce seven detuned saw, pulse, or triangle waves per voice. Stereo VCF and Stereo VCA. Low pass Filter is modeled on cascaded OTA -24dB per octave low pass filter circuit. 3 channel analog style step sequencer. - 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 Ableton Link, Bluetooth MIDI, MIDI In / Out. - Works on iPhone, iPad and Mac. Support iCloud Drive to share project files between the platforms. - Support MIDI Foot Pedal (CC#11, CC#64) - MIDI CC Settings are saved. It will be recovered when the app launched in the next time. - Selectable UI Color. - Font size for title of controls are adjustable. - Factory Preset 128 - Effects Preset 40 System Requirements - iOS 17.0 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.

Screenshots

Tonic Synth4 screens
VAPolyEnsemble4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is price: VAPolyEnsemble at $14.99 against Tonic Synth's $20.90. 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

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Tonic Synth costs $20.90 and VAPolyEnsemble $14.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

Scorecard1 real difference · 9 level
Tonic Synth versus VAPolyEnsemble: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterTonic SynthVAPolyEnsemble
Price$20.90$14.99 — better
Rating5.0 (1 ratings) — better—
Positive reviews100.0% of reviews100.0% of reviews
Number of ratings1 — better—
Update frequencyEvery 4 days—
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationPaidPaid
DevicesiPhone, iPad, MaciPhone, iPad, Mac
Requires iOS17.016.6 — better
Further details — not scored
Size34 MB18 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperRubens FelicioRyo Togawa

Customer experience

Tonic Synth

All ratings1 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews6 reviews
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

VAPolyEnsemble

Written reviews1 reviews
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

In-app purchases

None

Tonic Synth

No in-app purchases

None

VAPolyEnsemble

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Tonic Synth free?
Tonic Synth costs $20.90, with no in-app purchases.
Is VAPolyEnsemble free?
VAPolyEnsemble costs $14.99, with no in-app purchases.
Do Tonic Synth or VAPolyEnsemble have ads?
Neither Tonic Synth nor VAPolyEnsemble shows ads.

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