Comparison

MESA Synth AUv3 vs M8FX

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

Head to head
About

MESA Synth AUv3

This music creation tool transforms visuals into sound by rendering shaders and images into wavetables. It offers a powerful synthesis engine, extensive sound-shaping capabilities, and a full effects rack, all controllable through light and visual input.

Highlights
  • Visual-to-audio wavetable synthesis
  • Unison oscillator stack with sub-oscillator
  • Zero-delay-feedback filter
  • Vision panel for sound shaping with light
  • 26 stackable visual modifiers as audio effects
  • 8-stage stereo FX rack
  • Sampler mode with auto pitch-tracking
Features
Read full description

MESA is a wavetable synthesizer unlike any other — it turns visuals into sound. Drop in a shader or a .vkograph and MESA renders it offscreen, reads the light across the image, and turns that into a wavetable you play. The picture literally becomes the oscillator — and the same visual keeps living behind your keys, reacting to every note. No other synth works like this. Behind the magic is a complete, serious instrument: THE ENGINE • 64-frame wavetables, FFT mip-banked for clean, alias-free playback everywhere • Unison oscillator stack with detune, spread, and a sub-oscillator • Zero-delay-feedback filter — cutoff, resonance, drive, self-oscillating • Full ADSR envelope, portamento glide, and a dedicated pitch envelope SHAPE THE SOUND WITH LIGHT • Vision panel: choose the scanline, weight color channels, bend the brightness curve, sweep time — one shader, a thousand timbres • 33 color palettes that reshape the tone, not just the look • VFX chain: 26 stackable visual modifiers, each one also an audio effect A FULL STUDIO • 3-slot modulation matrix with 2 LFOs, velocity, and mod wheel • 8-stage stereo FX rack: tape, wow & flutter, chorus, delay, reverb, lo-fi, tape-stop • Sampler mode — load any audio, auto pitch-tracked across the keys • Arpeggiator, Ableton Link, and MIDI Learn on nearly every control BUILT FOR YOUR WORKFLOW • AUv3 plug-in AND standalone app — one purchase, iOS + macOS • iCloud sync — build a patch on your Mac, it's ready on your iPhone • Categorized preset browser with import/export and full patch recall

About

M8FX

Features
Read full description

【Description】 M8FX is a revolutionary, portable multi-track effects processor app designed specifically for iPhone to turn your Dirtywave M8 Tracker into a powerful, live-performing mixing rig. Connect using a single USB-C cable. M8FX hooks up directly to your M8 Tracker (running firmware version 6.0 or higher), allowing you to apply independent effects to each individual channel (CH1–CH8) using your favorite iOS AUv3 plugins with seamless real-time BPM synchronization, and route the processed audio directly back to the M8 hardware. Optimized for a permanent "Portrait (Vertical)" screen layout on iPhone and built with a hyper-responsive JUCE 8 + React/TypeScript hybrid architecture, M8FX delivers a latency-free, hardware-style experience. Perfect for both deep sound design in the studio and chaotic dub-mixing on stage. 【Key Features】 Clean Single-Cable Connection: No bulky adapters or messy wiring. A single USB-C to USB-C cable is all you need to handle 8-channel bi-directional audio routing and MIDI synchronization. Per-Channel Insert & Return (v6+ Sync): Seamlessly integrate with M8 Tracker (v6.0+) to process individual tracks through up to four AUv3 effect slots in a chain, routing the polished sound directly back into the M8 master bus. Flawless BPM Sync & Beat Effects: Live MIDI clock synchronization enables flawless integration of tempo-synced beat effects, rhythmic modulators, and time-based delays that lock perfectly with your M8's groove. Portrait Multi-Touch Mixing UI: Tailored for effortless one-handed control on iPhone with a compact 4x2 channel grid. Perform dynamic, hardware-style live dubs using responsive Mute, Solo, and toggling between Momentary/Latch send modes. 4 Macro Sliders & Dramatic Drop Controls: Maps vital AUv3 parameters to four thick macro sliders (M1–M4) for fluid hands-on control. Build massive tension by unleashing all sends simultaneously with the "ALL SEL" button, then trigger a clean drop in a split second with the pink "RST" (Reset) button. 【System Requirements】 Supported Hardware: Dirtywave M8 Tracker (Model:01 & Model:02) Required M8 Firmware: Version 6.0 or higher (for multichannel USB audio sending and return routing) Compatible Devices: USB-C equipped iPhones (iPhone 15 or later recommended) Setup Note: Please ensure "Microphone Permission" is allowed upon launch to enable USB-C audio inputs.

Screenshots

MESA Synth AUv34 screens
M8FX1 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is price: M8FX at $4.99 against MESA Synth AUv3's $8.99. M8FX also leads on iOS requirement (16.0 vs 18.4). MESA Synth AUv3's advantage is device support (3 vs 1). On ads and in-app purchases 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

MESA Synth AUv3 costs $8.99 and M8FX $4.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

Scorecard3 real differences · 7 level
MESA Synth AUv3 versus M8FX: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterMESA Synth AUv3M8FX
Price$8.99$4.99 — better
Rating5.0 (1 ratings) — better—
Positive reviews100.0% of reviews—
Number of ratings1 — better—
Update frequencyEvery 2 months—
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationPaid—
DevicesiPhone, iPad, Mac — betteriPhone
Requires iOS18.416.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size10 MB11 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperJuan MaguidKeisuke Kagoshima

In-app purchases

None

MESA Synth AUv3

No in-app purchases

None

M8FX

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is MESA Synth AUv3 free?
MESA Synth AUv3 costs $8.99, with no in-app purchases.
Is M8FX free?
M8FX costs $4.99, with no in-app purchases.
Do MESA Synth AUv3 or M8FX have ads?
Neither MESA Synth AUv3 nor M8FX shows ads.

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