Comparison

VAPolyEnsemble vs Harmonitron

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

Head to head
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.

About

Harmonitron

This app creates a rich, swirling harmonic tremolo effect, distinct from standard volume pulsing. It splits sound into low and high bands, modulating them in opposite phases for a lush, phaser-like character. Apply it to various instruments or full mixes as a standalone app or AUv3 effect.

Highlights
  • True harmonic tremolo with anti-phase modulation
  • Voice control for morphing between classic and harmonic tremolo
  • Split & Tilt for band crossover and balance
  • Tube Drive and tone shaping
  • Adjustable Rate and LFO Shapes
  • Tempo Sync with musical note divisions
  • Stereo Spread for auto-pan and width
Features
Read full description

Harmonitron is a harmonic tremolo. The rich, swirling amp "vibrato" made famous by early-1960s brownface amplifiers. A normal tremolo just pulses your volume up and down. A harmonic tremolo goes deeper: it splits your sound into a low band and a high band, then sweeps them in OPPOSITE phase. As the lows swell, the highs dip and back again. That contrary motion is what gives Harmonitron its lush, watery, almost phaser-like character that an ordinary tremolo can't reach. Turn the Voice control and the effect morphs smoothly from a classic in-phase tremolo all the way to a full harmonic swirl. Drop it on guitars, keys, synths, pads, drums, or a whole mix. Standalone, or as an Audio Unit (AUv3) effect inside GarageBand, AUM, Logic, and other hosts. THE SOUND • True harmonic tremolo: anti-phase modulation of a low and high band • Voice: morph continuously from classic tremolo to full harmonic swirl • Split & Tilt: place the crossover and balance the two bands • Tube Drive and tone shaping for warmth and grit MOVEMENT • Rate from a slow tide to a fast flutter, shown in BPM • LFO Shape: sine, triangle, square, and ramp with adjustable edge Slope • Tempo Sync that locks to your project and lands on the beat, with musical note divisions from 1/1 to 1/32 (dotted and triplet) • Stereo Spread for auto-pan and rotary-style width HANDS-ON • A living hero orb whose two halves breathe in opposite phase — drag it to set Depth, tap to bypass • Grouped, color-coded controls: Motion, Sync, Harmonic, Stereo, Drive, Output • Factory presets: Brownface, Rotary Swirl, Slow Tide, Sync Chop, Wide Harmonic and more — plus your own saved presets PLUGIN & STANDALONE • Full AUv3 audio-effect support with host presets and parameter automation • Runs on iPhone, iPad, and Mac • Standalone mode with a built-in demo pad, live microphone input, or import a song and export the processed result

Screenshots

VAPolyEnsemble4 screens
Harmonitron2 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is price: Harmonitron at $2.99 against VAPolyEnsemble's $14.99. On ads, in-app purchases, monetization model 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

VAPolyEnsemble costs $14.99 and Harmonitron $2.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

Scorecard1 real difference · 8 level
VAPolyEnsemble versus Harmonitron: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterVAPolyEnsembleHarmonitron
Price$14.99$2.99 — better
Rating—5.0 (2 ratings) — better
Positive reviews100.0% of reviews—
Number of ratings—2 — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationPaidPaid
DevicesiPhone, iPad, Mac — betteriPhone, iPad
Requires iOS16.6 — better17.0
Further details — not scored
Size18 MB3 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperRyo TogawaKonstantin Torsten Schutz

Customer experience

VAPolyEnsemble

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

Harmonitron

All ratings2 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

In-app purchases

None

VAPolyEnsemble

No in-app purchases

None

Harmonitron

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is VAPolyEnsemble free?
VAPolyEnsemble costs $14.99, with no in-app purchases.
Is Harmonitron free?
Harmonitron costs $2.99, with no in-app purchases.
Do VAPolyEnsemble or Harmonitron have ads?
Neither VAPolyEnsemble nor Harmonitron shows ads.

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