Comparison

Jam Synth vs PolyIvoks Filter

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

Head to head
About

Jam Synth

Transform your guitar into a synthesizer with this app. It accurately tracks pitch and amplitude to control digital oscillators, offering unique synth leads and effects. Go beyond MIDI with expressive, organic sounds and advanced modulation options.

Highlights
  • Monophonic guitar synthesizer
  • Pitch and amplitude tracking
  • Multiple oscillator wave shapes
  • Dynamic filter tracking
  • Advanced FX section (LFO, Delay, Harmonizer, etc.)
  • MIDI output for external synths
  • High-accuracy pitch tuner
Read full description

Jam Synth is a fully featured monophonic guitar synthesizer / multi FX for iOS. It tracks the pitch and amplitude of an incoming guitar signal and uses this information to control digital oscillators, adding a unique guitar infused edge to your synth leads. Unlike typical pitch to MIDI converters, Jam Synth forgoes MIDI altogether when producing sounds internally because it is impossible to shoehorn the expressive pitch and dynamics of a stringed instrument into the MIDI standard. Jam Synth can accurately track string bends and vibrato with the extreme accuracy of a strobe tuner (1/10 of 1 cent) to produce much more organic synth sounds than other guitar to MIDI converters, including its own MIDI output (though its MIDI output still creates quite a unique guitar / synth hybrid sound because of its pitch bend abilities). It also features some of the most esoteric and unique FX you can get for your guitar. Features: • 3 Phase Distortion Oscillators (4 on iPad) with 8 different wave shapes: Saw, Square, Pulse, Double Sine, Saw-Pulse, Resonant 1, Resonant 2, and Resonant 3 • Filter can be set to track picking dynamics • Input section with Gate, Compressor, ADSR, and Input Filter • FX section - A fully featured LFO with 5 wave shapes and an invert switch for a wide range of pulsating effects - Stereo Delay with a stereo width control for ping pong effects and a filter for emulating analog delay - 3D Chorus, a classic "motionless" chorus that adds a stereo DIMENSION to the synth - Intelligent Harmonizer: This creates musically correct harmonies based on the key you are playing in. The harmonies can be altered by choosing a specific interval and one of the seven musical modes: Ionian, Dorian, Phrygian, Lydian, Mixolydian, Aeolian, and Locrian. It works on MIDI output using multi-channel pitch bending for synths that support such fancy things. It also works on your dry guitar output using high quality formant corrected pitch shift. It is just the best. - Rotary Vibe: This recreates the swirling psychedelic sounds of the 1960's by combining a thick 12-stage stereo phaser with a 3D rotary panning effect. Create anything from a slow stereo swirl to a futuristic synth organ with this. - Rainbows: Adds analog modeled auto rainbows to your sound. Adds extra rainbows when used with the harmonizer. - Time Stopper: Freezes time... • LFO / Stereo Delay / Rotary Vibe can be synced to tap tempo or incoming MIDI clock sync / Inter App Audio sync • Highly accurate pitch tracking and tuner, accurate to 1/10th of a cent • MIDI OUT and guitar to MIDI conversion for controlling other MIDI synths with your guitar through Core MIDI accessories and Virtual MIDI • string bends and vibrato are converted to MIDI pitch wheel data • picking dynamics are converted to MIDI volume expression data • compatible with guitar and audio interfaces made for iPhone and iPad • detailed user manual • Fat Bass • Super Chip Leads • Beagle Time • Little Cesars Jam Synth is designed to be easy to use even for users who don't have a lot of experience programming or playing synthesizers. When in doubt, just press buttons and turn knobs while plucking a string until you find a sound you like! J a m S y n t h 2 coming soon ---------------- http://www.facebook.com/PrimitiveDigitalSoftware

About

PolyIvoks Filter

This audio effect plugin emulates the sound of a legendary 1980s Soviet synthesizer filter. It offers stereo output and a range of modulation and envelope controls for creative sound shaping. A demo version is available with limited free play time.

Highlights
  • Standalone and AUv3 plugin
  • Modeled vintage filter
  • LFO and envelope modulation
  • Stereo output
  • Scalable GUI
  • Undo/Redo and A/B comparison
Read full description

PolyIvoks Filter AUv3 plug-in — comes as time-limited Demo-version for you to try. It gives you 5 minutes of Free play time. (You can reload the PolyIvoks Filter AUv3 plug-in as many times as you want, thereby you get the Demo period again and again.) Unlimited version of PolyIvoks Filter AUv3 plug-in comes as In-App Purchase PolyIvoks Filter developed on the basis of the filter of the legendary Soviet synthesizer from 1980s, and only now the legendary Soviet analog sound became available in stereo mode. Features: • Standalone and AUv3 plug-in; • Precise port of Rack Extensions plug-in; • Modeled vintage Filter; • Undo/Redo; • A/B comparison; • 2x/4x/8x Upsampling; • Macro controllers; • Built-in Gain Match; • Scalable GUI. MODULATOR house the LFO controls: MODE — which offers four waveforms, including Noise and a stepped function for Sample & Hold effects, well as SPEED control. FILTER: The four controls adjust CUTOFF, RESONANCE, LPF to BPF switch, MODULATION (LFO) level and ENVELOPE level (You can set positive or negative values). ENVELOPE: repeating ATTACK/DECAY envelope. MASTER: the rightmost unit has 3 regulators ENVELOPE level (You can set positive or negative values), VOLUME (output gain) and DIGITAL/ANALOG switch. To use PolyIvoks Filter as a plug-in, you need an AUv3-compatible host app like GarageBand, Auria, AUM, Cubasis and more — PolyIvoks Filter will appear in the list of Audio Unit extensions for effect plug-ins in the host app.

Screenshots

Jam Synth4 screens
PolyIvoks Filter4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is update cadence: PolyIvoks Filter at fortnightly against Jam Synth's every 4 months. PolyIvoks Filter also leads on iOS requirement (10.0 vs 12.0). Jam Synth's advantage is rating (5.0 vs 4.7). On price, review sentiment, ratings volume and ads 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. Jam Synth sells 4 one-off in-app purchases and PolyIvoks Filter sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Jam Synth holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.7. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 28 and 21 respectively. Written reviews complicate that: 84% of Jam Synth's written reviews are positive against 86% of PolyIvoks Filter's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Jam Synth ships an update every 4 months, PolyIvoks Filter fortnightly. The most recent releases landed on October 6, 2026 and October 1, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard3 real differences · 7 level
Jam Synth versus PolyIvoks Filter: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterJam SynthPolyIvoks Filter
PriceFreeFree
Rating5.0 (28 ratings) — better4.7 (21 ratings)
Positive reviews84.2% of reviews85.7% of reviews — better
Number of ratings28 — better21
Update frequencyEvery 4 monthsFortnightly — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree with in-app purchases
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS12.010.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size5 MB17 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperDerek MesecarRRS, OOO

Customer experience

Jam Synth

All ratings28 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews19 reviews
Positive84.2%
Neutral10.5%
Negative5.3%

PolyIvoks Filter

All ratings21 ratings
Positive90.5%
Neutral0.0%
Negative9.5%
Written reviews7 reviews
Positive85.7%
Neutral0.0%
Negative14.3%

In-app purchases

4 purchases

Jam Synth

One-time4
  • Intelligent HarmonizerFree
  • Rotary VibeFree
  • RainbowsFree
Show 1 more
  • Time StopperFree
1 purchases

PolyIvoks Filter

One-time1
  • RRS PolyIvoks Filter Unlimited$4.99

Questions

Is Jam Synth free?
Jam Synth is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is PolyIvoks Filter free?
PolyIvoks Filter is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Jam Synth or PolyIvoks Filter?
Jam Synth is rated higher. Jam Synth averages 5.0 out of 5 from 28 ratings, while PolyIvoks Filter averages 4.7 from 21 ratings.
Do Jam Synth or PolyIvoks Filter have ads?
Neither Jam Synth nor PolyIvoks Filter shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Jam Synth or PolyIvoks Filter?
Jam Synth ships an update every 4 months, and PolyIvoks Filter fortnightly. Most recently, Jam Synth was updated on October 6, 2026 and PolyIvoks Filter on October 1, 2026.

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