Comparison

Jam Synth vs jAmp IR

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

jAmp IR

This tool loads impulse responses for guitar and bass amp cabinet simulation. It allows mixing two impulse responses and offers fine control over filters, gain, and phase. The app includes five high-quality impulse responses.

Highlights
  • Impulse response loader
  • Cabinet simulator for guitar and bass
  • Mix two impulse responses
  • High and low pass filters
  • Gain control
  • Phase inversion
Features
Read full description

jAmp IR is a zero latency impulse response loader tool in AUv3 plugin format. It is designed to be a cabinet simulator for guitar and bass amps. Two impulse responses can be mixed. Furthermore there is fine level control in the form of high and low pass filters, gain control, and phase inversion. The app comes with 5 high quality impulse responses.

Screenshots

Jam Synth4 screens
jAmp IR1 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: jAmp IR at none against Jam Synth's 4. jAmp IR also leads on update cadence (every 2 weeks vs every 4 months) and review sentiment (100% vs 84%). Jam Synth's advantage is iOS requirement (12.0 vs 14.0). On price, rating, 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. jAmp IR asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 5.0 for Jam Synth against 5.0 for jAmp IR. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 28 and 13 respectively. Written reviews are what separate them: 84% of Jam Synth's written reviews are positive against 100% of jAmp IR's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Jam Synth ships an update every 4 months, jAmp IR every 2 weeks. The most recent releases landed on September 18, 2026 and September 23, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard5 real differences · 5 level
Jam Synth versus jAmp IR: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterJam SynthjAmp IR
PriceFreeFree
Rating5.0 (28 ratings)5.0 (13 ratings)
Positive reviews84.2% of reviews100.0% of reviews — better
Number of ratings28 — better13
Update frequencyEvery 4 monthsEvery 2 weeks — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree — better
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod, Mac — better
Requires iOS12.0 — better14.0
Further details — not scored
Size5 MB1 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperDerek MesecarJan Maes

Customer experience

Jam Synth

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

jAmp IR

All ratings13 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews4 reviews
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

In-app purchases

4 purchases

Jam Synth

One-time4
  • Intelligent HarmonizerFree
  • Rotary VibeFree
  • RainbowsFree
Show 1 more
  • Time StopperFree
None

jAmp IR

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Jam Synth free?
Jam Synth is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is jAmp IR free?
jAmp IR is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, Jam Synth or jAmp IR?
Jam Synth and jAmp IR are both rated 5.0 out of 5 on the App Store, from 28 and 13 ratings respectively.
Do Jam Synth or jAmp IR have ads?
Neither Jam Synth nor jAmp IR shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Jam Synth or jAmp IR?
Jam Synth ships an update every 4 months, and jAmp IR every 2 weeks. Most recently, Jam Synth was updated on September 18, 2026 and jAmp IR on September 23, 2026.

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