Soundwaves vs Electrogene
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Soundwaves
Connect your iOS device to your Subsonic music server for a simple and seamless audio and video streaming experience. Enjoy your media library at home or on the go, even with limited bandwidth. Supports various audio and video formats, and compatible with other Subsonic API servers.
- Subsonic music server client
- Audio and video streaming
- Bandwidth-limited connection support
- CarPlay compatibility
- FLAC, Opus, Ogg Vorbis playback
- Plays movies from server
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Soundwaves is a client for the Subsonic music server. Soundwaves focuses on simplicity, making it the ideal client to connect your iPad or iPhone to your home theater setup. Optionally setting a suitable max bit rate, enables Soundwaves to work well even over a bandwidth limited connection (e.g. a mobile connection). It will also play nicely with your car radio, connected via USB, Bluetooth or CarPlay. In addition to audio formats natively supported by iOS (e.g. mp3, AAC), Soundwaves can also play FLAC, Opus and Ogg Vorbis content. Soundwaves can also play movies from your Subsonic server, as long as they are in a supported format (.mov, .mp4, .mpv, .3gp) or a proper transcoding has been configured on the server. Soundwaves works with other media servers which implement the same Subsonic API's, such as Madsonic, Airsonic, Supysonic, LMS or Ampache. Note about privacy: tracking only happens when using the free, ad-supported version. Removing ads via the in-app purchase also stops tracking and data collection.
Electrogene
This audio effect app offers a low-fidelity sound experience with bit-crushing, modulation, saturation, and filtering. It includes a real-time waveform visualizer and allows for saving and randomizing parameters. Compatible with various audio extensions for expanded workflow.
- Bit-crusher with sample rate and bit resolution control
- Frequency modulation
- Selectable low, high, or band pass filter
- Adjustable pre-gain and dry/wet levels
- Save and randomize parameters
- Realtime waveform scope visualizer
- Audio Unit Extension, Audiobus, Inter-App Audio support
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Electrogene is a low fidelity audio effect combining bit-crusher, modulation, saturation and filter with scope visualizer. Refined algorithms can produce warm or harsh sound reminding of retro digital or analog audio system. Electrogene features: – Modify sample rate and bit resolution – Apply drift variance to the bit-crusher sample rate value – Add frequency modulation to input signal – Low pass, High pass or Band pass filter – Set pre-gain and dry/wet levels – Ability to save and randomize parameters – Audio Unit Extension, Audiobus, Inter-App Audio support – 40 built-in presets – Background audio – Realtime waveform scope visualizer
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is rating: Electrogene at 4.8 against Soundwaves's 4.1. Electrogene also leads on review sentiment (100% vs 60%) and in-app purchases (none vs 1). Soundwaves's advantage is update cadence (every 2 months vs every 12 months) and price ($3.99 vs $4.99). On ratings volume, ads 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
Soundwaves costs $3.99 and Electrogene $4.99 up front. Soundwaves sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Electrogene asks for nothing beyond the download.
Electrogene holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 4.1. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 12 and 13 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 60% of Soundwaves's written reviews are positive against 100% of Electrogene's.
Soundwaves ships an update every 2 months, Electrogene every 12 months. The most recent releases landed on October 16, 2026 and October 14, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Soundwaves | Electrogene |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $3.99 — better | $4.99 |
| Rating | 4.1 (12 ratings) | 4.8 (13 ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | 60.4% of reviews | 100.0% of reviews — better |
| Number of ratings | 12 | 13 — better |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months — better | Every 12 months |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | Yes | No — better |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases — better | Paid |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod, Mac — better |
| Requires iOS | 15.6 | 12.0 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 4 MB | 10 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Simone Tellini | BACKPULLVER SOFTWARE LTD OOD |
Customer experience
Soundwaves
Electrogene
In-app purchases
Soundwaves
- Ads-free Edition$3.99
Electrogene
No in-app purchases









