e vs Needlepoint
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
e
Create retro-style music with a sampling keyboard featuring tempo-based looping. Record, manipulate, and play back samples with various effects and flexible playback modes. Integrate with other audio apps and control parameters via MIDI.
- Retro sampling keyboard
- Tempo-based looping
- Reverb, bit crusher, resonant filter
- Multiple loop and start/stop modes
- MIDI control and Core MIDI support
- AUv3, Audiobus, Inter App Audio integration
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Elsa is a retro style sampling keyboard with tempo based looping. Record, save, load, reverse samples with a multi octave on screen keyboard or plug in your core midi device of choice, soft- or hardware. Elsa comes with three built in effects, a reverb, a resonant filter and a sample rate/bit crusher. Samples are looped in three different modes, one off, forward and/or forward-reverse. The start and end of playback also comes in three modes, one set of start and stop for all, one set per note and/or one set per octave, allowing for many different types of samples. Additionally at playback time, sample length can also be controlled by a set of sample dividers, 1-8. Elsa supports connections with AudioCopy, AudioBus, Inter App Audio and AUv3. Plus all audio parameters can be modulated by MIDI. +++ Sample keyboard +++ Tempo based looping +++ ADSR +++ Bit/sample crush +++ Reverb +++ Resonant filter: low, band or high pass +++ Record, trim, normalise, reverse, zoom +++ Chromatic and scale keyboard +++ 3 loop modes (one off, forward, forward-reverse) +++ 3 start/stop modes (one for all, one per note, one per octave) +++ Playback length dividers (1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8) +++ Arpeggiator +++ Presets: save/load settings +++ Audio connections: AUv3, Audiobus, Inter App Audio +++ Midi: Core Midi, Bluetooth Midi, AUv3 Midi +++ Ableton Link
Needlepoint
This app simulates the warm, fuzzy sound of vinyl records using advanced physical modeling. It generates realistic turntable noises and artifacts, offering creative control over warped sounds and tempo-synced playback. Additional effects like a compressor and glitchy looper enhance the audio.
- Physical modeling for realistic vinyl sounds
- Synthesized record detritus and distress
- Tempo-syncable turntable speed
- Single-knob compressor with multiple algorithms
- Broken record looper mode
- Vinyl spindown and start effect
- Granular pitch shifter
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Unfiltered Audio's Needlepoint is now available on iOS as a Standalone app or AUv3 plugin! Unfiltered Audio raises the bar (and lowers the tonearm) with Needlepoint: a revolution in vinyl simulation. Continuing the retro themes of their smashed-up hit lo-fi-af, Needlepoint presents a full platter of advanced physical modeling to dive deep into the warm, fuzzy sound of turntable noises and artifacts beloved by many. Of course, since this is an Unfiltered Audio plugin, you can push the needle far past realism and dive into some seriously warped sounds. While many vinyl plugins are content to use looping samples of noise, Needlepoint uses physical modeling to achieve its incredible sound. Needlepoint synthesizes all sorts and sizes of detritus and distress on a record: hair, dust mites, scratches, warping, etc. These are not randomly modeled, but rather accurately distributed onto a rotating, algorithmic platter. Changing the speed of the record can greatly change the nature of Needlepoint's impact on your sound. While you may be used to vinyl RPMs like 33 1/3, 45, and 78, have you ever wondered what it would sound like to tempo sync a turntable to your DAW? Now you can! Beyond noise, ambience, and tone, Needlepoint includes other effects to fully etch out your vibe. A single knob compressor (inspired by lo-fi-af's PRESS knob with six additional algorithms) can be added before or after the signal chain. This compressor can emulate algorithms from famous hardware samplers associated with vinyl, or even mimic the sound of analog distortion introduced by the vinyl pressing process. A BROKEN mode emulates a broken record a broken record a broken record a broken... Where were we? Oh right, a BROKEN mode acts as an unpredictable looper by jumping the grooves on your recent audio. You can automate the mode's toggle to create all sorts of cut-up and glitchy phrases. No vinyl plugin would be complete without a SPINDOWN button that creates that classic vinyl stop (and start!) sound. Here you can control the rate of the spindown to better fit the effect into your mixes. Finally, at the end of the processing chain, Needlepoint features a granular pitch shifter to help you achieve that chopped up vibe without needing to manually change the speed of your tracks. Despite all of these features, Needlepoint is incredibly easy to use. With a beautiful interface and an extensive set of presets, Needlepoint will help you itch that nostalgic scratch that your tracks need. As an AUv3 plugin, Needlepoint has been tested to work perfectly with Garageband, Drambo, AUM, Cubasis, Beatmaker, Nanostudio, apeMatrix, Loopy Pro, and more! Additionally, with its clear layout and smart resizing, Needlepoint can be used on tablets and phones with ease. (Note for Drambo users: Drambo does not yet have automatic Plugin Delay Compensation for managing plugins with latency. As a result, tracks with Needlepoint will not line up properly with other tracks. An upcoming patch for Drambo will add this feature in.)
Screenshots
Verdict
e and Needlepoint both sit at 4.9 stars, but that hides the real split: 87% of e's written reviews are positive against 50% of Needlepoint's. e also leads on price ($5.99 vs $9.99). On rating, ratings volume, update cadence 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
e costs $5.99 and Needlepoint $9.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.
On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.9 for e against 4.8 for Needlepoint. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 31 and 14 respectively. Written reviews are what separate them: 87% of e's written reviews are positive against 50% of Needlepoint's.
e ships an update every 3 weeks, Needlepoint fortnightly. The most recent releases landed on November 1, 2026 and November 3, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | e | Needlepoint |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $5.99 — better | $9.99 |
| Rating | 4.9 (31 ratings) — better | 4.8 (14 ratings) |
| Positive reviews | 87.1% of reviews — better | 50.0% of reviews |
| Number of ratings | 31 — better | 14 |
| Update frequency | Every 3 weeks | Fortnightly — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Monetization | Paid | Paid |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Requires iOS | 11.0 — better | 12.0 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 43 MB | 30 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Erik Sigth | Unfiltered Audio |
Customer experience
e
Needlepoint
In-app purchases
e
No in-app purchases
Needlepoint
No in-app purchases









