Comparison

76477 Complex Sound Synth vs Rhythm Ace

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

Head to head
About

76477 Complex Sound Synth

Create complex sound effects and music with a powerful synthesizer inspired by vintage hardware. Offers extensive modulation, noise generation, and customizable envelopes. Easily share your creations and control it with MIDI devices.

Highlights
  • Three oscillators with multiple wave types
  • Modulation capabilities for oscillators
  • Adjustable noise generator with filter
  • Configurable ADSR envelope
  • Unlimited sound effect generator boards
  • MIDI input support
  • Export/import sound effect boards
Features
Read full description

Synth 76477 is a powerful sound effects generator and synthesizer app, inspired by the famous SN76477 integrated circuit from the 1970s, but containing many enhancements. Features: • Three oscillators, each of which can produce a sine, triangle, sawtooth, or square wave • The outputs of two of the oscillators can be used to modulate the main oscillator • Frequency modulation can be linear or octave based • The duty cycle of the main oscillator can be adjusted in square wave mode • Noise generator, either analog or digital, with an adjustable low pass filter • Oscillator outputs can be mixed to the audio output • Fully configurable ADSR (Attack / Decay / Sustain / Release) envelope, linear or exponential • One shot mode available • Unlimited number of sound effect generator boards • User configurable array of sound effect generator buttons on each board, up to 50 on the iPhone and 150 on the iPad • Boards as well as individual generators can be exported and imported, and transferred to and from your computer via iTunes file sharing, making it easy to share with others Synth 76477 comes with a full set of sample sound generators, making it easy to understand how to use and configure them, and tap the full power of the app. Synth 76477 works with MIDI input devices (keyboards and controllers) in several interesting ways: If you plug a MIDI device into an iPad (via the USB Camera Connection Kit), Synth 76477 will automatically use it. You can plug several MIDI controllers in via a powered HUB, and Synth 76477 will use all of them. You can also use MIDI controllers over WiFi. Midi controllers can be used to trigger chip playback, or set the VCO frequency and volume. They can also be used in the chip editor to adjust the various settings. The app also supports Bluetooth audio devices. Visit the support page for step by step instructions on how to use the app: http://www.blackcatsystems.com/ipad/complex_sound_synthesizer_FAQ.html Buy your copy right now, and start generating your own sound effects in minutes.

About

Rhythm Ace

This app is a faithful simulator of a vintage 1967 drum machine, recreating its authentic analog sounds and rhythm presets. It allows for real-time synthesis of percussion, pattern layering, and individual voice muting for unique groove creation.

Highlights
  • Faithful vintage drum machine simulation
  • Real-time synthesized analog sounds
  • 16 classic rhythm presets
  • Authentic pattern combining
  • Individual voice cancel controls
  • Precision tempo control
Features
Read full description

Rhythm Ace is a faithful simulator of the Ace Tone FR-1 — one of the earliest consumer drum machines, built in Japan in 1967 and the ancestor of the legendary Roland rhythm machines. Every sound is synthesized in real time using classic transistor-style audio circuits — no samples, no loops. Just pure, characterful analog-era percussion the way it was meant to sound. Eight synthesized voices Bass Drum · Snare · Low Conga · High Conga · Cymbal · Claves · Cowbell · Maracas 16 classic rhythm presets Waltz, Bossa Nova, Samba, Rock, Swing, Foxtrot, and more — all faithfully recreated from the original FR-1 diode matrix. Authentic pattern combining Select multiple rhythm buttons to layer patterns exactly like the original hardware — the diode matrix OR-combines their steps, letting you build complex grooves from simple presets. Voice cancel controls Mute individual instruments on the fly with the dedicated cancel buttons, just like the original panel. Precision tempo control Large rotary knob for natural, tactile BPM adjustment. Sample-accurate scheduling Built on a lookahead audio clock for tight, rock-solid timing — no drift, no jitter. Whether you're a vintage gear enthusiast, a music producer hunting for retro textures, or just curious what the dawn of the drum machine sounded like, Rhythm Ace brings a slice of music history to your iPhone.

Screenshots

76477 Complex Sound Synth4 screens
Rhythm Ace1 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is review sentiment: 76477 Complex Sound Synth at 50% against Rhythm Ace's 0%. 76477 Complex Sound Synth also leads on rating (4.0 vs 2.0) and ratings volume (10 vs 1). Rhythm Ace's advantage is price (Free vs $2.99). On update cadence, ads and in-app purchases 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

Rhythm Ace is free to download; 76477 Complex Sound Synth costs $2.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

76477 Complex Sound Synth holds the better App Store score, 4.0 against 2.0. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: 76477 Complex Sound Synth has 10 ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 50% of 76477 Complex Sound Synth's written reviews are positive against 0% of Rhythm Ace's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

76477 Complex Sound Synth ships an update every 3 months, Rhythm Ace every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on September 17, 2026 and September 24, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard7 real differences · 3 level
76477 Complex Sound Synth versus Rhythm Ace: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
Parameter76477 Complex Sound SynthRhythm Ace
Price$2.99Free — better
Rating4.0 (10 ratings) — better2.0 (1 ratings)
Positive reviews50.0% of reviews — better0.0% of reviews
Number of ratings10 — better1
Update frequencyEvery 3 monthsEvery 2 months — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationPaidFree — better
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod — betteriPhone
Requires iOS12.0 — better18.0
Further details — not scored
Size4 MB6 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperBlack Cat SystemsTero Aarnio

Customer experience

76477 Complex Sound Synth

All ratings10 ratings
Positive80.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative20.0%
Written reviews10 reviews
Positive50.0%
Neutral30.0%
Negative20.0%

Rhythm Ace

All ratings1 ratings
Positive0.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative100.0%
Written reviews1 reviews
Positive0.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative100.0%

In-app purchases

None

76477 Complex Sound Synth

No in-app purchases

None

Rhythm Ace

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is 76477 Complex Sound Synth free?
76477 Complex Sound Synth costs $2.99, with no in-app purchases.
Is Rhythm Ace free?
Rhythm Ace is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, 76477 Complex Sound Synth or Rhythm Ace?
76477 Complex Sound Synth is rated higher. 76477 Complex Sound Synth averages 4.0 out of 5 from 10 ratings, while Rhythm Ace averages 2.0 from 1 ratings.
Do 76477 Complex Sound Synth or Rhythm Ace have ads?
Neither 76477 Complex Sound Synth nor Rhythm Ace shows ads.
Which is updated more often, 76477 Complex Sound Synth or Rhythm Ace?
76477 Complex Sound Synth ships an update every 3 months, and Rhythm Ace every 2 months. Most recently, 76477 Complex Sound Synth was updated on September 17, 2026 and Rhythm Ace on September 24, 2026.

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