Comparison

76477 Complex Sound Synth vs ARPJAM Studio

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

ARPJAM Studio

This app generates unique musical phrases based on user-defined rules for arpeggios, basslines, and drums. It allows real-time performance and recording with an on-screen keyboard or MIDI input, offering a flexible sound-shaping experience.

Highlights
  • Generative synth with five machines (arpeggios, bass, drums, sampler)
  • Rule-based phrase generation
  • Real-time performance with on-screen keyboard
  • MIDI keyboard input support
  • One-bar looper for recording performances
  • AUv3 plugin for instruments and effects
  • WAV recording and export
Features
Read full description

No sequences. No loops. A generative synth that plays on by your rules. And you can play right along. Key, scale, density, complexity — just set the rules, and five machines (arpeggios, bass, drums and a sampler) keep playing, with a different phrase every time. What you shape is not a song — it is a way of sounding. No AI picks the notes: your rules and probability do. Move a slider and the sound changes shape without ever stopping. Density, contour, filter, tape movement. It is built so that nothing you touch can break it. Then play right along with your own fingers. The on-screen key pad holds only the notes of the current scale, so nothing goes off-key. Play ARP A, ARP B, BASS or DRUMS, or connect a MIDI keyboard. What you play can be captured into the looper. ■ Five machines • ARP A / ARP B — two independent arpeggio engines. Ten arpeggio types, including Phrase (builds melodies) and Fingerpick (fingerstyle guitar) • BASS — a dedicated bass engine (STEP / COMPLEXITY / OMIT / PATTERN) • DRUMS — a drum machine built from probabilities (KICK / SNARE / HIHAT / NOISE) • SAMPLE — record one bar, slice it, rearrange it • Chord progressions (presets / automatic / 16 custom slots), ten time signatures, six LFOs ■ Slice (SAMPLE) • Record one bar from a mic or line input, with count-in and click • Record the app itself (ARP A / ARP B / drums), and overdub onto it • Load audio files — and the audio from a video file • Up to 64 slices, ordered by the same rules as the arps: direction, reverse, octave, probability, groove • STRETCH (on by default) — change tempo without changing pitch • Its own filter, envelope and delay / reverb sends ■ Play • On-screen key pad — always in scale; play ARP A, ARP B, BASS or DRUMS • PEDAL (sustain) and a one-bar looper that records how hard you played and transposes with the chords • MIDI keyboard input (ARP A / ARP B / BASS; damper pedal, pitch bend, standard control changes) • XY pad and performance FX that work only while held ■ Sound (11 voices) • Piano — three velocity layers, stereo, damper release • Electric piano — harmonics shift with how hard you strike • Nylon-string guitar — synthesised with a physical string model • Marimba, kalimba, handpan and chime — struck instruments, measured from the real ones and synthesised • Waveforms (sine / triangle / saw / square) plus an acid filter • Filter, ADSR, five drive types, tremolo — shaped per voice • Delay, reverb, Glitch, Granular • DRIFT / FLUTTER — tape movement on the synth voices and the live input alike • Concert pitch A=415–444 Hz ■ Connect • AUv3 plug-in — as an instrument, as an effect, and as a MIDI effect • Ableton Link, MIDI Clock, MIDI out (ARP A / ARP B / BASS / DRUMS), LFOs and XY as MIDI CC • External audio input (line / microphone) • Background playback — keeps playing when you switch to another app (iPhone / iPad) • WAV recording and export One-time purchase. No subscription.

Screenshots

76477 Complex Sound Synth4 screens
ARPJAM Studio4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is review sentiment: ARPJAM Studio at 100% against 76477 Complex Sound Synth's 50%. ARPJAM Studio also leads on rating (5.0 vs 3.9) and update cadence (every 2 days vs every 3 months). 76477 Complex Sound Synth's advantage is price ($2.99 vs $12.99) and iOS requirement (12.0 vs 15.0). On ratings volume, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model 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

76477 Complex Sound Synth costs $2.99 and ARPJAM Studio $12.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

ARPJAM Studio holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 3.9. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 9 and 6 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 50% of 76477 Complex Sound Synth's written reviews are positive against 100% of ARPJAM Studio's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

76477 Complex Sound Synth ships an update every 3 months, ARPJAM Studio every 2 days. The most recent releases landed on November 1, 2026 and November 5, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard5 real differences · 5 level
76477 Complex Sound Synth versus ARPJAM Studio: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
Parameter76477 Complex Sound SynthARPJAM Studio
Price$2.99 — better$12.99
Rating3.9 (9 ratings)5.0 (6 ratings) — better
Positive reviews50.0% of reviews100.0% of reviews — better
Number of ratings9 — better6
Update frequencyEvery 3 monthsEvery 2 days — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationPaidPaid
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod, Mac — better
Requires iOS12.0 — better15.0
Further details — not scored
Size4 MB84 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperBlack Cat SystemsTakashi Tsunoda

Customer experience

76477 Complex Sound Synth

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

ARPJAM Studio

All ratings6 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews3 reviews
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

In-app purchases

None

76477 Complex Sound Synth

No in-app purchases

None

ARPJAM Studio

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is 76477 Complex Sound Synth free?
76477 Complex Sound Synth costs $2.99, with no in-app purchases.
Is ARPJAM Studio free?
ARPJAM Studio costs $12.99, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, 76477 Complex Sound Synth or ARPJAM Studio?
ARPJAM Studio is rated higher. 76477 Complex Sound Synth averages 3.9 out of 5 from 9 ratings, while ARPJAM Studio averages 5.0 from 6 ratings.
Do 76477 Complex Sound Synth or ARPJAM Studio have ads?
Neither 76477 Complex Sound Synth nor ARPJAM Studio shows ads.
Which is updated more often, 76477 Complex Sound Synth or ARPJAM Studio?
76477 Complex Sound Synth ships an update every 3 months, and ARPJAM Studio every 2 days. Most recently, 76477 Complex Sound Synth was updated on November 1, 2026 and ARPJAM Studio on November 5, 2026.

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