Comparison

Spectre vs FET Acoustic Compressor

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

Head to head
About

Spectre

This audio analysis utility provides real-time FFT and oscilloscope views for sound input. Customize waveform display, control sample rates, and zoom in for detailed analysis on iOS devices.

Highlights
  • FFT Analysis
  • Oscilloscope
  • Customizable Waveform
  • Linear & Logarithmic Forms
  • Pause/Play Controls
  • Zoom Functionality
Features
Read full description

Spectre is an iOS audio analysis utility designed to be useful and visually appealing, making use of retina displays. Feature Highlights: • FFT(Fast Fourier Transform) Analysis • Oscilloscope • Customizable Features: Wave Amplitude, Sample/Time Control, Line Width • Linear & Logarithmic Wave Forms • Pause/Play Controls • Zoom in/out on the Waveform! • Optimized for iPhone 3,4,5 and iOS 7 Currently this app takes input from standard input, and external mics. Cross-app sound analysis coming soon! Waveform recording also coming soon!

About

FET Acoustic Compressor

This app emulates the warm, musical character of classic FET compressors for acoustic instruments and more. It offers intuitive controls for punch, presence, and glue, with a special "All-In" mode for aggressive sounds. Designed for mobile studios and live performance.

Highlights
  • Classic FET compression emulation
  • Voiced for acoustic guitar, versatile for other instruments
  • Intuitive controls: IN, ATTACK, RELEASE, RATIO, OUT, DRY, SC HPF
  • Special "All-In" mode for aggressive sounds
  • AUv3 plugin support for popular DAWs
  • Low latency for live performance
  • Factory presets included
Read full description

FET Acoustic Compressor brings the warm, musical character of classic FET compression — voiced in the tradition of the Cali76 by Origin Effects and the vintage 1176 circuit it's based on — to your iPhone and iPad. Dialed in for acoustic guitar, but equally at home on electric guitar, bass, vocals, keys, or any source that benefits from that signature FET feel. Whether you're tracking at home, mixing in a DAW, or running signal live through Loopy Pro or AUM, FET Acoustic Compressor gives your sound the punch, presence, and glue it needs. Voiced for feel The compression curve, soft knee, and gentle FET saturation are tuned for the transients and dynamics of acoustic strings — but that voicing translates beautifully to any instrument that needs a compressor with character. It sits, it glues, it breathes. Full control, intuitive layout - IN — Drive the input and push into compression - ATTACK / RELEASE — Fast enough to catch a pick attack; slow enough to let the body bloom - RATIO — 2:1 to 20:1 for everything from gentle leveling to heavy squash - OUT — Trim your output level - DRY — Blend in parallel compression for the best of both worlds - SC HPF — High-pass the sidechain so low-end doesn't trick the detector - Gain Reduction Meter — See exactly what's happening in real time All-In mode Tap the RATIO label to activate All-In — the infamous "all buttons simultaneously" trick from vintage 1176-style compressors. Ratio jumps to 100:1, the knee tightens, and asymmetric FET saturation adds the gritty, pumping character that's made this mode a go-to for aggressive sounds. A secret weapon hiding in plain sight. Factory presets to get you started - Compressed Fingerstyle - Dynamic Fingerstyle - Pop Strumming Built for the mobile studio and stage - AUv3 plugin — use in GarageBand, AUM, Loopy Pro, Cubasis, and any AUv3 host - Low latency — optimized for live performance and real-time processing - 4x oversampled processing for clean, artifact-free compression - Designed for iPhone and iPad *Cali76 is a trademark of Origin Effects Ltd. 1176 and UREI are trademarks of their respective owners. GarageBand is a trademark of Apple Inc. AUM is a product of Kymatica AB. Loopy Pro is a product of A Tasty Pixel. FET Acoustic Compressor is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by any of the above companies.*

Screenshots

Spectre4 screens
FET Acoustic Compressor1 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is review sentiment: FET Acoustic Compressor at 100% against Spectre's 40%. FET Acoustic Compressor also leads on rating (5.0 vs 3.0) and update cadence (every 2 months vs every 96 months). Spectre's advantage is price ($0.99 vs $5.99). 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

Spectre costs $0.99 and FET Acoustic Compressor $5.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

FET Acoustic Compressor holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 3.0. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 2 and 2 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 40% of Spectre's written reviews are positive against 100% of FET Acoustic Compressor's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Spectre ships an update every 96 months, FET Acoustic Compressor every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on November 4, 2026 and October 31, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard4 real differences · 6 level
Spectre versus FET Acoustic Compressor: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterSpectreFET Acoustic Compressor
Price$0.99 — better$5.99
Rating3.0 (2 ratings)5.0 (2 ratings) — better
Positive reviews40.0% of reviews100.0% of reviews — better
Number of ratings22
Update frequencyEvery 96 monthsEvery 2 months — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationPaidPaid
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS12.0 — better13.0
Further details — not scored
Size46 MB9 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperMichael HandShelbybark LLC

Customer experience

Spectre

All ratings2 ratings
Positive50.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative50.0%
Written reviews5 reviews
Positive40.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative60.0%

FET Acoustic Compressor

All ratings2 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews1 reviews
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

In-app purchases

None

Spectre

No in-app purchases

None

FET Acoustic Compressor

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Spectre free?
Spectre costs $0.99, with no in-app purchases.
Is FET Acoustic Compressor free?
FET Acoustic Compressor costs $5.99, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, Spectre or FET Acoustic Compressor?
FET Acoustic Compressor is rated higher. Spectre averages 3.0 out of 5 from 2 ratings, while FET Acoustic Compressor averages 5.0 from 2 ratings.
Do Spectre or FET Acoustic Compressor have ads?
Neither Spectre nor FET Acoustic Compressor shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Spectre or FET Acoustic Compressor?
Spectre ships an update every 96 months, and FET Acoustic Compressor every 2 months. Most recently, Spectre was updated on November 4, 2026 and FET Acoustic Compressor on October 31, 2026.

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