Comparison

Oriental Strings vs VIRAL Synth 2

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

Head to head
About

Oriental Strings

This professional sound module app provides authentic oriental and Arabian string instrument sounds for musicians. It offers high-quality stereo samples, master tune, scale tuning, and integrated effects. Connect via Bluetooth MIDI or use it as a virtual instrument within your favorite DAW.

Highlights
  • Authentic oriental and Arabian string sounds
  • High-quality stereo samples
  • Master Tune & Scale Tuning
  • Integrated effects with 18 presets
  • MIDI velocity response curve editor
  • Audio Unit, Audiobus, and Inter-App Audio support
  • MIDI Player/Recorder
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Oriental Strings is a professional sound module app for oriental keyboard players and for musicians who simply want to resemble the typical sound of the Orient and Middle East in their songs. Connect an external MIDI keyboard to your iPad, iPhone or iPod touch by using Bluetooth MIDI or by using the Apple USB camera adapter or another adapter supported by Apple, or launch Oriental Strings as virtual instrument directly within your favourite DAW app on your iOS device!¹ Watch and listen to the demo video on our product website! This app supports "Audio Unit", "Audiobus" and Apple's "Inter-App Audio" System for audio & MIDI connections from/to other audio apps, as well as Bluetooth LE MIDI ! The sounds of Oriental Strings were exclusively recorded with players who are professionally dedicated to oriental style of music. Typical string instrument sounds for the Arabian genre are covered by this app. Besides rather exotic instruments like the Chinese erhu, typical western string instruments were used as well, but since the players of the recording sessions are focused on oriental music, those western instruments sound completely different than you might be used to from western orchestra players. The sounds of this app were once again created by Kurt Ader, winner of the NAMM 2015 "Best Sound Designer of the Year" award. 32 Sounds are included with this App: • Chinese Erhu 1 - 3 • Chinese Erhu Trill • Turkish Strings 1 - 4 • Arabian Strings 1 - 3 • Tremolo Strings 1 - 5 • Spiccato Strings • Oriental Spiccato Strings • Oriental String Quartet 1 - 3 • Oriental Staccato Strings • Arabian Solo Strings 1 - 3 • String Quartet • Oriental String Ensemble 1 - 5 • Slow Oriental Strings There is no in-app purchase in this app. So all sounds and all app features are immediately available to you as one buy. General Features: • Sounds based on high quality stereo sample set. • Master Tune & Scale Tuning (including factory presets for common Arabian & Turkish scales). • Low latency disk streaming. • Configurable audio latency down to 1 ms. • Polyphony up to several hundred stereo voices.² • Integrated effects with 18 presets. • 16 parts. • App States: Save app's entire state as user presets. • MIDI velocity response curve editor to fine tune the feeling of your MIDI keyboard. • App can keep running in the background, so you can play on your keyboard while e.g. using Safari or another app to display scores or surfing the Internet. • Audio Unit plugin version of this app, to be used as virtual instrument directly within third-party multi-track DAW apps. • Audiobus support. • Supports Apple's "IAA" system for audio & MIDI streaming between other apps. • Virtual on-screen piano keyboard with velocity support, scalable & scrollable. MIDI Player / Recorder: • Record, save and load your songs in standard MIDI file format. • Share your songs easily as audio file. • Unlimited amount of tracks. • Configurable target MIDI channel per track. • Unlimited recording and playback length. • Open MIDI (.mid) files directly from other apps (i.e. from Safari, Mail). • Download or upload MIDI files with iTunes. • Load your favorite songs as MIDI files from the Internet, and watch at the virtual keyboard how to play it. • Metronome. • Use the "Tempo Zoom" dial knob to i.e. slow down playback at any time and learn your favorite songs more easily. ¹ For more information about adapters and connecting external MIDI keyboards: https://doc.crudebyte.com/iOS/External_MIDI_devices/ ² Some sounds are using several voices per note. Polyphony depends on the exact device model being used. You find a polyphony table on our product website.

About

VIRAL Synth 2

This is a powerful virtual analog synthesizer app for iOS, inspired by classic hardware. It offers a vast library of original presets, advanced sound-shaping tools, and a variety of effects. It can be used as a standalone instrument or as a plugin within DAWs.

Highlights
  • 64-voice Retro VA-Synth engine
  • 48+ Virus TI2 inspired waveforms
  • Advanced Synth Engine (PWM, Osc Morph)
  • Trance Gate and Arpeggiator
  • 3 LFOs with Polarity
  • Vintage-style Step Sequencer
  • Built-in Reverb and FX suite
Features
Currently charting
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VIRAL SYNTH 2: T2x (Inspired by Virus TI2 Synth series)* NEW T2x: Enjoy New Oscillators, Filters, Microtonality, Scales and more! FULLY LOADED w/ 600+ presets by Analog Matthew, Brice Beasley, Electronisounds, DMT Cymatics, Moby Pixel, Wabi Sabi Waves, Red Sky Lullaby, and more NOTE: This is a synth, and contains no hardware preset samples. All presets are completely original. "HUGE! VIRAL SYNTH sounds like serious hardware!" - GarageBand Guide "Amazing! Possibly my favorite iOS Synth of all time" - DJ Puzzle, iPad Music Reddit founder & Hardware Virus TI Owner "So many inspiring presets, it's inspiring so many songs!" - Loopy Pro, Forum Not imitation, it's Innovation! https://audiokitpro.com/viralsynth FIRST AudioKit Synth app with Trance Gate, LFO Polarity, Triplets, and more! Uses NEW Technology to sound more like Real Hardware Synth VIRAL SYNTH gives you Access (see what we did there?) to 40+ classic waveforms inspired by Virus TI2!* VIRAL SYNTH T2X: • 64-voice, Retro VA-Synth • Includes 48+ Virus TI2 inspired waveforms • Advanced Synth Engine (including PWM, Osc Morph, and waveform shapes) • Plus, Bonus XL exclusive samples, created by Analog Matthew (Not available anywhere else!) • 3 Low-Pass Filter choices, New self-resonating T12 and T24 models • Trance Gate, with routings to different OSC • MICROTONALITY, World Scales, Western Scales • Synth section features 2x Oversampled Oscillators • 3 LFOs, with POLARITY! Fun Routings. LFOs can modify other LFOs • Arpeggiator! Classic Hardware-style Arp, with extra features • Vintage-style Step Sequencer that can be routed to specific layers • A proper filter envelope ADSR, with visual feedback • TouchPads! 2 fun assignable pads, • Four-voice Unison PER Oscillator ++ 3 different Unison algorithms: Regular, HYPER, and BEAST! Modeled sound: It's like a time-capsule. Imagine if there were iPads in 2009? Complete with that Hardware VA sound that ruled the dance floors and stages ADDITIONAL FEATURES: • EPIC Glorious Reverb + Sparkle Verb option • FX: Analog Tape Delay, Distortion, Phaser, Chorus, Crush, and more. • On board "Record" button, no external hardware required • Works with a MIDI Keyboard • FM wild pitch drop controls! Modeled after digital VA-Synths, complete with vintage digital aliasing for old-school vibe! • Crazy aggressive distorted RING MODULATION – It's like robots talking, or fighting? You decide! COOL: • iPad version has "stacked" views for maximum onscreen control! Tap the current Nav Button at the top to change the bottom view • This is a Premium App: No iAP, No Ads, No subscriptions! Use as a plug-in in DAWs like GarageBand & Logic for iPad, Cubasis, AUM, and more! * LEGAL NOTICES This app has no affiliation or endorsement from Access Corporation. It is not a clone of the Virus TI2, or any other synthesizer. Nor does it use any Virus ROM or direct waveforms. The wavetables are legally different, and the names have been changed. While we were inspired by the sound and legacy of these iconic instruments, this is an original creation, built from the ground up. All product names, trademarks, and images mentioned are the property of their respective owners and are used only to describe the inspiration behind this app and for purposes of reference. Their inclusion does not imply any association, affiliation, or endorsement. We sincerely respect the incredible work of Access in shaping music history.

Screenshots

Oriental Strings4 screens
VIRAL Synth 24 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: VIRAL Synth 2 at 4.9 against Oriental Strings's 4.2. VIRAL Synth 2 also leads on ratings volume (745 vs 11) and update cadence (every 2 weeks vs every 2 months). Oriental Strings's advantage is iOS requirement (12.0 vs 14.4). On price, 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

Oriental Strings costs $7.99 and VIRAL Synth 2 $7.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

VIRAL Synth 2 holds the better App Store score, 4.9 against 4.2. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: VIRAL Synth 2 has 745 ratings behind it against 11, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 69% of Oriental Strings's written reviews are positive against 89% of VIRAL Synth 2's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Oriental Strings ships an update every 2 months, VIRAL Synth 2 every 2 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 20, 2026 and October 30, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard6 real differences · 5 level
Oriental Strings versus VIRAL Synth 2: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterOriental StringsVIRAL Synth 2
Price$7.99$7.99
Rating4.2 (11 ratings)4.9 (745 ratings) — better
Positive reviews69.0% of reviews89.0% of reviews — better
Number of ratings11745 — better
Update frequencyEvery 2 monthsEvery 2 weeks — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationPaidPaid
Best chart rank—#188 — better
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS12.0 — better14.4
Further details — not scored
Size1.9 GB321 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperChristian Schoenebeck d/b/a CrudebyteAudioKit Pro

Customer experience

Oriental Strings

All ratings11 ratings
Positive81.8%
Neutral0.0%
Negative18.2%
Written reviews29 reviews
Positive69.0%
Neutral3.4%
Negative27.6%

VIRAL Synth 2

All ratings718 ratings
Positive99.3%
Neutral0.3%
Negative0.4%
Written reviews100 reviews
Positive89.0%
Neutral4.0%
Negative7.0%

Bugs and requests

Oriental Strings

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

VIRAL Synth 2

Reported bugs

1 issue
  • Audio crashes every 3 presets

In-app purchases

None

Oriental Strings

No in-app purchases

None

VIRAL Synth 2

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Oriental Strings free?
Oriental Strings costs $7.99, with no in-app purchases.
Is VIRAL Synth 2 free?
VIRAL Synth 2 costs $7.99, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, Oriental Strings or VIRAL Synth 2?
VIRAL Synth 2 is rated higher. Oriental Strings averages 4.2 out of 5 from 11 ratings, while VIRAL Synth 2 averages 4.9 from 745 ratings.
Do Oriental Strings or VIRAL Synth 2 have ads?
Neither Oriental Strings nor VIRAL Synth 2 shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Oriental Strings or VIRAL Synth 2?
Oriental Strings ships an update every 2 months, and VIRAL Synth 2 every 2 weeks. Most recently, Oriental Strings was updated on October 20, 2026 and VIRAL Synth 2 on October 30, 2026.

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