DriveRack VENU360 Control vs Mackie Master Fader 5
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
DriveRack VENU360 Control
Control your VENU360 hardware remotely with this app. It offers comprehensive management for your loudspeakers, optimizing sound and protecting your equipment. Features advanced algorithms and Ethernet control for a seamless audio experience.
- Remote VENU360 hardware control
- Loudspeaker processing and optimization
- Protection for loudspeakers
- Advanced AutoEQ and AFS algorithms
- Ethernet control via iOS/Mac
- Updated setup wizards
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The DriveRack® VENU360 Control app is the ultimate way to control the VENU360 hardware. The all-new DriveRack VENU360 provides all the processing and flexibility you need between your mixer and amplifiers to optimize and protect your loudspeakers. dbx took the dominant DriveRack 260, improved its features, and added more. The result is dbx’s first-ever, 3 input, 6 output Loudspeaker Management processor. With the latest advancements in dbx’s proprietary AutoEQ™ and AFS™ algorithms, additional input channels, ethernet control via an iOS®, or Mac® device, and updated wizards, the DriveRack VENU360 continues the DriveRack legacy of great-sounding, powerful, and affordable loudspeaker management processors, for a whole new generation.
Mackie Master Fader 5
This app offers comprehensive wireless control for Mackie DL Series digital mixers. It provides powerful processing and a rich set of mixing tools for professional live sound applications. The intuitive interface is customizable for users of all skill levels.
- Wireless control for DL mixers
- Intuitive mixing workflow
- Customizable user interface
- Powerful processing tools
- Scalable for all skill levels
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The Mackie Master Fader™ 5.2.1 app provides complete wireless control over your Mackie DL32R, DC16, DL32S, DL16S, DL1608 and DL806 wireless digital mixer. Proven at more than 5 million live mixes worldwide, the incredibly intuitive Master Fader control app is packed with powerful processing and a rich set of mixing tools for any professional application. Master Fader is the heart of any DL Series system with a proven, intuitive workflow that leads the industry. Only Mackie can deliver the ease-of-use that Master Fader delivers. With a completely customizable UI that is scalable for users of any skill level, Master Fader is the most adaptable control app available. A DL Series mixer is required for audio mixing and processing.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is rating: Mackie Master Fader 5 at 3.2 against DriveRack VENU360 Control's 1.8. Mackie Master Fader 5 also leads on review sentiment (35% vs 13%) and device support (3 vs 1). On price, 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
Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.
Mackie Master Fader 5 holds the better App Store score, 3.2 against 1.8. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 74 and 117 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 13% of DriveRack VENU360 Control's written reviews are positive against 35% of Mackie Master Fader 5's.
DriveRack VENU360 Control ships an update every 6 months, Mackie Master Fader 5 every 4 months. The most recent releases landed on July 26, 2026 and September 22, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | DriveRack VENU360 Control | Mackie Master Fader 5 |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 1.8 (74 ratings) | 3.2 (117 ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | 12.5% of reviews | 34.7% of reviews — better |
| Number of ratings | 74 | 117 — better |
| Update frequency | Every 6 months | Every 4 months — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Devices | iPad | iPhone, iPad, iPod — better |
| Requires iOS | 12.0 | 11.0 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 54 MB | 106 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Harman Professional, Inc. | Loud Technologies, Inc. |
Customer experience
DriveRack VENU360 Control
Mackie Master Fader 5
Bugs and requests
DriveRack VENU360 Control
Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.
Mackie Master Fader 5
Reported bugs
17 issues- Faders jump unexpectedly when touched (5-10dB spikes)
- App crashes on connection to mixer
- Connection drops during live performances
- App crashes on iPhone 11 and newer devices
- Incompatibility with iOS 17+ on some devices
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- Duplicate scenes created after disconnection
- Settings reset when iPad is docked/undocked
- App freezes during synchronization
- WiFi password errors and authentication issues
- Firmware update failures
- USB recording glitches and buffer issues
- App not recognizing connected mixer
- Imprecise fader response and sensitivity issues
- Lag and latency in control response
- App fails to update firmware on newer iOS versions
- Image from camera feature not working on iPad Air 4
- Incompatibility with newer iPad models due to physical dock constraints
Requested features
20 requests- Full EQ and dynamics control on iPhone app
- Dark mode/theme for low-light environments
- Split-screen multitasking support
- Post-fader channel metering
- Pre/post fader selection per aux channel
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- Fader grouping and linking functionality
- Apple Pencil full support
- Offline editing and show building
- Static IP address connection option
- Mac and Windows desktop application
- Personal mixer console support (like Behringer Powerplay P-16)
- Dante card support
- Side-chain and advanced processing options
- German language support
- Spanish language support
- Improved number pad for fader value input
- More EQ and compressor presets
- iPad 4 and older iOS support
- DC16 control surface support
- Support for older mixer models (DL1608 with MF5)
In-app purchases
DriveRack VENU360 Control
No in-app purchases
Mackie Master Fader 5
No in-app purchases
Questions
Is DriveRack VENU360 Control free?
Is Mackie Master Fader 5 free?
Which has better reviews, DriveRack VENU360 Control or Mackie Master Fader 5?
Do DriveRack VENU360 Control or Mackie Master Fader 5 have ads?
Which is updated more often, DriveRack VENU360 Control or Mackie Master Fader 5?
Other comparisons
