Am I Reading This Correctly? Why Are There Wild Price Discrepancies On This Arturia iSem Synth App?

NeuM

I have had the iSem synth on iOS for a while, but just noticed it's also available via the macOS desktop App Store for $9.99, while the same (?) synth costs $149 on their web site...

What am I missing here?

From the macOS App Store:

And here's the Arturia web site:

NeuM

Also, if you have purchased the $9.99 macOS version of the "Only on iPad" but "Works on this iMac" synth, has it worked for you?

espiegel123

The two products are not the same. One is the iOS version which while it can run on some Macs is not the same as the MacOS version.

NoiseFloored

I can think of two main differences:

• The Mac version supports AU (v2) and VST, while the iPad version only has AUv3 as plugin format.
• The Mac version has seen further refinements to its engine after the iPad version came out. I can't say whether those differences are noticeable or not, though.

Stuntman_mike

@NoiseFloored said:
I can think of two main differences:

• The Mac version supports AU (v2) and VST, while the iPad version only has AUv3 as plugin format.
• The Mac version has seen further refinements to its engine after the iPad version came out. I can't say whether those differences are noticeable or not, though.

+1

NeuM

@NoiseFloored said:
I can think of two main differences:

• The Mac version supports AU (v2) and VST, while the iPad version only has AUv3 as plugin format.
• The Mac version has seen further refinements to its engine after the iPad version came out. I can't say whether those differences are noticeable or not, though.

Do you think there is a $139.01 worth of difference between them? For my purposes, I'm looking for total platform cross-compatibility. I want to be able to move an iPad project to desktop without skipping a beat.

And I don't use VST, only AU plugins.

NoiseFloored

@NeuM said:

@NoiseFloored said:
I can think of two main differences:

• The Mac version supports AU (v2) and VST, while the iPad version only has AUv3 as plugin format.
• The Mac version has seen further refinements to its engine after the iPad version came out. I can't say whether those differences are noticeable or not, though.

Do you think there is a $139.01 worth of difference between them?

Sound-wise, to my (terrible) ears, no. The plugin support seems far more important, Logic is the only DAW that supports AUv3, right?

NeuM

@NoiseFloored said:

@NeuM said:

@NoiseFloored said:
I can think of two main differences:

• The Mac version supports AU (v2) and VST, while the iPad version only has AUv3 as plugin format.
• The Mac version has seen further refinements to its engine after the iPad version came out. I can't say whether those differences are noticeable or not, though.

Do you think there is a $139.01 worth of difference between them?

Sound-wise, to my (terrible) ears, no. The plugin support seems far more important, Logic is the only DAW that supports AUv3, right?

I'm using AudioLayer and KQ Dixie AUv3 apps in macOS GarageBand right now. These both seem to be stable and work. I'm not certain if Animoog Z for desktop is AUv3 or not, but it also works great. Mela 2 is another that works great on desktop.

Also, I've been informed that "no AUv3" works on desktop, they are actually just AU's... so, whatever.

NeuM

@espiegel123 said:
The two products are not the same. One is the iOS version which while it can run on some Macs is not the same as the MacOS version.

What's the difference if they both work as an AU on macOS? The sound they create should be identical, no?

NoiseFloored

@NeuM said:

@NoiseFloored said:

@NeuM said:

@NoiseFloored said:
I can think of two main differences:

• The Mac version supports AU (v2) and VST, while the iPad version only has AUv3 as plugin format.
• The Mac version has seen further refinements to its engine after the iPad version came out. I can't say whether those differences are noticeable or not, though.

Do you think there is a $139.01 worth of difference between them?

Sound-wise, to my (terrible) ears, no. The plugin support seems far more important, Logic is the only DAW that supports AUv3, right?

I'm using AudioLayer and KQ Dixie AUv3 apps in macOS GarageBand right now. These both seem to be stable and work. I'm not certain if Animoog Z for desktop is AUv3 or not, but it also works great. Mela 2 is another that works great on desktop.

Also, I've been informed that "no AUv3" works on desktop, they are actually just AU's... so, whatever.

Ah, GarageBand, that makes sense. Unless my knowledge is completely outdated, there is a difference: you wouldn't be able to use an AUv3-only plugin in Ableton Live, for instance, because it only supports AUv2 (commonly referred to as just "AU")

NeonSilicon

@NoiseFloored said:

@NeuM said:

@NoiseFloored said:
I can think of two main differences:

• The Mac version supports AU (v2) and VST, while the iPad version only has AUv3 as plugin format.
• The Mac version has seen further refinements to its engine after the iPad version came out. I can't say whether those differences are noticeable or not, though.

Do you think there is a $139.01 worth of difference between them?

Sound-wise, to my (terrible) ears, no. The plugin support seems far more important, Logic is the only DAW that supports AUv3, right?

Logic, GarageBand, MainStage, and Reaper as the major macOS DAW's that support AUv3. There are a couple of smaller hosts too that can be useful. Eventually, all of them that want to continue supporting AU format will have to move to AUv3.

espiegel123

@NeuM said:

@espiegel123 said:
The two products are not the same. One is the iOS version which while it can run on some Macs is not the same as the MacOS version.

What's the difference if they both work as an AU on macOS? The sound they create should be identical, no?

Not all hosts that load Audio Units (AUs) load AUv3.

With regards to iSEM vs SEM v5. I have no idea if the code base is the same. I am pretty sure you can download and try SEM V for free.

NeuM

@espiegel123 said:

@NeuM said:

@espiegel123 said:
The two products are not the same. One is the iOS version which while it can run on some Macs is not the same as the MacOS version.

What's the difference if they both work as an AU on macOS? The sound they create should be identical, no?

Not all hosts that load Audio Units (AUs) load AUv3.

With regards to iSEM vs SEM v5. I have no idea if the code base is the same. I am pretty sure you can download and try SEM V for free.

Try for free... but $149.00 if I like it? I think I'll stick with the $9.99 version. At least that way, I'll have parity between devices and I'm very happy with the sound I've been getting out of the iOS version on iPad.

NeuM

@NoiseFloored said:

@NeuM said:

@NoiseFloored said:

@NeuM said:

@NoiseFloored said:
I can think of two main differences:

• The Mac version supports AU (v2) and VST, while the iPad version only has AUv3 as plugin format.
• The Mac version has seen further refinements to its engine after the iPad version came out. I can't say whether those differences are noticeable or not, though.

Do you think there is a $139.01 worth of difference between them?

Sound-wise, to my (terrible) ears, no. The plugin support seems far more important, Logic is the only DAW that supports AUv3, right?

I'm using AudioLayer and KQ Dixie AUv3 apps in macOS GarageBand right now. These both seem to be stable and work. I'm not certain if Animoog Z for desktop is AUv3 or not, but it also works great. Mela 2 is another that works great on desktop.

Also, I've been informed that "no AUv3" works on desktop, they are actually just AU's... so, whatever.

Ah, GarageBand, that makes sense. Unless my knowledge is completely outdated, there is a difference: you wouldn't be able to use an AUv3-only plugin in Ableton Live, for instance, because it only supports AUv2 (commonly referred to as just "AU")

I see. I've been pretty comfortable using GarageBand for a long, long time and although there are possibly some benefits to upgrading to Logic Pro, I'm not seeing them from where I'm standing. For my needs, GarageBand is a bit like a well-worn tape deck that I'm familiar with nearly every little detail and it fills the bill.

Stuntman_mike

iSEM is a collaboration between Arturia and TempoRubato

NeuM

UPDATE: OK, I downloaded it and used it in GarageBand. It's a bit unstable. The sounds were very nice, matching the quality of sound on the iOS app for iPad, but if one needed a serious workhorse, I can now understand why they'd want to buy the full featured desktop version OR find a competitor clone for less.

Frankly, I find this to be a huge product gap which could be exploited by a company like Cherry Audio, which has only made fantastic emulations of famous synths at extremely reasonable prices so far.

klownshed

Arturias synths are obviously available as part of the V collection which is regularly discounted.

I got the entire V collection for €199 in the Black Friday sale as I already had some arturia stuff (it was €399 without owning anything, €799 regular non sale price).

Some of the arturia synths are hard to justify at full price individually (which takes them into Diva territory) but as a bundle they’re pretty great value.

The Mac version of iSEM is very different UI wise to the iPad one. I guess they have the same sound engine but haven’t bothered testing.

@NeuM said:
I want to be able to move an iPad project to desktop without skipping a beat.

Good luck with that! ;-)

I personally have totally given up on that idea and have been hugely more productive as a result.

NeuM

@klownshed said:
Arturias synths are obviously available as part of the V collection which is regularly discounted.

I got the entire V collection for €199 in the Black Friday sale as I already had some arturia stuff (it was €399 without owning anything, €799 regular non sale price).

Some of the arturia synths are hard to justify at full price individually (which takes them into Diva territory) but as a bundle they’re pretty great value.

The Mac version of iSEM is very different UI wise to the iPad one. I guess they have the same sound engine but haven’t bothered testing.

@NeuM said:
I want to be able to move an iPad project to desktop without skipping a beat.

Good luck with that! ;-)

I personally have totally given up on that idea and have been hugely more productive as a result.

I haven’t abandoned the idea yet.

id_23

iOS version still makes weird random loud glitches on Pro 21.
Still lovely synth

NoiseFloored

@NeonSilicon said:

@NoiseFloored said:

@NeuM said:

@NoiseFloored said:
I can think of two main differences:

• The Mac version supports AU (v2) and VST, while the iPad version only has AUv3 as plugin format.
• The Mac version has seen further refinements to its engine after the iPad version came out. I can't say whether those differences are noticeable or not, though.

Do you think there is a $139.01 worth of difference between them?

Sound-wise, to my (terrible) ears, no. The plugin support seems far more important, Logic is the only DAW that supports AUv3, right?

Logic, GarageBand, MainStage, and Reaper as the major macOS DAW's that support AUv3. There are a couple of smaller hosts too that can be useful. Eventually, all of them that want to continue supporting AU format will have to move to AUv3.

Thanks for clarifying, I always lump together the Apple hosts in my mind, but I shouldn't, considering the price differences. I didn't know about a Reaper either.

cian

OB-XD and Surge can both do pretty good impressions of an Oberheim synth and they're free.

Surge is a really good synth that keeps getting better and better. Also if you're looking for free virtual analog synths, fullbucket have an embarrassment of riches on their website. A little Korg heavy, but some other stuff as well including a lovely string machine and a very powerful modular.

I keep wanting to try the Cherry Audio stuff. Those prices are very good.

NeuM

@cian said:
OB-XD and Surge can both do pretty good impressions of an Oberheim synth and they're free.

Surge is a really good synth that keeps getting better and better. Also if you're looking for free virtual analog synths, fullbucket have an embarrassment of riches on their website. A little Korg heavy, but some other stuff as well including a lovely string machine and a very powerful modular.

I keep wanting to try the Cherry Audio stuff. Those prices are very good.

I have 4 of the Cherry Audio synths (Quadra, Eight Voice, CA2600, DCO-106) and they are all excellent synths at unbelievably reasonable prices.

By the way, thanks for that "fullbucket" info, I'm going to try a couple of those out.

klownshed

@NeuM said:

@cian said:
OB-XD and Surge can both do pretty good impressions of an Oberheim synth and they're free.

Surge is a really good synth that keeps getting better and better. Also if you're looking for free virtual analog synths, fullbucket have an embarrassment of riches on their website. A little Korg heavy, but some other stuff as well including a lovely string machine and a very powerful modular.

I keep wanting to try the Cherry Audio stuff. Those prices are very good.

I have 4 of the Cherry Audio synths (Quadra, Eight Voice, CA2600, DCO-106) and they are all excellent synths at unbelievably reasonable prices.

By the way, thanks for that "fullbucket" info, I'm going to try a couple of those out.

Their MiniPops emulation is genius. Instant JMJ but also very tweakable.

Unlike some iOS drum machine "not made with samples" apps you can actually make completely different sounds with it and it doesn't sound like you're just tweaking samples. Mentioning no names.

And you're not stuck with the original patterns. Unless you're trying to play Oxygene.

They're all pretty good. The more recent ones with resizable interfaces are excellent. I love the MonoPoly too.

I also have a few CA synths, the one I'm probably getting next is the MS20. I don't think FullBucket do an MS20 yet.

cian

Yeah I might just buy one CA synth a month for a little bit.

I need to check out the MiniPops drum machine. I kind of wrote it off (was remembering cheesy rhythm machines from the late 70s/early 80s), but I forget Oxygene and of course Aphex Twin also used it. It seems like it would be good for more laid back drum options for IDM, ambient, dub techno, etc. I assume one doesn't have to use the internal drum machine.

Other free synths worth checking out: Odin (kind of an NI Thor clone. I really like the UI, and it sounds good), Tyrell N6 (U-HE - so it sounds very good, but limited compared to their pro stuff), Vital (good wavetable if you don't already have one (I have SynthMaster - which is a bargain honestly for all that it does). Now if only I could find a decent granular synth, and something a little bit more affordable than FM8...