Comparison
Reel vs TAPE 16
EMR Music Group's tape-style desktop DAW with a commit-first, no-undo workflow.
Visit the TAPE 16 site ↗The short answer
Reel and TAPE 16 share a commit-first tape philosophy, but they are built for different moments. TAPE 16 is a 16-track desktop DAW with VST plug-ins and a big screen, the place you sit down and produce a track properly. Like every DAW it is software you drive with a mouse, tied to a computer. Reel is a different kind of thing and here is the honest, biased part because I make it: it has a disc you spin with your thumb and I built it around that disc because it makes you want to pick it up and record. It feels like a tool in your hand, not a window on a screen. It is also the recorder in your pocket, so it commits an idea the second it arrives wherever you are, capturing clean 32-bit float from USB gear straight into the phone. TAPE 16 is where a track gets produced. Reel is where it gets caught, by feel, before it is gone. Nothing gets produced that was never captured.
Feature comparison
| Feature | Reel | TAPE 16 |
|---|---|---|
| Simultaneous tracks | 4 (stereo, 8 ch) | 16 |
| Bit depth | 32-bit float | 16/24-bit |
| Max sample rate | 96kHz | Not stated |
| Overdub | ||
| Punch-in recording | ||
| Looping | ||
| Variable-speed playback | ||
| Tactile transport (jog wheel or scrub) | ||
| Built-in microphones | iPhone mic | |
| XLR inputs with phantom power | ||
| Records from a USB audio interface | ||
| Works as a USB audio interface | ||
| Runs standalone, no phone or computer | ||
| Price | $14.99 one-time | $29 one-time |
| Platform | iOS 18+ | Mac, Windows, Linux |
Every value is researched per product against manufacturer sources and may change over time. Verify current details with each maker.
Where Reel wins
- +Records anywhere the idea strikes, with no computer to boot up or session to build
- +A spinning disc you play by hand with haptics, not a mouse on a screen
- +Clean 32-bit float capture straight from USB instruments, grooveboxes and interfaces
- +Always in your pocket, so ideas get caught the moment they arrive
Where TAPE 16 wins
- +16 tracks, four times a pocket recorder's count
- +Hosts VST plug-ins and prints MIDI instruments to audio
- +A full computer screen for arranging and producing
Frequently asked questions
Does TAPE 16 work on iPhone?
TAPE 16 is a desktop DAW, not an iPhone app. If you want a tape-style recorder that runs natively on iPhone, Reel is built for that.
Should I use Reel or TAPE 16?
Use Reel to capture ideas on your iPhone in clean 32-bit float wherever you are. Use TAPE 16 on a computer when you want more tracks, VST plug-ins and room to produce. Both share a commit-first, no-undo philosophy, so they pair well as a capture-then-produce workflow.
Try Reel on your iPhone
A portable 4-track recorder with 32-bit float audio and a hardware-inspired workflow.
Download on the App Store