Dirtywave brings the full M8 hardware tracker engine to iOS, with the same synths, sampler, and sequencing power. Now with AUv3 support.
Last week, Dirtywave released the M8 groovebox as an iOS app. The lack of an AUv3 plugin—due to sandboxing issues—was a letdown. But miracles do happen.
Dirtywave published update 1.1 today, which brings AUv3 plugin support, and it’s not a simple one. It supports multi-channel and multi-instance support, meaning you can use multiple M8S in your session. That’s a big upgrade for the M8 version for iOS.
Alongside this, it also introduces Ableton Link support, accessible to the right of tempo in the project view. The sampler recording also now supports IAA and hosted audio input. Other changes in version 1.1 include:
- custom M8 content folder location, including iCloud and Dropbox, configurable in system settings
- up to 16 custom content locations in the root file browser
- mic input for recording now has multiple mics and profiles
- HOLD can latch PLAY for sample previewing and now support swiping
- multiple keyboard or controller buttons can map to the same M8 control
- lock screen playback controls are now optional in system settings.
There are also some improvements, including more reliable detection of mics and USB/line inputs in standalone mode, broader iOS game-controller support, and the file browser sorting keeps directories at the top.
A great update for the M8 for iOS that significantly improves the app.
Dirtywave M8 music tracker is available now for iOS for $29,99/32,99€. It runs as a standalone app and AUv3 plugin on iPhone and iPad
More information here: Dirtywave / App Store
Article from September 15, 2026
The M8 by Dirtywave is a portable tracker in a game-held form factor, housing a powerful engine with sample and synthesis engines. A cheaper alternative is the headless version that runs on devices like the popular and very affordable R36S retro gaming console.
Now, there is another option that doesn’t require any OS fiddling around. You can now use the engine straight on your iPhone and iPad with the official Dirtywave M8 music tracker app.
Dirtywave M8 iOS
The article’s title is clear: The Dirtywave M8 goes iOS. The entire M8 music tracker engine is now available as a dedicated app on the Apple App Store for iPhone and iPad. On the device you carry in your pocket or backpack.
This is a big deal as it’s not a stripped-down version. The app offers the same feature set as the M8 hardware, with all its sequencing, sampling, synthesis, and MIDI controller functionality.
M8 supports portrait and landscape orientations on iPhone and iPad. Built-in contextual help explains every view with shortcuts. The M8 for iOS is an eight-track music tracker sequencer. It features five distinct sound engines:
- Wavsynth – Chip synth-inspired wavetable synth
- Macrosynth – Mutable Instruments-based Macro oscillators of over 40 unique synthesis engines
- FMSynth – Four-operator FM synthesis
- Hypersynth – Six-note 13 oscillator swarm synth
- Sampler – Sample playback and recording
Alongside these colorful engines, it also has dedicated MIDI instruments for controlling internal and external gear. You can load up to 128 instruments per song. That’s a lot.
You can sequence these instruments on eight independent monophonic tracks. They offer built-in scales, grooves, probability, and other comprehensive commands. The sequencer engine also includes instrument tables for advanced modulation.
Communication & Connectivity
The M8 hardware requires a microSD card to save and share files. The Dirtywave M8 iOS has the advantage here, as it utilizes the internal storage of your iPhone/iPad and the iOS operating system.
It makes the projects, instruments, samples, themes, and rendered audio accessible through the Files app. And you can work with both worlds. Songs and bundles are fully compatible with M8 hardware.
So, you can start a song on your iPhone and continue on the M8 hardware or vice versa. You can also share these files with other M8 users.
The M8 app is playable with the user interface arrows or via MIDI. Yes, it supports CoreMIDI input and output, so you can use your MIDI controller. Or you can go very tracker-friendly with an external computer keyboard or a game controller.
Like the hardware, it also supports the Launchpad Pro MKIII, so you can launch clips and more.
Here’s a bit of a letdown: the iOS version of the M8 doesn’t offer AUv3 support, and it likely never will. Dirtwave said that this is a technical limitation because Apple sandboxes AUv3s, including their files, such as your samples, bundles, and more.
This would mean that using it standalone and as an auv would require duplicating and synchronizing potentially GB of files. As a consolation prize, however, the app offers Inter-App Audio (IAA) support—though Apple has discontinued it.
Dirtywave M8 iOS – First Impression
At over 550€, the Dirtywave M8 isn’t the cheapest groovebox on the market. The iOS version makes it accessible to far more people—including those who don’t want to buy yet another piece of hardware. Pull out the iPhone, install the app, and the M8 is ready to go.
I really like that the developer made this happen. Controlling it with the arrows isn’t my favorite; I would have preferred a workflow that was a bit more optimized for iPad/iPhone. But I suppose they wanted to stay as close to the hardware as possible.
AUv3 is sorely missed, but we’ll see if they can still implement it somehow. At $29.99, it’s certainly a pricey app, but given the power of hardware costing over 500€, it’s justifiable.
Dirtywave M8 music tracker is available now for iOS for $29,99/32,99€. It runs as a standalone app on iPhone and iPad and supports IAA.
android baby android!
I hate to say it, but this is now hands down the superior version of this platform and I personally don’t see any point in buying the “real thing” anymore. And not even if one would not own iPad already, as the baseline iPad costs less than the M8 hardware, is readily available everywhere, can easily run 9-10 instances, if not even more, supports bt-audio, bt-keyboards, bt-gamepads, bt-midi, you can add other master effects from your library AND can of course do a LOT more. Setting up a M8 live performance environment is also super easy and affordable there.
This all said: I hope the software sells like hotcakes, it’s really worth it for any tracker head out there. This is a marvellous port and even with the touch controls it’s just smooth as butter to operate, when you get hold on things. 10/5, would buy again.