TaoMix 2: Sleep Sounds & Focus Reviews

by Lake-xoxo

I NEVER write reviews. But this update deserves it. I lost all my purchases and sound pack’s, for what? Paying 7.99 A WEEK for this ‘subscription’. I used TaoMix2 to make me feel happy and helped my anxiety and depression. TaoMix2 isn’t worth crap now! There was no need to create a subscription service!!! There was no need to update and change the whole app!!! All these company’s want is money!! Taomix Developers you have made a BIG mistake. You have lost one customer. My advice get rid of the weekly subscription, restore our soundscapes and purchases, then redevelop TaoMix2 to its original payment where all you have to to is pay 5.99 for current and future sound packs. You have lost one customer and I’m sure there will be more, bye!!😡

by Belovedenchanter

I used to love (and I mean LOVE-ed) TaoMix2 but someone got greedy. I think I paid like maybe under $10 (can’t remember exactly) one time fee to unlock the premium sounds. Which was reasonable considering the quality. I took a hiatus from using it due to life issues etc. I was having trouble sleeping and thought it might help only to discover that now they want 8.99 a WEEK!!! That’s insane. I cannot imagine they will make money on it with their outrageous new pricing. Apparently you can contact them to get some access restored based on previous posts, but what a hassle. Last night I just wanted to use that app I paid for not search through a bunch of reviews to try to find out who I need to e-mail and then wait for their responses to discover what other inconvenient steps I will need to go through to get it working again. DELETE...

by Blackopzy

I’ve been using TaoMix2 for well over a year now, and it’s served me well. There has always been a one-time purchase to buy certain sound packs, but now for some reason they’re adding a WEEKLY subscription that you must pay to even use TaoMix2 . People who bought the additional soundpacks prior to this update are not being compensated, so if you ever spent on TaoMix2 and you don’t pay the subscription, your money is down the drain. As far as I know, there aren’t any other added benefits to buying the subscription and there weren’t any other features or “optimizations” added. The latest update also seems to be very glitchy, removing settings and not allowing users to restore purchases.

I guess I’ll have to switch to TaoMix 1

by Yerosmyhero

I’m a long time off and on user. When I needed background sounds, this was my go to. I was super impressed by the set up and options and after having the free version on my phone for several years, purchases the full version several months ago. I couldn’t be more disappointed with the update. Not only have I lost all my long curated soundscapes (one of the best things about TaoMix2 was being able to customize everything just so), I have lost all the unlocked sounds. To add insult to injury, this is now apparently a subscription service, at 8 dollars a week??? Not only is the price extortionate, the lack of loyalty to their users is appalling. I couldn’t be more disappointed. I’m so sad to say I’ve lost faith today in good apps in general. Who knows when the program owners will turn? What a shame. An absolute shame.

by Tomaganuk96

TaoMix2 was great before they changed to a subscription model. If you were lucky to have bought the $6 IAP before the change, the restore function doesn’t work, and the premium sounds aren’t available offline. I decided to delete TaoMix2, as it isn’t worth $7-$8 a WEEK. I will take my business elsewhere.

There was/is a $6 non subscription IAP to get all sounds. However, there’s also an $8/week subscription with the newest update. Deleted some custom scenes, and had forced me to restore purchases. Had to check my Apple ID to see if I hadn’t inadvertently subbed to these people. Thankfully, I wasn’t.

Recreated one scene, and now I’m wary of these developers. You should be to, cuz that’s $8 a WEEK. If you’re that desperate for money, make it $15/month or $80/year and grandfather in the people who bought the $6 IAP to unlock everything. Not that pay per week nonsense.

by Kemas

I love TaoMix2. It’s one of the best atmospheric apps on TaoMix2 Store. This subscription pricing is insane and the subscription model for an app like this really doesn’t make sense. Maybe if it were a few bucks a month I might be interested as the developers should be able to make money; but I thought buying packs was fair already. The pricing of $8 a week, $20 a month or $40 a year? Well since you only get the content while you are subscribed, I guess $40 a year is what they really want you to do; which tells me they don’t have confidence the subscription plan will work. You offer a nice discount for paying a year in advance but $200???? Something is up and with pricing like that I refuse to trust them further. I may continue to use TaoMix2 but I’ll keep my eye open for another. I wouldn’t suggest subscribing at this pricing level period. It’s a well made app, but not all apps need to be subscription. There will never be enough new nature sounds to justify.

by Kitten_Wizard

Pretty neat app with a decent amount of sounds. One can even record their own sounds to use in TaoMix2 which I thought was pretty awesome considering I haven't seen it in any decent apps yet.

My only issue is that there doesn't seem to be any way to make a sound have a minimum volume or some way to alter the interaction between sound so that two can be placed close together without having one of them suppress the other from playing. This causes a sudden and unnatural cut off from one sound to another to its full volume.

I would like to have separate sliders for volume as well as for their influence on other sounds so that one others totally suppress the other around it because it's a slightly larger circle. It should at least allow me to have two sounds working in tandem instead of trying to fight each other to play.

by Taija 😻

I love Taomix 2, it’s nearly a flawless app. I use it every day to help me sleep and even while I’m awake to remain focused while completing tasks. But, I think that there should be an easier way to sort through the “My Recordings” section. I personally have a lot of different sounds that I uploaded myself, and it can be tedious trying to scroll through a long list of recordings to find a specific sound—especially since the sounds are randomized on the list as you upload them. Maybe, recordings can be added to the “My Recordings” list chronologically (as we add them)? A search bar could also be helpful.

Regardless, I love taomix 2 and will continue to use it regularly. I hope my suggestion is useful, as I’d love to see these features implemented in TaoMix2 !

by Oakandsage

What TaoMix2 allows you to do is put a number of sound emitters (birds, frogs, etc.) at locations of your choice on the screen, and there is a little moving ball. Sounds that are close to the ball are louder. You can also change the overall impact of a sound on the scene by making it larger.

I've seen some other implementations of this concept that are no longer available. This one is solid and contains a variety of sounds (some are free, others you must pay for). Also allows you to record your own sounds. The algorithm that decides how much impact each sound has on the scene is not my favorite - it allows one sound to take over the soundscape too easily for my taste - but I expect that is a matter of personal preference.

It would benefit from an import capability so you could record sounds on better hardware than the iPhone mic, or use loops from Freesound.

I will receive a couple of extra sounds for writing this review, but this did not affect my rating. Obviously, I like TaoMix2 well enough to spend a few minutes writing a review to get more content.

by B4UC2Far

TaoMix2 is so much fun to play with. It provides endless combinations of sounds that are designed to relax your mind, body, and spirit. You can also import your own sounds into TaoMix2 or you can purchase additional sounds through in-App purchasing. I found the “value-pack” worth the price as it included all sounds currently available for purchase as well as all future sounds to be added later. The free version includes a descent amount of sounds to get you started.

by Without Wifi

I've had White Noise since it first came out. Always liked TaoMix2 but found the repeat of sounds after 5-10 seconds to be annoying at times-mostly when i couldn't sleep (which is why I usually use TaoMix2 ).

With Tao Mix 2 controls I can mostly control the sounds, repition and speed of repition. The only improvement would be is the ability to control the pitch of the sound (I have tinnitus) and a few more sounds. Otherwise excellent!

by Bodhizinka

There are endless soundscape options and customization. You can make complex audio with changing speed, volume of each sound, interactions (such as putting the river near the forest for example) even though it is very easy and intuitive. It takes about 5 minutes to learn how to use all of the features. There is a timer for when you want it to stop after you fall asleep. But TaoMix2 can be used for much more than sleep; I use it throughout the day for relaxation, motivation, background music when guests are over... This is my favorite app. I use it every single day and cannot fall asleep without it anymore! I normally don't pay for apps but I did with this one and bought every available additional sound they offer. But without paying you get lots of sounds so buying more isn't necessary. I have tried other apps but nothing holds a candle to this app.

by UABlueJay

I’ve been a TaoMix devotee for ages and I spread the word to anyone needing an app for relaxation, focus, etc. I recommend it to the college students I teach as a better way to focus and achieve deep work. I personally use it to fall asleep, to drown out my coworkers during the workday, to provide background atmosphere for yoga and meditation, and even while listening to audiobooks for a bit of added ambience. As a migraine sufferer, I can’t begin to tell you how thankful I am for TaoMix2 in helping me manage my brain!
PS — love the new icon!!

by 1SunFire

The developer of TaoMix2 is genius! I thought it would be just like the other "make your own" sound apps- where you pick your sounds and then get bored quickly because there is no change in the sounds. Not with TaoMix2! You can pick your own sounds, or TaoMix2 helps you out with pre picked sound mixes.. the variations are endless! After you've picked your mix, a little ball travels around the screen making the sound it is on a little louder, bouncing in different directions- at a speed you can adjust.. making for a constantly changing sound track!! Amazing and a pleasure to listen to! I'm going to go listen to my sitting by the fire, reading a book in a rocking chair, cat purring, with light rain on the windows mix. If you are looking for music to relax with, do paperwork with, meditate with, exercise with, study with, cook with, drive with, shower with, go to sleep with, do housework with, eat with.. TaoMix2 is for you!

by ShamanYeho

TaoMix2 is so wonderful. Customization is in your complete control, from mixing sounds from different packs, to the strength of each sound in your soundscapes. You can create different soundscapes for different uses (meditation, sleep, walks, etc.). I absolutely love the Japanese Garden for my meditations. And only $5 for all current and future sound packs is a darn good deal! Highly recommend for anyone that loves ambient sounds/music!

Update 25Jan2021:
Can’t restore purchases. Just co tongue to receive an error “Check your internet connection.” My connection is fine. Problem persists even after reinstalling. Please fix.

Update 09Mar2021:
I just received an email from the developer support, advising it should be resolved now. I re-installed TaoMix2 and the restore worked successfully, and I am able to download all my packs again. Setting this back to Five Stars! Thank you!!!

by JustONEMC

I fall asleep faster while listening to the crisp sounds of water. I have other apps for sleep sounds but this tops them all. First the layout of TaoMix2 is perfect to work around and vibrant colors for added appeal. Easy to adjust sounds &i the amount with just a touch & slide up or down on iPad Pro. Great sound with quality no white noise in the background. Just good quality recorded sounds. Works great with Apple Watch⌚️. I read a review that it doesn't play sound directly from Apple Watch, 🤔. It plays sound from my watch (series 1) which is why I love it so much. From wrist to night stand. Can't beat iPad Pro sound quality tho. 🙃

by Lys008

...but I suppose this is some evidence that I enjoy TaoMix2 . On the occasion that I have a little trouble falling asleep, a custom mix of these sounds creates a little piece of home away from home (purring cat, fire gently crackling and a light rain.)

Now you can get these sounds on a lot of apps, where this one is quite genius is that the way in which the sound is played is varied - it's much more the way you take in the world. You don't listen to one bluster of noise - firecrackle-rain-catpurr as some kind of consistent sound sandwich, your attention wanders between the drops of rain, the fire for a bit, then you notice the cat and then drift off again.

Kudos to the designers and developers for tapping into that experience.

by Scottjl

I'm not a big fan of soundscape type apps, I generally just play music in the background. But I stumbled across this one and thought I'd give it a try, since the demo is free. I was blown away buy the simple but effective UI and the ability to build my own soundscapes. No boring repetitious loops, elements you find distracting rather than soothing, or a sound you like being drown out by other sounds.

It really is an amazing application. I bought all the sound packs, still playing mix and match with them, and looking forward to future additions. If you're looking for this type of application I definitely recommend giving this one a try.

Update: still very happy with it. Still my go to sound app.

by AudioFan_58753280

Updating my previous review... As the developer has pointed out, one can actually import their own sounds. You can find that info on the developers site under FAQ's.

Original review:
I believe this to be one of the best in the category. Thanks for making TaoMix2! There is some functionality that I would love to see added. Suggestions: Ability to load ones own sounds via AudioShare or Audio Copy. It’s great to be able to record one’s own sounds in TaoMix2 , but the iPhone mic is fairly low quality. Ability to set individual sounds so they do not react to the “floating ball”. Add an additional “floating ball” that controls panning with the ability for each sound to be affected, or not. This would add some great mixing capabilities. Thanks!

by DKShelley

I'm impressed at how customizable TaoMix2 is. I haven't tried competing apps, so I can't honestly compare them to this one. That being said, I'm so pleased with the variety of features here that I don't feel a compelling need to experiment with any others.

There are a good variety of sound packs. Some might regard it as a drawback that most of these will need to be paid for to use, but for me at least, this is a case where an in-app purchase is worthwhile, especially if you just buy them all at once (as of when I'm writing this, that's about $6, as opposed to $2 for individual ones).

You can build and customize your own soundscapes, and it's fun to do. Sometimes I've used ones that essentially just follow the suggested combinations that are grouped together as sound packs (I've created a Japanese Garden soundscape that incorporates most of the sounds in the corresponding pack, and I've really liked it). On the other hand, you can easily mix and match sounds from different sound packs with good results. You can adjust the relative prominence of different sounds, and even the colors of the icons representing the sounds, among other customization options.

All in all, a worthwhile download. I recommend buying all the sound options, but I think you can try out a free version first if you're not sure.

by LCLMomma1392

I am updating my review since TaoMix2 has been fixed:

This is by far my favorite meditation music app,
•It plays the sounds in background and mixes with other sounds. (so you can listen to music while for example listening to an audiobook.)
•It lets you import your own custom mp3 sounds and is the ONLY app that does this with audio mix.
•It has adjustable volume for each sound and the overall sound.
•You can save custom mixes you mad to access quickly and name them.

My only negative comments,
•The actual sound packs it comes with are good but I wish there were more ambient sounds, I honestly only use my own sounds in this because i prefer the ambient/music for background.
•Considering that, the price is far to much. Before the update it was $5.99 and a one rime purchase, but to charge more and with a weekly rate is insane. I honestly thought this was a glitch at first it seemed so ridiculous.
•I also was never able to restore my purchase wich was made before the price change, luckily I dont miss the built in sounds that much but still says alot as far as reliability.

Sum up,
If your looking for free and to use your own sounds TaoMix2 is perfect, if your looking for a selection of nature sounds and willing to pay, this one is OK but alot of other apps have much more, better quality, and lower prices.