Fireplace HD+ app review: enjoy the enchanting sight and sound of a crackling fire in the palm of your hand

Introduction

This is a very charming little app which features a selection of high-quality video loops of fireplaces, complete with pre-recorded audio tracks of crackling sounds and a selection of radio stations to provide an authentic fireplace experience.

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I giggled a little when I first saw this app because the idea of a fireplace loop on my iPhone isn’t something that I imagined I’d find particularly appealing.

As is often the case, my ridicule was premature and I actually really like Fireplace HD+! The crackling fire sounds are pretty soothing and I’ve got one of them running while I type this so I have a sneaking suspicion this app might be handy for helping me concentrate while working.

Snap, Crackle, and Pop

When you first start up this app you’ll see that the developer has been kind enough to include some basic instructions on how to control the interface.

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There are five fireplace scenes to choose from, and you can easily navigate among them by swiping left and right. You can also swipe down to bring up the audio controls but this can be achieved by tapping the musical note icon in the bottom left-hand corner if you prefer.

Both the video and audio samples included in this app are of a very high quality, and the developer has done an incredible job of integrating the fireplace loops to have them load almost instantaneously when you flick among them.

 

Stunning Visuals and Beautiful Audio

Going back to the audio controls, there is a selection of genre-based radio stations such as Jazz, Classical, Pop, Rock, Country, and even Movie Soundtracks. Furthermore, you can also search for specific artists or song titles to bring up suggestions for relevant radio stations.

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The band I entered is apparently regularly played on Science Fiction & Supernatural Channel; however, tapping the play button brings up an Audio Error message stating “Audio queue start failed.” This is a very minor flaw, so I imagine the developer will have no trouble correcting this in the next update (version 2.0 is the current version at the time of writing).

There is also a selection of piano music for you to choose from, with songs such as “12 Days of Christmas,” “Flowers & Chocolate,” and even an instrumental arrangement of John Lennon’s “Imagine” available to accompany your crackling fireplace.

 

Pros and Cons

Pros

• Authentic fireplace simulation with five distinct scenes to choose from
• Realistic crackling fire sounds
• Integrated radio stations spanning several genres
• A selection of enchanting piano pieces to accompany the crackling fire

 

Cons

• Possible issues with playback in the search function of the radio (version 2.0)

 

Final Words

I’ve never been fortunate enough to live in a house with an open fireplace, but now I guess I don’t need to worry about that because I can combine Fireplace HD+ with an electric heater for an almost-authentic fireplace sensation!

In all seriousness, this is a great app which has been expertly developed with a gorgeous interface and very self-explanatory layout.

I would definitely recommend checking this app out.