May 01, 2015  In today's episode we look at the Amp Sims that come with the brand new Omnisphere 2. Pull up a Chair and get cozy as we take a good look at the pros and cons of.

This is not a complete description of all Omnisphere can do. If you want a complete review you better head over to the Sound on Sound website and make sure you read the manual! This is also just a very personal opinion on Omnisphere and the reasons why, for me, it's a great product.

Omnisphere is a rompler. There's an extremely large amount of sampled 'soundsources' available plus a very decent amount of modeled analog waveforms. All go through a subtractive synthesis engine that allows you to sculpt the sound to your liking. A big bunch of effects really put the icing on the cake. I'd don't think I'd buy these effects to mix with, but as a complement to the sound engine I think they're fine.

Omnisphere is not a sampler, meaning you can't use your own samples and create complicated keymaps, switches or round robin setups. I'm fine with that as I never use my own samples to create realistic instruments anyway. You can however import your samples and use them for granular synthesis and that I really love. You can create whole soundscapes from a short field recording or a sample from a record.

Usually I'm not a fan of multi timbral VST's. I'd rather open new instances on new tracks, because that way every instrument has it's own track in my DAW and I can easily sculpt the sound further with other plugins. Spectrasonics warns us that using multiple instances will cause extra overhead, so I was glad to find that setting up a multi in Omnisphere is really very easy. I'm having no trouble at all.

Omnisphere does one thing very well that not many VST's offer nowadays. I've always loved the sound of the Roland D-50 and Korg Wavestations. They offered kinda realistic recreations of real instruments, but really excelled at creating hybrid sounds: subtractive synthesis based on samples. Apart from Absynth I don't know any plugin that does this well, and in fact, Omnisphere does this a lot better, I think, because it's synthesis engine is so much simpler to use.

Omnisphere's huge sound library and synthesis engine becomes even more powerful if you have one of the supported hardware synths. My Nordlead has really gotten a new lease of life with Omnisphere. With the Nordlead acting as a fully integrated controller I'm tweaking away on sounds the Nordlead could never do. Software has suddenly become more hands-on then it has ever been for me.

Omnisphere is definitely the most expensive VST I have. It cost me more than many of the DAW's I've used. But the alternative to buying Omnisphere for me was not another VST. It was buying a hardware synth, because I really need that hands-on control to stay inspired. Suddenly, with the hardware integration and a Nordlead sitting next to me the price made sense. Great sonic possibilities, hands-on control, total recall from within the DAW, it's hard to beat.

If you have something like a Bassstation2 or a Miniloque and are looking for different sounds to complement these instruments Omnisphere is a unique proposition.

I do wish some user interface elements were just a little bigger. The ability to switch on or off layers, effects and the arpeggiator right from the main page is awesome, but why are these LED-like switches so damned tiny? The magnifying glasses that open the detailpages are also a bit too small to my liking. The whole interface of Omnisphere can be scaled, but only 1x will fit my 15' laptop so that does not help me much.

There's one more thing: the arpeggiator is great. It's very flexible and, yes, it's also very easy to use. You can do old fashioned arpeggiated chords and basslines, but it's also possible to choose any of the percussive patches and use the arpeggiator as a stepsequencer to create beats. I've had lot's of fun with it.

ps: I contacted support because Omnisphere was not storing my preferences. I was impressed by their quick, knowledgeable and friendly replies. It turned out the standalone application and Ableton Live were not running with the proper administrative rights on my system and they helped me set it up correctly.

Spectrasonics Omnisphere 2.6 VST AU + Sound Library
Size 63.5 Gb

Omnisphere 2.6 – Endless Possibilities

Omnisphere 2 is the flagship synthesizer of Spectrasonics – an instrument of extraordinary power and versatility. Top Artists all over the world rely on Omnisphere as an essential source of sonic inspiration. This award-winning software brings many different types of synthesis together into one amazing-sounding instrument that will spark a lifetime of exploration.

Hardware Synth Integration

Omnisphere 2.6 is the only software synth in the world to offer a Hardware Synth Integration feature. This remarkable innovation transforms over 65 well-known hardware synthesizers into extensive hands-on controllers that unlock Omnisphere’s newly expanded synthesis capabilities. Simply put, this ground-breaking feature makes using Omnisphere feel just like using a hardware synth! By bridging the physical experience gap between software and hardware, users gain intuitive control of Omnisphere by using the familiar layout of their supported hardware synth. Virtual instrument users can now experience the joy of the hardware synth workflow and hardware synth users can fully expand their capabilities into the vast sonic world of Omnisphere!

New Hardware Sound Library

Omnisphere 2.6 includes a stunning new “Hardware Library” with over 1,600 new patches created by Eric Persing and the renowned Spectrasonics Sound Development team. Each hardware profile has a corresponding set of sounds in the Hardware Library which were specially designed using that hardware synth as an Omnisphere controller. These inspiring new sounds feature a wide range of categories and many have a distinctly ‘classic’ flavor! Notably, the 2.6 update takes Eric’s classic sound design work from the original 1987 Roland D-50 into completely new sonic territory with Omnisphere’s vast synthesis capabilities. Best of all, the new sounds are available for ALL users, regardless of using the hardware or not!

Omnisphere 2.6 New Features

• Now includes over 12,000 inspiring sounds for all types of music production
• New Interface with enhanced browsing and zooming into deeper synthesis levels
• Audio Import—Use your own audio file as a soundsource in Omnisphere 2.6
• Over 400 New DSP Waveforms for the Synth Oscillator
• Sound Match feature instantly locates any related sounds in the library
• Sound Lock feature gives endless variations by locking sound aspects while browsing
• New Spotlight EDM library with cutting-edge, modern sounds
• Powerful New Granular Synthesis algorithm for amazing transformations
• 58 incredible FX Units, which are fully integrated and can be modulated
• Creative Psychoacoustic sounds from the renowned Spectrasonics sound design team
• Wavetable Synthesis—Each waveform is now a Morphing Wavetable
• ORB circular motion interface allows infinitely-shifting variations
• Deeper FM / Ring Modulation capabilities for aggressive timbres
• Dual Filter architecture includes more than 28 filter algorithms in series or parallel
• Performance-oriented Live Mode allows for seamless patch layering on the fly
• Flex-Mod modulation system allows powerful, modular-style matrix routing
• Stack Mode interface allows for complex patch-layering, splits, and crossfades
• New mini-browser available at all times plus larger full browser design
• Up to 10 oscillators per patch can be either DSP synth or sample-based
• Eight independent Arpeggiators with unique Groove Lock feature
• Polyphonic Timbre Shifting/Crushing, Waveshaping and Reduction
• Six full-featured LFOs per patch, with syncing and complex waveforms
• Eight Envelopes with both simple ADSR-style or advanced multi-breakpoint interfaces
• Easy Sound/Project Sharing for collaborators and third-party libraries
• Sample-based soundsources can be processed with synthesis features

SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS FOR ALL USERS

• 2.4 GHz or higher processor
• 8GB of RAM or more recommended
• 84 GB of free hard drive space

Spectrasonics Omnisphere 2 Torrent Mac

Mac Users:

Spectrasonics Omnisphere 2 Free

• OS X 10.11 El Capitan or higher
• AU, VST 2.4 or higher
• 64-bit host

Spectrasonics Omnisphere 2& Amps

Windows Users:

Spectrasonics Omnisphere 2& Amphitheater

• Microsoft Windows 7 or higher
• VST 2.4 or higher
• 64-bit host

Spectrasonics Omnisphere 2 Demo