Spectrasonics Omnisphere 2 First Impressions

[Rectro]

Hi

I purchased it from Music Matter and got it next day, very good service and price. It took about 2 hours to install on a fresh formatted HHD.

Iv got a 6 core 5930k processor at 4.5ghz, and 32gb of ram, 6gb graphics, and a Focusrite USB 6 interface.

Dependant of the patch it can take around half the cpu bar in Reason for one patch, no other instruments loaded. I was a little shocked to be honnest. If I had this on my laptop it wouldnt stand a chance.

I loaded 4 patches into a multi and the cpu load was 90% on the bar, I started to get cracks so had to split the keyboard so they didnt all play at once.

No pianos, was a little dissopointed to see no normal pianos, guess they left that for their Keys plugin. Navigation is very nice, and so easy and intuitive to use. I use a Automap Keyboard hoping that I could get to use at least some of my controllers, but MIDI learn did not work without a map. I found a map, but even after following the instructions didnt get it to function. Only way to use my sliders and knobs was to use remote map override, but this has to be set up for every instrument and at times it didnt hold when loading the song file up. The automation works from the UI of Omnisphere when you right click and enable host controller on each knob, again has to be done for each instance of the VST.

First hour of browsing the patches I wasnt as overly impressed but its early days. I found myself heading to the strings and pads which where lush. The guitars are wonderful to play, and the vocal based patches are realy realistic if played correctly. Was expecting the EDM patches to shine, but they left me feeling that Spire is just so much better for EDM, but I have both and felt that Omnisphere 2 will fill the gap in my sound set for more acoustic and chill music. As I said its very early days, and after a few weeks il come back with some music to show where its taken me.

Dan

[Rectro]

Update: Day 2

Been in touch with Spectrasonics which has been very helpfull and fast to respond, but it was this morning that I had a few findings.

While my system seems fine, and I can load loads of VST instruments and alike up, Omnisphere was pushing the system harder than normal, but it seemed too bad to be true.
So I found two programs for Windows.. DPC Latency and Latency Monitor.

I started up reason as the red spikes started showing right away, no vst or racks loaded. The monitor pointed to a few drivers such as Nvidia drivers, USB host controler, and a few others. I thought it was odd that only when starting Reason it started so it must be down to some audio issue, although that didnt show what so ever in the monitor software. I unplugged my Saffire USB 6 and issue went right away. Eventualy I got down to just one main culprit USB 3 host controler. I plugged the Saffire into my laptop, fired up reason and so issue. I pluged it back into main pc but into another USB port, and the storm had calmed. The spikes went, in fact the latency is lower than it was even when reason wasnt loaded at 122, before it was between 2000 and 4500.

Now this not only lets my other vst get hardly hit on the dsp, but even many instancecs of Omnisphere seems to hardly push the system.



Dan

[WongoTheSane]

Very interesting lead for those who have DSP issues... Thanks for reporting!

[jonheal]

So if I understand this correctly, do not plug a USB 2.0 audio interface into a USB 3.0 port?

[demt]

Thanks for the latency checking programs will use when I get back from the coast best of luck with omnisphere

[wendylou]

Nice to see low DSP bar with idle Ominisphere VSTs. Can you record some notes playing in each Omnisphere track and report the DSP load for comparison?

[Rectro]

So if I understand this correctly, do not plug a USB 2.0 audio interface into a USB 3.0 port?

Hi.

Thats just the thing. My Saffire is a USB 1 version, and in the past I had issues with using a USB3 port for a SUB 1 device, but it was plugging this into a USB 3 device that sorted it. I had also updated the USB 3 host controler to latest version, so that mite have also fixed the USB 3 issue in general.

[Rectro]

Nice to see low DSP bar with idle Ominisphere VSTs. Can you record some notes playing in each Omnisphere track and report the DSP load for comparison?

That was a screen shot taken while it was playing. For them patches I used it didnt push the DSP higher than that, even when they where all fully playing at once.

Dan

[Rectro]

Here is a snap shot of 10 running at once.

[wendylou]

Here is a snap shot of 10 running at once.

Well, Mylanta, that's awesome! Good to know, thanks!

[XysteR]

Correct me if I'm wrong here but I think it's sample based, a bit like hydronexius - So I'd expect to be able to run a lot of instances.

[EnochLight]

Correct me if I'm wrong here but I think it's sample based, a bit like hydronexius - So I'd expect to be able to run a lot of instances.

You're wrong, and being corrected... sort of. It can be sample based, but also has a plethora of built-in synthesis/effects that can chew through DSP.

[XysteR]

Correct me if I'm wrong here but I think it's sample based, a bit like hydronexius - So I'd expect to be able to run a lot of instances.

You're wrong, and being corrected... sort of. It can be sample based, but also has a plethora of built-in synthesis/effects that can chew through DSP.

Well technically I wasn't wrong, only partly right.

Taken straight from their website "What is Omnisphere?
Omnisphere is an award-winning, remarkably versatile multi-timbral Power Synthesizer, based on Spectrasonics latest synthesis and hi-definition sampling engine called STEAM. It features a massive 40+GB core library"

Most sample based instruments have some form of 'synthesis' and yes, these guys have their own 'in-house' Steam engine, but in essence and at it's core it is indeed sample based. I mean a 40+GB sample library says it all really.

[EnochLight]

You're wrong, and being corrected... sort of. It can be sample based, but also has a plethora of built-in synthesis/effects that can chew through DSP.

Well technically I wasn't wrong, only partly right.

Taken straight from their website "What is Omnisphere?
Omnisphere is an award-winning, remarkably versatile multi-timbral Power Synthesizer, based on Spectrasonics latest synthesis and hi-definition sampling engine called STEAM. It features a massive 40+GB core library"

Most sample based instruments have some form of 'synthesis' and yes, these guys have their own 'in-house' Steam engine, but in essence and at it's core it is indeed sample based. I mean a 40+GB sample library says it all really.

Oh it's indeed sample based, but the synth oscillator, effects, granular synthesis algorithm, FM/Ring Mod, and filters really do eat DSP from what I understand. And speaking of 40+ GB library, I can imagine that the Polyphonic Timbre Shifting/Crushing, Waveshaping and Reduction must be pretty sweet!

Full disclosure: I don't own this. YET. Really trying to find a deal of the century and pick it up. I just can't be arsed to spend sale/retail on this thing right now.

[XysteR]

Well technically I wasn't wrong, only partly right.

Taken straight from their website "What is Omnisphere?
Omnisphere is an award-winning, remarkably versatile multi-timbral Power Synthesizer, based on Spectrasonics latest synthesis and hi-definition sampling engine called STEAM. It features a massive 40+GB core library"

Most sample based instruments have some form of 'synthesis' and yes, these guys have their own 'in-house' Steam engine, but in essence and at it's core it is indeed sample based. I mean a 40+GB sample library says it all really.

Oh it's indeed sample based, but the synth oscillator, effects, granular synthesis algorithm, FM/Ring Mod, and filters really do eat DSP from what I understand. And speaking of 40+ GB library, I can imagine that the Polyphonic Timbre Shifting/Crushing, Waveshaping and Reduction must be pretty sweet!

Full disclosure: I don't own this. YET. Really trying to find a deal of the century and pick it up. I just can't be arsed to spend sale/retail on this thing right now.

I have to be honest, I have way too many synths now. I need to use what I already have instead of looking over the fence at other stuff haha

[EnochLight]

Full disclosure: I don't own this. YET. Really trying to find a deal of the century and pick it up. I just can't be arsed to spend sale/retail on this thing right now.

I have to be honest, I have way too many synths now. I need to use what I already have instead of looking over the fence at other stuff haha

Hah!!! Yeah, same.

[EnochLight]

Hi

I purchased it from Music Matter and got it next day, very good service and price. It took about 2 hours to install on a fresh formatted HHD.

Hey Dan, so now that you've spent some months with Omnisphere 2 (and fixed your original performance problems), what's the verdict? I'm still batting around the idea of picking it up, but after reading a comment over at KVR that described Omnisphere thusly:

it's large complement of new-age and cinematic presets give an impression that it's all unicorns and rainbows playing pan pipes and harps.

...I'm not sure whether or not that's a good thing or bad thing Lol!

[Rectro]

Hi

I purchased it from Music Matter and got it next day, very good service and price. It took about 2 hours to install on a fresh formatted HHD.

Hey Dan, so now that you've spent some months with Omnisphere 2 (and fixed your original performance problems), what's the verdict? I'm still batting around the idea of picking it up, but after reading a comment over at KVR that described Omnisphere thusly:

it's large complement of new-age and cinematic presets give an impression that it's all unicorns and rainbows playing pan pipes and harps.

...I'm not sure whether or not that's a good thing or bad thing Lol!

When I heard the demos online it sounded like a inspiring synth to play, and with tons on sounds to explore I was looking forward to play these vast collection of sounds. The sounds have a clarity edge to them that sounds like no other synth iv tried. The UI is very well laid out well thought out. I was hoping there was more acoustic type sounds but there are not many. Many sounds are not playable as a instrument as such, but are more sounds that fill the gaps with the music rather than used to be the instrument. The layering of sounds is where this synth comes into its own, and man is this synth powerful. The acoustic guitar is beautiful to play and wish there was more sounds like this in there. The vocal choirs are top of the class. Omnisphere is a classy synth and the price tag shows it.

I havent investigated this synth as much as id like, have had a few things going on thats kind of crush my enthusiasm, but the sounds are very nice. This is not the best demo I could show of it, but this is what I made within the first 20 min of installing it, so this gives you a idea of the style of music the sounds directed me too. The music was made for this peice of 3d art work I created.

[DonnieAlan]

NO matter how you slice it or dice it, Omnisphere is a bit of a resource hog just by virtue of how much its got going on when being used. It is a powerful VI with many, many great voice libraries available for it, besides what you can create yourself.

[davidvilla]

And....we have a healthy selection of Kalimbas, in case you choose to skip RV10.

Screen Shot 2017-09-26 at 7.27.47 PM.png (119.49 KiB) Viewed 5389 times

[DonnieAlan]

For those who have Omnisphere, you might want to check out the Plugin Guru website. There are several top notch voice libraries to be had there from John "Skippy" Lehmkuhl, a veteran synth programmer and sound designer. He also has tons of videos explaining the libraries and how they were constructed. He also has some great libraries for other top synths such as Serum and Kontakt. Worth taking a look.

Omnisphere is, I think, one of the best VI's out there.