Getting Omnisphere 2... or not?

[Armagibbon]

The thing with Omnisphere is that they are using something like "The Wire" technology where the sounds coming from the synth engine are carefully tuned such that certain resonances owing to particular kinds of phase distortion are minimized. It really is something quite special, not all synths have this.

It's pretty clear to my ears anyway, and there is a demo now, try it for yourself.

Try the demo, it's new.

viewtopic.php?f=1&t=481399&p=6733238&hi ... e#p6733238

You sly dog!
You almost got me, I've had that YT link blocked for years and I forgot why until now.

[noiseboyuk]

I see the fun continues...

Every year on International Women's day, literally thousands of men have the same thought and turn to Twitter - "hey, why isn't there an International Men's Day?" UK comedian Richard Herring devotes the entire day answering every one individually with the same answer - the date that year of Internstiomal Men's day. This year, it's Sunday November 19. Guess how many reply with "oh, I didn't realise there really was one, sorry, my bad"? Zero.

You see, when they post that, in the main it reflects a world view that things are somehow biased against men in an increasingly politically correct world. The facts don't matter, the chip is on their shoulder, and every year, unfailingly, they all say the same thing. The world is now a big conspiracy against the oppressed white male! Boo!

There is, so it seems, a type of person who believes Omnisphere isn't a proper synth, it's just a bunch of presets. When it's pointed out to them how it works - that there are two types of starting points with a sound, one is samples, the other is a VA, and this has been the case since day one - how many do you think reply with "oh gee, I never realised that, my bad"? Again, the answer appears to be zero. They'd rather live in their fantasy world that makes them feel better that somehow Omni is a big load of bloat that isn't even a real synth, rather than assimilate a new fact into their worldview.

Crazy things, humans.

[Armagibbon]

Nice. Those sweeping generalizations cut your hair for you up on that high horse of yours?

If you have a point to make, cut out the fat and make it. Even a humorless snob like yourself can do it, give it a try!

[noiseboyuk]

Nice. Those sweeping generalizations cut your hair for you up on that high horse of yours?

If you have a point to make, cut out the fat and make it. Even a humorless snob like yourself can do it, give it a try!

Ah, but Armagibbon I did, and it went like this - "Omnisphere has always had a VA engine so it can't be a ROMpler, and of story". But since that drew a response of "huh you need to get out more", I figured we'd move considerably beyond the realm of facts and something a little more peculiar might be going on. So forgive the indulgence of this humourless snob, but I find the psychology of what's going on here really quite fascinating.

Perhaps I'll do a paper on it.

If it doesn't work out, I'll feed it to my High Horse. He'll eat anything, the dumb schmuck.

Just for anyone left who is remotely interested, here's a 25 minute Omni 1 video (remember, back in the days when it was a Rompler? ) of creating a sound with the VA engine - https://vimeo.com/9055868

[Trancit]

Iwondered all the time when this thread will be turned into all the other standard Omni threads...

Here we go again... what a wonderful piece of software it is...

... the first few pages of this thread were more honest... if you are not into experimental stuff and you have to do your own stuff, Omnisphere is nothing but overcomplicated, overpriced and the VA to my ears is not very good sounding ... without heavily processing, it sounds dull out of the box...

There are much better alternatives, which cost 1/4, if you don´t have much use for this special kind of presets (and to be honest, the "EDM" presets are a joke...)

[Cinebient]

Iwondered all the time when this thread will be turned into all the other standard Omni threads...

Here we go again... what a wonderful piece of software it is...

... the first few pages of this thread were more honest... if you are not into experimental stuff and you have to do your own stuff, Omnisphere is nothing but overcomplicated, overpriced and the VA to my ears is not very good sounding ... without heavily processing, it sounds dull out of the box...

There are much better alternatives, which cost 1/4, if you don´t have much use for this special kind of presets (and to be honest, the "EDM" presets are a joke...)

But you know that it´s also just an opinion....not a fact!

[Orontea]

I bought Omnisphere very recently.
I really struggled with the question if I should buy it or not (I already own Komplete lot of Kontakt Libraries, UVI stuff and Xpand! etc.). If there is a person who doesn't need Omnisphere it is probably me.

Further I think that Omnisphere is a very ugly piece of software … at least in my eyes.

On the other hand I always struggled to implement Komplete stuff into my mixes. I don't know why. Maybe the stuff is too crisp or upfront. UVI is kind of the same and too retro for me.

I got a new computer and I wanted a clean and lean set up. Diva, Hive, Microtonic (not necessarily for drum sounds), focused sample collection, no drums/drum samples. In my mind Omnisphere would fit in here because one plug with tons of stuff and possibilities.

So, what about my first impressions of Omnisphere: it is absurd! It is the most expensive thing in my set up and I use it almost exclusively for little things here and there, effects, pads, mostly stuff that lives in the background. But the impact is enormous, it gives depth and makes things sound more "professionel" and interesting.

I can relate to some comments here. In a way some of the stuff sound so good and perfect that it is almost annoying. GUI wise there is a lot of clicking involved but in general it is a easy to handle piece of software.

Would I buy it again? Yes!
Is it a great piece of software? Yes!
Is it the best piece of software in the world? There is no such thing!


Note: My music is more on the experimental side but it is not soundscape music. My music is very structured and "composed".

[noiseboyuk]

Iwondered all the time when this thread will be turned into all the other standard Omni threads...

Here we go again... what a wonderful piece of software it is...

... the first few pages of this thread were more honest... if you are not into experimental stuff and you have to do your own stuff, Omnisphere is nothing but overcomplicated, overpriced and the VA to my ears is not very good sounding ... without heavily processing, it sounds dull out of the box...

There are much better alternatives, which cost 1/4, if you don´t have much use for this special kind of presets (and to be honest, the "EDM" presets are a joke...)

But you know that it´s also just an opinion....not a fact!

Indeed so (which is perfectly fine of course - I'm still old fashioned enough to think it's ok to have your own opinions but not your own facts) - but personally I like that everyone, including me, says "oh look, it's turned into the same thread as all the others" and then posts something that's exactly the same as they say in all the others. Sort of comforting, in a way.

[dellboy]

So let me make sure I understand this. If a synth doesn't generate real analogue waveforms, it's not a synth.

Even though I bought my first synth in 1988 which was a Juno 106 and I have owned numerous other hardware analogue and digital synths since then I still do not feel qualified to answer that question.
I also have many software synths on my computer but as I am not a synth addict I really could not care less how they generate their sounds.

At one time I owned every single copy of Sound on Sound going back into the 1980s,and one day on a whim I threw them all in a skip. In my loft I have a foot high pile of synth leaflets going back into the 80s which I collected from Music Shows. I have read and re-read all of this nerdy stuff over and over,but as to which way they make their sounds who cares ?

The point being is that to my ears the improvements I have heard since owning my Juno 106 are not worth writing home about. We were once promised that bigger samples were the answer,and they were to a point,but I still get more excited by the freeware Synth1 than all my big sample library stuff.

As to whether Omni 2 is a real synth I guess I will never know,and to be frank,I do not really care,as most of the stuff I have saved up for because of reading they are a must have usually turn out to be a big fat letdown.

Does an occasional DIY man need all the professional tools available today ? no.

So based on that assumption does a synth hobbiest need Omni 2 ?

[dune_rave]

I think when someone decide to buy Omni, he really wants to buy "that Spectrasonics sound".
So the special sound design is that expensive thing you should pay.

On the other hand there are other developers that are famous for their sound design.
For example Rob Papen Explorer is in the same price range as omni.
And nowadays it also can be considered as one instrument,
since you can load 4 RP instrument in Prisma.
The amount of presets are even greater than what you experience in Omni.
And it's searchable and have a good preset browser.
The installer size is ~ 2 Gb and the whole thing is much easier to install or reinstall.
Rp Explorer is my decision against Omni.

[BBFG#]

Okay, I have to admit I do find this thread a bit amusing.

The analogy that comes to mind is:
"All insects are bugs, but not all bugs are insects."

In that respect, every rompler to some varying degree is a virtual synth, but not every virtual synth is a rompler. So I personally think calling it a rompler is the greater compliment. And now it has sample import (making it a 'rampler'). The only reason you can't call it a virtual workstation is because it has no built in sequencer (which I understand could be debatable also since you can arpeggiate the 'f' out of it).

IMO, it is the sample content that really gives it that special Persing character. And what it does in the sum is greater than its parts.

(I'll add here: Back in the early 80's, I got my lessons first from E-Mu reps and shortly thereafter Roland reps. But it was specifically Eric who taught me a trick in getting the most seamless loops. The only problem was, once you know that trick, you hear that trick whenever it's used and can never un-hear it. And at times, it can annoy the 'pfff' out of you.)

[Armagibbon]

Nice. Those sweeping generalizations cut your hair for you up on that high horse of yours?

If you have a point to make, cut out the fat and make it. Even a humorless snob like yourself can do it, give it a try!

Ah, but Armagibbon I did, and it went like this - "Omnisphere has always had a VA engine so it can't be a ROMpler, and of story". But since that drew a response of "huh you need to get out more", I figured we'd move considerably beyond the realm of facts and something a little more peculiar might be going on. So forgive the indulgence of this humourless snob, but I find the psychology of what's going on here really quite fascinating.

Yeah, you see what you did was get offended at an opinion and try to "correct" it to your own. You're acting like facts and opinions are the same things unless you're the one pissing em out, see?

You know why I think Omni is more rompler than synth? Because the sample presets from Atmosphere, Trilian, Keyscape and co are great and the synth parts are a tabbed up clusterf*ck that I can't imagine anyone would try to use over a decent one-page-wonder. To me, the synth part of Omni isn't even worth mentioning. But, hey! That's just my perspective and an opinion, but you took my word like I meant it as global law and gave my post (the post of an internet nobody) enough weight to trip your hair-triggered feelings.

That's what I mean by "get out more". I'm saying you need more experience with differing perspectives, because you sure as hell don't get that concept. And that might just be the only fact in this thread right now.

[noiseboyuk]

Yeah, you see what you did was get offended at an opinion and try to "correct" it to your own. You're acting like facts and opinions are the same things unless you're the one pissing em out, see?

You know why I think Omni is more rompler than synth? Because the sample presets from Atmosphere, Trilian, Keyscape and co are great and the synth parts are a tabbed up clusterf*ck that I can't imagine anyone would try to use over a decent one-page-wonder. To me, the synth part of Omni isn't even worth mentioning. But, hey! That's just my perspective and an opinion, but you took my word like I meant it as global law and gave my post (the post of an internet nobody) enough weight to trip your hair-triggered feelings.

That's what I mean by "get out more". I'm saying you need more experience with differing perspectives, because you sure as hell don't get that concept. And that might just be the only fact in this thread right now.

Let's try slowly, Armagibbon.

Fact
noun
a thing that is known or proved to be true.

Opinion
noun
a view or judgement formed about something, not necessarily based on fact or knowledge.

I'm not quite sure why you think I'm confused between the two, Armageddon, I really am not. I commented a few posts up on someone's opinion, saying I was old fashioned enough to think people are entitled to their own opinions, not their own facts. I didn't agree with those opinions, but thats life. So... just a bit confused as to how I need more experience on differing perspectives? I'm not exactly impartial I realise, but I seem to get different views here on this thread, don't I? Where I become more unreasonable is when you invented a fact, not stated an opinion.

I see you're now trying to suggest you meant it was MORE of a ROMpler than a synth (are you quite sure it's me who is confused about this concepts, Armageddon?). To bolster this argument, you claim that you don't like the Omni VA because it uses tabs... is that right? OK, thats an opinion, all good. I don't share it, but that's neither here nor there. So let me see if I now have it right - you don't like the VA engine of Omni much, but that must mean that you're happy to admit that Omni is not simply a ROMpler? Right? That you stated something as fact (maybe a bit in haste, that's ok), when you meant you didn't think the VA side of it was up to much?

Do you know, maybe we can clear all this up, it can't be too hard, surely?

Just on the subject of the VA, interested to know if you've seen the Diego Stocco video I linked a few posts up. May not be to your taste, but he's doing things that a "one page wonder" couldn't do, surely?

[twal]

Check out pluginguru on youtube exhibiting sound design with Omnisphere to analyze whether it's good for anybody or not.

[BBFG#]

I heard someone comment once,
"give a group of addicts a single hair and watch them make a push broom from it".

Apparently it's the same here...