14th January 2010
At the 2010 NAMM show in Anaheim, Spectrasonics today announced new v1.2 updates for Omnisphere and Trilian - bringing full 64-bit cross-platform support for the complete line of Spectrasonics virtual instruments. With the new updates, Omnisphere and Trilian will join Stylus RMX as fully Mac and Windows native 64-bit plug-ins.
The new version 1.2 updates include several new features and enhancements to the Spectrasonics STEAM Engine including improved browser features, new synthesizer filter algorithms and a new 'Sample File Server' function giving the software the ability to go beyond 32-bit memory limits on Mac OS X systems. Spectrasonics also demonstrated a new free iPhone app, Omni Live that turns an iPhone or iPod Touch into a wireless remote control for Omnisphere's "Live Mode" page - allowing multi-touch sound selection of the software synthesizer in the user's computer.
The Omnisphere and Trilian version 1.2 updates will be released first as a public beta on January 22nd - with the official release on February 22nd as free downloads for all registered users.
"We are thrilled to be on the cutting-edge of having full 64-bit support of our entire product line on both Mac and Windows platforms," notes Eric Persing, Founder of Spectrasonics. "These updates push away previous technical limitations and allow all our users to be musically creative with our instruments in new ways. Full 64-bit support means removing old boundaries and opening new frontiers for the future."
Summary of Version 1.2 changes:
64-Bit Support
While 64-bit support for Spectrasonics instruments on Windows has been available, the emerging Mac OS X-based 64-bit DAWs - such as Apple's recent Logic 9.1 update - are now fully compatible to take advantage of the 64-bit memory addressing of Omnisphere and Trilian v1.2. Any "plug-in host" that is 64-bit compatible on Macintosh can also utilize the new versions' 64-bit capabilities, including Vienna Ensemble Pro.
Browser "Favorites"
Besides cross-platform 64-bit compatibility for Omnisphere and Trilian, the new version 1.2 updates also include new browser "Favorites" features that many users have requested for quickly organizing the thousands of sounds in these instruments in meaningful ways. With a single click, users can now assign 'Star Ratings' to any of the sounds, and then sort the library by their rated sounds. In addition, the new sound organizing capability includes a 'Project' button, accessible via a menu allowing the user to rapidly create a 'Project Tag' - to assign sounds specifically for a piece of music, a particular gig, a film cue or any kind of focus. User Projects can then be viewed and sorted from the first column of the Browser.
"Juicy" Synthesizer Filter Algorithms
The STEAM Engine in Omnisphere and Trilian v1.2 has also been enhanced to include brand new custom-developed synthesizer filter algorithms in a wide variety of dual 12dB/24db, lowpass/highpass/bandpass, series/parallel configurations. These new "Juicy" filters have improved sound quality and smooth "analog-style" response - especially when used with extreme resonance settings and sweeping sounds. The "Power Filter," (a customized version of GMedia's filter from their impOSCar synth) is also now available as a polyphonic filter. Additional enhancements for all users include support for Triplet and Dotted rhythmic resolutions in the Arpeggiator.
"Sample File Server" for 32-bit Mac OS X Systems
Mac users of Omnisphere and Trilian who are still using 32-bit DAWs will appreciate the new 'Sample File Server' option for addressing memory outside of a 32-bit host's limits - which greatly improves the headroom users need to load large sounds and more instances in busy sessions and while still keeping the creative flow going. When the 'Sample File Server' is activated in Omnisphere's or Trilian's System Page, the virtual instrument is no longer limited by the memory constraints of 32-bit DAWs. In v1.2 of its STEAM Engine, Spectrasonics has provided practical memory access solutions for both 32-bit and 64-bit users.
iPhone app: Omni Live
"Omni Live" is designed to turn an iPhone (or iPod Touch) into a simple, wireless remote control of Omnisphere's "Live Mode" page via the touch-screen interface on the small, portable devices. Since Omnisphere's Live Mode already allows multiple sound selection, the iPhone's multi-touch display makes a useful control surface - especially on the stage.
Having remote control of the Live Mode page allows a player to sit remotely from their computer, at their MIDI'ed piano, or across the room at a MIDI controller and instantly choose a patch or combination of patches in the Live Mode page simply by touching the patch names on the iPhone display. The patch names are sent from Omnisphere wirelessly back to the iPhone. Setup is very simple, when Omnisphere is running on the computer and the iPhone is connected to the same wireless network, launching the "Omni Live" App on the iPhone will find the host computer and allow wireless control of sound selection in Omnisphere's Live Mode page. When sounds are selected in Omnisphere, the iPhone automatically gets updated wirelessly.
The new "Omni Live" iPhone remote control app currently works with Omnisphere on Mac OS X systems and is scheduled to be available for free download on Apple's App Store by the end of February.
KVR Audio, Inc.
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