Log InCreate An Account
  1. News
  2. »
  3. Virtual Instruments
  4. »
  5. Spectrasonics

Superbooth 2018Spectrasonics Reveals Hardware Synth Integration for Omnisphere 2.5

-
Spectrasonics

At Superbooth, Spectrasonics has announced a major update of its flagship software synthesizer Omnisphere.

Spectrasonics say "With the new version 2.5, Omnisphere becomes the first software synth in the world to offer a Hardware Synth Integration feature, which transforms well-known hardware synthesizers into extensive hands-on controllers for unlocking Omnisphere's newly expanded synthesis capabilities. Simply put, this new feature makes using Omnisphere feel just like using a hardware synth."

Hardware Synth Integration
The innovative new feature bridges the physical experience gap between software and hardware, allowing users intuitive control and the ability to easily create/modify Omnisphere sounds by using the familiar layout of their supported hardware synth with minimal setup. The initial release will officially support over 20 popular hardware synthesizers from Moog, Dave Smith Instruments, Roland, Korg, Behringer, Novation, Sequential and more to come. The supported hardware synths cover a wide range of types and price ranges for different types of users.

On the technical side, the new Hardware Synth Integration feature in v2.5 goes far beyond the typical "MIDI Learn" approaches that most software synthesizers employ. Under the hood, Spectrasonics development team has carefully designed unique "Hardware Profiles" for each supported hardware synthesizer, to make the special features of that hardware work seamlessly with Omnisphere by translating MIDI messages from the hardware into satisfying sonic results in Omnisphere. This new system allows Spectrasonics to enable sophisticated interactions from a single touch of a knob, including the ability for Omnisphere to automatically recall entire FX racks, assign multiple scaled parameters and even instantly create complex modulation matrix routings on-the-fly. The new development system also allows Spectrasonics to add new profiles for new hardware synths in the future. Most importantly, it's easy for musicians to use - simply by selecting the hardware synth from the drop-down HW menu.

Expanded Synthesis Capabilities
The new version 2.5 vastly expands the synthesis capabilities of Omnisphere by doubling Omnisphere's voice architecture to Four Layers per patch. Each patch can now utilize up to 12 envelopes, 8 LFOs and the Modulation Matrix has been doubled to 48 modulation routings. Newly designed State Variable Filters are included, which were specially created for the OB-6 hardware profile and can seamlessly blend between lowpass, notch and hipass filter modes. Over 50 New "Analog" Oscillator Wavetables are included and featured in the new hardware profiles.

New Hardware Sound Library
Omnisphere 2.5 includes a new "Hardware Library" with hundreds of new patches created by Eric Persing and the Spectrasonics Sound Development team using the Hardware Synth Integration feature. 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. The new sounds feature a wide range of categories and many have a distinctly 'classic analog' flavor. Best of all, the new sounds are available for ALL users, regardless of if they use hardware or not.

"Since the beginning of computer-based music, the biggest limitation of software synthesizers has been the lack of physical interaction. It's hard to beat the immediacy of a physical synthesizer that you can touch. We are very excited to be able to finally eliminate that problem by utilizing the world's finest hardware synthesizers to fully control Omnisphere." said Eric Persing, Creative Director of Spectrasonics. "We've never felt that the worlds of software and hardware synths should be segregated into different 'camps'. Our virtual instrument users can now experience the joy of the hardware synth workflow and hardware synth users can now fully expand their capabilities into the vast sonic world of Omnisphere."

Omnisphere v2.5 features:

  • Hardware Synth Integration.
  • New Hardware Library adds hundreds of new patches for all users:
    • Over 13,000 Sounds total now included.
  • Vastly Expanded Synthesis:
    • Four Layers per patch.
    • Doubled Mod Matrix.
    • New State Variable Filters.
    • 8 LFOs, 12 Envelopes.
  • Free for all Omnisphere 2 users.

Hardware Synths supported include:

  • Sequential Prophet 6.
  • DSI OB-6.
  • DSI Rev 2.
  • Moog Voyager.
  • Moog Little Phatty.
  • Moog Sub Phatty.
  • Moog Sub 37.
  • Moog Subsequent 37.
  • Korg Minilogue.
  • Roland System 8.
  • Roland System 1.
  • Roland SE-02.
  • Roland SH-01A.
  • Roland JP-08.
  • Roland JU-06.
  • Roland JX-03.
  • Roland VP-03.
  • Novation Bassstation II.
  • Novation Peak.
  • Behringer Deepmind.

*complete list of new features and supported synths will be announced upon the official release in mid-Summer 2018.

Public Beta
The 2.5 update will initially be released in May 2018 as a Public Beta. All registered Omnisphere 2 users with Standard licenses are eligible to sign up to join the Public Beta test. Spectrasonics is encouraging end users to participate and provide feedback in the Public Beta test. The company says that users who give high quality testing/feedback reports in the Public Beta will be eligible to join the official Spectrasonics Beta Team for future products.

Eligible users can sign up for the 2.5 Public Beta program through their Spectrasonics User Account.

Pricing and Availability

Omnisphere 2.5 is a free update to all registered Omnisphere 2 users. Public Beta starts in May. Official Release Mid-Summer.

Discussion

Discussion

Discussion: Active
turtletheory
turtletheory
3 May 2018 at 1:13pm

This is really cool, but it's a bizarre oversight that there's no support for NKS. Hopefully this is soon to come?

ansolas
ansolas
8 May 2018 at 9:41am

+1.

dix
dix
6 May 2018 at 12:48am

Spectrasonics said on their FP page they would definitely not be doing NKS.

ansolas
ansolas
8 May 2018 at 9:41am

Yeah NKS would make a lot more sense since we could save mappings per preset .

Please log in to join the discussion

News & Deals Related To This Item

Spectrasonics updates Keyscape Patches to v1.6.0c
16 May 2023
Spectrasonics updates Keyscape to v1.5 - Adds New Double Felt Grand - Free Update
30 Mar 2023
Spectrasonics announces Sonic Extensions along with Omnisphere update v2.8.0d
19 Oct 2021
Spectrasonics releases Bob Moog Tribute Library v2.0 - 500+ new Omnisphere patches added
24 Mar 2021
Spectrasonics releases Trilian 1.5 - Major free update with expanded features, new patches and more
13 Nov 2020
Spectrasonics releases Omnisphere 2.6
28 Mar 2019
Spectrasonics announces Omnisphere v2.6 at NAMM
24 Jan 2019
Spectrasonics updates Omnisphere 2 to v2.5.1d
16 Oct 2018
Spectrasonics updates Omnisphere to v2.5 - Hardware Synth Integration and more
29 Aug 2018
Spectrasonics Reveals Hardware Synth Integration for Omnisphere 2.5
03 May 2018
Spectrasonics updates Omnisphere (2.4), Keyscape (1.1), Trilian (1.4.3f) and Stylus RMX (1.9.8f) - Standalone Versions and more
23 Jan 2018
Spectrasonics releases "Keyscape Creative" Library - 1200 Omnisphere patches for users who also have Keyscape (+Keyscape and Omnisphere updated)
19 Jan 2017
Spectrasonics announces Keyscape - Collector Keyboards
07 Sep 2016
Spectrasonics updates Omnisphere to v2.2.0e
09 Mar 2016
Spectrasonics Announces New Delivery Platforms - Download and Drive Editions
22 Dec 2015
Spectrasonics releases Omnisphere v2.1 Update
05 Aug 2015
Spectrasonics is hiring
12 Jul 2015
Spectrasonics releases Omnisphere 2
01 May 2015
Spectrasonics announces Omnisphere 2
22 Jan 2015
Spectrasonics releases AAX Public Beta of Omnisphere, Trilian and Stylus RMX with Support for Pro Tools 11
26 Jul 2013

Show more...