Spectrasonics Upgrade to Omnisphere for Registered Users of Omnisphere 1.x (Boxed) Reviews

I purchased the upgrade from Omnisphere to version 2. Well, I haven't even upgraded yet, but I know I'm going to love it. I have been using Omnisphere 1.x.x and it's a powerhouse for just about anything. For me, Ethereal & Ambient. I use it along beside my Roland JD-990, and many other hardware & software synths.

Let me rephrase. I use it a LOT! My only excuse not updating yet, is I need a larger hard drive

Spectrasonics makes truly incredible software, and the 2.0 version of Omnisphere did not disappoint! Having recently upgraded to a newer Mac with a faster processor, I could finally upgrade to Omnisphere 2.0, which wouldn't run on my early 2009 Mac Pro, due to the processors not being up to the task. The breadth and depth of this synthesis software is massive, and it is a pure joy just perusing the over 10,000 plus sounds. The complexity of some of these sounds makes serious demands on your computer's processor, and in Omnisphere 1.0 I experienced some latency issues with some of the more complex sounds. In Version 2.0, I'm not having any latency issues with my newer, faster, Mac. This software is well worth the price, and with such a huge collection of sounds, many of which are unique to Omnisphere, this is my primary, go-to "soft-synth". Tech support at Spectrasonics is really great, and I love using their products. My only warning is to those who may be using older computers: be sure your computer is up to the task of running Omnisphere 2.0!

I have been saving up for this upgrade for quite awhile and finally ordered it. It came in the mail from Sweetwater and the package contains the Upgrade Code from Spectrasonics. I love Sweetwater and I am blown away by the quality and magnitude of the sounds within Omnisphere! Regarding my order at Sweetwater, once again Aaron Tremain did a great job answering my questions about this upgrade and in processing my order. Aaron always goes the extra steps to make sure my orders are processed fast and correctly. And when Aaron is off for a day, others at Sweetwater step in to help me. a great company and prices! Omnisphere is the best virtual synth in my opinion. If you don't have it - just jump in and buy it. You will be amazed.

Omnisphere has always been a great program and always continues to grow. With new and inavated ideas.

I have used Omnisphere (and Trilian) for 5 years. I am still learning new things I never new about it's capabilities as it is readily accessible to the beginner while still remaining a deep, super powerful synth for more serious synth patch creators / programmers. I just use the stock patches as there are so many. To me, there can never be too many sounds. Now, with v2 they are gonna be easier to find. Stunning world class quality sound sure to jazz up any bland song mix with some fast creative touches.

Omnisphere 1 was the best investment I have made in a long time. Version 2 just builds on that experience and considering that I was eligible to receive Version II for free when it was released made the initial purchase a no-brainer. Everything about Version 2 from the patches to the improved user friendly interface has the WOW factor. You'll need to watch the tutorials to unplug the full potential of this plugin but suffice it to say it's extremely powerful. Kudos to Spectrasonics! I would also rate Spectrasonics customer service a 5.0 as well. They're great, attentive people to deal with. As for Sweetwater's Technical Support on a scale of 0-5.0 I'd rate them a 10.0. Yep. they're that good.

A must for almost every project - Artist / TV / Feature films ... I'm always using this.

About the only bad thing which can be said about the OmniSphere 2 upgrade is that Spectrasonics took launch day lessons from Blizzard. Other than the initial website issues, the upgrade is superb. They added a -lot- of awesome features, and it's a great upgrade which really expands the capabilities -and- the usability of the software.

My favourite new feature is probably Sound Lock. Sound Lock is so damned cool that you can basically program generally leaning in the direction of what you want, then lock the parts you like, and browse the library for similar, polished, pre-existing sounds. At first I thought it would work off of categories/tags. It does not! It works off of settings, and it's absolutely amazing!

Omnisphere 2 has become my favorite piece of music software ever. The addition of 400 or so new wave forms to the synthesis engine and the ability to lock the modulation matrix into a wind friendly form took the software to a new level of interest and usefulness. When set correctly these waves respond beautifully to all the controls I'm sending from my Synthophone ( midi sax ).

The "match sounds" feature is also great as it allows for slowly evolving jams in an atmosphere that remains relatively constant. I have only scratched the surface and have already created a large number of great new personalized sounds and I'm not an experienced programmer. I tweak the controls and cool new sounds emerge ... I love it !

I also have highest regard for Spectrasonics as a company for their track record in continuously upgrading "Omnisphrere" with new patches and features most often for no extra cost. They are among the best customer oriented companies serving the musical community. I've always felt I got more than I expected from their products.

I'm really liking the sounds and new features in version two, it is definitely worth upgrading to version two if you haven't done so already.

OK I am officially impressed with Omnisphere 2... Took 14 hours to download, a flawless download I might add, but well worth the wait. Seamless installation and man it sounds great coming through Cubase 8. The arpegiator is so mush easier to sync, you play a chord and it waits to sync with the BPM of the host...so cool. The library is overwhelming, as usual, and the new sounds are lush and deep. Totally stoked...already got a piece ready for this weekend.
I'm on a very slow download speed, most of you will have much faster speeds. I live way out in the country.

Gold Standard

I mainly bought this for the additional DSP waveforms and effects. Granular was a nice add. The additional layers make it even more bananas.

It loads and performs noticeably slower than Omni 1 and is still quite the memory hog. And be prepared to backup the big download, as you only get it once.

Is it worth the upgrade price?

I think if you're deep into Omnisphere already and have some synths compatible with the hardware integration, it's a strong consideration.

Are you really missing out as an Omni 1 owner who doesn't have those integrated synths? I'm not sure.

I give it a guarded recommendation at this price point.

My main problem with Omnisphere 2 is not its content - which is fine - but the fact that Spectrasonics does not host additional downloads on their servers. In other words, if your computer crashes with the Omnisphere 2 upgrade already installed... you're gonna have to get readjusted to Omnisphere 1, that is, unless you back up your files. At only 20GB, this is stingy service. I bought a USB stick with 30GB capacity, and it only stores 12 out of the 18GB Omnisphere 2 takes up. I've been at a loss as to how to back the file, and will probably be at a real financial loss if I do find a way.

On the content side, I'm glad to put my own music through Omnisphere's FX, especially the convolution reverbs. I especially enjoy Innerspace. As with everything in Omnisphere, it can still take anywhere from hours to days to make palatable pads for pop/rock music, but it's often worth it. Combining presets and soundsources (and combos) can often be like swimming through a sea of manure before you reach the shore. The 396 additional waveforms are cool, but they all sound pretty much the same. The orb is useless.

Consider buying, but be smart - you're gonna need more than a couple of DVD-Rs to backup the upgrade file.

ACHTUNG! If you're thinking that buying this will allow you to avoid the massive pain of a 18GB download think again. It;s just a code and you still have to go through the 18GB dl procedure. I'm generally a fan of Sweetwater but describing this as "Boxed" borders on real sleaze.