# Why is Omnisphere so dang loud?



## Ben E (Feb 26, 2018)

Or is it just that everything else is so quiet? Either way, when I load an Omnisphere patch I almost always have to turn the volume of the plugin down to almost nothing and that still gives me little wiggle room on the channel fader. 

I'm not used to using synths. Mostly virtual orchestral instruments. Is this a thing with synth instruments? Am I the only one with this problem? Is there a SOP for this kind of thing -- other than always remembering ahead of time to turn the volume down so's not to blow my ears out?


----------



## Jediwario1 (Feb 26, 2018)

It seems to be an issue with virtual synths. I guess it's like a sample library normalizing all their samples so they're all consistent.


----------



## synthpunk (Feb 26, 2018)

It's because Omnisphere goes up to 11


----------



## sostenuto (Feb 26, 2018)

Ben E said:


> Or is it just that everything else is so quiet? Either way, when I load an Omnisphere patch I almost always have to turn the volume of the plugin down to almost nothing and that still gives me little wiggle room on the channel fader.
> 
> I'm not used to using synths. Mostly virtual orchestral instruments. Is this a thing with synth instruments? Am I the only one with this problem? Is there a SOP for this kind of thing -- other than always remembering ahead of time to turn the volume down so's not to blow my ears out?



Omni 2 IS 'relatively' loud, and I'm not a User who is adept at addressing your post .... BUT .... just watched another weekly Pluginguru (John SKIPPY Lehmkuhl) Livestream on Saturday, and he does major Omnisphere Library creation.

Last week he did an unusual two-hour session with u-he Tyrell N6, and he spent unusual time on his personal INIT
customization. He made several key points about getting the level up well beyond mfr's INIT. Skippy truly knows his stuff, and maybe worth checking out the Livestream to pick up what may be meaningful to you .... The volume level points were made fairly early on.



https://www.pluginguru.com/videos/


----------



## Dr Belasco (Feb 27, 2018)

Omnisphere 2 is relatively loud when you compare it to, and try and mix it with, orchestral instruments as an example. Lot of output with synthesizer virtual instruments, compared to say, Spitfire, which is really quiet.


----------



## VinRice (Feb 27, 2018)

You are quite correct. Many patches are ridiculously loud - a good 10-12dB over the nominal 0db in Logic for example. Use a channel strip or 'gainer' plug-in to compensate - or turn it down in Omni.


----------



## zolhof (Feb 27, 2018)

This is an issue with far too many VSTs, and even worse is the uneven volume between patches. When you get bursts of +10db playing random factory patches you know you are in for a treat.

I've made a habit out of mixing at low levels, but that one day you forget to pull the faders down is the day you decide to go full on Bonehead ... and that's why I have a brickwall limiter comfortably sitting in my Control Room, just in case.


----------



## KEM (Apr 1, 2018)

Louder is better! Or at least that's what I'm told...


----------



## jtnyc (Apr 1, 2018)

Ben E said:


> Or is it just that everything else is so quiet? Either way, when I load an Omnisphere patch I almost always have to turn the volume of the plugin down to almost nothing and that still gives me little wiggle room on the channel fader.
> 
> I'm not used to using synths. Mostly virtual orchestral instruments. Is this a thing with synth instruments? Am I the only one with this problem? Is there a SOP for this kind of thing -- other than always remembering ahead of time to turn the volume down so's not to blow my ears out?



I created a default multi with each channel in the multi mixer turned down to -5db and the master volume of the whole plug down -5db. I did the same with Stylus and Trillain.


----------



## chillbot (Apr 1, 2018)

KEM said:


> Louder is better! Or at least that's what I'm told...


Solid bump. At exactly 4:20 (my timezone, anyway). At the rate you are going, you will surpass my post count in less than two months! It's good to have goals.

Back to topic: Omnisphere is not too loud, Omnisphere is perfect. Everything else is too soft. It's infinitely easier to turn down a loud signal than to boost a soft one. Signal-to-noise ratio for the win.


----------



## KEM (Apr 1, 2018)

chillbot said:


> Solid bump. At exactly 4:20 (my timezone, anyway). At the rate you are going, you will surpass my post count in less than two months! It's good to have goals.
> 
> Back to topic: Omnisphere is not too loud, Omnisphere is perfect. Everything else is too soft. It's infinitely easier to turn down a loud signal than to boost a soft one. Signal-to-noise ratio, for the win.



Hahaha I sure am loving the site can't you tell?!

But yes back to Omnisphere, I do find it to be legitimately loud, especially the EDM library, it's full of speaker destroying sound design. Omnisphere for me is a preset machine, I don't think I've ever made my own patch in it lol, I mostly use the noisescapes and all of them are quite loud as well.


----------



## Farkle (Apr 1, 2018)

chillbot said:


> Solid bump. At exactly 4:20 (my timezone, anyway). At the rate you are going, you will surpass my post count in less than two months! It's good to have goals.
> 
> Back to topic: Omnisphere is not too loud, Omnisphere is perfect. Everything else is too soft. It's infinitely easier to turn down a loud signal than to boost a soft one. Signal-to-noise ratio for the win.



So much agree. This hearkens back to the old days, where you drove a hot signal-to-noise input into the console; then you can turn it way down to mix properly. I always load Omni at -12 db on the mixer, then use that as a starting point.

Omni is amazing; it's fat, and wide, and beefy. Just start with it at -12 (or something) and then mix it into your cue; or let it be your cue... it's that good.

Mike


----------



## chillbot (Apr 1, 2018)

Farkle said:


> I always load Omni at -12 db on the mixer, then use that as a starting point.


Mine is set to -3 db, but for me that is pretty soft compared to everything else.


----------



## Farkle (Apr 1, 2018)

chillbot said:


> Mine is set to -3 db, but for me that is pretty soft compared to everything else.



Works for me; esp if you put a brickwall limiter on your output, to catch anything. Omni does nothing wrong, imo.


----------



## tmhuud (Apr 1, 2018)

Because it’s so awesome, everyone should hear it.


----------



## Cinebient (Apr 4, 2018)

I often hear really loud presets in a lot of synths. It might be mainly to impress with the first few notes you play.
Like with many masterings today the loudness war is all over the place sometimes.
For me such loud presets just make sense if the synth doesn´t offer an intern compressor/limiter and i need a lot gain staging for saturation, feedback or other effects which are dependent on the intern amplitude input in these synths.
Otherwise loud is just loud and i like them all way under -3db.


----------

