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Is Omnisphere still the best all-in-one choice?

jsnleo

Active Member
Hi, I’ve heard of it as one of the best synths more than ten years ago but I never got into the synth world. I’m wondering if it’s still the best all-in-one choice? I know something else will probably sound better in certain ways, or is more analog sounding.

Because I only tried some presets years ago, I barely remember anything. I remember there were many different categories iirc. Is there another synth that can also do it all, covers many categories?

I’m thinking of buying it but don’t know if it’s still the best choice when it comes to versatility, and man I never saw it on sale. Like I said I don’t have much experience in synth, so having good presets is kinda a big thing.

I know some other popular options are u-he, Arturia V Collection, Serum, Synapse Audio Dune and Legend, Sylenth1, VPS Avenger, SynthMaster... But again, is Omnisphere the one I’m looking for? Or any other recommendations? Thanks!
 
I have Omnisphere, KeyScape, and Trilian. I really like all of them. Better? I dont know how to define that. Its certainly been good enough for me to use and enjoy playing. I dont really fiddle with the sounds all that much. I just find stuff I like and use it. Plus, there are add-on packs you can buy where others have tweaked sounds and layers. If you want to fiddle with your own sounds, it seems like it is good for that as well. Again, I dont, so I cant really say how it compares. It's not expensive, so I dont see that you have much to lose. I have never seen it on sale, but I think it is worth every penny I paid for it.

I also have Steinberg Absolute collection. Power stuff there too, with all the soft synths. It's in a similar price range.

I have spent thousands $ on Vienna Symphonic Library. While the samples sound good, I never get comfortable with the interface. That is probably my only regret in purchasing of VSTs in the last 10 years. I bought way more of it than I will ever use and should have nibbled before buying nearly every string and wind sample they had at the time. I had money to burn at the time, and burn it i did :)

You are only talking $500 for Omnisphere. I doubt it will lead to any buyer remorse.
 
Omnisphere is a must have for me. Don‘t know of anything else that can compete with it in terms of the gigantic range of sounds in there.

If you have the funds, go for it. Don’t know anybody who has regret it.
 
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As someone who got it and doesn't use synths much, I would classify it as a synth per se. I don't use it that much either. But that is more because I don't really do music that has needed it yet that I didn't have something else that does the sound better to me.

You can use presets with it or you can import your own sounds and layer them with the effects in Omni. You can make some great sounds with it. And you can play with it like a synth. But, if you just want a basic synth sound and not all the rest, I would get something a lot cheaper. If you have Komplete, you have all the synth sounds you need. If you do decide you want it, best deal, if you live in the US, is wait for a general discount code from Musicians Friend or Guitar Center and use that. If you buy it secondhand, it may be NFR. As the primary buyer, you can resell it if you find it isn't for you.
 
Have it but use it rarely too. I dont know why - the sounds are fine and you have mostly everything in it...maybe thats the problem for me - too much (same happens to me with reFX Nexus 3). And I dont like the GUI. Looks so old and uninspiring too me 🤷‍♂️ I know - its kind of stupid and sound matters but I´m a very visual, nerdy guy 😉
 
I strongly disagree that Omnisphere is the best all-in-one choice. There is no “best” choice. Personally, if I were starting out and had a $500 budget, then, for the music I make, I would go with DIVA and Synthmaster and then select from various other synths, putting together a collection that I could get for the same price as just Omnisphere.

Of course, others can fairly disagree and just go with Omnisphere, but there is no one-size-fits-all, and no clear optimal approach. I respectfully submit that looking for the “one true path” with regard to synth purchases is a hopeless and impossible pipe dream, and you’ll have about as many opinions here as you do individual reponses.
 
If you consider yourself a film composer, Omnisphere is a must have.
It's got tons of unique weird soundsources you won't find anywhere else.

However, I find myself using synth like Serum, VPS Avenger and Diva more these days, but it's because I mostly find myself doing other things than film music, where these weird noises are not really useful.

From a pure synthesis perspective, a lot of synths can match or even surpass Omnisphere, so you are really paying the extra for the huge (50 GB) sound sources.
 
I have Omnisphere, KeyScape, and Trilian. I really like all of them. Better? I dont know how to define that. Its certainly been good enough for me to use and enjoy playing. I dont really fiddle with the sounds all that much. I just find stuff I like and use it. Plus, there are add-on packs you can buy where others have tweaked sounds and layers. If you want to fiddle with your own sounds, it seems like it is good for that as well. Again, I dont, so I cant really say how it compares. It's not expensive, so I dont see that you have much to lose. I have never seen it on sale, but I think it is worth every penny I paid for it.

I also have Steinberg Absolute collection. Power stuff there too, with all the soft synths. It's in a similar price range.

I have spent thousands $ on Vienna Symphonic Library. While the samples sound good, I never get comfortable with the interface. That is probably my only regret in purchasing of VSTs in the last 10 years. I bought way more of it than I will ever use and should have nibbled before buying nearly every string and wind sample they had at the time. I had money to burn at the time, and burn it i did :)

You are only talking $500 for Omnisphere. I doubt it will lead to any buyer remorse.

I was about to get the Keyscape but thought I’ve got enough piano libraries and don’t really need one more, though we always keep buying them. What I really like about the Keyscape (or everything from Spectrasonics) is it has all the different sounds I need, and probably more, so I don’t need to collect them one by one. And to be honest, some libraries sound better, and are more enjoyable playing them, but most of the times I don’t need all the nuances when making music.

About the Omnisphere, I believe it’s worth every penny, and I don’t mind paying that much. What really bothers me is it’s too “old” if that makes sense. I know it’s not true but I just have this impression that newer is better...
 
About the Omnisphere, I believe it’s worth every penny, and I don’t mind paying that much. What really bothers me is it’s too “old” if that makes sense. I know it’s not true but I just have this impression that newer is better...

Well - its in developement forever. Every new version brings a lot of new stuff and current techniques with it. I think it can keep up with every "new" synth/rompler/sampler easily!
 
Omnisphere is a pretty remarkable accomplishment. If you never stray from the presets you'll probably never run out of sounds. The hardware integration is a blast! And if you want to create your own sounds it is possible, although it is not your standard 2 oscillator subtractive synth<G>!

I do not use it every day, but I do not regret the investment, not even a little.

Nor do I regret waiting several years before buying it.

If I were just starting out, even knowing what I know now, I doubt it would be my first choice. I think I'd pick up great sounding synths that are easier to program, but I would still end up getting it.
 
Omnisphere is a must have for me. Don‘t know of anything else that can compete with it in terms of the gigantic range of sounds in there.

If you have the funds, go for it. Don’t know anybody who has regret it.

Did you find there are many useable presets? I don’t mind learning it but I prefer not to spend too much time tweaking it.
 
As someone who got it and doesn't use synths much, I would classify it as a synth per se. I don't use it that much either. But that is more because I don't really do music that has needed it yet that I didn't have something else that does the sound better to me.

You can use presets with it or you can import your own sounds and layer them with the effects in Omni. You can make some great sounds with it. And you can play with it like a synth. But, if you just want a basic synth sound and not all the rest, I would get something a lot cheaper. If you have Komplete, you have all the synth sounds you need. If you do decide you want it, best deal, if you live in the US, is wait for a general discount code from Musicians Friend or Guitar Center and use that. If you buy it secondhand, it may be NFR. As the primary buyer, you can resell it if you find it isn't for you.

Thanks! MF has sent me coupons many times, maybe I’ll ask them if I can get another one.
 
Have it but use it rarely too. I dont know why - the sounds are fine and you have mostly everything in it...maybe thats the problem for me - too much (same happens to me with reFX Nexus 3). And I dont like the GUI. Looks so old and uninspiring too me 🤷‍♂️ I know - its kind of stupid and sound matters but I´m a very visual, nerdy guy 😉

Me too. Presets are helpful but if there are too many I feel overwhelmed. I find the GUI too outdated as well and maybe because it’s been around for so many years and we’ve got used to it.
 
I strongly disagree that Omnisphere is the best all-in-one choice. There is no “best” choice. Personally, if I were starting out and had a $500 budget, then, for the music I make, I would go with DIVA and Synthmaster and then select from various other synths, putting together a collection that I could get for the same price as just Omnisphere.

Of course, others can fairly disagree and just go with Omnisphere, but there is no one-size-fits-all, and no clear optimal approach. I respectfully submit that looking for the “one true path” with regard to synth purchases is a hopeless and impossible pipe dream, and you’ll have about as many opinions here as you do individual reponses.

What do you think about the SynthMaster? It’s pretty cheap and on sale now!
 
If you consider yourself a film composer, Omnisphere is a must have.
It's got tons of unique weird soundsources you won't find anywhere else.

However, I find myself using synth like Serum, VPS Avenger and Diva more these days, but it's because I mostly find myself doing other things than film music, where these weird noises are not really useful.

From a pure synthesis perspective, a lot of synths can match or even surpass Omnisphere, so you are really paying the extra for the huge (50 GB) sound sources.

I’m not a film composer. There are just too many synths out there and it’s really hard for me to make a decision. I’m not trying to dive too deep and just wanna get an all-rounder so that I don’t need to get another.
 
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