Clear out your hard drive: Omnisphere 2 is here

Spectrasonics' Omnisphere 2 is a big release in every sense of the word. While some plugin synths are almost apologetically pushed onto the internet with little or no warning, this one was announced with all the fanfare of a hardware instrument at NAMM 2015.

And then there's the size: Omnisphere 2 requires a whopping 64GB of your hard drive space, though this massive library does deliver in excess of 12,000 sounds.

At $499/€399, this is one of the more expensive plugin synths on the market, too, though we still lavished praise on the original version, and Omnisphere has consistently been voted one of the best VST/AU plugin synths in the world today.

We'll have a review of version 2 soon, but you can buy it right now from the Spectrasonics website. Also be sure to check out our interview with company boss Eric Persing, in which he discusses the making of the new software.

Spectrasonics Omnisphere 2 features

Vast New Synthesis Possibilities

• Audio Import - Use your own audio file as a soundsource in Omnisphere
• Over 400 New DSP Waveforms for the Synth Oscillator - an increase of 100X
• Wavetable Synthesis - Each Waveform is now a Morphing Wavetable
• Powerful New Granular Synthesis algorithm
• Deeper FM/Ring Mod capabilities for aggressive timbres
• 8 New Filter Types - New Power Filters, Vowel, Resonators
• New Unison Drift models Analog Polysynth behavior
• Expanded Modulation with new sources and many more targets
• Polyphonic LFO and Modulation Envelope options
• Soundsource Reversing

Now includes over 12,000 sounds

• More than 4,500 brand new patches and soundsources!
• New "Spotlight EDM" library with cutting-edge, modern sounds
• New Exclusive Soundsources from Diego Stocco's Custom Built Instruments
• New category of Phrase-based Soundsources for granular synthesis
• Hundreds of new Circuit Bent Soundsources
• Many Innovative new Psychoacoustic Soundsources
• New Melodic Cave Stalactites Soundsources

New Interface:

• Redesigned Wider User Interface with many improvements
• New Show Modulation pane opens modulation routings/sources on left side
• New Mini-Browser available at all times
• Larger Full Browser Design

Enhanced Browsing experience:

• Sound Match™ feature instantly locates any related sounds in the library
• Sound Lock™ allows endless useful variations by locking sound aspects while you browse
• Easy Sound/Project Sharing for collaborators and third party libraries
• Greatly Improved sound organization system
• Fast Auto Preview/Progressive Loading allows rapid browsing
• Browse Patches by Mood
• Expanded Genres
• Browse by Oscillator type
• Boolean search options

New Arpeggiator Features:

• Note transposition for step seq-style patterns
• Arp pattern lock while browsing
• Speed Offset control allows slow down/speed up effects
• New modulation capabilities

25 New FX Units:

• Innerspace
• Quad Resonator
• Thriftshop Speaker
• Classic Twin
• Bassman
• Hi-Wattage
• Rock Stack
• Brit-Vox
• Boutique
• San-Z-Amp
• Stompbox Modeler
• Metalzone Distortion
• Toxic Smasher
• Foxxy Fuzz
• Analog Phaser
• Analog Flanger
• Analog Chorus
• Analog Vibrato
• Solina Ensemble
• Vintage Tremolo
• Envelope Filter
• Crying Wah
• Stomp-Comp
• Precision Compressor
• Studio 2-Band EQ

Flexible New FX Features:

• 16 FX units per patch
• Full matrix modulation of every FX slot
• New Aux FX rack per patch with Pre/Post fader sends
• Hundreds of New FX Presets and Racks
• Lock FX while browsing

Improvements/Special Features:

• Live Mode with key splits
• Enhanced Orb with Attractor mode
• Trilian Custom Controls compatibility
• Global Clock Speed (Halftime, Doubletime, etc)

…and much more.