What workhorse synth would you buy if you couldn't get Omnisphere?

[IvyBirds]

Too many samples is not my main complaint, having to dig through them is. And that actually isn't my main complaint either. I feel the worst thing about Omni, etc. is the user base of apologetics that interject themselves in topics that specifically ask for alternatives to it.
"Cringy".
And I'll second the last comment with Diva, Zebra, Pigments, AnalogLab, Halion. But I especially like the plugins where I can archive things I never use to a backup drive and not have to dig through again unless I want to.

Why then are you criticizing Omnisphere instead of just giving recommendations for alternatives?

If you really despise the so called base of apologists and think they are the worst part of Omnisphere you could have just answered the OPs question about alternatives and moved on.

Instead you have chosen to go off topic which is fine and engage with the people you despise

The OP didn't ask why you personally don't like Omnisphere so why did you inject that into the conversation?

[Uncle E]

GForce presets are excellent. Probably my favorites.

[syntonica]

...
Can you name a single software synth you own that has 500-1000 presets that you find useful?
...

Of those that I own: CRX4, Diva, Hive.

-By useable, the preset is either immediately usable, or can be easily and quickly tweaked.
-They have been supplemented by only free preset packs.

I'm sure others can easily add to this list.

Well then if that is your definition, Omnisphere has 10,000+ usable presets, because every preset it comes with is easily tweaked

Ackshuallly... Most of Omni's presets have a high cringe factor to them and I wish I never heard them. Any free sound sets I've had the misfortune of installing, doubly so. There's no fixing them. That is, of course, my opinion, and if you enjoy all 10k presets, then swing away...

[igorius]

Ackshuallly... Most of Omni's presets have a high fine factor to them

What does that mean, "high fine factor"?

[syntonica]

Ackshuallly... Most of Omni's presets have a high fine factor to them

What does that mean, "high fine factor"?

It means GBoard is still the worst keyboard known! That should be "cringe". I will fix.

[zvenx]

Audio Aesthetics like any other aesthetics are down to personal taste.

Eric Persing is for me THE best Sound Designer on the planet and I have thought so since his Roland days, hence I tend to Love his presets (clearly not all)...

But if he is not your taste and the Roland of yore sound ethos is not your taste, well.. I guess it won't appeal to you.

For me the best factory presets are in Omnisphere and lots of u-he stuff... I also tend to like Softube presets, just wish they were more of them, much more.

I like Gforce presets in general if were not for them overbaking them in reverb etc.

rsp

[igorius]

Is the hype about Omnisphere just all about the quality of the factory presets?
I've listened to some presets on YouTube. There were some really good ones but also a lot that sounded like any other VSTi.
For that money I can buy a ton of great soundbanks for all my favorite soft synths.

[zvenx]

Everyone who likes it probably likes it for different reasons.
For me it is the presets, the workflow and though it is the Master of none it is imho the jack of all trades. (or at least the trades I am interested in).

It is my desert island synth for that reason.

rsp

[IvyBirds]

Ackshuallly... Most of Omni's presets have a high cringe factor to them and I wish I never heard them.

So now you are changing the parameters gotcha

Because you were quite clear on how you defined what a usable presets was

-By useable, the preset is either immediately usable, or can be easily and quickly tweaked.

Every single preset in Omnisphere is usable by your own definition as every single one can be easily and quickly tweaked

It's also laughable you gauge the quality of a plugin on the availability of free preset packs

Here is suggestion for you, rather than embarrass yourself by presenting moving targets on web forums, spend the time instead actually learning how to program your own sounds and not be reliant on downloading free preset packs

There is absolutely nothing wrong with using presets. I would suggest the overwhelming majority of people who enjoy presets have the cognitive abilities to understand that presets made by others especially free ones are going to vary in quality and style and many won't be suitable for the music they create or their own personal tastes

Since they have the cognitive skills to understand that, they also understand that they either need to make their own, ignore presets that don't work for them, or just come to a conclusion that a certain synth just isn't the right tool for them

But I get it, you need and want simple easy Synths like Diva and Hive and even then don't know how to program them so you rely on presets created by others, so when you come to a synth like Omnisphere that is deep and complex and has lots of engines and options you can't handle it so you mock and lash out on what you lack cognitive skills to understand how to use

For the record I also own Diva, Hive and pretty much every other U-He synth. They are all just tools in my audio tool box

[Gam456]

Is the hype about Omnisphere just all about the quality of the factory presets?
I've listened to some presets on YouTube. There were some really good ones but also a lot that sounded like any other VSTi.
For that money I can buy a ton of great soundbanks for all my favorite soft synths.

The quality is top noch, one of the best with Falcon.
The sample library, there is a large amount of intresting samples

I'm not using preset, but it's a good source of inspration

[Gam456]

...

[Uncle E]

Ackshuallly... Most of Omni's presets have a high cringe factor to them and I wish I never heard them.

So now you are changing the parameters gotcha

I assume any post starting with "ackshually" is a joke. If you ever see me start a post with "ackshually", it is 1,000% a joke. 10,000% even!

[BBFG#]

Too many samples is not my main complaint, having to dig through them is. And that actually isn't my main complaint either. I feel the worst thing about Omni, etc. is the user base of apologetics that interject themselves in topics that specifically ask for alternatives to it.
"Cringy".
And I'll second the last comment with Diva, Zebra, Pigments, AnalogLab, Halion. But I especially like the plugins where I can archive things I never use to a backup drive and not have to dig through again unless I want to.

Why then are you criticizing Omnisphere instead of just giving recommendations for alternatives?

If you really despise the so called base of apologists and think they are the worst part of Omnisphere you could have just answered the OPs question about alternatives and moved on.

Instead you have chosen to go off topic which is fine and engage with the people you despise

The OP didn't ask why you personally don't like Omnisphere so why did you inject that into the conversation?

More importantly, why do you even open a thread which asks for alternatives knowing your intent is only to offer none? You have an agenda and the truth that reveals that is an uncomfortable one. Want to be on topic? Drop the shill and offer alternatives. Quit wasting everyone's time. Maybe spend more of that digging through Omni and get the percentage of its use up.

[BBFG#]

Too many samples is not my main complaint, having to dig through them is. And that actually isn't my main complaint either. I feel the worst thing about Omni, etc. is the user base of apologetics that interject themselves in topics that specifically ask for alternatives to it.

But it's inevitable, isn't it? What can I get that's like Omnisphere but cheaper? You have to define what makes Omnisphere Omnisphere before you can say what else is out there like it, and that seemingly gets everyone upset. BBFG couldn't bring himself to read why I find it invaluable and unique, seeing it all as a load of blah noise. He just wanted an figure on what percentage of patches were useful. I gave him one plucked from my ass - 9% - that is totally fictious and meaningless. He'd missed the point (twice).

That's a very KVR thing. Reducing things to X or Y features, putting oscilloscopes on filters to measure their worth. A synth is an ecosystem, a UX philosophy combined with its sonic possibilities. The end result is what we engage with, or not.

The OP went with Serum as a solution. It may be a great synth, but to me it's absolutely nothing like Omnisphere at all. But what is?

And round we all go.

The blather was something about a soap opera dialog as some sort of immature analogy. So I scanned the rest of the comment for anything that wasn't and answered that.

Omni hasn't been unique for a long time. And I keep saying, it's not bad, I just wouldn't consider a must have nowadays. Serum is not bad either, but not in my GAS list either. I've posted a quick list of what are alternatives for me. But the church of Spectra here just can't seem to let it go, can they...

[revvy]

Bloke repeatedly accusing others of being a sect comes across so much weirder than them. Priceless.