Sunday, November 4, 2018

XOSPHERE 2 by Sample Logic - REVIEW







 
Includes 1020 sound sources, 475 sound cores, 515 multi-core instruments, and a 13 GB compressed sample library using
Kontakt’s lossless sample storage compression.
(All samples are delivered at 44.1kHz/24-bit)



SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS
Full retail version of Kontakt, version 5.8.1 or higher (Does not work in the free Kontakt Player!)
  • Mac OS X 10.11, i5, 4 GB RAM (6GB recommended)
  • Windows 7, 8, 10, Intel Core i5 or equivalent CPU, 4 GB RAM (6GB recommended)
  • 13 GB free disk space for XOSPHERE 2 sample content
COMPATIBILITY
Mac OS (64-bit only); Windows (32/64-bit)
Stand-alone
AU
VST / AU / AAX




REVIEW


Since owning the original Xosphere, I found it to be an indispensable tool in atmosphere creation. 
How can Xosphere 2 compare with the most powerful atmosphere creation tool ever? A collaboration of incredible talents brings together the vastest atmospheric sound design tool to date. 
Over 2,000 instruments from 1,020 sound sources
from Sample Logic and other top sound design companies like Soundiron, Loopmasters, Audiomodern, Sampletraxx & Black Octopus
With so much talent behind the creation of
 Xosphere 2 it must be good, right? 

Let's dig in!

One thing I noticed in Xosphere 2 is that there is the same great meta tagging system found in Arpology 2 'Cinematic Dimensions'. The tagging system simplifies the preset sound search by letting you select from these categories:


 ACOUSTIC     FAST MOTION     PAD LIKE
AIRY     HARMONIC – CHORDAL     PANORAMIC MOTION
BOWED     HEAVY     PERCUSSIVE
BRIGHT     HIT ATTACK     PIERCING
BUILD UP     INSANITY     PULSE UP
DARK SCARY     INSTRUMENTAL     REVERSED
DEEP – LOW END     LIGHT     RHYTHMIC
DETUNED     LOFI     STATIC TONE
DISSONANT     METALLIC     SLOW MOTION
DISTORTED – EDGY     MIXED EMOTIONS     SPIRITUAL – ETHEREAL
ECHOING     MYSTERY – SUSPENSE     STUTTER – GLITCH
ETHNIC WORLD     NATURE     SWEEPING
EUPHORIC BLISS     NOISE     SYNTH – ELECTRONIC
EVOLVING     ORCHESTRAL     THICK
EXPERIMENTAL     ORGANIC     VOICES  



After finding a preset you like, select the heart icon next it to allow it to be stored in your favorites. This makes it an extreme time saver to be able to recall your favorites in the browser quickly. 

You can get infinite sound combinations by using the randomization engine. You can randomize virtually every parameter of all 4 cores including the multi-instruments and sound sources. The manipulation of the samples is truly endless, and I received fantastic results continuously using this feature. I highly recommend using the Randomization feature because it will give you a unique sound of your own with just a few selections and a click of a button.

Each sound core contains a handful of useful “Dynamic” FX, which are hot-swappable for total customization


XOSPHERE 2 comes equipped with a wide selection of studio-quality mastering effects that work across all sound cores located in the Master FX section.



A – Master FX Chain Presets – Select from fully configurable combinations of studio insert effects to master your sound.

B – Effect Rack Toggle – Click on the image to view an effect's parameter controls.

C – Hot Swapping Insert Effects – Click the name of the insert effect to select. Each of the six slots is independently

swappable, so use any or all to craft the perfect sound.

D – Insert Effect ON/OFF (Power Icon) – Activate or deactivate insert effects.

E – Insert Effect Preset – Choose effect presets from the dropdown menu (not available for every effect insert)

F – Effect Knobs – Each effect will have a set of parameter controls located in the rack view.

Master Insert Effects:

- DAFT LP – a resonant low-pass filter

- DAFT HP – a resonant hi-pass filter

- FORMANT – a resonant filter with adjustable harmonics used to adjust the formant of a sound

- VOWEL – another resonant filter with adjustable harmonics. Can be used to create talking effects

- EQ – a standard 3 band parametric equalizer

- COMPRESSOR – a studio-grade compressor to capture transients or add dynamic motion

- SATURATOR – a light distortion effect to add harmonic thickness to the sound

- TAPE SAT. – a more distorted saturator that models tape distortion and includes a low-pass filter

- SKREAMER – a versatile distortion effect

- LO-FI – a digital effect to reduce bitrate and sample rate, or add noise

- CABINET – an amp simulator with 11 cabinet models and full EQ control

- TWANG – an amp simulator

- ROTATOR – a rotating speaker simulator

- STE. MOD. – a psychoacoustic stereo field widener

- DELAY – a stereo digital delay effect

- CHORUS – a digital chorus effect

- FLANGER – a digital flanger effect
- PHASER – a digital phaser effect

- REVERB – a stereo reverb effect

- TRANSIENT – a dynamics processor affecting the attack and release for generating transient emphasis

- SIMP. L/H – low and high pass filters

- LIMITER – a standard digital limiter for attenuating output


Each core can also be modulated by an LFO for its volume, LO cut and HI cut parameters. 




One thing I need to note is that if you are an owner of the original Xosphere and you plan on getting Xosphere 2, just make sure you own the full version of Kontakt because it will not work in the Kontakt free player like the original Xosphere. 

I can also tell you that owning Xosphere 2 is not a replacement of the original Xosphere. 
So, if you don't yet own the original Xosphere, I would spend the extra money to grab the discounted bundle. Both libraries are independent of each other and the content you'll have is colossal.



After reading this review, I encourage you to watch the videos below to hear and watch the details of this instrument in action.  
The presets are vivid in Xosphere 2. Every imaginable atmospheric mood is available in this library. The soundscapes are dark, brooding, evolving, ethereal, and outright euphoric. The production of these instruments is of the highest caliber and the complexity of the atmospheres is staggering.
 As I auditioned the presets, I found myself losing minutes before moving on to the next one because I was so absorbed within the ambiences. 
Sample Logic released a victorious second chapter in the Xosphere universe and what I experienced was transcendence. 

Xosphere 2 undoubtedly and compellingly earns a  
 5 out of 5 stars !!

Available Here: Sample Logic


 



  



  





Written by Steve Montgomery

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