SpectralBench
Free companion software — view SPA and SPC files without OMNIC
Thermo Fisher Scientific instruments — including the Nicolet iS series, Nicolet Summit, and Evolution UV-Vis spectrometers — produce data in SPC format, a proprietary binary format originally developed by Galactic Industries for the GRAMS software suite.
To view these files, you typically need OMNIC or OMNIC Paradigm software. OMNIC requires a physical connection to Thermo hardware or a license dongle. The newer OMNIC Paradigm uploads your spectral data to Thermo's cloud servers — a non-starter for proprietary or pre-publication data. If you've left the lab or moved to a different institution, accessing your own data becomes unnecessarily difficult.
SpectralBench reads SPA and SPC binary files directly — no OMNIC, no hardware dongle, no installation. Drop your .spa or .spc file onto the viewer and see your spectrum in seconds with interactive controls.
Need the data in a different format? Export to CSV for Excel, JCAMP-DX for open-standard archiving, or JSON for programmatic access. All conversions are instant — no waiting, no extra software.
Note on SPA/SPG files: SpectralBench parses Thermo Fisher SPA files — the single-spectrum format generated by OMNIC and OMNIC Paradigm — natively. SPG (spectrum group) files bundle several spectra into one container; SpectralBench currently reads the first spectrum in the group, with full multi-spectrum SPG support on the roadmap.
Drag your .spa or .spc file onto SpectralBench. The parser handles OMNIC SPA files and both old and new SPC variants.
Your spectrum renders as an interactive chart. Zoom in, detect peaks, and inspect metadata from the SPC header.
Convert to CSV, JCAMP-DX, JSON, or MATLAB. Download instantly — no extra software needed.
| Feature | Thermo OMNIC | SpectralBench |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Commercial license (instrument-bundled) | Free |
| Platform | Windows only (with hardware dongle) | Any browser (Mac, Linux, Windows, iPad) |
| File Formats | SPA, SPC, JCAMP | SPA, SPC, JCAMP-DX, OPUS, CSV + 24 more |
| Peak Identification | Manual or with paid add-ons | Automatic with confidence scores |
| Installation | Requires OMNIC install + hardware dongle | No install — works in any browser |
| Cross-Instrument | Thermo instruments only | Vendor-neutral (any manufacturer) |
| Export Formats | Limited (SPA, image) | CSV, JCAMP-DX, SPC, JSON, MATLAB, SVG, PNG, PDF |
| Collaboration | None (file-based) | Shareable links, community library |
SpectralBench isn't limited to Thermo Fisher files. Open spectral data from any instrument:
Yes. SpectralBench reads both SPA and SPC files — the native binary formats used by Thermo Fisher (Nicolet) instruments — directly. Just drop your file onto the viewer. No OMNIC software, no Thermo hardware connection required.
Yes. SpectralBench parses Thermo Fisher SPA files natively — the format generated by OMNIC and OMNIC Paradigm. Drop your .spa file onto the viewer to see the spectrum, inspect the OMNIC header, and convert it to CSV, JCAMP-DX, or JSON. For SPG group files, SpectralBench reads the first spectrum in the group.
Yes. Drop your .spc file onto SpectralBench, preview the spectrum to confirm it parsed correctly, then export to CSV, JCAMP-DX, JSON, or MATLAB format. No extra software needed.
SPC is the native format for many Thermo Fisher (formerly Nicolet) instruments, including the Nicolet iS series (iS5, iS10, iS20, iS50), Nicolet Summit, and Evolution UV-Vis spectrometers. Older GRAMS/AI software also uses SPC format.
OMNIC requires a Thermo Fisher instrument connection or hardware dongle. SpectralBench works without any hardware — just open your browser on any device, any operating system. No license, no dongle, no installation.
SpectralBench is a free companion tool for Thermo Fisher (Nicolet) spectrometers — iS5, iS10, iS20, iS50, and Summit series. It reads SPA and SPC files natively without OMNIC, a hardware dongle, or any Thermo software installation.
Drop your SPA or SPC file from your Thermo Fisher instrument onto SpectralBench in any web browser. Your spectrum loads instantly with peak detection, baseline correction, and export to CSV, JCAMP-DX, or MATLAB — no software to install.