6 ms·

That's a good price.

by th0ma5 7y ago

nkozyra 7y ago
I'm not convinced, particularly given Teenage Engineering's pricing history. I root for them, absolutely. But their stuff carries a premium and is technically limited, generally fulfilling a novelty space. The big win here is the visual stuff, but again I'm not sure that justifies the price.
- lbotos 7y ago
  I might change the word novelty with "boutique". They are building "fun" interfaces but the korg montron's are more a "novelty".
- tedkalaw 7y ago
  I was thinking of getting one but considering the price point, there are far too many stories of broken devices and slow/non-existent support: https://www.reddit.com/r/OP1users/comments/bpxuyl/second_op_1_in_a_week_broken_on_arrival/ https://www.reddit.com/r/OP1users/comments/bpxuyl/second_op_... https://www.reddit.com/r/OP1users/comments/bokuo5/te/ https://www.reddit.com/r/OP1users/comments/bokuo5/te/ https://www.reddit.com/r/OP1users/comments/bnkcro/keybed_replacement_from_te/ https://www.reddit.com/r/OP1users/comments/bnkcro/keybed_rep... If they treat people paying 1300 USD for a device like that, can’t imagine how they’ll handle OP-Z owners. I love the all-in-one idea and getting away from the DAW but it feels too risky to me.
  - siralonso 7y ago
    One datapoint to the contrary - I had an excellent experience with their support. Shortly after I bought my original OP-1 (the $800 version), I managed to brick it during a firmware update (my computer died while loading the new FW IIRC). They're a Swedish company but had an "authorized repair" guy based in the states, so I just dropped it in the mail and had it back in about a week. Can't remember if they covered shipping, but they were super communicative through the whole process. This was a few years ago, so maybe that's changed!
- shams93 7y ago
  Yeah that's why I would just build my own video synth its not that difficult to do and stick with pocket operators which are under $100. Especially since op-z can't record digital tracks or sample like the op-1.
  - d12345m 7y ago
    Sampling is on the way! TE demoed it at Superbooth. https://www.opzed.com/news/sampling-coming-soon.html https://www.opzed.com/news/sampling-coming-soon.html
- nikofeyn 7y ago
  what is a competing device that says this price isn’t justified?
  - flavor8 7y ago
    There's lots of good sequencers at that price point, or cheaper. E.g. check out NI's Maschine range.
    - fredoliveira 7y ago
      The OP-1 isn't just a sequencer. It is a synth, a sequencer, a sampler (which even includes an internal FM radio if you need a creative source), etc. You should explore the machine if you get the chance or watch some of the stuff people do with it. It is a great creative instrument.
      - nikofeyn 7y ago
        just as a note, the original post is discussing the op-z and not the op-1, although responses to criticism of both instruments is usually the same in that they do way more than people think. :)
    - nikofeyn 7y ago
      ? that's not even in the same product category. the maschine requires constant connection to a computer. and none of the maschine line is the size of a tv remote with a long-lasting battery. in addition, the op-z is not just a sequencer. even if you considered it just a sequencer, it can sequence multiple audio tracks, cv tracks, and a video track.
  - deleted 7y ago
    [deleted]
- miloshadzic 7y ago
  I would never call OP-1 limited. I haven't touched the OP-Z but I doubt I'd think it's "technically limited" as well. I'd say that the OP-1 is probably one of the better designed musical instruments in the recent past.
  - TheOtherHobbes 7y ago
    TE make toys - finely designed and polished toys supported by a finely designed and polished web site. But still toys. OP-1 has a lot of options that make you feel like you're making music, when in fact you're trapped in an endless round of "What happens if I...?" inside the feature space. Hence the novelty tag. They're not particularly productive instruments, but they can be a fun way to pass an hour or two. A software environment like Max, PD, or Reaktor is much less limited. But the learning curve is much steeper, and the instant gratification factor much lower. And then there are the code-based environments like Supercollider, in which you can implement the OP-1 sequencers and synths with a few lines of code, and easily create your own variations - but the learning curve for non-coders might as well be vertical, and it's not shallow even for experienced coders.
    - ingenieros 7y ago
      Jean-Michel Jarre doesn't seem to think it's just a toy, but I guess you are a bigger authority on the subject. https://daily.redbullmusicacademy.com/2012/05/jarre-synth https://daily.redbullmusicacademy.com/2012/05/jarre-synth
    - shearskill 7y ago
      Your disdain for the device out of the box may be warranted but that could be said for any pre-programmed music device ever released including the Casio keyboard that still takes C batteries but has an adjustable bpm.
    - rtkwe 7y ago
      > A software environment like Max, PD, or Reaktor is much less limited. But the learning curve is much steeper, and the instant gratification factor much lower. I think comparing any physical keyboard synth/sequencer to the full desktop software is going to make the device look like a toy in comparison. It's apples and oranges in terms of available power and interface and really purpose.

That's a good price.

by th0ma5 7y ago

That's a good price.

I'm not convinced, particularly given Teenage Engineering's pricing history. I root for them, absolutely. But their stuff carries a premium and is technically limited, generally fulfilling a novelty space. The big win here is the visual stuff, but again I'm not sure that justifies the price.

lbotos 7y ago
I might change the word novelty with "boutique". They are building "fun" interfaces but the korg montron's are more a "novelty".
tedkalaw 7y ago
I was thinking of getting one but considering the price point, there are far too many stories of broken devices and slow/non-existent support: https://www.reddit.com/r/OP1users/comments/bpxuyl/second_op_1_in_a_week_broken_on_arrival/ https://www.reddit.com/r/OP1users/comments/bpxuyl/second_op_... https://www.reddit.com/r/OP1users/comments/bokuo5/te/ https://www.reddit.com/r/OP1users/comments/bokuo5/te/ https://www.reddit.com/r/OP1users/comments/bnkcro/keybed_replacement_from_te/ https://www.reddit.com/r/OP1users/comments/bnkcro/keybed_rep... If they treat people paying 1300 USD for a device like that, can’t imagine how they’ll handle OP-Z owners. I love the all-in-one idea and getting away from the DAW but it feels too risky to me.
- siralonso 7y ago
  One datapoint to the contrary - I had an excellent experience with their support. Shortly after I bought my original OP-1 (the $800 version), I managed to brick it during a firmware update (my computer died while loading the new FW IIRC). They're a Swedish company but had an "authorized repair" guy based in the states, so I just dropped it in the mail and had it back in about a week. Can't remember if they covered shipping, but they were super communicative through the whole process. This was a few years ago, so maybe that's changed!
shams93 7y ago
Yeah that's why I would just build my own video synth its not that difficult to do and stick with pocket operators which are under $100. Especially since op-z can't record digital tracks or sample like the op-1.
- d12345m 7y ago
  Sampling is on the way! TE demoed it at Superbooth. https://www.opzed.com/news/sampling-coming-soon.html https://www.opzed.com/news/sampling-coming-soon.html
nikofeyn 7y ago
what is a competing device that says this price isn’t justified?
- flavor8 7y ago
  There's lots of good sequencers at that price point, or cheaper. E.g. check out NI's Maschine range.
  - fredoliveira 7y ago
    The OP-1 isn't just a sequencer. It is a synth, a sequencer, a sampler (which even includes an internal FM radio if you need a creative source), etc. You should explore the machine if you get the chance or watch some of the stuff people do with it. It is a great creative instrument.
    - nikofeyn 7y ago
      just as a note, the original post is discussing the op-z and not the op-1, although responses to criticism of both instruments is usually the same in that they do way more than people think. :)
  - nikofeyn 7y ago
    ? that's not even in the same product category. the maschine requires constant connection to a computer. and none of the maschine line is the size of a tv remote with a long-lasting battery. in addition, the op-z is not just a sequencer. even if you considered it just a sequencer, it can sequence multiple audio tracks, cv tracks, and a video track.
- deleted 7y ago
  [deleted]
miloshadzic 7y ago
I would never call OP-1 limited. I haven't touched the OP-Z but I doubt I'd think it's "technically limited" as well. I'd say that the OP-1 is probably one of the better designed musical instruments in the recent past.
- TheOtherHobbes 7y ago
  TE make toys - finely designed and polished toys supported by a finely designed and polished web site. But still toys. OP-1 has a lot of options that make you feel like you're making music, when in fact you're trapped in an endless round of "What happens if I...?" inside the feature space. Hence the novelty tag. They're not particularly productive instruments, but they can be a fun way to pass an hour or two. A software environment like Max, PD, or Reaktor is much less limited. But the learning curve is much steeper, and the instant gratification factor much lower. And then there are the code-based environments like Supercollider, in which you can implement the OP-1 sequencers and synths with a few lines of code, and easily create your own variations - but the learning curve for non-coders might as well be vertical, and it's not shallow even for experienced coders.
  - ingenieros 7y ago
    Jean-Michel Jarre doesn't seem to think it's just a toy, but I guess you are a bigger authority on the subject. https://daily.redbullmusicacademy.com/2012/05/jarre-synth https://daily.redbullmusicacademy.com/2012/05/jarre-synth
  - shearskill 7y ago
    Your disdain for the device out of the box may be warranted but that could be said for any pre-programmed music device ever released including the Casio keyboard that still takes C batteries but has an adjustable bpm.
  - rtkwe 7y ago
    > A software environment like Max, PD, or Reaktor is much less limited. But the learning curve is much steeper, and the instant gratification factor much lower. I think comparing any physical keyboard synth/sequencer to the full desktop software is going to make the device look like a toy in comparison. It's apples and oranges in terms of available power and interface and really purpose.