Teenage Engineering is again with one other droolworthy (and costly) groovebox

Did you suppose Teenage Engineering would go one other complete yr with out dropping one thing each ? Assume once more. The corporate simply introduced the long-rumored OP-XY groovebox. It seems to be like an OP-1 Area, however performs just like the relatively-ancient OP-Z. It additionally prices $2,300.

The OP-XY is described by the corporate as an “all-in-one highly effective synthesizer and composer with deep, direct sequencing capabilities.” That sounds about proper. The first workflow right here is sequencing, versus the fake tape recording discovered with its OP-1 siblings. The groovebox includes a shrunken-down keyboard and a strip of 16 LED-equipped buttons to regulate the sequencer.

There’s a multisampler contained in the field, along with some great-sounding synth engines, drum kits and a bevy of helpful results, together with the punch-in results . As for specs, this little beast ships with 512GB of RAM, a twin CPU system that’s “able to ultrafast processing energy and effectivity” and 8GB of inner storage.

Teenage Engineering boasts in regards to the groovebox’s “mind chord development.” This lets gamers program chord sequences by “letting your arms do the speaking.” We don’t precisely know what meaning, as arms are sometimes concerned when programming any chord sequence. We’ll have to attend for a hands-on expertise to get the gist. It does enable for stay recording, which is sweet.

Identical to the OP-Z, there’s a built-in gyroscope that permits gamers to regulate parameters by merely transferring the machine round. As for connectivity, there’s a USB-C port, a 3.5mm stereo enter, MIDI in, MIDI sync and a brand new multi-output port that may ship MIDI, CV, gate or sync information. It even has Bluetooth MIDI.

It’s additionally an absolute head-turner within the seems to be division. This factor is a stunner, dropping the toy-like OP-Z aesthetic for one thing that eerily resembles the OP-1 Area, albeit with a coloration swap to matte black. There’s a vivid OLED show and lots of the identical multi-function buttons and knobs discovered with the unique OP-1 and the Area. It seems to be very cool and I would like it.

As beforehand talked about, there’s a rub. The OP-XY prices $2,300. You learn that proper. That’s $300 greater than the OP-1 Area. Heck. You could possibly purchase a model new commonplace OP-1 and an OP-Z and nonetheless have some cash leftover to purchase cables and different equipment. Regardless of the worth, I’m cautiously optimistic about this one. I completely love the OP-1 Area and I don’t care who is aware of it.

That is actually the primary ultra-expensive instrument the corporate has launched because the aforementioned OP-1 Area. Final yr’s and its each value $300. The OP-XY is out there proper now.