Teenage Engineering’s new OP–XY makes me wish I had a bigger budget for music gear

You May Be Interested In:Trump and first lady Melania tour areas hit by deadly Texas flooding – live updates


Teenage Engineering’s new OP-XY is a portable synthesizer and sequencer that looks similar to the company’s OP–1 Field. But functionally it’s instead a more capable upgrade to the company’s six-year-old OP-Z, with a stronger focus on layering sounds with various effects and a steeper $2,299 price tag.

With an “anodized, all-black finish,” the OP-XY is yet another delightful example of Teenage Engineering’s design chops. Its black and white motif accented with a grayscale gradient running across its 16 sequencer inputs is the antithesis of the bright yellow Playdate handheld that Teenage Engineering helped Panic design. Unlike the $429 OP-Z that relied on a mobile device like a smartphone for its screen, the OP-XY now has a black and white OLED display built in, which probably contributes to the high cost.

Powered by a dual Blackfin CPU system paired with 512GB of RAM and 8GB of internal storage, the OP-XY offers eight “unique synth engines” and punch-in effects carried over from the OP-Z and Teenage Engineering’s calculator-sized Pocket Operators. There’s also a six-axis accelerometer inside allowing sounds and effects to change by simply moving the sequencer around.

The OP-XY includes several inputs and outputs, including USB-C and analog audio connections.
Image: Teenage Engineering

The OP-XY includes sampling capabilities through a built-in microphone or inputs that include a 3.5mm audio port. There’s also a USB-C port, a 3.5mm multipurpose output that includes MIDI capabilities for controlling external synthesizers, and a 3.5mm port for analog audio output. If you don’t want to deal with wires, the OP-XY’s rechargeable battery will keep it powered for up to 16 hours, and there’s support for MIDI over Bluetooth.

Although Teenage Engineering continues to sell its $59 Pocket Operators, the company’s audio gear has shifted towards more premium and pricier offerings in recent years. Its TP-7 Field Recorder, a digital audio recorder with a novel spinning “tape” reel, debuted last year for $1,499, following a tiny mixer called the TX-6 that arrived the year before for $1,199. Even the company’s original OP-1 synth, which debuted in 2011 for $849, has been replaced by the $1,999 OP-1 Field.

share Paylaş facebook pinterest whatsapp x print

Similar Content

Sponsor logo
Here’s how the new Galaxy S25 stacks up to the S25 Plus and S25 Ultra
Tesla model 3 priced at $23,899, a Mustang Mach-E GT for $60,000, and a Bolt EV for $16,468.
Hertz is asking EV renters if they want to keep it, permanently
Photo illustration of Tik Tok app icon being deleted.
TikTok is partially back online in the US, but it’s not back in the App Store yet
DJI’s new fast car charger connected to a DJI power station.
DJI now makes a very powerful car charger for its big ass batteries
Mexico just put animal welfare into its national constitution
Mexico just put animal welfare into its national constitution
Digital photo collage of Mark Zuckerberg overlayed with MAGA hat and Meta logo.
Meta is highlighting a splintering global approach to online speech
The Bulletin Beat | © 2024 | News