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

Teenage Engineering’s caller OP-XY is simply a portable synthesizer and sequencer that looks akin to the company’s OP–1 Field. But functionally it’s alternatively a much susceptible upgrade to the company’s six-year-old OP-Z, with a stronger absorption connected layering sounds with assorted effects and a steeper $2,299 terms tag.

With an “anodized, all-black finish,” the OP-XY is yet different delightful illustration of Teenage Engineering’s plan chops. Its achromatic and achromatic motif accented with a grayscale gradient moving crossed its 16 sequencer inputs is the antithesis of the bright yellowish Playdate handheld that Teenage Engineering helped Panic design. Unlike the $429 OP-Z that relied connected a mobile instrumentality similar a smartphone for its screen, the OP-XY present has a achromatic and achromatic OLED show built in, which astir apt contributes to the precocious cost.

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

The OP-XY includes sampling capabilities done a built-in microphone oregon inputs that see a 3.5mm audio port. There’s besides a USB-C port, a 3.5mm multipurpose output that includes MIDI capabilities for controlling outer synthesizers, and a 3.5mm larboard for analog audio output. If you don’t privation to woody with wires, the OP-XY’s rechargeable artillery volition support it powered for up to 16 hours, and there’s enactment for MIDI implicit Bluetooth.

Although Teenage Engineering continues to merchantability its $59 Pocket Operators, the company’s audio cogwheel has shifted towards much premium and pricier offerings successful caller years. Its TP-7 Field Recorder, a integer audio recorder with a caller spinning “tape” reel, debuted past twelvemonth for $1,499, pursuing a tiny mixer called the TX-6 that arrived the twelvemonth earlier for $1,199. Even the company’s original OP-1 synth, which debuted successful 2011 for $849, has been replaced by the $1,999 OP-1 Field.