Teenage Engineering OP-1 Coming In 8 Weeks, Priced At $799

Teenage Engineering announced at the 2011 NAMM Show that their OP-1 synthesizer is now available for order and they expect it to ship in about 8 weeks.

Here’s a video, via DontEatWhatTheyFeed, from the NAMM Show that features Teenage Engineering’s Jesper discussing the current state of the OP-1 synthesizer.

It’s priced at $ 799 / € 799. Details below.

Check it out and let us know what you think!

Teenage Engineering OP-1 Synthesizer Specifications:

Synthesizers

  • Multiple Synthesizer Engines with exchangable Architecture.
  • 8 dedicated instant sound select keys

Sound Engines

  • Dr Wave – Raw 8-bit yupe sound engine
  • FM – Easy to tweak FM synthesis engine
  • Pulse – Square wave type engine
  • String – Physical modeling with a twist
  • Digital – Raw digital type of engine
  • Phase – Phase distortion engine
  • Cluster – Multiple Wave Cluster
  • Feature additions of Engines will be available with software upgrades

Sample Engines

  • Dedicated instant Synth Sampler with 6 seconds sampling time for each slot.
  • Dedicated instant Drum Sampler with 12 seconds sampling time for each slot.

    With automated layout feature.

  • Instant sampling with built-in Microphone or Line in

Envelopes

  • Classic ADSR type of envelope
  • Dynamic Envelope for Drum sounds.
  • Future additions of Envelopes will be available with software upgrades

Effects

  • Multiple Effects with exchangable Architecture.
  • Delay – Classic delay type
  • Phone – Hacked phone effect
  • Punch – Adds punch to your sound
  • Grid – Grid based echo
  • Spring – Spring reverb type
  • Future additions of Effects will be available with software upgrades

Tape Feature

  • 4 individual tracks with instant Solo
  • Instant variable Tape Speed
  • 12 minutes recording time in Normal tape speed.
  • Up to 48 minutes recording time in Low tape speed
  • Loop function with movable region
  • Tape tricks for Break Tape, Bits and Reverse.
  • Memo 1 & 2 for instant memorizing Effects / EQ / Pan or Levels / Tape Speed
  • Reverse Recording
  • Classic Tape editing Features Lift / Split and Drop
  • Lift tape recordings back into Sampler for endless sound design.

Motion Sensor

  • 3 Axis Motion sensor (G-Force)
  • Assignable to any synth, envelope, effect parameter or to pitch.

Built-in FM radio

  • Sample direct from any radiostation
  • Record direct to tape

HARDWARE

CPU

  • 400 MHz Processor Core

    (800 MMACSS performance)

  • 64 MB Low-Power SDRAM (12ns)
  • 512 MB Nand Flash storage
  • 24-bit 96kHz ADC/DAC

Battery

  • Li-Ion 1800 mAh
  • 16 hours active Battery Life
  • 2 Years stand-by time
  • Charge via USB port

I/O

  • USB 2.0 high speed (OTG)
  • 3.5 mm Line Input, Output
  • Built-in microphone
  • High output mini speaker 8 Ohm 1 Watt
  • 3-axis accelerometer (G-force) sensor
  • Worldwide FM band support (64-108 MHz)

Display

  • Amoled display running in 60 fps
  • 320 x 160 pixel resolution
  • Color Depth: 16.7 M
  • Contrast: 10000:1
  • Viewing Angle: 170°
  • Life Time: 30,000 hrs
  • 2500mAh li-ion Polymer Battery

Mechanical

  • Low profile keyboard module
  • Scissor-switch ultra low profile design
  • Expected lifespan of 10 million keystrokes per key

Encoders

  • Industrial Grade Incremental Encoders
  • Rotational life: Up to 1,000,000 revolutions
  • Excellent indexing feel (remains consistent over life)
  • Zinc diecast and fiber enforced high performance plastic
  • Used in Avionics Operating temperature range: -40 to +85°C2.8

Body

  • Advanced CNC:d one-piece Aluminum design.
  • 2 X M6 Mounting holes for accessories.
  • 2 X Cuts for strap accessory.

Color

  • Light grey powder coated body and EDM textured keyboard

Dimensions

  • L 282 mm, H 102 mm, D 13.5 mm

Packaging

The OP-1 comes shipped in a reusable environmental friendly package made out of Paperfoam material.

36 thoughts on “Teenage Engineering OP-1 Coming In 8 Weeks, Priced At $799”

  2. hm….so this thing is a novelty synthesizer (doesn't seem to be playable, and the sounds are kind of "boutique") with a built in digital 4 track recorder?

  3. It sounds great, looks like fun, and it has nice specs, but is this thing really playable? I have watched every demo and the sounds are cool but the patterns and sequences sucked. Are you able to change polyphony settings for chopping things like drum loops? I'm guessing the keys are not velocity sensitive as well. I want one but I think I will wait until they are released and the OS has been updated at least once.

  4. Wait it's $799 or €799?

    That means the EU is paying ~€270 more than those in the US. That's worse than the Slim Phatty for price disparity

  12. Please note that "We expect to ship in eight weeks" is NOT synonymous with "The OP-1 is in production at last", only "We are prepared to take your money and keep out fingers crossed."

  15. Disappointing price. Still looks really cool, though. And it's small enough that you could control it with a good board when you need precision. But then… I could do that with my laptop, so….. I dunno.

    damn.

  16. Yeah, I emailed them about this and the fact that they were obliged to quote the vat rate for those of us who are vat registered and guess what, they've now added something to the site explaining the vat situation, that was good of them! But they dont explain why its still 50 euros more than the dollar at current exchange rates, a few months ago it would have been more than a 50 euro difference. Rip off!

  18. F A I L… The price is ridiculous. The Op-1 is like a woman you work with that you had a secret crush on, only to get to know her more and are no longer interested. Then you find out that the entire Swiss Mafia took turns and drilled her into Swiss Cheese. Err..or was that the Swedish Mafia that pounded her into Swedish Meetballs?

    Anyhow, I'll wait for it to go on sale at IKEA.

  22. Well they all sold out on pre-order so it can’t be all that bad.

    Some people just love to bash but I think for the price it’s a deal. You have something that is completely original, designed by a team that are answerable only to themselves. This guarantees it’s not going to sound like every other dull synth from Roland, Korg et. al. It’s guaranteed to be come a collectors item down the road too. The design and build quality harks back to the days of Sequential Circuits, Crumar or EMS Synthi. These people love what they do and it shows in the original products they come up with.

    Being it on.

    1. last year all the stores all sold out of silly band bracelets. does that make them worth anything now? lower the price to $550-$600 and then we might be talking. until then, i'd rather have a DSI Tetra over this.

  24. Band bracelets? Yeah sure, but I think you are missing the point.
    DSI Tetra is fine but it's a bit to backward looking for me. DSI is all about the past. The OP-1 is attempting to be a step forward. So many people sulking over the price, it's hilarious.

  25. Why is that so much money for most people? It's not a mass produced item. It's a boutique synth. Most small run unique items retail for similar amounts. I remember the first couple of runs of the monome were about $500-600, and that was just a controller with no smarts built into it. The SidStation was originally about $800. OTO Machines Biscuit is about $600.

    This is something you just wont see from a developer like korg or roland.

    I'm getting one. … or i would have been if it hadn't already sold out.

  34. too expensive, I predict a tenori-on-like vanishing, really cool machine, superb design but really targeted at rich hipster kids or wealthy musicians.

  35. I don't get the appeal of this.

    Seems like it gets lots of coverage here and elsewhere, but why would you want this instead of a laptop and a nano-controller, or an app that would run on a mobile device like the iPad? For the same price, you could get a cheap laptop, an entry-level DAW and a MIDI controller, and it would be way more powerful.

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