Teenage Engineering OP-1 Field Review – “It’s So Much Better!”

In this video, SON WU takes a look at the new Teenage Engineering OP-1 Field, a $1,999 portable studio that WU says is “so much better” than the original.

The Teenage Engineering OP-1 Field features an updated design with 100 new features. OP-1 field has a new low profile frame with floating keyboard, new field color palette, a high resolution screen with flush glass cover, stereo throughout the whole signal chain, bluetooth midi, 24 hr battery life, multiple tapes, styles and recording formats, a new reverb and the ‘dimension’ synth engine.

Topics covered in the video:

00:00 Intro
00:20 UNBOXING
00:45 Hardware Overview
04:15 Internals
05:25 Samplers
10:50 FX
17:10 Velocity LFO
18:40 USB host (OP-1 & OP-Z)
19:44 TAPE TYPES (sound comparison)
23:05 RENAMING
24:10 EQ bypass

Check out the video and share your thoughts on the OP-1 Field in the comments!

72 thoughts on “Teenage Engineering OP-1 Field Review – “It’s So Much Better!””

  1. I don’t think there was ever any doubt its better than the original, its an update! The point that is most often discussed is it it worth over twice as much as the original- that can only be decided by the perspective buyer…for me its no (I paid £780 for my OP-1 about 6 years ago, this updated version is £2000)

    1. You’d also get built-in obsolescence with the iPad.

      And you would need an audio interface and a MIDI controller to get the same level of functionality as the OP-1. And it would be pieced together, vs a complete, well-designed portable studio.

      The OP-1 obviously isn’t for everybody, but the people that call it a joke are just fooling themselves. It’s an extremely powerful little device and a lot of fun.

      1. “You’d also get built-in obsolescence with the iPad.”

        People can use whatever they want but this comment is often thrown out there. I still have my
        first gen iPad running Sunrizer which actually made my JP-8000 obsolete. As a landscape photographer I often have to wait around for sunrises and sunsets, did a ton of Koala samples the other day, ambient location stuff, easily uploaded to my iCloud Drive and they were ready to tweak on my MacBook Pro when I got back to the studio.

        “And you would need an audio interface and a MIDI controller to get the same level of functionality as the OP-1.

        ???? Whether I am using an iPhone or iPad out in the field I need nothing else. In the studio I use my iPads as sound modules often just using the headphone out, NOBODY that has bought my music has ever complained about audio quality. Plus in the studio I have it so either iPhones or iPads can use large displays if I want. As for audio interfaces blah blah that is why I have my desktops and notebooks.
        For me, I have hundreds of mind blowing apps to choose from, and just as a straight sample recorder nothing I have tried is easier than using one of my iPhones. JMHO <<<<<<<

        “And it would be pieced together, vs a complete, well-designed portable studio.”

        My iPads and iPhones FOR ME are the best well designed OPEN to whateverI want to do portable studios. Started doing more location sampling i.e. industrial spaces, supposedly haunted houses, abandoned buildings, FOR ME, NOTHING beats actually taking video of every sample I take, plus when making my vids I can use the actual footage in any number of creative ways.

        Again, people can use whatever they want just make music!
        But in another post someone was complaining about VST purchases that they never used…
        2 words – DEMO VERSION!!!

        1. teenage engineering is for kids who wear supreme unironically. The planned obsolescence of the iPad is not the issue… it’s a crisis of poor developer support for iPad OS specifically. with that said, sure Sunrizer runs great on early gen iPads… you need to look at this from the perspective of someone who paid 1000 dollars for an iPad pro, thinking all their old software will just work. And sure you can run sunrizer and all the apps you love on your first gen ipad just fine, and Sunrizer in particular does benefit from also being an audio unit (so if the daw doesn’t suffer from being abandoned for a universal ios re-write, you don’t suffer these issues), but the wonderful selection of Korg apps all also run with letterboxing. These developers have no reason to update their sound modules, they work great… but apple builds in things like multitasking that requires a check box to be ticked… or the new exciting desktop mode center staging… except if the devos didn’t come back for multitasking (which they had 3+ years now to do) they ain’t coming back for desktop mode. Not to mention smaller developers don’t even host these apps for their customers anymore, so you gotta dig up an old itunes install and pull up the .app file to just have access to your ugly distorted letterboxed apps. I’m happy to pay 1k for an iPad… but not if apple is encouraging me to repurchase software from someone new, when the developer doesn’t even want me to repurchase. I can deal with letter boxing… but desktop mode should solve this… it shouldn’t be used as a prompt to taunt the developers back to iPad OS at me, the paying customers, expense. I love my iphone, and all these developers are updating apps to work with iPhone, iPad OS is the worst developer supported mobile operating system, i returned that iPad pro very happy to know i am not going to feel like this again in 6-10 years. Your iPad doesn’t even have a Instagram app… it’s a crisis of poor developer support for iPad OS specifically.

    2. Or a laptop with the finest software + controller + interface + wifi to download everything. Can’t really be an honest comparison but as long as your making music….

      1. controllers are much cheaper but it’s hard to find fully-baked controller / software interfaces, usually you’re more on your own to design a workflow with limited primitives

  3. Just recieved mine last wednesday. No complaits, yet. Price….meh. Not everything is for everyone, if it was, id have a yacht in my garage. Looking at it on its merits, the sound quality is a vast improvement, the functionality is familair but improved. I’m sure we’ll see new updates and additions like the TX-6. It’s just a fun, portable all-in-one-box, yes with limitations but ultimately fun to have and play and sometimes thats all that counts. But I agree, $2000 is alotta high but this is getting more work than my polybrute and MPC right now so…values.

  4. We also recieved the two we ordered, awesome piece of kit and alot of fun to use. Putting in a order for two TX-6 next.

  5. (owned the original)

    I do fine with an ipad without mentioned ‘needed’ accessories…
    much better everything

    this device should cost not more then a quarter then for what it is going,

    I hope bUlly makes one for 199 soon
    T.E. my a$$

    1. Behringer hasn’t demonstrated that it can design anything this well or an electronic music device of this complexity, or even that the can copy a device that has this level of precision assembly.

      The OP-1 is also a niche device, which Behringer would never clone. Behringer does gear that will appeal to middle-of-the-road budget tastes, because that’s their customer base.

      Even if they tried doing a OP-1 knockoff, it would be at least 5 years before they could ship it.

        1. Just funny to think that im a rich nerd because I have a job and a credit history. Having 2 kids doesnt help but how do you figure that $2000 is for rich only? A car is like $20k – $50k, a house….. A pure breed dog is about $2k. Don’t segregate yourself from normal non-rich people, you only make yourself lower and more of a victim. People suggest, get a $800 Ipad, a $200 controller and a $200 interface and $600 worth of apps (Cubasis, Moog + inapp purchases, Korg Piano, Some FX) or less and keep the change for beer and internet services to download all of that. Then you too can be a rich nerd.

          1. im not the person of the laptop+bla+bla+bla

            i do just a name joke seeing people discuss is better windows or apple
            digital or analog or bla bla
            and someone started the defensive game

            wtf

            you desire gold bathroom good
            you have the money gained with the slavery of a big family of hamsters good for you
            don’t put it on the face of poor people (gameplan i dont’ accuse any of you to do this wtf)

            a lot of discussion born beacuse people is frustrated or not happy .

            they can sell this at 10k dollars if people buy it where is the problem ?
            people can do better music with 500 dollars equipment or less
            cuz do music ins’t ONLY a question of money ………………………….

            i can compare this to the mpc live 2
            question looking this video the op can engage only one effect x track ?
            my hamsters work hard i need to invest in something

            fya 😀

          2. We all know honest people don’t get rich right?

            This joke is 2k because there are enough people living on this planet who buy anything as long as the price is ridiculous high enough.

            EG: if this was 3k they probably would still buy and defend it. It’s fun to laugh at their stupidity though. 😛

            1. Right, you calling people dishonest, stupid and you say its fun to laugh at them,
              Is that an act of an honest person?

        3. “relax it’s just a joke”

          It’s only a joke if you’re funny. Suggesting Behringer make cheap knockoffs of EVERYTHING is more annoying than funny.

          Try harder next time!

          1. you know what is try harder bro!!
            keep refreshing browser maybe they do some new expensive sh.toys
            enjoy i dind’t reply any other crap
            of this knockoff site

            1. Pot calling the kettle burnt black! I just want to apologize for insinuating that you may or may not be broke in response to your comment of “device for rich nerds” I took it as an insult towards me being an owner of the rich nerd device. I’m sorry. My retaliation point was only to point out that some own things, other own other things but if you cant own something that others own, there’s no need to call them rich nerds. I’ll accept your apology for calling people who one the OP-1 rich nerds. Someone started it but you know, we’re all adults here and make mistakes. Worst part is if you double down on the mistake by calling someone offended by doing the thing you’re saying they were offended for. Thats just goofy at that point so clearly you didn’t do that so we’re all good. Thanks for the handshake, good luck with your investments.

            2. You’re still struggling with the comedy, bro. You and laughter definitely go together. But not in the way you think they do.

  7. I’ve never seen anyone mention this argument when the price of the OP-1f comes up, but has anyone considered what inflation looks like in the last 11 years? This thing costs about twice as much as the original 11 years ago, but also many other things…

  9. life is too short to be staring down, for prolonged period, squinting into a tiny screen and messing around with tiny keys. I’d rather sit in front of my 43inch 4K display, my eye level with the screen, with full-sized fully-featured flag ship MIDI controller in reach, full faders and knobs, playing with top of the line DAWS, VSTs, variety of samplers, sequencers that TE can never ever come close to, , and if I get bored, load up another one. I will have full parameters on the screen, and YouTube is a click away to Sample into INFINITY.

    I like that guy Michael from China on YouTube that brings sense into GAS addicts.

    if I want super tiny, iPhone can do all that, and more.

  10. The Behringer joke IS funny. But there’s also the question of how many clones has Behringer actually made, vs. Just shown photos? The clone of the op-1 would probably just be a photo, and 1000’s of us imagining for 6 months how cool it would be to use, until finally forgetting about it and moving onto the next shiny thing. Anyway, I’m tired of seeing TE’s *now* overpriced crap, but at least they are a company that actually makes it when they do a press release.

  11. It’s not for me, but some one else might want a pocket size field recorder sampler workstation with a radio, decent battery and plethora of synth engines with some physical controls and nice build quality.

    Actually, I DO want it, now to think of it.

    I don’t understand the notion, that everything should be mass produced, or not exist at all.

    This thing cannot be mass produced, and R/D and software development costs something as well.

  12. its for rich people and/or someone with a bunch of disposable income or a high budget

    because its a $2000 “portable” device without any sort of rugged or high impact case (macbook aluminum doesn’t count)

    so thats unusual design, unless you have plenty of cash to spend on the inevitable replacements or repairs for such a road worthy device

    1. Or you can just want it, everyone have their priorities, value is subjective, if i love it and “can’t live without it”, it is high value for me. No matter how much you compare it to others, some wants a Moog, Sequential or UDO and some prefer OP-1 for the same kind of money.

      1. you can want anything.. what is your point? im talking about the engineering of this device.. the design in regards to its marketing…

        i dont care about your dreams and desires… why would i? “yeh but i like it”, good for you – now go away, i dont care

        that has nothing to do with what I’m talking about

        1. The OP-1 field is not intended for:

          “rich people and/or someone with a bunch of disposable income or a high budget”

          It’s intended to whoever wants it/love it and this is the main reason to have it.
          Its value like any other instrument is subjective, so it’s the same like buying any musical device.

          You will need to have a good protective case for a Moog, Sequential or UDO if you go on the road, even more so since they are much heavier and will put much more strain on the controllers.

          Relax, you’ll live longer

  14. how many of you ‘proud to be able to afford it and F you if you can’t’ guys wear shoe’s without socks?

    2. Some people prioritize not having a TV over this, for instance. This is not an unreasonable amount of money for a complex and capable piece of gear. Especially if it comes on a size that allows you to lug it everywhere, and consequently to have it available when you want, instead of a studiosized piece of concrete that you need to ferry to wherever you decide, way in advance, you’re going to need it. If you want something cheap, you’re going to get something cheap. Portable, capable, cheap. Pick two.

  15. When I didn’t have any money, freelancing, working 23 hours on multiple projects to pay my $765 a month rent, no car, walking 4 miles to the grocery store and barely making it, If I saw a $2k synth id just say “Man, I wish I could own it, cant” then move on. Somehow twitter talk has made its way into everything.

    Bash it if you dont like it, assume folks are victimizing you if they like something you cant afford. Its funny but also sad. I worked hard, got a good job, work even harder and somehow im a hipster or a rich nerd cause i can afford stuff even though im far from both. I think there are more internal problems that people aren’t willing to face, TE is a great company that make great products, if you have an different opinion, ok. But. somehow the TE OP-1 Field turning to a 2 sided debate about rich and poor. An ipad ain’t cheap but being able to afford 2 makes you the enemy. I dont know whats funnier, a self-proclaimed victim or a self-proclaimed victim that wants everyone to know.

    Going to go play my OP1F with ankle socks on in my 3 bedroom mansion with a garage and a Jeep Renegade. I’m ballin!

    1. I don’t know what’s funnier, a self-proclaimed victim that wants everyone to know, or a self-proclaimed rich guy that wants everyone to know.

      1. The endless complaints about pricing for niche audio products are tiresome.

        Dropping $2k for a synth is no problem for tons of people. You don’t have to be rich to do it, that’s a shallow excuse for people to complain about price.

        If a $2k price tag was a big problem for most musicians, you wouldn’t have high-end synths available from literally every single major synth manufacturer. Roland, Yamaha, Korg, Moog, Sequential, Oberheim – everybody has some high-end products, because musicians want them and they are profitable products.

        People can pretend that it’s all ‘hobbyist dentists’ and collectors buying up these instruments, but it’s not. It’s musicians that can afford to spend a couple grand to get a ‘dream synth’.

        Go to an event like Knobcon and it’s a thousand synth freaks, ALL of whom have thousands of dollars of synth gear and want to talk about it.

        1. why are you replying to me? i didn’t complain about the price of anything and i very rarely do on other articles here either.

          1. Lol. Sorry, I’m still getting used to this whole “I’m rich somehow” thing. Only found out I was rich from this post. I gotta tel my friends, we’re all rich people now, according to synthtopia comments. I know a guy who owns a moog one, gotta tell him he is in the 1%. He also owns a $1699 drum machine, he could buy Hawaii.

            1. well perhaps, this being the web where people from all over the world comment, you could get out of your North American bubble life, and understand that not everything is about you. There are hard working people who cannot afford this, you make it as if they are homeless, lazy bums. Also regarding the price, there is no need for all this drama and serenade. This thing costs double than the previous version with which it has miniscule of differences. If the explanation is the global crisis, well how about acknowledging the said crisis and understand it affects others.

  17. This thing doesn’t have more than 50-80 euros of dsp code inside it. The rest is “form”… When TE can bring me something i can’t make in a 5 minutes max session, or buy from a run of the mill vst developer, i might reconsider. But as far as i am concerned, if it is one thing they are clueless about, it is sound synthesis and processing. There are so many talented developers out there pushing the envelope, but the “market” prefers the animated cow…

  18. Given the common themes of this post and the Moog One post, I think it would be interesting if people who think something is overpriced or not stated if they work in the industry or are a hobbyist. If some of you feel these instruments are expensive, you should go take a look at the price of hardware mastering compressors, etc. It puts things in perspective. I, personally, wouldn’t want to spend $2k on an OP-1, but no judgement to anyone that does. If you’re making music, that is what matters. All this other comparative BS is a waste of time, imho.

    1. It’s safe to say that literally no one who’s a professional musician or who works in the music industry is complaining about $2K keyboards.

      Every worship keyboardists, every jazz keyboardist, every keyboardist playing in shows, every professional player is going to have gear like that.

  19. OP-1’s firmware certainly offers deeper functionality than a toy. But it is perhaps not deep enough to be a professional tool.

    Now it’s $2000, a price point which makes it either a really cheap professional tool or a grotesquely overpriced toy. And all the Synthtopia commenters can argue about is who can afford $2000.

    As a suggestion, perhaps redirect your arguments of class disparity to why the OP-1 is or isn’t worth the asking price.

  22. I work in the industry and will buy one of these. Why? Because it’s portable and since I fly a ton, this is just the kind of thing that will inspire some great music. As for the price, doesn’t matter its a write off. BTW I worked my ass off to get here, plenty of saving and doing odd jobs to build my first studio. Then my talent took me to the next level. Wasting time arguing about rich vs poor, price it should have been, blah blah blah is ridiculous. Most of the time it just jealousy. People don’t care if you get one or not. TE will sell a bunch and then when when the OP-2 comes around, if it’s as fun as this? I’ll buy one of those also. Success really makes most of these comments irrelevant. This ain’t for you, unless it is.

      1. Here’s a secret, most pro gear is paid for by the pros. Most consumer gear, the pros get free. If pro gear manufacturers gave there gear away then who would buy them? As far as discount prices, you could get the same deals we do. Just establish a good relationship with a salesman. Its not as much as you would think.

  23. they should make a double priced pro version for all those pro’s here. ow wait they did just that…

    …meanwhile i throw whole battery’s of pro -forward thinking designed- effects (like klevgrand’s and many more) on insert and send tracks on my ipad.
    admittedly without those pro things like cow and boxer animation. Sequencers, synths same story. all settings cosy saved in the magnificent AUM.

  24. ow the op-1 is ‘pro’ now
    only thing pro about this device is the price

    i can load batteries of pro and forward thinking designed effects, synths and sequencers on ipad in the wonderful AUM
    no cow and boxer animation though…

      1. If you don’t like it so much why you spending so much time writing about that?
        You seems to be challenged and feel strongly about it, what’s your motives?

        1. i v made my motivations mostly clear.

          in short it’s : 2K lol

          i did not yet speak about how the pricing history: the short planned obsolesce, the hyping, and the up priced ‘comeback” of the original op-1 is unsympathetic and very revealing to me.

          i think everybody should buy as they please. i just debated the ‘pro’ statement with comparing to an ipad.

          your motivation for giving everybody that is critical in this treat some rhetoric is much less clear

          1. I’m curious to understand what is the driving force of someone who don’t like a musical instrument to spend so much time and effort expressing his dissatisfaction 5 times, now 6.

            You wrote you “owned the original”, are you feeling cheated or personally let down by TE? tell us your story,
            Your pain runs deep, let us explore it

            1. o thanks for your concern minister tash. but my answers to your repeating question have been more then sufficient indeed.

              maybe i m afraid that if we the people accept silly prices like this the market is going to give us what we deserve?

              More important: you still did not tell us why you are trolling every critical post in this thread,
              is it for politics or business?

              1. Oh so your on a mission.
                Business and politics, I’m a shareholder at teenage engineering and a member of the illuminati, everybody who confront your “opinion” is.

                1. what is Your mission?. me i am at least expressing an opinion.
                  All you do is just attack people personally in this treat.
                  Next to that your so self+entitled that you write about ‘my opinion’ in quotation marks? that is how unworthy another opinion is to you??
                  Forget yourself man. stay on topic and stop attacking people personally, I don’t think that is very constructive. Go practice your narcissistic discussion techniques somewhere else.
                  Go play with an overpriced hipster toy instead or something.

  25. How about nobody need’s to justify their purchasing powers to anybody else because who cares? Guess what, you’re not responsible for somebody else’s envy.

  28. It seems to have the same gimmicky interface where quirkyness have priority over utility, like big tape wheels in stead of clearer tracks. Meh. Sold my first gen mostly because the headphone jack had a high pitched whine, heard of all kinds of QC problems on all their units, curious about this. Would still be happy getting one of these for about 100 EUR. Actually one of the few things I hope Uli is onto.

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