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Ten years of OP-1

teenage.engineering

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Re: Ten years of OP-1

#131

Post by musicalynejd »

dag11 wrote: post #118
musicalynejd wrote: post #88

Earlier quoted context omitted.

You don't understand their pricing because you don't understand what they are actually selling. They don't sell musical devices, they sell status symbols. You buy an OP-1 to look cool, not to actually make music with it. It's a bit like with the iPhone, but on a whole different level. Some buy fancy sneakers, others buy fancy pens and Moleskine, others buy an OP-1. And you can't have a cheap status symbol. This is al…

> black and full of ports and cables like an actual musical device. Why does an "actual music device" have to be a certain color? I don't follow most of you argument, but especially that.

I didn't say they have to be, just that the vast majority are, maybe because they get a lot of usage and black is a good color for hiding dirt, maybe because they stand out less.

Re: Ten years of OP-1

#132

Post by musicalynejd »

GoofballJones wrote: post #128
musicalynejd wrote: post #116

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Sure. But that's not why most people buy it. Just like most people don't buy a Rolex Submariner because they regularly do deep dives in the ocean.

That's a very bad hole to dig with "most people buy it because" nonsense. Why do YOU care what others buy or don't buy? Were you ever going to get one? Even at $400-$600? It smacks of "I don't want this, therefore NO one should want this...and if they do they are only getting it because blah blah blah". Let people like/use/play what they want and stop judging others for their choices just because they're not YOUR cho…

It was an observation. I don't care what they buy or not, but can't I comment on what I see?

Am I not allowed to observe that most people who buy a Lamborghini are not interested in driving it around a track?

Re: Ten years of OP-1

#133

Post by SN76477 »

smoldesu wrote: post #56

Teenage Engineering is a frustrating company. On the one hand, they set out to create some of the most fun music equipment you can own: their Pocket Operator line is awesome for beginners of the hardware world, and they've consistently innovated with their grooveboxes. The problem? They have absolutely no respect for their pricing model. The OP-1 used to cost $800, which was already a big ask for a microprocessor, OL…

My analog 4 mk1 was about $600

As valuable as gold.

Re: Ten years of OP-1

#134

Post by JansjoFromIkea »

kazen44 wrote: post #11
capableweb wrote: post #7

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Indeed, usually hobbyists don't buy professional gear since they are not professionals. Same goes for many other industries too (TV production cameras too expensive for hobbyists and so on). OP-1 is a tad expensive even for professional gear, but it is also a neat little machine. Elektron gear is maybe more powerful, but it also costs more. Cheaper gear exists as well. Up to each musician to decide what is too expens…

do you know any good hardware for hobbyists to get started?

Might be worth getting a PO-12 or PO-32 Pocket Operator (the drum machine models). Beyond one of those and the PO-33 I wouldn't go too deep into that range as they're way more toys than full fledged synths but that could be all you want (it was all I wanted tbh) and they're a lot of fun and will retain their value if bought used.

I keep a PO-32 beside my desk to mess with when I get frustrated coding.

Re: Ten years of OP-1

#135

Post by devin »

musicalynejd wrote: post #116
devin wrote: post #115

Earlier quoted context omitted.

This is simply not true. I own a lot of synths, and the OP-1 is a very capable (and extremely portable) 4 track studio. I sketch a lot of music on it, and it sees regular use in the studio.

Sure. But that's not why most people buy it. Just like most people don't buy a Rolex Submariner because they regularly do deep dives in the ocean.

Do me a favor and go on YouTube or Instagram or Facebook and look up the million videos of people making music with it. You don’t know what you’re talking about here. I don’t know a single person who flashes their OP-1. By your argument, owning a guitar and only knowing a couple chords is “status symbol” purchase.

Re: Ten years of OP-1

#136

Post by tomc1985 »

smoldesu wrote: post #56

Teenage Engineering is a frustrating company. On the one hand, they set out to create some of the most fun music equipment you can own: their Pocket Operator line is awesome for beginners of the hardware world, and they've consistently innovated with their grooveboxes. The problem? They have absolutely no respect for their pricing model. The OP-1 used to cost $800, which was already a big ask for a microprocessor, OL…

At that price I expected some actual analog hardware under that pretty case, not just an ARM chip and some OLEDs

But then again, back in the day I paid out the ass for a Virus TI, which is largely the same setup. Though for virtual analog it did sound fantastic. I miss that thing...

Re: Ten years of OP-1

#137

Post by Dramatize »

smoldesu wrote: post #56

Teenage Engineering is a frustrating company. On the one hand, they set out to create some of the most fun music equipment you can own: their Pocket Operator line is awesome for beginners of the hardware world, and they've consistently innovated with their grooveboxes. The problem? They have absolutely no respect for their pricing model. The OP-1 used to cost $800, which was already a big ask for a microprocessor, OL…

I first purchased an OP-1 because of the YouTube demos, but end up selling after a few weeks.

I've now got a Digiton/Digitakt setup that's much better. Elektron's workflow just clicked with my brain.

Re: Ten years of OP-1

#138

Post by tinco »

brandonmenc wrote: post #105
thenewwazoo wrote: post #82

Earlier quoted context omitted.

There are schools of (microeconomic) thought that would encourage them to raise prices even further in order to reduce demand to match their supply capability. If the second-hand market prices a good higher than the original seller, that's a very clear signal to increase the price. At least that way the profits end up in the manufacturer's pocket (which they can use to increase volume) instead of a speculator's. That…

> You seem to be seeing something nefarious in their discontinuing the OP-1, and then re-continuing it at a higher price. This is typical behavior of a certain large class of musicians, particularly electronic ones. The message boards are full of people complaining that these companies charge "too much." They will also then complain that Behringer sucks for "stealing" ideas and pricing them affordably. Meanwhile, it…

If it were truly possible to create and sell the OP-1 or an equivalent device for under $1000, some company would have done it already. I'd gladly buy a Behringer copy of the OP-1 for $500, and I bet loads of other people would as well.

It could even be twice the volume and be ugly AF.

I don't know why it's so difficult or unattractive to put a sequencer, a sampler and a synthesizer in one box with a keyboard on it, but the OP-1 seems to be the only successful implementation of that idea.

Re: Ten years of OP-1

#139

Post by musicalynejd »

devin wrote: post #135
musicalynejd wrote: post #116

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Sure. But that's not why most people buy it. Just like most people don't buy a Rolex Submariner because they regularly do deep dives in the ocean.

Do me a favor and go on YouTube or Instagram or Facebook and look up the million videos of people making music with it. You don’t know what you’re talking about here. I don’t know a single person who flashes their OP-1. By your argument, owning a guitar and only knowing a couple chords is “status symbol” purchase.

You know what I see in 20% of instagram pictures tagged OP-1? Cassettes. Are you telling me there is no hipster aesthetic that a lot of these posters aspire too?

Re: Ten years of OP-1

#140

Post by SauciestGNU »

brandonmenc wrote: post #105
thenewwazoo wrote: post #82

Earlier quoted context omitted.

There are schools of (microeconomic) thought that would encourage them to raise prices even further in order to reduce demand to match their supply capability. If the second-hand market prices a good higher than the original seller, that's a very clear signal to increase the price. At least that way the profits end up in the manufacturer's pocket (which they can use to increase volume) instead of a speculator's. That…

> You seem to be seeing something nefarious in their discontinuing the OP-1, and then re-continuing it at a higher price. This is typical behavior of a certain large class of musicians, particularly electronic ones. The message boards are full of people complaining that these companies charge "too much." They will also then complain that Behringer sucks for "stealing" ideas and pricing them affordably. Meanwhile, it…

The Behringer thing is really confusing to me. I know there are other personal/ethical reasons to dislike them, but cloning out of patent devices is not one of them. That's what patents are for and why they're only valid for a defined period of time. It makes even less sense to criticize them when the originals they are cloning aren't even made anymore.
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