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Interview with the founder of Teenage Engineering

scandinavianmind.com

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Re: Interview with the founder of Teenage Engineering

#161

Post by ilyt »

Towaway69 wrote: post #71

Perhaps slightly OT but I found building my own synthesizer using a cheap midi controller with a few dials and supercollider[0] to be very enjoyable experience. Somehow I have a better connection to making music since it was my own virtual Synthesizer and it does just what I need it to do! [0]= https://supercollider.github.io/

If you have not already see in https://vcvrack.com/

Modular synth emulator, all the plugging wires manually without the desk space and $$$ cost of modular synth

Re: Interview with the founder of Teenage Engineering

#163

Post by smoldesu »

kzrdude wrote: post #149
smoldesu wrote: post #111

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I've tried a lot of grooveboxes in my time, and the OP-1 is one of the only instruments I've ever seen that has worse value-per-dollar than the DSI Tempest. Very few instruments are expensive and useless enough to justify this; the OP-1 is solidly among them though. All I'll say is that you should reserve your judgement until you've tried some competing products. The Playmobil laptop looks like a great way to do your…

Which one would you recommend? For an easy to use low end starting point.

I'd probably recommend the Model: Samples if you're interested in sampling, or the Novation Circuit if you want to focus on synthesis. The Model: Samples in particular is great - it's an adaptation of Elektron's more expensive Digitakt that puts the core featureset in a more focused box. It would probably be my sub-$400 desert-island groovebox choice.

Edit: it's worth noting that both of these systems are sequencers, not tape recorders. I consider that a benefit (much longer record times) but if you want a multitrack recorder then you should look elsewhere (maybe a 4iXo DAC?)

Re: Interview with the founder of Teenage Engineering

#164

Post by voakbasda »

voakbasda wrote: post #67
Simon_O_Rourke wrote: post #42

Would like to know when they'll start selling their pocket operator synthesizer and sequencer again. Rumors that a chip shortage has negatively impacted on their production, but who knows! It's been months now that they've been out of stock on their website - https://teenage.engineering/store/po-20/

Given their other marketing, they could simply be keeping it out of stock intentionally, to increase demand by creating a (false) sense of scarcity.

Why is this so hard to believe? I truly don’t understand the unvoiced objections to my hypothesis.

Re: Interview with the founder of Teenage Engineering

#165

Post by ajmurmann »

duxup wrote: post #46
bookofjoe wrote: post #35

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I dunno, I have always believed that something is worth exactly what someone else will pay for it. Value has no objective correlate: it is a construct agreed upon by the seller and buyer. "Overpriced," "rip-off," and their ilk seem to me ad hominem attacks by people who don't meet at "sold."

Most people comparing products have a good understanding of what they mean by “value”. Isn’t what you’re describing more of a “market price” or something like that?

If the value is lower than the market price, how does the company continue existing? Unless there was a monopoly or some other kind of market failure wouldn't people just avoid the products of TE?

Re: Interview with the founder of Teenage Engineering

#167

Post by Supernaut »

prpl wrote: post #112
smoldesu wrote: post #33

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Yep. Ostensibly there's nothing wrong with making pricy hipster audio equipment, but the rampant success of their marketing just makes me facepalm. People out there genuinely think the OP-1 is a $1000 product in 2023, which should inspire riots in the street. The OP-1 Field raising the price instead of lowering it is the last nail in the coffin for me. $800 is a pricy toy - $1500+ puts you in brand-new Octatrack terr…

A nice guitar costs just as much, despite being functionally equivalent to one 1/3 its price. There’s not a ton of rationality in music gear, people like what they like.

With respect, that comparison fails, because a $1,500 guitar will be noticeably more playable and have a substantially better sound than a $500 guitar. (Source: have played guitar for 35 years.)

The point people are making here is that everything the OP-1 does can be achieved or surpassed with a couple of $10 apps and a low-end general purpose computing device.

Re: Interview with the founder of Teenage Engineering

#168

Post by sambapa »

It seems to me that hardware synths are like vinyls - people buy them because of connotations, a certain image. In almost all terms software is unquestionably better. And if you want to be a "quirky artsy synthesizer person", don't buy into this hardware shit, just download SunVox or Pure Data.

Re: Interview with the founder of Teenage Engineering

#169

Post by prmoustache »

smoldesu wrote: post #114
selykg wrote: post #83

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Same, show me what’s out there.

- Elektron Model: Samples - Novation Circuit - Roland MC-101 - Korg Electribe - Used Digitakt - (God forbid) Teenage Engineering OP-Z The list goes on but those are the big names. Again, I'm mostly fascinated that such a nothingburger company like TE can capture the hearts of rich people everywhere. Maybe it just goes to show that the most successful businesses aren't the ones with the best products, but with the mos…

I am not an OP-1 user nor am I a TE fanboy but I owned a Model:Samples and the simple fact that you cannot even sample on it and it doesn't have any synth capabilities cannot make it a candidate. The digitakt is not a synth either. Same with original Novation circuit and with Novation you'd have to buy both the circuit track and the circuit rhythm if my memory is correct to be able to both record/sample and use a synth. MC-101 seems completely different in term of ergonomics.

I wouldn't say any of them would be an alternative.

I think OP-1 is overpriced because there is nothing like it. I mean a secondhand laptop with a 69$ daw such as Reaper can do more, an MPC is more complete. But people who see the appeal of the OP-1 probably already have a computer and a DAW so this is not what they are looking for. They want a toy to make music.

I am not in the market for such a thing but I guess it is not that overpriced if some people are willing to buy it at this price.

Re: Interview with the founder of Teenage Engineering

#170

Post by xdfgh1112 »

ilyt wrote: post #150
xdfgh1112 wrote: post #94

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Portable all in one groovebox with a keyboard. Even ignoring the keyboard, the creativity and fun of the OP-1s tape and synthesis modes, things like the gyro and FM radio, are fairly unique. There is a reason it is so successful.

> Portable all in one groovebox with a keyboard. MASCHINE+, MPC X, Force, dozen other 440 style grooveboxes. Arguably Dirtywave M8 I mean it is neat device and I'm kinda surprised nobody cloned the minimalistic format (I guess Volcas are kind of that, although more "one thing" rather than versatility, but the asking price is truly ridiculous

None of those have a keyboard.
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