Teenage Engineering OP-XY: Review
The all-in-one multi-instrument in action
2,6 / 5,0 | 
Teenage Engineering recently surprised us with the release of the OP-XY. The first videos and sound samples of what the developers describe as an ‘all-rounder’ in terms of sequencing and sound design had me hooked, and I had to test the hardware in my studio, but also on the road as a creative music machine. And it was a complete success – despite the high price that many have criticised. So here is my short review.
All About the Teenage Engineering OP-XY
Teenage Engineering OP-XY – Highlights
- Very solid construction
- Compact and mobile unit
- Fast workflow for creating patterns
- Analogue inputs and outputs for a wide range of devices (MIDI, CV, audio)
- Audio interface connection via USB-C
- Keyboard with velocity
- Punch-in effects
- The Brain – MIDI transpose system
- Master effects
- Built-in speaker
- Expandable features through firmware upgrades
Teenage Engineering OP-XY Reviewed
Finally, in November 2024, Teenage Engineering released the OP-XY, which had been teased and seen by many as the successor to the OP-Z. But what was behind the little grey ‘field’ hardware? An improved OP-1 Field? An OP-Z with new features or a completely new instrument with cool Teenage Engineering gadgets and features? I had to find out and dove into the depths of the manual.
And I can already reveal: I have once again become a fanboy of the new TE product and am totally excited by the possibilities of this little ‘studio-in-a-box’.
Unboxing the Teenage Engineering OP-XY!
The unboxing of the Teenage Engineering OP-XY is of course typical TE. Beautiful and stylish outer packaging, followed by a polystyrene case held in place by rubber bands. Inside are the hardware and accessories (a small manual, USB-C cable and adhesive rings to attach the hardware to slippery surfaces). The hardware is very solidly built – anyone familiar with the OP-1 Field will know what they are getting.
The keys feel very pleasant and the keystroke is really good. The first thing you notice when you switch it on is that even the display and graphics are in shades of grey. Only the record button and a few LEDs, as well as the functions associated with them, are shown in red on the display. Everything else is grey. And it looks really smart and cool. But let’s get down to business: making music with the Teenage Engineering OP-XY!
The Teenage Engineering OP-XY in Action and the Sequencer
Like all of their products, the Teenage Engineering OP-XY is perfect for beginners and professionals alike. I can start right away, press the buttons and the first sounds come out. And through the small built-in speaker, the quality is truly incredible. Of course, as an OP-1 field user, it’s very easy for me to operate the instrument without even consulting the manual.
Recording is done via the record button. This can be done step by step or completely free – very cool. But you can also enter notes for the selected sound directly in the step sequencer – that’s the way it should be. Of course, there are a number of other options for recording notes and parameter settings (similar to the Elektron parameter lock). You can also switch on an arpeggiator or chord generator.
You can fill up to 4 x 16 steps with notes and parameters in the Teenage Engineering OP-XY. Changing the track scale (i.e. slowing down the playback speed to match the song tempo) extends a pattern by a multiple. This allows you to create extremely versatile patterns that, when combined with the other patterns on another track, create incredibly interesting progressions.
Copy, paste, delete, edit, duplicate, undo and more are also available for all steps. It’s almost like a real DAW. But in a small and extremely portable package. Arranger mode is very exciting too. It lets you arrange entire songs from the patterns you create. And it’s super easy and intuitive. I would love to see a feature like this in many other systems!
Sounds and Sound Design
If you think the Teenage Engineering OP-XY has the same sounds as the OP-1 Field, let me tell you: No, this is completely new territory! Except for the drum sampler of course. Sure, I would like to see one or two of the OP-1 synthesizers in the new hardware, but that can still be added with a firmware update.
Nevertheless, I have to say that I was once again pleasantly surprised by the range of products in the Teenage Engineering OP-XY. And again, you could say: Why aren’t these synthesizers included in the OP-1 Field? Both synthesizers have their place in the market, and not only because of the different recording options (OP-1, the tape machine – OP-XY, the sequencer).
As always, the graphical representation of the synthesizers is very cool, like a hairdryer that produces noisy sounds, or the bass synthesizer that sends the sound through prisms to show how detuned or overtoned the sound will be. There’s also plenty to do with sampling (either the included samples or sounds recorded via the built-in mic and line-in). You have a drum sampler for one-shots and a multisampler.
Teenage Engineering OP-XY: Punch-In FX, The Brain and the Final Mix
Your song is finished, but you’re still missing a little variation, a little drive in the song structure? Enter the Punch-In effects, which fire a variety of MIDI events at the touch of a button, doubling notes, muting sounds, pitching, chopping, adding delay/reverb, playing backwards and much, much more. Eleven of these effects control the drums, and another eleven control the melody section. Most of the time, these rhythmic variations fit perfectly. And you can also create/record them into your pattern.
The Brain is another control unit for MIDI matters. This tool actually transposes all note values up or down to match the given harmony. This makes it possible to create new melody and harmony variations in the Teenage Engineering OP-XY. I have already created a number of song ideas with it – an effect I would not want to be without!
The master effects are used for the final mix. These consist of a three-band EQ (bass, mid, treble), a well-equipped saturator and a bus compressor. With the right settings, you can really get a lot out of your patterns and songs with these effects. The sound quality is surprisingly good – as you would expect from a unit in this price range.
The Bottom Line
The OP-XY from Teenage Engineering is a very versatile all-in-one desktop multi-instrument that is perfect for producing music on the go (but also in the studio!). You can quickly implement musical ideas or get creative by jamming. You can create everything from simple loops to full songs, and even perfect them with master effects. You can create your own sounds (various synthesis options) and record your own samples or import existing ones. Unfortunately, there is no way to export a song (upload to a network) or provide stems for a mix in a DAW. Hopefully this will come in the future.
The easy-to-use sequencer makes recording notes and automating parameters a breeze. Vocals? No problem – just record them with the built-in microphone (up to 20 seconds per sample) and add them to your song. The Teenage Engineering OP-XY also makes it easy to rock out live. Punch-in effects add variety, breaks and variation to your performance – The Brain transposes your chords and melodies to match the harmony. Awesome!
This review shows only a fraction of the many possibilities offered by the Teenage Engineering OP-XY. A detailed explanation would go beyond the scope of this article. If you are unsure, I can only encourage you to test the hardware. You won’t regret it. With this instrument, fun and above all creative output are pre-programmed – and not just in black and white!
Prices and Specifications of the Teenage Engineering OP-XY
You can get the Teenage Engineering OP-XY here at Thomann.de (Affiliate) for the price of $2,029.00 / £1,949.00 / 2,299.00€.
The price includes hardware measuring 288 x 102 x 30 mm (W x D x H) with mini-jack audio input and output (output supports headsets with built-in microphone), mini-jack MIDI/Sync/CV/Multi-Out and mini-jack MIDI-In. There is also a USB-C port for power, battery charging and data transfer (data, MIDI, audio) to a computer or audio interface. Bluetooth LE MIDI is used for wireless MIDI transmission.
Find Out More About Teenage Engineering and the OP-XY
Pros and Cons of the Teenage Engineering OP-XY
Pros
- Very solid construction
- Compact and mobile unit
- Fast workflow for creating patterns
- Analogue inputs and outputs for a wide range of devices (MIDI, CV, audio)
- Audio interface connection via USB-C
- Keyboard with velocity
- Punch-in effects
- The Brain – MIDI transpose system
- Master effects
- Built-in speaker
- Expandability of features through firmware upgrades
Cons
- High price
- No way to export finished songs (yet)
- No stems export (yet)
*Please note: This review of Teenage Engineering OP-XY contains affiliate links that help us support our site. The purchase price and final price will always be the same! If you buy something through one of these built-in links, we’ll get a small ‘donation’ and thank you for your support!
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One response to “Teenage Engineering OP-XY: Review”
By far the worst color design I’ve ever seen on any piece of gear. I mean what were they thinking, and cost over 2k? Yea no thanks.