3 Reasons (/not) to buy the OP-Z - Teenage Engineering

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The OP-Z from Teenage Engineering is an interesting and complicated synth so I understand why so many people have questions before buying. Here I try to summarize the most important points to consider and some obvious alternatives from my experience after 1 year of regular use.
My OP-Z tutorials and free samples playlist: • OP-Z Tutorials, Samples
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Chapters:
0:00 Intro
1:30 Pro 1 - Portability
3:27 Pro 2 - Versatility
6:45 Pro 3 - Complex Sequencer
8:45 Con 1 - Portability
11:45 Con 2 - Versatility
12:20 Con 3 - Complex Sequencer
13:55 Alternatives

[@RDiefenbach]

Check out my tutorial series for guides on how to use the different features of the OP-Z including setup, songwriting and shortcuts: kzbin.info/aero/PL9IlJusK8N1dOSudzs9l2GUtX06R3QF0y

[@Solidahmed]

Thank you for the detailed video about the OP-Z. When I was researching about the OP-Z last year around Christmas, your videos were the one made me know if I wanted it or not and what to expect. And I have to say nearly half a year after and I love the OP-Z and appreciate your videos even more. And I love your honesty in pointing out that it might not be for everyone. It also helped my expectation to be realistic. Yes I spent so many hours being confused using it and still I am, but the sequencing power of the device and the ability to make a track regardless the experience is really something else. Thank you again and looking forward ward for more time on the OP-Z and more of your videos for insights and inspiration. Also great outdoor sceneries! Cheers.

[@RDiefenbach]

So fantastic to hear mate - thanks! Makes it worthwhile to know these videos are helping people like yourself with their music !

[@MistyMusicStudio]

Thanks for posting this! I had been curious about this for so long and honest reviews are hard to find. I think for me, the best portable solution will be to get a solar battery for my Syntakt. Appreciate the advice!

[@casinomann]

Great overview, Ryan! 😁 My biggest selling point for the OP-Z is that it is insanely powerful for it's unfrightening look, whilst not having the "infinite ceiling" problem of a DAW. This synth is what got me into music-making. If I had not gotten an OP-Z, I would not be learning Ableton right now.

[@RDiefenbach]

Thanks mate! Hardware and Ableton work best hand in hand :) Glad both are working well for you !

[@Khordmaster]

Agreed!

[@quentindassance3244]

Hello, I've never made music (like never-never), is an OP-Z a good entry point ? Why did you choose it over literally anything else ?

[@AlbaraAlohali]

@@quentindassance3244 did you get an answer? I'm exactly at the same boat. Impressed by this little piece and its capabilities but worried it might be a word choice for someone just starting. appreciate sharing your decision and outcome 🙏

[@quentindassance3244]

@@AlbaraAlohali Hello ! Unfortunately I did not get an answer about the OP-Z. However, I just got a Teenage Engineering Pocket Operator and will start trying to make music with it very soon ! It is less of an investment for someone who never made music before.

[@MrSerbianOrthodox]

Honestly, a really good review! Thanks!

[@SyncdAlien]

Excellent discussion, very interesting. Thank you!

[@RDiefenbach]

Thanks - glad it was of interest!

[@videolabcreators]

Thanks for the shout Ryan! Digging your video’s as always✌🏼

[@RDiefenbach]

Cheers. As always, wish I had more time to dive into video packs more deeply. One day!

[@manstuarta9066]

Hey! Nice video! I just bought mine for the same reasons! Keep it up!

[@andrewsharpley4984]

good balanced personal overview, thanks for this

[@Jebrald0]

Very Nice presentation and insight my friend :) You’re always so well spoken in your videos! I think the best thing about the OP-Z for me is that it’s FAST to get ideas flowing and sketched out. Since it’s basically running loops, improv is pretty easy to record in as well. I have one of the Z’s with a bending issue and the encoders are popped out a bit, but it never really bothered me. However the encoder pop out does occasionally mess up the settings (for example a completely counter clockwise setting reads as slightly turned, occasionally) and I think the bending issue is finally getting to a point where it’s causing double triggers when you press a key once in a while. Overall though the speed and convenience in which you can create something, is incredible and I wouldn’t trade my OP-Z for anything :) Also, the sequencer is insane!

[@RDiefenbach]

I could have highlghted workflow speed much better for sure. It is a godsend to just get something started and not put too much pressure on yourself.

[@chipwillis]

Got My opz used, has a very slight warp in it, but not terrible. I added some rubber feet in the middle to keep this from getting worse. One thing you didn't mention about it - the ability to sequence wirelessly on the ipad! Great feature. Been growing my rig and the OPz is the heart of it. A new great piece is the BB 1010. The ability to toss ideas around quickly sample, and resample is super nice. Thanks for the effort you put into your channel as always too.

[@RDiefenbach]

I am not an iPad user but that is definitely a great point! Understandable why people tend to lean to connecting the two of them together. Thanks for your comment and feedback! :)

[@nacs]

I have an OPZ and agree on your points. I haven't had build issues either but I find the biggest issue to be the lack of pagination on the sequencer when you extend the number of notes as well. The OPZ was my first all-in-one device and especially when I'm traveling or out and about it's great. After a year or so of using it I also got the MPC One as you mentioned and it's super powerful (but nowhere near as portable as the OPZ).

[@RDiefenbach]

Totally agree that pagination would be amazing. It is the think that makes me gravitate to my Digitone when I know I will be spending longer than a few minutes writing the song

[@felipedenegro]

thank you for the info!

[@RDiefenbach]

No worries ☺️

[@owenfrank]

A very solid review, thank you. Also, see you have a Dreadbox Erebus in the background (unless I’m mistaken). I have a V2 & love it

[@RDiefenbach]

Thanks! Not a dreadbox though, it might be my Analog 4, digitone or Roland Aira TB-03

[@peterleyssens6735]

Very good and well balanced review, Ryan! I have a BeatStep Pro but I'm looking for something lighter and smaller for travel. The Oxi One looks good as a pure sequencer, and despite its smaller size it's actually more powerful than the BSP. But this OP-Z is really something else. I'm particularly interested in polymeter and polyrhythm, which I notice none of the grid based sequencers are really good at. So I'll be taking a good look at all of this. Thanks for the intro!

[@RDiefenbach]

Glad it can help Peter! Even compared to the Elektron sequences I found the OP-Z way faster if you know the shortcuts

[@MilesKvndra]

Hey mate, great video and good work on the pros/cons. Cool little synth but you mentioned all the cons why in the end I let this device go. But I really enjoy the music you make with it! :)

[@RDiefenbach]

Thanks mate! Was definitely a bit inspired by your insights video regarding the Digitone and it sparked me to finally get around to uploading the concept of something similar I had been putting off for a while. Cheers for the kind works and means a lot coming from the king of the DN + DT - it's clearly working for you!

[@MilesKvndra]

@@RDiefenbach awesome to hear that my video inspired you, really love to hear that! 😍 And many thanks for the kind words - in the end all of this is all about if a device works for you or if it doesn't and if you can make good music with it! :)

[@raz_van__]

Man, I love how you ended it.."this is for everybody who is creatively inspired by it, don't overthink the rest", which is exactly how I approached it. As I am typing this comment, I am also tracking my shipment containing the OP-Z btw..Cheers!

[@RDiefenbach]

Brilliant to hear - I hope you enjoy 😊 if it doesn't give you inspiration you just try something else!

[@Indanam]

Nice video dude! I definitely fell into the trap of buying but without asking myself if I needed something so versatile. It's easy to do when the product looks so cool. It's still a good device though.

[@RDiefenbach]

Cheers mate! Yeah it is easy to do - I find myself running into the same issue when bombarded with ads for new gear. Might do another video on ways to deal with that more broadly

[@davidsanfeliumarco9664]

Thank you so much for the awesome video I love the OPz workflow an specially the sequencer. For me the huge dark side of the Z is not having a screen and those tiny keys, I use it less than I would love because every time I have to connect it to my phone and to the Keystep... I don’t know why TE don’t upgraded the OP1 with a decent sequencer and some good FX... Peace!

[@RDiefenbach]

Agreed! If the OP-Z sequencer had a baby with the OP-1 build quality and screen I would buy it in an instant

[@Knobs_and_Ends]

I have my OP-Z posted to sell online... but after watching this (and the new update) I can't help but put it right back into my backpack (I guess I have to go delete that listing now haha)

[@marzbitenhaussen]

excellent overview

[@RDiefenbach]

Thank you! 🙏

[@SaEvSampleEverything]

Nice video! Using typeC-typeC cable with my phone to avoid using Bluetooth because sometimes it just disconnects for me.

[@RDiefenbach]

Good tip!!

[@ildafons]

I was oscillating between OP-Z and Syntakt and thank you for clarification of some points that I was concerned of. Step resolution of the sequencer matters a lot to me and only ability to record track in live mode with low resolution makes things lot more difficult when editing in OP-Z. I really surprised that TE didn't address this as this downside ruins the power of the OP-Z sequencer for me. Also Portability is not really what I need. So I think Syntakt is a better option for me.

[@RDiefenbach]

Fair enough that it's a deal breaker for some people. The positive side is not needing pagination - I personally find going searching for an individual step a bit annoying when wanting to remove something but it's all about what you prefer.

[@davidsanfeliumarco9664]

It would be amazing if you make a video about how you deal with the polyrhythms and also another one about the tape track... thank you so much! Best!!!

[@RDiefenbach]

Hi David, I touch a bit on polyrhythms in this video on ambient music: kzbin.info/www/bejne/oGHUmpSLjat4raM Basically you can just set the step length per track! There are more tips in the video. As for the tape track - I have though about doing a video at some point :)

[@davidsanfeliumarco9664]

@@RDiefenbach You are a star!! Thank you so much!!!!

[@sinewaymusic]

Greetings from Sweden. 😊 I personally disagree with likening an MPC with a DAW. I had the same preconceived notion and quickly dismissed the idea of an MPC because of it. I went with a Digitone and Digitakt instead for their creative, generative abilities, but I quickly realized that they are meant for live performances and are nearly impossible to create full songs on without a ton of workarounds and other tools. So I ended up buying an MPC anyway in the end - which is the best purchase decision I've made in a long time. No, it's not like a daw. It's actually surprisingly hands-on and immediate to jam on. It has lots of ways to generate surprising results via recorded pattern automations, sample effects (so many more than the Digitakt offers), randomization features and pretty amazing sample layering features, allowing you to create fairly dynamic synthesis-like sounds from a stack of simple single cycle waveforms. I'm able to go from an idea to an 80% finished song in under 2 hours, something that feels completely unfeasible in my DAW. So, the MPC isn't as immediate and expressive as a Digitone, but it's still way more expressive and fun than a daw. Just my 2 cents.

[@RDiefenbach]

Hej och takk David! Glad to hear it works for you! Perhaps my pre-conception and likening to a DAW comes from the sheer screen size on the modern MPC line up, rather than it lacking randomness and spontaneity. Appreciate the input , may be of help those considering the MPC as an alternative not to rule it out entirely.

[@sinewaymusic]

@@RDiefenbach Yeah, I had the exact same thoughts. A touch screen would make it feel like a computer, which is what I'm trying to step away from. In practice, you only really use it when tapping on a control so you can twist the physical knobs. It ends up feeling mostly like a natural extension of the hardware controls and actually help to speed up the workflow. The only time it feels like a daw is when doing detailed tweaks in the piano roll. But then again, having the ability to do that when needed is amazing and something I felt was extremely frustrating on the Digitone/Digitakt in comparison.

[@victorsvillegas]

Did you make the music for the video with the OP-Z? I love the beat at 4:20-5:15.

[@RDiefenbach]

Thank you I had completely forgotten about that track haha - yes it's from an OP-Z only live jam I still have available on KZbin: kzbin.info/www/bejne/rHbOlqiqoa6DgtU&ab_channel=RyanDiefenbach

[@Georg89]

Thanks for this video! :-) 6:07 - does it mean that every individual channel of the op-z can be sent to a daw separately? Also in Studio One? Could it be also used as a "midi keyboard" to play vst synths in a DAW?

[@RDiefenbach]

Hey thanks for watching! If you head to my channel there is a separate video discussing this specifically and using Ableton as an example. Per track Audio can't be sent to a DAW, only master output. However - per track Midi is most definitely possible to play VSTs and I use it all the time. Some performances doing this also on my channel - and a new one coming tomorrow!

[@Georg89]

Thanks for your comprehensive answer. I already watched your video and it was very helpful. I'm very close to buy the op-z...let's see :-)

[@ildafons]

As I can see you use RipCord to power your Digitone from the power pack. Did you have any problems with the RipCord?

[@RDiefenbach]

No problems at all

[@livinproof718]

I bought it a second time after this ... I only sold it because I had to and I thought I wouldn’t miss it but I did ...second hand for 450

[@RDiefenbach]

I keep thinking I might sell it for a Digitakt or something similar but can never manage to give up the portability. Totally unmatched in that regard if you just want to play or write anywhere anytime.

[@livinproof718]

@@RDiefenbach totally agree there

[@highlanderes]

I want to line-in sample from other gear, but can’t find out what cable would do that.

[@RDiefenbach]

Hey! I have heard the i-rig and digdugDIY are popular solutions but I can't verify. Hopefully someone here can guide you with first hand experience otherwise check the forums

[@baqcasanke]

Yes the standard 3.5mm irig works!!! I have it and tested it myself. You can sample guitars or line in sources!! I have a thread on opz forums about it

[@RDiefenbach]

Interested to hear if you agree / disagree or have other tips? Please let me know :)

[@DunjinDan]

As a new user for the OP-Z, I loved seeing this overview. Showed me some things I didn't know it could do! If I could give you two thumbs up, I would!

[@RDiefenbach]

@@DunjinDan damn thanks for such a nice comment! Genuinely really happy to hear it helps :)

[@johnd7564]

@@RDiefenbach at 1:00, what is the album on the lower right? I remember it from long ago but cannot place it!!! Please save my brain from exploding!

[@RDiefenbach]

@@johnd7564 Sister Sledge??

[@johnd7564]

@@RDiefenbach That's it!! All American Girls! Thanks!!!

[@spinne-mann7104]

the build quality is a big issue for me as my encoders pop out and my unit has warped. The portability is great and so it is the complexity. However, on its own, it has the tendency to sound monotonous especially the synths. The opz has a very particular sound to it that's limited so getting away from its sound works better in a setup with other instruments or a DAW. Thanks for the video

[@RDiefenbach]

Cheers Owen. Sad to hear you were one with a negative experience on the built quality. As for using the OP-Z as a standalone - I go through phases where I think I need Ableton or a DAW in addition to make it sound good but when I am stuck with nothing else it still managed to shine through every now and then. I guess it depends on what you are using it for :)

[@sonicultura]

Actually there are solutions for both bent and encoder issues...

[@RDiefenbach]

@@sonicultura what is the solution for bending? Could you share here so people can see in case they need that info?

[@sonicultura]

@@RDiefenbach it’s in the group on Facebook I can’t link it since private but you are member there have you missed that one? ;)

[@spinne-mann7104]

@@RDiefenbach I have definatly grown to like the OPZ the more I use it and I do recommend it as a creative tool especially since I often get overwhelmed and distracted by the use of computers. I instructed Ableton live to young students and always wished I could have a classroom set of opzs to introduce concepts of electronic music production in a simplified manner. I still need to check out your video pairing it with Ableton because I run into mild issues of latency and jitter while using it. I'm wondering if this is also an issue for you at times and if you have any solutions?

[@Ohenry92]

I find myself thinking I've hit a wall with the OPZ only to learn about a new thing it can do and immediately pull it back out.

[@RDiefenbach]

It definitely goes in waves for me as well. Whenever I travel and don't have room for much other gear or hook it up to Ableton I usually get the inspiration back for it :)

[@taylorst.5131]

While i would recommend staying away from the op-1 at all costs for a lengthy list of reasons not the least of which is that the thing is literally suicidal. Consider what happens to a beverage can with the slight temperature changes. And the absolutely insane price.... Gouging yeah i said it TE. The op-z i find more than worth the money. The only complaint i have with the OPZ that isn't related to the OP-1 price gouge. (Consider the cost to manufacture them and that op1 used to sell for the same price as the opz does now.) is that the like the op-1 the workflow can trap you into a particular sound. This is an incredibly inspiring groove box which as i've said before leave little excuse not to be creative. Unlike the op-1 the price is right on the op-z. And believe it or not the condensation issues with the op-1 make the life span of the op-z much greater even though it doesn't feel like a tank. Believe me when i say i've had to invoke the op-1's warranty many times. That warranty runs out and considering the thing really really wants to sweat and destroy itself and the propensity of the screen, battery, and keys to fail you're sure to end up with an expensive paper weight. The op-z however has never failed me in years i've had it. It's effortlessly portable. It's workflow is inspiring and surprisingly intuitive once you learn your way around. As much as i hate to say anything good about a TE product after the op-1 price gouge, quality control issues, and terrible albeit beauty design the op-z i find was well worth the money. SMH.. OP-1 I still can't believe they are asking the same price for a novel groove box as some flagship workstations.

[@markgirvan5980]

Sorry, I don't agree about the op-1, but it's just a matter of opinion I guess. I own both, personally I prefer the op-1, but I have to say there's no competition in terms of quality- the op-z is clearly cheaper in build quality- you must have been unlucky with the op-1 you had I guess

[@Questthecat]

I love my OP1. I'm not locked into a sound. And I've never needed to invoke my warranty.

[@taylorst.5131]

@@hymefly LOL! That's an underhanded way of saying you're just poor. That's mistaken assumption. The fact of the matter is if that instrument isn't temperature stable liquid will condense inside of it and it will short out, it can't help the physics. Tin cans just do what they do. Unlike the cellphone in your pocket this device has no waterproof rating at all. It's not humidity or temperature change tolerant. It's mostly a novelty and though charming and readily moveable it's portability is largely a gamble. HAHAHA while i understand the urge to defend your new cute little buddy you can't deny the design flaws.

[@taylorst.5131]

@@markgirvan5980 lol i agree the op-z is no piece of fine craftsmanship. But it captures some of the teenage engineering novelty at a much better entry price. The more important point i was making is that the po-z is not suicidal. its not made of a conductive material so it withstands temperature changes much better than the 0p-1 and might actually hold up to long term gentle transportation and use. While the op-1 might live a long sturdy life as a fixed item in your studio it will not hold up to extended travel or climate changes in the same way, and if it's stuck to your desk quite frankly there are objectively much more powerful and conjecturally more audibly pleasing options equal to and well below the op-1 price point.

[@wickeddubz]

If they made full featured synth with less tracks but good engine and better keyboard, i’d consider buying it. This thing should cost 300€, especially with those prices for add-ons. Unity engine - who will even use it for fun? Doubts. Video/gif/image sequencing has much more potential. I can’t spend money on device with this form factor, cheap materials and claustrophobic UI. Sequencer is cool, but those 16 tracks are not all audio tracks. Looking at these LEDs in sunny day is pain, as well as playing small keyboard. Tactile buttons are joke. Controls from the left are not separated logically. No lines or color . I’d buy Electribe 2S for 300 bucks, or mc101 that has decent synth engine. Ipad with apps also has better functionality.

[@RDiefenbach]

Hey Cookie, there are a lot of different devices that fit a lot of different needs. The reason a lot of people like the Z is it has an interesting sequencer and a lot of us actually use those 'add-on' features. I actually have a video praising the gif / video / image sequencing updates and showing how to use them. Myself, I mostly use it as an advanced, flexible, portable MIDI sketchpad and a unique hardware sequencer for custom templates in Ableton Live. If other devices suit you better then I hope you enjoy them instead!

[@wickeddubz]

@@RDiefenbach no hate here, i really like portability factor and video manipulation, imho CV/gate addon is still one of the best. It’s always struggle. Comfort, portability, features. Pick any two :D . So i tried to critisize OPZ a bit. It doesn’t mean that it’s bad. You’re doing pretty dope stuff with it. 🤘🏼🤘🏼

[@Farold_Haltermeyer]

That final line sums it up perfectly...and is definitely the reason TE products still sell at those premium prices: once you try one you either get it or you don’t, but the bottom line is inspiration

[@sabasis]

I've hit a ceiling with OP-Z but I would say that's more on me. There's tons of depth to the OP-Z if your creative enough. In many ways it physically represents what I'd do in software. There are a few things I wish they'd update (recently I wanted to shift a sequence that I programmed down an octave -- if that's possible I'd like to know) and I expected more modules by now.

[@sabasis]

To answer my own question (eye roll) apparently you can SHIFT + MINUS/PLUS to transpose apparently. Thanks reddit

[@edfx]

Yes but do lego axles fit into those holes?

[@RDiefenbach]

Yep

[@samprock]

I definitely have /NO reasons to sell it :)

[@lundsweden]

On the plus side, its inexpensive for what it offers, but the reports of the damn thing bending like a banana and general poor reliability and durability stop me from buying one!

[@RDiefenbach]

Understandable but I have to say my unit has been really solid - can only speak for myself.

[@apolotary]

You’re like gxace’s distant brother

[@RDiefenbach]

Have not understood this comment for a while 😅

[@davidcogan9936]

That is some title: the negatives are compeltely stupid

[@cherrypepsi2815]

IMO, The OP-Z is the only OKAY product that TE makes apart from the pocket ops. Terribly arrogant company otherwise. Even then, the OP-Z has had its fair share of controversies (specifically, deliberately choosing low-quality plastic and marketing the VERY COMMON defects as a feature); arrogance at its finest. Otherwise, I think the OP-Z is a decent toy to carry around to experiment whenever you have that cool idea that you want to try out, but it's delusional to say this is a full-fledged "all-in-one" type of tool.

[@RDiefenbach]

A lot of fair stuff in your opinion about TE but obviously their POs and a lot of other products have a massive appeal to many people. I stand by the statement that the OP-Z can be an all-in-one with certain limitations that I discuss at length in the video.

[@cedricvillani8502]

touch designer or if your cool toolr 3SHHHHhhhhhh

[@toddglacysacredsoundandliv7971]

If I was outside in the freezing cold, the last thing I would be doing is freezing my hands off trying to manipulate the tiny knobs and make cheezy music when I instead could be immersing myself in the beauty of Nature. Priorities people! Nice piece of gear though.

[@RDiefenbach]

Lol suit yourself mate. Whatever floats your boat

[@sajp8859]

Sad we didn’t get to actually hear more of the OP-Z, while hearing less of your amazingly monotonic voice. 😖 All around great vid and very informative! 😎

[@RDiefenbach]

There are countless other performances and tutorials from myself and others on KZbin covering the sounds of the OP-Z if you want those: kzbin.info/www/bejne/b6C1o5JvgJl5d6M

[@alamunez]

@Sa.Pratt - What a rude and dumb comment. Also, ‘monotonic’ is not a word.

[@valley_robot]

@@alamunez I don’t think they were trying to be rude , I think it was a compliment

[@hobbowizardanimations]

Like everything teenage engineering make it's a big fat scam

[@jonnyhead]

Possibly the most pointless review ever

[@RDiefenbach]

Thanks Johnny have a lovely day ✌️