Audiobus: Use your music apps together.
What is Audiobus? — Audiobus is an award-winning music app for iPhone and iPad which lets you use your other music apps together. Chain effects on your favourite synth, run the output of apps or Audio Units into an app like GarageBand or Loopy, or select a different audio interface output for each app. Route MIDI between apps — drive a synth from a MIDI sequencer, or add an arpeggiator to your MIDI keyboard — or sync with your external MIDI gear. And control your entire setup from a MIDI controller.
Download on the App StoreAudiobus is the app that makes the rest of your setup better.
OP-Z available for pre-order
Whats your thought on this?
It does look really interesting and I really like the IOS integration, makes a lot of sense. I never really "got" TE stuff until I got some pocket operators . As some have commented its just sounds really "bleepy" and niche to me. For me the Op-1 holds a bit more sway for the music I make, sampling etc.
Comments
The wait is over
Sold out
I was lusting for this for way too long and funnily enough I decided rather than wait for the op-z I would buy a second hand ipad pro and a loads of apps for the same price. So in a strange way i owe a lot to this device indirectly.
I will wait at least another year before revisiting this device, I like to see how much the additional hardware modules will cost plus what prices the extra effects/synths via the apple store will be.
How much was it? I’m glad it sold out before I read this thread anyway...
I think it is $599 U.S.
The OP-1/OP-Z are cool devices and I appreciate most that they aren't really like anything else out there. My favorite thing about them is the portability/size aspect. Even within my home, that's a big draw for me.
But at $599 (or $749 for the OP-1), I'd really struggle to justify something that is basically a glorified groovebox/sequencer. The keyboard on the device is akin to a Korg nanoKey (maybe worse), which is fine for entering notes into a DAW, but pretty limited from a performance standpoint. I'm sure it has MIDI connectivity or other ways to hook it up as a sound module, but even there, I understand that many of its sounds are "of a type".
The OP-1 was announced in 2009, which was coincidentally the year the iPad arrived, and started hitting the market aroudn 2011. Of course, iPad music didn't really take off in meaningful fashion until late 2012 when we got AudioBus and a flood of apps. There are plenty of ways that iOS music is also limited, but I think the broad capabilities of the platform trump the excitement that a product like the OP-1 might have generated in 2011.
All this being said, I'm pretty heavily invested into the Pocket Operator series - I have 6 of the 9, and have probably still only spent about half the price of an OP-Z. But it's much more palatable to buy niche devices in little $50 to $90 chunks, and I enjoy trying to work with those limited devices and make them do useful things.
This looks cool but I don't even think there's been an official product video. I've liked what I've seen but I would have to know more about it to consider buying it.
OP-1: designed for music creatîon, performance, versatile, long battery life, hands-on control, connectivity, etc
iPad: designed for consumption
Can’t wait to try that OP-Z
I tried to see what it was about but their website is like flipping through a Vogue magazine. This must be high class stuff
hihi
Before you spend some time on OP-1, you can’t understand how an instrument that is. Responsive, and infinite possibility.
OP-Z may be as good.
No denying the OP-Z has potential but price is a factor, there are many other really useful and inspiring instruments (especially secondhand) that can be bought in this price range. The sounds coming out of it are not great plus I heard it only has 20 seconds sampling time. Saying that it does look like an awesome sequencer for other equipment, unfortunately the midi din/cv module is an add-on product for extra cost. I would like to know how much these modules will cost.
Part exchanged my OP-1 for some other kit a few weeks ago. It was a lovely little thing, but I never used it and the kit I got in return is much more useful for my workflow.
I would dispute they’re better than an iPad and a bunch of apps too - for me the sound quality and flexibility of the iPad blows an OP-1 out of the water. For playability and fun though the OP-1 is a proper thing.
What did you swap the OP1 for and HEY WAIT A MINUTE I thought that was your buddy's OP1 that you were borrowing!!!
Nah it was a gift, and I swapped it back for some other cheaper stuff he had
Pretty much my thoughts too and why I also sold my OP-1 and went back to the iPad/iPhone combo for portable music making. It is a fun little device though.
The OP-1 seems like a pretty solid investment. You could buy it, play with it for a year, and seemingly sell it at the original cost. Teenage Engineering is very shrewd in keeping stock low. These things are really hard to come by.
I like your friends.
The one I had was worth about £100 more when I swapped it back.
They routinely sell for +$1000US on Ebay and the retail price has gone up to $899US and have been out of stock at all retailers for many months. But I have Korg Gadget, Moog Model D and Animoog, iMPC Pro and Garageband on my Iphone 6s Plus and Ipad so.........
[Please do not read if you enjoy your OP-1 or similar product and can't handle someone else's opinion. I wish you future fun and productivity with something that works for you]
I just checked out these products for the first time after hearing so much about them, and geez! I thought I got ripped off for a $500 Minilogue. They are 'clever' bastards with their image and marketing, I will give them that.
[Carry on, but I had to comment after hearing raves about these things for so long. To each his own.]
Pretty much everything on OP-1 in one button away.
On Ipad: a zillion tap away.
As someone who had one for a while, I think you’re probably right - inasmuch as they’re high priced. But then again the build quality is top notch, and not massed produced in China so their overheads are higher.
Much as I admired the build quality, the ‘cow’ fx, and playability, it didn’t really fit in my workflow. I recorded the audio in from the OP-1 on a couple of tracks, but the quality wasn’t as good as the iPad, and you can only use the fx so many times before they become cliched, so it ended up on the shelf.
I think they’re a great thing, but very pricey. Suited to those who like a table full of small, tweakable gadgets and hardware fx boxes.
I swapped mine for a Maschine Mk3 controller covered in jam, and a couple of cheap monitors. I’ve used both of these more in a week than I did with the OP-1 in nearly a year...but that’s just me. Only thing I miss is the OP-1’s arp and sampler, they were boss.
And of course in a couple of years time the OP-1 will be worth double, and I’ll be lucky to get fifty quid for the Mk3.
Some love it! I was wondering what other magical boxes (or magical apps, like KEW is for @echoopera) that just feel right.
People seem to love the OP-1, the Circuit, the Digitakt...but you never hear people raving about the Push 2, which looks awesome to me. I wonder why. And I wonder why the KEW is adored while Xynthesizr is not so much.
Your experience with the OP-1 pretty much sums up mine. I've had 3 OP-1's, lol. I love the immediacy and quick access to all of the patches, effects, ect. The primary stumbling blocks for me were the cumbersome connectivity, relatively small internal storage space and limited 4-track.
The build quality is nice but a bit deceptive. Many have reported nagging mechanical problems and problems obtaining replacement parts and boards.
They do hold their value however. Each OP-1 I had sold for more than I paid for it.
I like to think of OP-1’s as the VW camper vans of the music world. Desirable design, coupled with a slightly difficult-to-get-hold-of cool facade, that makes them cost more than they’re worth, and keep going up in value as a result.
I bought (my 2nd) classic VW a few years back, but due to a dodgy gearbox, and problems with my sons health, never used it. So I took it to a garage for a pre-MOT service before selling, where they highlighted a long list of things needing to be fixed before it passed.
I bought it for £10k, and sold it a year later without an MOT for £12.5k (buyer aware of issues). He had the same experience as I did, never used it, sold it to a garage a year later who had it on their forecourt for just under £18k. And it sold.
If I had lots of money and space, I’d buy a big pile of OP-1’s, and have a barn full of VW campers. I’d certainly buy an OP-z, even if it just sat on the shelf until I sold it for more a year later.
don't sleep
I couldn´t not get comfortable with the dented encoders on the OP-One. And operating in bright daylight was not so great because you pretty much need the display for most operations.
Using it in bed in the evening next to the girlfriend was also not good because of the clicky interface.
I hope the OP-Zed will be better in these regards but really looking forward to this e-instrument that does not rely on a screen, has a quiet interface and no detestable dented encoders. Although radio-sampling was quite fun as i remember.