could be a problem they created for themselves at the outset: by building such a tiny bespoke device with custom fitting requirements.
the options to force in an alternative amoled must just not be available as might be the case on larger hardware where non-spec substitutes might be more easily hacked in.
1 Like
IIRC they chose a screen with quite an unusual specification (in terms of size/resolution/OLED) that was being manufactured for a specific mobile device in the Asian market. Once that went out of production the screen simply wasnāt available and there wasnāt a like for like replacement available.
If I had to guess the price hike is probably a combination of getting a replacement screen into production (mostly), a little bit of repaying R&D on other projects, and a little bit of opportunism. I really donāt think itās entirely the latter. Iām sure they knew thereād be a backlash at this price.
3 Likes
New price and date for Germany was just announced by the official distribution channel: 1399 Euros, arriving in April. the oplab-module called āMagic linkā for the op-z will also come, no price yet.
3 Likes
Magic Link? Where did you find out about this? Are there any other modules coming?
its a newsletter, directly from the distributor
More expensive than an Ocratrack 
you get a digitakt and a digitone for that, but hey: they dont rund on batteries and need a bit more space in your backpack
1 Like
Also completely different to the Octatrack and more useful in a lot of ways 
Not saying itās worth the price but it also still isnāt comparable to anything else on the market even 9 years later
2 Likes
There seems to be a lot of wild assumptions in this thread! Iāve spoken to one of the engineers at TE recently, and they have indeed redesigned parts of the unit due to a lot of components being obsoleted by the manufacturers etc. (And to me it sounded like they also improved upon the design)
Regarding the price, I donāt know either but my speculation, that is based in some industry insight, is that the manufacturer for the screen and other more unique parts perhaps discontinued it, and starting up production again became a lot more expensive. Things like these happen and is not far fetched at all. I donāt think itās a price hike.
25 Likes
Itās amusing how much of a big deal some are making of this. Why the vitriol?! Is it really that big of a deal?!
2 Likes
another minus is just how bad the screen is in sunlight, however mild the light. Only one guy ever mentioned this in all of the Op-1 reviews, yet it is a real annoyance. Instead of faffing around with crap kinder-egg junk add-ons they could have at least designed a wee sunblocker-something. Hopefully the new omled will be a good alternativeā¦or it bloody well should be for the extra dosh!
1 Like
TE could do with a bit of feedback that isn`t just joyful glee.
2 Likes
Itās because itās an awesome synth, and a lot of people are:
- angry that it is now financially out of reach.
- angry because they did not buy it earlier.
- angry because they envy those who got it cheaper.
Or something like that 
4 Likes
Yeah true but the screen is by far the coolest I have seen on a synth, apart from an old Oberheim OB12 I had with that beautiful crystal clear blue screen. But donāt think a synth screen is actually made for jamming in the sun! Itās all about the angle! Machinedrum can be good in the sun at a particular angle! Same with Op1. If you open Op1 youāll see that the screen is actually twice as big so now they put another screen in it, probably smaller?
@synthbie The OP1 is certainly not for everyone! Have you used it every time you make music? Is it so awesome because of the sounds/engines or the appeal? A friend who doesnāt know shit about making music says he likes my op1 the most ā¦ because of the appeal? The op1 just reached some kind of cultstatus thanks to for example Jean Michel Jarre but I have never seen him actually using it! In fact I think TE just gave him a free Op1 to let him say a few nice things so they could sell more! Seeing a youtube of Kaitlyn Smitch buchla, there was an op1 around also but never seen her using it. For a lot of people itās some kind of āyeah have you seen my new Iphoneā status symbol. In fact I even did not touch my Op1 for half a year. It is just cool to take it on a trip for making a few loops or sketches or some ambientāishā endless sequencer things like Hainbach does.
Anyway itās a cool synth but I donāt think it gets a lot of use, neither do I think there are good full tracks made with it.
@jim Hell yeah like this old magnifying game boy glass with extra lights hahaha
to be fair, most synths are not aimed at being portable quite like the OP-1 is.
2 Likes
I canāt say Iāve ever experienced the deep hibernation requiring a firmware reboot, and mine had a good 12 month snooze at one point.
weird maybe they changed the battery also because I have an A version, rev1? In all those years had to reboot firmware 4 times because it was dead/deepsleep modus.
I always hate it that manufacturers change revs of synth but the buyer almost never gets information about what they have changed! Years later or when someone opens the synth it finally gets revealed what the differences are between certain revs!
Interesting. I got mine second hand so am not sure what Rev it is.
One thing is for sure: OP-1 is not worth the asking price. The thing with its 320x160 display and 10-year old mobile cpu costs more than brand new 12,9 inch iPad Proā¦
5 Likes