#530

Definitely. It’s one of my favorite features of the OP-Z. The way this conversation kicked off in my head was tracing back the current phase of what I love in my own sound production to the OP-1’s 4-track…it was a gateway to phonogene, morphagene, how I use Ableton, eventually a cassette porta studio and thrift shop reel to reel. Tape and tape-like things are my favorite production interface (metaphor?). OP-Z tape fits in very well.

I have this fear of the production issues on OP-1 eventually end-of-life’ing it and we lose the 4 track. Part of the discussion that led down this path was me gushing about the 4-track to an interested 3rd party and them responding that the $1k+ pricepoint on the OP-1 when they already had an OP-Z wasn’t realistic just for the 4-track component. I agree that Z is a complement (not a replacement) for 1…If they could build a nice OLED paneled box that was $300-$400 and was just the 4-track - that would be fantastic and easy to recommend. but then, my guess is the hardware for such a box could probably run all the op-1 other stuff, so…you end up needing it to be $1k+ for whatever constraints are driving up the cost of the op-1.

Given the drastic additions to OP-Z in the last firmware release (I’m certain I asked the question, “could the OP-Z be a usb audio device?” a while back… but I can’t find the proof PROOF! [1] I’m amazed they pulled that off with firmware.) it makes me think they could add a 4 track via firmware and changes to the ipad app. So maybe they will? That would be great. Maybe, just to be clever, they could make it a 8 track that also exports to Ableton magically like some of these other apps out in the world.

[1] See? I’m a super genius who TE should come to for award winning incremental change ideas to their hardware. Ahem. Feel free to take my amazing, “the OPZ needs the 4 track” idea below TE..

1 Like
#531

I think TE will continue to produce the OP-1 for many years. They have even said that it is not in their interest ti make an OP-1 mk2, they think the OP-1 is still a great product close to 10 years in. And I love that. Being such a small independent company enables them to not have to follow the production patterns of larger companies that make “new” products with small updates each year.

BTW. Rumor has it that they will release an audio i/o module to the OP-Z. Exited to see what that could being to the table.

1 Like
#532

Like… Separate outputs? Please? It’s so not sexy yet it would be such a huge time saver…

#533

I would love 2 stereo and 2 mono outs that could be assignable.

#534

Pretty much that. Can’t wait for adat module afterward! (modules! Modules everywhere!)

1 Like
#535

Didn’t know where to put this, but it’s OP-Z adjacent: a write up about TE. Mods, feel free to put elsewhere.

2 Likes
#536

Damn this title is off-putting. I’ll give it a read but I hate this “game-changing” trope mainstream media use to clickbait their readers into reading tech oriented articles.

5 Likes
#537

I don’t disagree with you. All too often widely distributed is conflated with “game-changing”

#538

Yup. With the ability of using them as FX buses :drooling_face:

1 Like
#539

Small little feature I found out.

You can use the tape track with live audio. Turn on live monitoring(screen+shift), and preferably split your signal with a TRRS-splitter, then go to the tape track, hold shift and press the module track(this routes the input into the tape track, you can also deselect other tracks if you want). press play and make some noise into the input. Mess around live or press stop and mess around with the buffer you’ve recorded. fun stuff.

18 Likes
#540

Quick question about USB and MIDI. I’d like to hook my OP-1 up to some MIDI gear for sequenced recording to tape. Could I connect the OP-Z to a powered USB hub and use it as a MIDI host that way? For example, the hub goes to the OP-Z, and then the OP-1 and a Digitone are connected to the hub. Would OP-1 MIDI be passed to the Digitone this way? If so, I won’t need to buy a dedicated MIDI host - I’ll likely be wanting to use the OP-Z anyway, so if it will work as a host this way, that’s a problem solved.

I feel like this should work fine, but given both OP’s tendency to thwart expectations, I thought it’d be a good idea to ask first…

#541

Hello guys, here’s my very very first try with the OP-Z !
Quite a funny machine to take everywhere.

17 Likes
#542

I love this, one of the first demos I’ve seen that isn’t trying to do hard quantized beat oriented music… honestly makes me want to pick one up after this… great production on the video as well, cheers.

1 Like
#543

Waw thank you for this nice comment !

#544

I’ve never tried this method, so I can’t contribute in that way. Worse, what I’m going to suggest is more purchases. BUT: I purchased the oplab module for the OP-Z and it works flawlessly. I send from it to a MIDI through box and control four or more units at a time with the OP-Z, with no issues whatsoever.

Best of luck!

1 Like
#545

Yeah, basically, I’m finding it hard to figure out how to get midi notes (and midi clock) out of Norns and in to my computer, and vice versa. The OP-Z, being something I am interested for General writing purposes, seemed like a good ‘two birds with one stone’ option. You know?

1 Like
#546

I’ll end up with Oplab eventually, I’m sure. I’ve been considering either a Kenton host box or a Raspberry Pi, purely for the OP-1, but since the OP-Z is there, it seems a shame not to try it. I know it connects to the Digitone fine, so if it can mediate between the OP-1 and the DT via a hub, problem solved. I guess I’ll just pick up a cheap powered hub and give it a try…

1 Like
#547

Sorry if this is silly question but: does anyone know if there has been any hardware changes or revisions to the OP-Z since release (other than the changing of a flash into a squiggily arrow)?

Edit: on further inspection it looks like most of the icons were changed – but other than this? Anyone know?

#548

I don’t think the icons have changed, what you might refer to are the icons of the preview version some people got to try before release (with the letters at the right instead of “guy standing on stage” logos and stuff) but I think it’s all been changed before release and all the units on the market are like this.

#549

The icons, especially for the mixer and the punch in effects has changed.

2 Likes