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Teenage Engineering is making Capcom-themed pocket synths
The Mega Man and Street Fighter-themed pocket samplers cost $89.
Teenage Engineering is making modular synths for the masses
Modular synths are all the rage right now. And it's not just the usual players either. Korg and Stylophone recently dipped their toes in the modular world. And now Teenage Engineering is getting on the bandwagon. The company is best known for its portable music creation tools like the OP-1 and OP-Z, not to mention the damn near disposable, but kinda awesome Pocket Operator line. This year it's making it first modular system and also its first analog synth with the Pocket Operator Modular series.
What we're buying: A potent audio sampler that fits in your pocket
This week, Managing Editor Terrence O'Brien is obsessed with a new sampler that he can take anywhere. It's got its quirks, but that's apparently part of the appeal.
Teenage Engineering's new pocket synth is its most versatile yet (updated)
Teenage Engineering debuted its first trio of pocket-sized $59 synthesizers almost exactly two years ago. In 2016, the company followed those with a second set of three Pocket Operators featuring the sounds of the '80s. Now the company is back with a third installment: the PO-32. Like the half-dozen different options that are already available, the PO-32 remains a compact drum and percussion synth that runs on a pair of AAA batteries. However, there are two new key features that set this new model apart from the rest.
12 gifts for music nerds
Nerds come in many forms. Some build stuff, some like video games, and others sweat the tiny details of audio fidelity or salivate over vintage drum machines. That latter group can be difficult to shop for if you're not initiated in the ways of the music nerd. But don't worry. Whether the obsessive audio freak in your life is more into making music or listening to it, we've got you covered. For those that love composing sweet beats, there's the TR-09 -- a pretty solid remake of the classic 909 drum machine that was essential to creating '80s and '90s house and techno. There are also pocket synths for musicians on the go, like the Pocket Operator line from Teenage Engineering. For those who get their kicks more from listening than creating, there are subscription services like VNYL that deliver fresh pressed records to your door. You'll also need a solid turntable like Music Hall's MMF-2.3 to listen to them on, of course. And, if your favorite audiophile also happens to be an iPhone owner there's an obvious stocking stuffer: Belkin's Lightning Audio + Charge RockStar. This brings back the headphone jack and lets you charge the phone at the same time! For our full list of recommendations in all categories, don't forget to stop by our main Holiday Gift Guide hub.
Teenage Engineering's new pocket synths mine the sounds of the '80s
Until last year, buying a Teenage Engineering synthesizer meant spending hundreds of dollars. But the Pocket Operator series that debuted at NAMM in 2015 changed that equation by putting the company's sound in your pocket for only $59. Sure, they're not nearly as capable as the company's flagship OP-1, but that'll set you back $850. For less than a quarter of that, you could buy all three Pocket Operator synths, chain them together and start making music.
Making beats with Teenage Engineering's pocket-sized synthesizers
When I first heard about Teenage Engineering's Pocket Operators at last year's Moogfest, I was pretty skeptical. A card-sized digital synth in your pocket? Sure, it sounds cool. And yes, the folks at Teenage Engineering certainly have the know-how to make something like that happen, but I needed to get my hands on one to be sure. After spending the last few weeks pushing buttons and turning knobs on the battery-powered loop makers, I can say without a doubt that spending $59 on one of these bad boys is a decision you won't regret -- even for a novice like me.
