AH with Op-1

Not a great demo but my desire for this magic box is growing grrr!
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=AH5TaGNvuaI

One day I’m all ‘damn, think I want this’. The next I’m more ‘mmm, this doesn’t really sound any better than my favourite plugins’. Does look fun/intuitive tho and nice to be hands on for designing sounds during the process, rather than shaping them in the computer afterwards. If I didn’t use computers I’d be all over it.

One day I'm all 'damn, think I want this'. The next I'm more 'mmm, this doesn't really sound any better than my favourite plugins'. Does look fun/intuitive tho and nice to be hands on for designing sounds during the process, rather than shaping them in the computer afterwards. If I didn't use computers I'd be all over it.

This was how I had it in my brain for the longest time about the OP 1. I’ll tell you, though… somewhere along the way I just got a bug for immediacy, and grabbed an OP 1, followed by a moog and a korg a few months later. Now, you crazies keep posting this Analog Heat business, and the bug is growing again. I’ll bet this is the same story for most people on this forum. This forum is bad for GAS.

One day I'm all 'damn, think I want this'. The next I'm more 'mmm, this doesn't really sound any better than my favourite plugins'. Does look fun/intuitive tho and nice to be hands on for designing sounds during the process, rather than shaping them in the computer afterwards. If I didn't use computers I'd be all over it.

This was how I had it in my brain for the longest time about the OP 1. I’ll tell you, though… somewhere along the way I just got a bug for immediacy, and grabbed an OP 1, followed by a moog and a korg a few months later. Now, you crazies keep posting this Analog Heat business, and the bug is growing again. I’ll bet this is the same story for most people on this forum. This forum is bad for GAS.

I know exactly what you mean. Last few days tho I’ve been reevaluating workflow etc. Possibly heading toward the conclusion that, for me, immediacy/hardware/hands on etc is more of a pain in the arse/distraction/time consumer than it is a benefit. It sounds better, it’s more fun, it’s usually quicker to dial in sounds etc. But for writing/structuring/sound design with fx etc, I’m pretty sure I was way more productive (finished songs… that to most listeners sounded just the same as if hardware was used… ) before I had all this gear :confused: thinking pretty seriously about going almost entirely ITB except for guitars/pedals… Push looks pretty killer these days if I spend some time to learn it, fx plugins sound basically as good as analog heat, soft synths sound great etc etc… I’m not playing shows in the foreseeable future so I think I’m going to pack it all in boxes and see how it goes for a couple of months… Op1 will stay tho :wink:

One day I'm all 'damn, think I want this'. The next I'm more 'mmm, this doesn't really sound any better than my favourite plugins'. Does look fun/intuitive tho and nice to be hands on for designing sounds during the process, rather than shaping them in the computer afterwards. If I didn't use computers I'd be all over it.

This was how I had it in my brain for the longest time about the OP 1. I’ll tell you, though… somewhere along the way I just got a bug for immediacy, and grabbed an OP 1, followed by a moog and a korg a few months later. Now, you crazies keep posting this Analog Heat business, and the bug is growing again. I’ll bet this is the same story for most people on this forum. This forum is bad for GAS.

I know exactly what you mean. Last few days tho I’ve been reevaluating workflow etc. Possibly heading toward the conclusion that, for me, immediacy/hardware/hands on etc is more of a pain in the arse/distraction/time consumer than it is a benefit. It sounds better, it’s more fun, it’s usually quicker to dial in sounds etc. But for writing/structuring/sound design with fx etc, I’m pretty sure I was way more productive (finished songs… that to most listeners sounded just the same as if hardware was used… ) before I had all this gear :confused: thinking pretty seriously about going almost entirely ITB except for guitars/pedals… Push looks pretty killer these days if I spend some time to learn it, fx plugins sound basically as good as analog heat, soft synths sound great etc etc… I’m not playing shows in the foreseeable future so I think I’m going to pack it all in boxes and see how it goes for a couple of months… Op1 will stay tho :wink:

Right on! I’ve been a Push user since the first week it came out. It’s essential to my ITB workflow as well as playing some of the hardware. I use it live and in the studio… I hear you on the time consuming nature of it. I really think of immediacy as “inspiration”. I’m never good at finishing tracks that are in Ableton clip view for too long. I have to get stuff into arrangement, pronto. I treat the hardware stuff the same - get inspired, find a hook, track it, accompany it, get it in the &*#%&ing timeline pronto!

Yeah, getting stuff in the timeline ASAP is something I should def do more often…

It’s thinking how what one little box can do to really boost the sound quality of my recordings is the thing that kills me…like Inception! Those thoughts are hard to shift. Like it’s gonna be the final cure. But still no beats completing a really ace lyric.

The problem with Push is the laptop investment. A decent MacBook Pro is crazy money these days in the UK, well over 2k. Plus then the price of Push, Ableton, the mental price of learning it all. I’m getting the Analog Heat.

The problem with Push is the laptop investment. A decent MacBook Pro is crazy money these days in the UK, well over 2k. Plus then the price of Push, Ableton, the mental price of learning it all. I'm getting the Analog Heat.

I already have push 2. Saw one selling for £250 and didn’t want to let it slip by at that price. Just haven’t had time to learn it…people still buying MacBook pros are insane. So overpriced… I already have decent computer /laptop but if someone shopped around they could find a £500 laptop/desktop that would be fine for music in most cases. No need for MacBook :wink:

Analog heat does look/sound very cool for sure. Basically nothing I can’t get ITB tho. Not as much fun and much less instant but more flexible, can probably sound just as good and saves me £700 + more potential setup hassles etc… Think I’m done with purchases for a while… Trying to be anyway :wink:

It's thinking how what one little box can do to really boost the sound quality of my recordings is the thing that kills me...like Inception! Those thoughts are hard to shift. Like it's gonna be the final cure. But still no beats completing a really ace lyric.

Haha :slight_smile: seems like decent plugins will give you the same or at least comparable results tho, if you’re not against using ITB for that stuff. For non-computer setups it’s a no brainer tho. Great box…

Edit - to chill my gas I ran a bass loop and then a drum loop through the following plugins and went haywire with settings etc. Just to remind myself of what’s possible with them. They sound great/approx the same quality I’ve been hearing for heat… And you can also get some insane sounds when they’re doubled up etc :wink:

Sly-Fi kaya
Klanghelm SDRR
U-he satin
Fabfilter Saturn
T-racks EQ73
D16 decimort

I’ve never used a plug-in before. I record stuff into a tascam 32sd, export tracks into reaper to edit (on desktop pc) then pump that back to add more tracks, using guitar pedals for effects. That’s why the toraiz is so tempting with all those individual outputs but I’m holding back to see what Akai do at namm (and if pioneer honour their firmware updates) first.

I've never used a plug-in before. I record stuff into a tascam 32sd, export tracks into reaper to edit (on desktop pc) then pump that back to add more tracks, using guitar pedals for effects. That's why the toraiz is so tempting with all those individual outputs but I'm holding back to see what Akai do at namm (and if pioneer honour their firmware updates) first.

Dude if you’re going to Reaper at any point in the process you’re crazy not to check out some plugins :wink: I have like £2000 on my pedal board + an re201 space echo etc but it’s way more convenient a lot of the time to use plugins with no significantly audible sacrifice. A few years ago they weren’t so good, I was recording to a tascam 388 reel to reel cos I wasn’t happy with totally ITB, but the current crop is much better. Def worth a look if you’re using computer anywhere in your process.

From the list above you could grab the following for approx £100+.

Sly-fi Kaya. Very authentic. Goes from crazy slammed cassette to subtle crunch and a lot in between. Videos I’ve seen don’t do this plugin justice. Secret weapon :wink:

Klanghelm SDRR - tons of Saturation characters with different parameters per each of the 4 models. The ‘fuzz’ one can do some very cool stuff.

D16 decimort - been using this instead of distortion quite often lately. Very cool bitcrusher with a lot of tweakability.

And U-he Satin is also easy to recommend. Great on master bus for thickness and vibe. Very tweakable. Bit pricey tho depending how you look at it. But also doubles as a great delay and Chorus.

My gearlust is the Analog Heat and one of those space cases http://spacecasetapeecho.com

I've never used a plug-in before. I record stuff into a tascam 32sd, export tracks into reaper to edit (on desktop pc) then pump that back to add more tracks, using guitar pedals for effects. That's why the toraiz is so tempting with all those individual outputs but I'm holding back to see what Akai do at namm (and if pioneer honour their firmware updates) first.

Dude if you’re going to Reaper at any point in the process you’re crazy not to check out some plugins :wink: I have like £2000 on my pedal board + an re201 space echo etc but it’s way more convenient a lot of the time to use plugins with no significantly audible sacrifice. A few years ago they weren’t so good, I was recording to a tascam 388 reel to reel cos I wasn’t happy with totally ITB, but the current crop is much better. Def worth a look if you’re using computer anywhere in your process.

From the list above you could grab the following for approx £100+.

Sly-fi Kaya. Very authentic. Goes from crazy slammed cassette to subtle crunch and a lot in between. Videos I’ve seen don’t do this plugin justice. Secret weapon :wink:

Klanghelm SDRR - tons of Saturation characters with different parameters per each of the 4 models. The ‘fuzz’ one can do some very cool stuff.

D16 decimort - been using this instead of distortion quite often lately. Very cool bitcrusher with a lot of tweakability.

And U-he Satin is also easy to recommend. Great on master bus for thickness and vibe. Very tweakable. Bit pricey tho depending how you look at it. But also doubles as a great delay and Chorus.


Bowled over by your kind tips chap but that’s one can of tasty worms I daren’t delve into. Options are my enemy if ya know what I mean, but a big thanks though. Jx

(just read on the MPC forum that Akai are releasing a stand-alone unit next year)

I've never used a plug-in before. I record stuff into a tascam 32sd, export tracks into reaper to edit (on desktop pc) then pump that back to add more tracks, using guitar pedals for effects. That's why the toraiz is so tempting with all those individual outputs but I'm holding back to see what Akai do at namm (and if pioneer honour their firmware updates) first.

Dude if you’re going to Reaper at any point in the process you’re crazy not to check out some plugins :wink: I have like £2000 on my pedal board + an re201 space echo etc but it’s way more convenient a lot of the time to use plugins with no significantly audible sacrifice. A few years ago they weren’t so good, I was recording to a tascam 388 reel to reel cos I wasn’t happy with totally ITB, but the current crop is much better. Def worth a look if you’re using computer anywhere in your process.

From the list above you could grab the following for approx £100+.

Sly-fi Kaya. Very authentic. Goes from crazy slammed cassette to subtle crunch and a lot in between. Videos I’ve seen don’t do this plugin justice. Secret weapon :wink:

Klanghelm SDRR - tons of Saturation characters with different parameters per each of the 4 models. The ‘fuzz’ one can do some very cool stuff.

D16 decimort - been using this instead of distortion quite often lately. Very cool bitcrusher with a lot of tweakability.

And U-he Satin is also easy to recommend. Great on master bus for thickness and vibe. Very tweakable. Bit pricey tho depending how you look at it. But also doubles as a great delay and Chorus.


Bowled over by your kind tips chap but that’s one can of tasty worms I daren’t delve into. Options are my enemy if ya know what I mean, but a big thanks though. Jx

(just read on the MPC forum that Akai are releasing a stand-alone unit next year)

New standalone mpc? Finally! Very interested… Hopefully akai don’t screw it up…

@jim can you post a link for that mpc thread. Thanks. Sorry to derail thread.
*Edit found it over at the korg forum - MPC tba soon.