I’ve had mine for 7 months. I have no issues with the build quality other than the little rubber feet things sometimes turning a bit too easily.
I had a friend of mine 3D print me a case for mine, so it is very well protected whenever I leave the house with it.
Although the OP-1 overall is much sturdier because of the metal housing, I would argue that the OP-Z has an advantage in durability when it comes to the knobs. The OP-1 has knobs that stick out, and I’ve seen those get broken. The OP-Z dials are flush and I can’t see those breaking easily at all.
This is not about breaking off knobs/dials, although the 1st two OP-Z’s I owned had falling out knobs. The 3rd one, that I have now, has solid knobs/dials. (at least, at this moment…)
The problems are mostly with the trig keys, double triggering etc.
It’s very frustrating to spend allot of money on a new toy you really want and then when you finally get it something is wrong with it, I get that, that really sucks and I’ve been there, it’s an awful feeling… but let’s remember that most opz’s out there are working as intended and despite some having problems, is still a great design that the world is better because of it. Instead of trying to encite hate for it, maybe if we all bother TE enough they will do the right thing and make good with all owners, not just original buyers? Really it hasn’t been out but a few months and even if it had changed hands it’s too new to have problems from defects, they really need to make it right. I feel terrible for you guys because when it works like it’s supposed to it is really a great device, hopefully qc can step it up to get each one right, is really the only thing like it so it needs to be perfect so it can become the classic that it should be.
I think the problem is that it isn’t a toy nor priced as one and, when there are any owners at all with build quality concerns who are unable to get it fixed under warranty, that’s terrible customer service/company practice. It is incredibly poor of TE not to honour warranty claims for the device and not the owner.
I’ve had to take a £380 mandolin back to a store after two and a half years of ownership due to issues arising and the music store replaced it that day.
An instrument should be built to last no matter the cost and it isn’t unreasonable to expect at least a couple of years repair warranty for one that is over £500. Perhaps they think that they will get more people to buy brand new, rather than second hand, with these warranty terms and so sell more units? I think that’s flawed thinking on their part because it will kill resale value and owning a device that depreciates so rapidly isn’t something most musicians would be happy with.
My knobs are starting to fall out after several months of at least half an hour of daily use (kept in a case when not using). I also have reliable double trigs on at least one key, and overall it seems the whole thing is somewhat bowed/twisted (not squared).
I’m debating whether to get a replacement, but kind of worried the replacement will be worse than the unit I currently have. I also dont want to be without it for a while!
I definitely have a Love/Hate Relationship with this device, but i’m more productive on it than any other piece of gear I own. I can spend hours on the Deluge crafting insane textured synth sounds, but at the end of the day I don’t finish as many ideas.
The OPZ’s effects suck, the synth engines are weak and a single stereo-out is extremely limiting. I keep holding out for and expansion module with Inserts and multiple-outs but I wont hold my breath.
So, would I sell it? Probably not.
Do I consider it to be more than a VERY capable sketch-pad? Not really.
Do I love its device? YES!
Do I also hate it? YEP!
I don’t own an OP-Z, or any TE synth, undoubtedly loved instruments, but I’ve heard so many complaints about OP-1 and OP-Z problems. This is a little off the topic, but I would suggest that Arturia and TE combine forces and release a ‘Keystep-OP1-OPz’, in the Keystep size, build, keys etc. Price it at $1500, it would sell by the millions. Of course the OP-1 and OP-z prices would collapse. I get that TE is making these as portable and small as possible, nanotechnology, but a Keystep is a perfect size. After all, we are Humans, Not Chipmunks.
they‘re both small but incredibly big when it comes to functionality, sound and FX
another big sidekick you learn with the OP-1 is the ability to play nearly every Instrument unquantized to a beat because if you wanna get something good out of the OP-1 you have to learn to play in time with a beat or melody by ear and that is the key to success.
especially in this learning phase people think it’s to expensive or a toy because most of em play crap into a computer, quantize all sloppy playing and just laying everything out with a mouse in front of a monitor…6 hours theory for 2 minutes quantized Songs…how boring is that.
TE is all about making music not just listening to music. real difference
a totally bittersweet relationship for me. Its the one music machine id ever want to live without. Its fun, easy to use, sounds fantastic But it sure does feel damn cheap for £500. And if many owners have had the double trigs (not myself) problem, and popping up encoders, it would be bloody strange if the TE team hadnt have noticed this over the course of the long dev time.
I remember Cuckoo saying during the beta phase that the keys didn’t feel quite right and needed some work. But we know that the OP-1 also has some chronic issues (like the connector board) that were never addressed by TE, so who knows?
id like to know if any of the new batch of (expensive) op-1 users have had connector board issues yet, and if they have id be flippin` livid with TE for not amending that extremely well documented fault. Especially with the new price point.
I like my op-z but if i could give it back for a refund i would. It’s just a few too many double button press functions for my liking. Not TE’s fault though. Mine had no issues so far.
Maybe i’ll think different about it later and learn to appreciate it more.
Well, the OP-Z is a combo paradise because TE chose to design it that way, much like the arcade brawlers. In fact, I think some people enjoy that kind of user experience, maybe because it is challenging and provide a more concrete feeling of playing an instrument?
Mine came bowed. At the time i wasnt impressed but thought "sod it, its not like i wanna ever sell it". In the past few weeks a few folk have been writing about their encoders popping up, which had never been a problem on my unit…until this week. Unbelievable what £500 can get ya these days. Utterly unacceptable. My ps4 controller has had years of abuse but still works just as well as day one. I got the op-z just before xmas19!! So its going back.
