I certainly wouldn’t feel safe flying on an Airbus if I knew that TE had been involved with overseeing QC;)
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I’m not gonna go into details here.
But I’m not confident in flying with both Airbus nor Boeing. That’s coming from a former QC inspector on site.
But again, once you’ve seen behind the curtain, the magic fades. And the questions arise, too 
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Well, If you ever feel like sharing some scary anecdotes I for one would be all ears:)
I’m still under NDA, so I can’t really go into specifics. But a high profile manager once said, in a team meeting that - and I’m genuinely quoting here - « the food industry is the only one with real standards and even there, QC is for apparences. Cause QC costs but doesn’t make money. Simple as that. ».
Main reason I quit my Quality Inspector positions : you cost them money, and they basically own your signature.
That’s the way it works everywhere, I guess.
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That manager was wrong, as a lousy or non-existent QC can cost you your reputation.
But the manager was also right, as it’s never done TE any harm having a lousy QC 
I agree 100% with you.
QC helps a lot not wasting money.
But the capital doesn’t think that way, apparently.
And it’s fair to say that when it comes to make money, the QC step is getting in the way of managers.
And the way things work, QC is just an administrative step to ensure the healthiest relationship between manufacturers and companies like TE. Weird times we live in…
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Weird times indeed…but still utterly fascinating!
Bethesda Studios are releasing a (PC/xbox) game titled Starfield this month. It’s been in production for a decade. Their last product (fallout 76) was an horrendous buggy disaster. Yet folk are still willing to pre-order their product, based on hype and hope. It really does seem like no-one ever learns, or just folk are so damn greedy/impatient/stupid. Buying a product before it’s released from a company that has a reputation for releasing a product that’s unfinished can only endorse that sales model. Personally I find that rather disgusting, but equally intriguing (as an insight of modern day behaviour).
TE knows that whatever they put out will be bought by some folk just because it’s a TE product.
(This year they released that record player. Make your own vinyls. A rebranded product. Looking on their website yesterday I saw that it’s now discontinued, as is the vinyls one would need, yet they are still selling the case for the bloody record player!)
(a slightly off topic book recommendation; Bad Blood, by John Carreyrou. About Theranos)
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I concur.
Post-pandemic, it seems things turned a bit more sour than it used to be. And then again, did it really?
Apple, TE, Bethesda and many more are probably half-responsible for the whole ordeal. And customers are responsible for the other half.
The hype, the branding, the marketing, etc. It’s a well known consumerist behavior to buy from the hype, to buy without a necessary need.
I, for one, am the perfect example of that.
I love me a new MacBook with buggy software. I love purchasing v1 softwares. I love to pre-order stuff blindly.
But the more I spend, the more issues I get.
TE’s offering with the Field collection is something of its own.
Had Apple brought back some ports (audio out, line in, SD card to name a few), I’d have completely pass on the op1 Field.
The TX-6, at least for me, is an engineering curiosity at best. And the TP-7?…Well, I’m missing the point here. I’d have to try it, I guess. And read the manual. I’m seeing loads of love for the thing. And the CM-15 had me GASsing a bit, but then again, I’d have to try it to make sure such a pricey item with such basic operations is worth the buy.
But that’s just me.
I guess in 2023, you need to let a product live through its first iterations to make sure it’s a sure (working) thing.
I’m currently waiting for my op1f - unit #3.
And yet, for any defect I had to go through here, I have easily 2 products I had never any issues with.
Bought my Line6 Helix new one year after they came out and never had an issue with it. Same for my guitar amps or MIDI controllers.
Had to go through 3 iMac Pros before I could get one that had no screen issue.
That’s the world we live in. No more real QC, cheap components that will continue to suffer more and more shortages.
I’m as curious as afraid for the next decade. I guess it’s a never ending issue since the 80’s.
(Thanks for the suggested read - I’ll try this one asap)
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New update.
Just got the third unit in today.
Quick recap : first unit was from Amazon with a hell of a blooming, second unit was from Thomann with a clicking screen, third unit is from TE directly.
And I can happily report that, for now, the screen does not click at all. And the blooming seems a little bit less present than the two previous units.
I now have 14 days to QC the heck out of this one - so there’s that. But about one hour after the unboxing, everything looks fresh.
I’ll keep updating here.
Cheers!
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looking good, chuffed for you:)
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Thanks !
Gotta say, feels good.
Still gotta try all the features.
But 24hrs later, things are looking great
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So. Is it a keeper? Awaiting mine, and reading your findings, Im Getting nervous.
Also: I really loved the OLED of the OG OP1 and actually also thought that it being recessed made the design of the OG OP1 a lot cooler. Even though it wasn’t always practical - the “depths” of the screen was a cool design and made it even darker blacks.
How is your new unit looking, @Heyes? I’m like you, I want thing to be perfect. Coming from MacBook Pros and Leica cameras, I kind of expect this OP-1F to be in the same ballpark, build quality wise, as the price suggests.
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The new unit - straight from TE - is…well, let’s say it’s a keeper since I don’t want to lose no more time doing back and forth with somewhat-unperfect units.
The screen doesn’t click. But it still displays some kind of white blooming. And three units later, I’d say they all do.
The new unit also double-triggers some times (it’s so erratic and not occurring so often that it may very well be me being afraid of double triggers).
I had two minor software bugs since updating to 1.4.7 (one with Tombola and another with the Input Source Auto-Selection not working anymore).
But aside from that, it works fine.
Since then, I also ordered an OB-4. Poor packaging (the box was a bit damaged during transport but the OB-4 is intact).
In the end, I think I fell for the same issues I had with Apple. Whenever a brand tries to overshoot their pricing and overselling their quality but fail to deliver AND communicate about it, I start QC-ing things to the max. And since no product is perfect (and I truly mean no product ever is nor will be perfect), ultimately, my expectations are part of the problem.
TE did overdid the whole sales pitch.
Although, in 2023, I’d say both OPs pricings are not that ridiculous. The QC was probably a bit of a fail on this one. But then again, no unit was faulty to the point of being unusable.
In any case, here is a list of what I’d test as soon as possible :
- trying to slightly touch the screen edges in order to see some defect with the glue distribution.
- trying to test the screen at different lightnings conditions and viewing angles
- testing the keyboard extensively for double triggers
- testing every port and every input for noise and general uses
- testing write/read fonctions of the onboard SSD
- sturdiness of each pot and button
There will be software issues - that’s a given. But they generally are more fixable.
And, most of all, try approaching this with a new mind. If you’re looking for flaws, you will find some.
That’s the way these beasts are : imperfect. They probably try to be a bit more than what they really are. And that’s the caveat you’ve got to try to avoid at first.
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Thanks. That is a useful list. I hope I’ll get a “good” unit. Took me 3 units with the OG, to get one without faults. Speaker defect, defect on/off button and defect i/o module on the first two.
Hope you are going to be happy with your 3rd OP-1F!
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I do love the op1f enough to go through all that hassle and still live with / through its limitations.
Somewhere in-between the 2nd and 3rd unit, I’ll admit, I almost gave up on it.
TE’s lifestyle rebranded as a Field collection with such a poor QC and fragile conception got me suspicious of the way they thought this through.
But then, after hours (I do mean hours, since I’m in the market for the perfect power-work-house-station since 2020) of research, I couldn’t find what I was looking for exactly. Which was :
- an all portable device
- multitrack recorder with onboard mic and screen
- input for guitars
- output for monitorings
- a keyboard
- editing capabilities
- could work as a portable audio interface to work with an iPad/Macbook
- a synth/drum/sampler capable engine
- a vocoder
- a sketchbook for songs in various genres
- a sturdy yet portable enough piece of gear with a somewhat open-sources community
And many more features the op1f is not (such as a capable vocal studio with Autotune capabilities, a simple yet effective amp sim integrated to a comprehensive set of guitar recording tools, a capable bus/master rig processor, a more-than-4-but-no-more-than-16-tracks-per-project DAW, a suitable FX list for all-purposes, a step-sequencer for beats and bass lines, etc).
But in the end, the Deluge was too daunting (I need immediacy and a clear screen with detailed infos), the Elektrons and Pushs were too Electro-oriented (I need a portable variety so large that it confines to a sterile starting point, so to speak), the SP-404 and Livens and such were too samples oriented to the point where it was gonna be all LoFi HipHop…well. You get the idea.
Now, granted, the aforementioned options all work great with all genres if you invest the time into learning how to operate them.
The Push, more than the others, come to mind. Same for an iPad with some accessories. Or even a MacBook Air/Pro and some gear to go with it.
But none of them had it all. Not even the op1f. And at the end of the day, the portability and the all-genres invitiveness was greater with the op1f.
Not gonna remake the whole debate. But the pricepoint is what it is. The QC is what it is (in 2023, and for all brands I have to insist. Car makers, plane makers, electronics and service providers, etc).
I guess, post-pandemic, we have to re-adjust our expectations and have some kind of « testing period » with some kind of checklist to go through when purchasing new gear.
I went through 5 portable speakers and ended up with my wife buying an OB-4. Latency issues, Bluetooth constant scanning, connectivity issues, bulkiness, etc. I never would have thought it would be a hassle to find a portable speaker with line-in and no latency in 2023. But I was sooooooooo-oh-oh-oh wrong, my friend.
So yeah.
I’m happy with my 3rd op1F. And TE’s support were understanding enough. So I’m keeping it. And will probably buy a PO-35 soon for sampling quick vocal ideas into autotune and have the MicroTonic option for quick analogue drums on the go.
Is it gonna be perfect for both you and I? No. Is it gonna be creative enough for the both of us? I guarantee it’s gonna be more than enough.
Please, keep us posted.
I’m sure your unit will be just fine.
But. It’s important for us, customers, to help TE keep track of issues like the ones I mentioned (and the other ones mentioned in other threads).
Let’s help them stay in business while creating and offering a functional and balanced ecosystem !
Can’t wait for you to get your unit!
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Here are both the 3rd op1F and its OB-4. Waiting to rock the maternity ward.
Believe you me when I say these things are popular among the staff and other new parents. Just jammed a bit through the first morning lights. It’s the perfect way to start the day, if you ask me!
@Heyes looks good.
Be aware though, that the PO-35 doesn’t have autotune and PO-tonic isn’t analog 
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You sure about the PO-35 speak?
It doesn’t have autotune per say, but many videos I watched before buying demonstrated the effect and its possible use cases.
This would be an example:
Would you be kind enough to elaborate?
And you’re right about MicroTonic not being analogue at all. My bad. I was referring to the overall feel and sounds you could get out of them. It can be used to emulate old analogue machines but also can convey new sounds and cover new territories.
Then again, I may be wrong! If you can elaborate, I’d be thankful!
@Heyes PO-35 is more of a vocoder than an autotune effect. It translates vocals into synthesis. But if that’s what you’re after, it will be fine. Just don’t expect clean vocals with pitch correction
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Thanks for the clarification.
The goal here was to get a little vocal sampler with a bit of a mojo to it.
And, for the same price, having a taste of that MicroTonic wonder.
It’s more of an accompanying tool for song sketching than a tool in itself.
From the videos I watched, it gave me a sense of LoFi-er, 8-bitty, gritty with character sound I’m trying to get at times.
In the end, the only thing I’m really missing from all that TE ecosystem is an AmpSim of sorts for guitars. And an autotune kind of pitch correction.
But thanks for the heads-up !
It’s great to hear how this one is gonna be of use!