Now that the OP-XY is here what is the future of the OP-1 Field? It’s no longer the “flagship” given that the OP-XY is more expensive. Will they consider adding the synth engines from the OP-XY to the OP-1 Field (or vice versa)? I really hope they continue to support the OP-1 Field by adding new features but I’m concerned their focus will be on the OP-XY. They are kind of in an odd place as they don’t want to cannibalize the sales for either device but at the same time they don’t want to anger their existing OP-1 Field customers.
I doubt anybody out here knows… so all we can do is look back at history…
I’d say the original OP-1 got a lot of support spread out over what… about eight years time. The OP-Z felt more like 4’ish years of support… but I don’t remember.
The OP-1 Field has been out for what 2.5-3 years… and I do feel like it still has some more potential tricks for it.
Personally I’d like to see an update to the Field series in general, that would help make sense of all the devices in several contexts… but I’m not holding my breath, by and large they all feel like separate devices… but I can dream about a future integration that could help tie them all together into a much more concise and unified way. Being able to sync loops to clock/tempo, have multiple tracks, and fancy routing options… I can dream right? 
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I don’t see it that way. I think the op-1 is still the flagship, it just has a midi counterpart in black now.
Two different machines. I still think the op1f is the ultimate digital portable recording workstation in the electronic world (DAW) and audio based (groovebox/mini) DAW
I think the op-xy is probably the best midi sequencer and midi based groovebox (not DAW tho) ever too , as I thought the Z could never be matched until now
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I don’t see how the o-1 can be considered the flagship when it’s cheaper. I hope they are considered to be co-flagship products.
That’s literally what i just said - The flagship remains the op1f; it now has a black midi counterpart as a twin flagship product……the op-1f is only cheaper because its MSRP was set in 2021/2 before inflation [and covid] destroyed the economy and supply chains etc….
They obviously can’t increase the price of the OP-1F so they naturally had to make the OP-XY fixed for inflation ($200 is negligible at the $2k+ price point, almost anyone in music will tell you, once you hit $2k in any arena of musical gear and instruments, you just entered “top shelf” territory…
The OP-1[F] will ALWAYS be the TE flagship……[unless they actually do make the op-2 ofc ]
i suspect that te leaves a little headroom in their products for future improvement, fixes, features, etc - by headroom i mean cpu, memory, resources, etc. - limited amount of that - and fixing things or introducing new things without breaking something else can be tricky
the op1f since its release, aside from fixes, we got velocity sensitivity, vocoder, and terminal. ← those are pretty substantial! (personally i love terminal)
i doubt we get anything substantial in the future, probably just bug fixes, compatibility fixes, and minor improvements → which is great! this doesn’t disappoint me.
te set the bar high for themselves
maybe i’m wrong, maybe we do get some new feature or engine or effect in the future, but i’m not disappointed if we dont
hell, the og op-1 got usb audio not long ago, which is insanely cool
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I mean if it makes you feel better to think the OP-1f is the flagship then cool. I just don’t see how you can say it is. When the OP-XY is newer, more expensive and has way more features. I doubt I will get it as I don’t think it’s for me but I still can acknowledge reality.
I wouldn’t be super disappointed if they don’t offer anything else but I will be a little bit disappointed.
I really want them to save all of the master settings, eq etc per tape. Right now it’s just confusing how that doesn’t get stored per tape. I would also appreciate if they add some features from the OP-XZ, like a second LFO per synth engine. If they don’t add make any more improvements then they are just abandoning the OP-1f in favor of the OP-XY which is my concern.
It’s very easy
It doesn’t make me feel better to know I have the better product, I don’t consider the xy inferior technically but it isn’t as good on many levels, namely it doesn’t do what the op1f can do - not at all or even close. How can something that replaces the flagship NOT do what the previous product did.
The op-xy is great, but it’s a groovebox that is not as capable of the op1… it’s an op-z on steroids w/uprgraded hardware and engines
I honestly would rather buy another op-z than pay for an xy when they are not much different - the synth engines aside - since I have better engines on the op1f
You think cuz something is negligily more expensive than its sister model that’s what means it’s a flagship? Look into the definition
Just because it’s hard to hear doesn’t make it untrue . I have no interest in buying an XY until they drop to their appropriate price, whcih is less than $2k as most people only paid $2k no tax on debut
(Acknowledging reality requires knowing what your doing/talking about )
I don’t want the xy either but what can’t it do compared to the op-1? Other than the tape I don’t think there is anything. It has great sounding synths and effects, multi sampling and can even resample.
I really would like to believe that the op-1 field is still their flagship product where they will continue to put their development efforts into but it doesn’t seem likely.
Here is the dictionary definition of flagship:
“the finest, largest, or most important one of a group of things (such as products, stores, etc.) ”
The xy seems to meet the definition.
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“The tape” brings a lot of functionality though depending how you look at it:
- tape exclusive FX (different tape types, tape stop , slowing down / speeding up the tape , rewinding)
- Recording longer audio takes and being able to export stems and/or a full track
- Linear arranger vs pattern / scene based
Then outside of the tape:
- Subjectively more interesting FX in terms of sound design. Punch, Grid , CWO versus basics like reverb and chorus.
- Radio
- Vocoder
- More straightforward and less cluttered UX
- More comfortable sized keys
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^ this is a great breakdown.
OP-1F feels a lot more like an instrument to me. OP-XY has been a deep dive into a specific groovebox workflow. To get the most out of it, it seems you need to embrace it all.
Whereas op-1f, I use in many different ways and it’s a lot more immediately available to me.
Sure, you can use OP-XY as just a synth, but it’s like not really built to be just that, in the same way OP-1F is.
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Good point. Op1F is meant to played like an instrument. Your performance is key. The XY is meant to be sequenced and adjusted step by step or component for component.
Op-1f = portable DAW (tape) , synthesizer deluxe, radio/USB,3.5mm sampler, pirate radio broadcast , linear audio recording with tape fx, whcih are many and are incredible FSU FX I’ve only seen from sugarbytes, with the best fx I’ve ever heard anywhere on any platform, the pirate radio is cool, the tape itself offers a lot to guys who are coming or leaving DAWs but don’t want to abandon their workflows .(and can send stems to daws too); The op1F allows for a seamless transition from laptop or iPad to self contained all in one audio recording WITH limited midi (although the midi sequencing is unlimited when you do USB c software sequencing from iOS or pc)
Op-xy/z = midi based groovebox (not performance based or live workflow), unequivocally amazing sequencer with step components, the way the op1f can affect incoming live audio the xy Z has punch fx, the XY magic lies in the punch fx, step component triggers and ofc sequencer…the synths are upgraded from the Z but not quite on par with the op1f, but like negligible close
The op1f isn’t for everyone. I see a lot and lot of people saying “finally, I can make music on an op- series : the op-z wasn’t reliable and broke often and the op1f was too reliant on the ability to play piano or keys and I suck at playing so the op-xy lets me have field quality pro audio synths with the ability to edit my note input”
As a pianist, I shudder at the mini keys and love the op1f keys and I love performing rather than entering midi notes; others have said they hate the op1f keys and love the xy keys
So to each their own.
I still want to get the XY when it hits sale price as my Z field is as a dream deferred lol
How do you like your XY