After a long period of quiet, it feels like a very exciting time for owners of Teenage Engineering’s brilliant-if-sometimes-frustrating OP-Z synthesiser.

This tiny powerhouse of a synth has been gradually evolving and improving over the years. Suddenly seems to have been an uptick in interest in the pocket size device.

One of the most exciting developments is the release of an affordable new plug-in, which opens up the different tracks and synth engines of the OP-Z.

Priced at just under $8 it seems like a great deal. The plug-in can be used in your favourite DAW, or you can use it as a standalone application, and it makes it possible to control the device in a whole new way via midi.

Teenage Engineering’s Line Module is Coming

One of the other main limitations of the OP-Z, has also been addressed in a brand-new module created by Teenage Engineering and launching soon.

The OP-Z allows you to unscrew and snap off the back plate, so you can insert an expansion cartridge. These modules add extra functionality to the device (like the previously released Rumble and ZM-1 OP-Lab).

The new Line Module is one that has got a lot of people excited, as it bypasses one of the device’s hardware limitations. A single input and output. 

The module adds new stereo in and out lines, allowing users to separate audio tracks, and sample with much more freedom and flexibility.

Sampling has never been too much fun on the OP-Z – it’s always been a bit cumbersome – but hopefully this is about to change with the new module addition. 

It also adds the ability to cue up changes to the music using headphones, in much the same way that a DJ does. This should, in theory, bring about some exciting potential for life performances, greatly reducing the risk of things going wrong during a show and the whole set grinding to a halt.

It’s really good to see that the OP-Z is still getting a lot of love from Teenage Engineering and the community, and hopefully this new module allows the sampling feature to become much more usable and enjoyable.

We’ll be sure to let you know our thoughts once we’ve got our hands on it.