Final spring, Teenage Engineering introduced a curious, tiny mixer. At $1,200 the TX-6 appeared to pair a critical price ticket with nearly comically small controls. It divided music making boards with naysayers deeming it proof that the corporate was squandering its popularity as a maker of merchandise. Importantly, the TX-6 was the primary in a brand new line of “Subject” merchandise. It was quickly joined by the , however till not too long ago that was it, and a mixer with a synth didn’t really feel like a lot of a “system”.
With the arrival of the TP-7 recorder and the CM-15 microphone, the Subject household is full — though the corporate hasn’t dominated out including extra merchandise additional down the road. And like some type of closely designed musical Infinity Stones, all 4 merchandise really feel way more thrilling and highly effective collectively than they do individually. Or, pressured metaphors apart, it’s simpler to see the place the corporate was going with all this now that the household is full.
That’s if the $5,900 entry payment for the total set doesn’t make you balk. However let’s ignore the economics for now, as that’s an accepted a part of the at this level. What we have now here’s a compact, creativity-inducing system that’s like no different and this off-beat, playful method to product design is one thing I want we noticed extra of (and ideally in a extra accessible manner).
We’ve already coated the synthesizer and the way they work together with one another. However as the 2 new arrivals convey their very own set of expertise to the Subject system, most of which is laid out beneath. I say most, as each time I tinker with them, it happens to me to strive one thing new. Equally, revisiting the web information appears to have an uncanny means to throw up stuff you missed final time, additional unlocking concepts or options.
CM-15
Teenage Engineering’s first studio microphone is nothing if not lovely. The Subject aesthetic of small, rectangular CNC aluminum makes probably the most sense right here out of all of the merchandise. The CM15 might actually simply be one other fancy microphone. The CM15 can also be the one the place the value is most inconspicuous, given high-end microphones are inclined to begin across the $1,200 that you simply’ll must spend so as to add this to your assortment.
The CM15 is a big diaphragm condenser microphone which is the sort most well-liked in studios and tends to be much more delicate than one thing just like the podcaster’s favourite . This microphone doesn’t have elaborate options like inside storage or any sort of sound modification instruments, but it surely’s not with out some fascinating particulars. For one, the CM15 has three output choices — mini XLR, USB and three.5mm — which makes it appropriate with a variety of units. Particularly, because the CM15 has its personal battery, it performs good with extra USB units than rival condensers which will require extra juice than your telephone can ship.
A swap across the again affords three ranges of achieve adjustment (impartial and +/- 18dB) which is helpful given the number of issues you possibly can plug this into. The achieve is analog and in testing sounds fairly clear, with solely a marginal impact on the noise ground. I discovered having the ability to rapidly modify the achieve instantly on the mic for various conditions made this mic really feel like a extremely good all-rounder, each at house or on the go.
With regard to the Subject vary, and the intercompatibility thereof, there’s much less right here than different units within the household. Once you plug the CM15 into the TP-7 recorder over USB it acknowledges it because the CM15 and presents you a cute mini icon of it. When the mic is detected you’ll even have the choice so as to add a further 12dB of digital achieve — one thing that’s not an choice when plugging in a telephone, for instance. The CM15 can also be the one mic I attempted that labored with the USB port of the TX-6 mixer. This lets you add results and, in fact, combine it with different devices, but additionally this frees up an analog enter if wanted (although the mic will share channel six with anything on that enter).
Teenage Engineering states the CM15 will also be used as an audio interface, however when examined this didn’t work for Home windows, MacOS or iOS. Although it’ll work as a USB mic for all these working programs.
As for sound, the CM15 is a really “shut” sounding condenser microphone. By that, I imply it by no means appeared to choose up loads of the room which might typically be the case with condensers, particularly these with bigger diaphragms. That is as a result of supercardioid polar sample however the result’s good for cell purposes the place it’s possible you’ll end up in several environments and the CM15 will ship pretty constant sound. For my voice, I would recognize the choice to bump the mid-high frequencies a contact, however for many all the things else, together with foley and devices, the CM15 sounds shiny and clear.
TP-7
I’ll say it straight up entrance, the $1,499 TP-7 is my favourite of the 4 Subject units. The OP-1 Subject is the flagship, however for pure portability to performance stability, the TP-7 wins. Described as a “Subject recorder” the TP-7 takes the thought of a conveyable cassette recorder and brings it updated for the 21st century. There’s a built-in microphone, 128GB of storage and three stereo inputs (that will also be outputs). It might file multitrack podcasts, has tactile scrubbing controls and a thumb rocker and might even turn out to be a tiny turntable full with scratching and bodily pitch management.
Firstly although, the TP-7 is a succesful recorder. Press and maintain the aspect button, even when the machine is off, and it’ll spring to life and begin recording through the inner mic. This characteristic is extra about recording brief notes and concepts which you’ll be able to then have transcribed through a companion app. The app connects over Bluetooth or USB, works offline and can even determine completely different audio system. It’s not as totally featured as a paid service like Trint or Otter but it surely’s actually cool further performance. I even tried loading an outdated interview I had on my PC onto the TP-7 and the app fortunately transcribed that, too. The one restriction seemingly being that you’ve got a TP-7 (you possibly can’t load an audio up out of your telephone inside the app, for instance).
Past memo recording is extra normal recording of the TP-7’s varied inputs. As with the TX-6 mixer, your essential inputs are 3.5mm ports which isn’t preferrred however most issues with a line sign will be wrangled into 3.5mm simply sufficient. It’s also possible to file audio into and out of your telephone through USB-C (together with the iPhone 15) or instantly from the CM15 digitally and over 3.5mm analog on the identical time, should you wished.
The three 3.5mm ports will be configured for line-level or headset/TRRS enter or flipped into outputs. Line degree will cowl most devices and energetic electronics with audio output, whereas headset mode is for something with a decrease output sign resembling, nicely, headsets, but additionally another unpowered microphones like lavaliers. I even had some success recording an SM7b through an XLR to TRRS adapter. You’ll be able to add as much as 45dB of achieve to the three.5mm inputs, and with about 35dB the output from Shure’s gain-hungry mic was quiet, however clear and usable. Different XLR dynamic mics have been a lot louder and usable.
With three microphones related this fashion, the TP-7 will spit out a multitrack WAV file with each recorded by itself channel making this a succesful podcast recording software or mini studio recorder that you would be able to combine correctly after the actual fact.
Join a telephone to the TP-7 over USB-C and you’ll file any sound instantly, so you might seize the audio from a video and transcribe it with the app, or load up a beat after which sing or rhyme over it for an on the go demo at any time when inspiration strikes. When taking part in again on the TP-7 the primary entrance disk rotates and you’ll velocity it up, sluggish it down and even do some rudimentary scratching. This might be used for impact when feeding the output into the TX-6 mixer for recording onto one other machine.
Multitrack additionally works for playback. So when you have a WAV file that has drums, vocals, synth and bass as completely different tracks, you possibly can play it on the TP-7 into the TX-6 over USB and you’ll combine and add results to every a part of the monitor individually. On this manner, you should use the pair as an efficient efficiency software, creating an intro with simply the beat, including within the bassline and so forth.
Taking this idea even additional, with two TP-7s and the TX-6 mixer you successfully have a pair of tiny turntables, with precise turning platters, that may be pitched up or down in actual time into the mixer. It’s a traditional analog DJ setup however the dimension of a paperback. I attempted it, and mixing this fashion is actually onerous as utilizing the jog wheel to change pitch is a bit heavy handed. You’ll be able to modify the pitch extra gently by holding the aspect button after which utilizing the jog wheel, but when, like me, you haven’t combined this fashion in 20 years, it takes just a little getting used to. It’s additionally just a little OTT to be truthful.
What’s far more cheap, is utilizing the TP-7 as a normal audio participant. You’ll be able to load recordsdata onto it, after which play them again both on the inner speaker or (ideally) through headphones. You should utilize the aspect rocker or the primary wheel to manage the playback, too. At the moment you possibly can solely play .wav and .flac file extensions, which is ok, however the lack of mp3 looks like an apparent omission (Teenage Engineering confirmed assist is incoming).
The pliability of the TP-7 doesn’t cease out within the subject. Join it to your PC and it’ll turn out to be an audio interface, too. Or no less than, that’s the thought. Proper now on Home windows I solely had it working briefly and never in full. On macOS it was marginally higher, however not usable. Keep in mind the TX-6 additionally affords this performance, and after months that also doesn’t work with Home windows in any respect and remains to be not flawless on macOS. It’s a disgrace, as at this value level you’d hope it really works at launch and throughout each programs.
There’s actually much more you are able to do with the TP-7, particularly together with the TX-6. There’s Bluetooth MIDI performance, for one. The 2 actually make a fantastic workforce, however the above cowl a lot of the primary performance. Every part else begins to get just a little bit area of interest. Enjoyable, however area of interest. I’m additionally sure that performance will proceed to develop as Teenage Engineering is usually fairly good about including options, typically based mostly on person suggestions.
Placing all of it collectively
After spending days plugging various things into the TP-7 and the TX-6 and attempting out varied eventualities and concepts, it typically felt like that was typically half the enjoyable. Questioning what’s going to occur should you do X and hook up with Y. Like musical lego. A lot of this can be true for a lot of combos of audio gear, however the Subject line does lend itself significantly nicely to this playful experimentation.
That stated, there are some bugs that you simply won’t anticipate at this value level. The obvious one I encountered was the audio interface performance. At launch I’d anticipate Home windows and macOS assist and for each to be pretty seamless. Different curiosities have been much less vital however nonetheless complicated. Generally the CM15 wouldn’t be acknowledged over USB till a restart, or just utilizing the analog/3.5mm output would sporadically give crunchy audio when recording into one factor, however clear audio on the TP-7. This might nicely be all the way down to cables, adapters and so forth, however when the identical state of affairs works simply wonderful on a product a 3rd of the value it’s more durable to justify.
Take the Tula mic, for instance. It’s really a tool that’s already fairly standard with Teenage Engineering followers. It has a extra traditional design, however affords related performance to each the TP-7 and the CM15 mixed. The mic on it perhaps isn’t nearly as good as Teenage Engineering’s, and the recorder performance doesn’t have the flamboyant rocker and jog wheel controls, but it surely’s a great mic and a great recorder multi function and it solely prices $259 — lower than a tenth of the TP-7 and CM15 collectively.
However as I stated up prime, that is much less concerning the value. Teenage Engineering followers are conscious of the expense that comes with the merchandise. Many only for that further sprint of playfulness that you simply don’t discover elsewhere. (Different followers are, to be clear, nonetheless .) That’s maybe a conundrum that good outdated market forces can determine. If, in spite of everything these years, the corporate remains to be chugging alongside, it suggests there are many those that think about it a premium value paying.
What’s much less contested is that Teenage Engineering does one thing distinctive sufficient to earn it sufficient followers for there to even be an argument. Or an article like this one. The Subject system, in my view, exemplifies what the corporate does greatest. Fascinating instruments which have a sensible core and a much less sensible enjoyable aspect. Individually all 4 subject gadgets will resolve a fundamental drawback, like most merchandise do. Collectively they turn out to be just a little bit greater than the sum of their elements. In the event you consider creativity lives in that area between performance and chance then the Subject vary creates sufficient room right here for the proper of creator that the value
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