Topic: Teenage Engineering TP-7 Field Recorder

[justme]

Teenage Engineering is releasing a field recorder and some complementary microphone and mixer.
TP-7 Field Recorder
Expensive. Beautiful.
6 channels with mechanical buttons and scroll wheel.





https://teenage.engineering/products/tp-7

3 trrs stereo input/output mini jacks
1 main/headphones output
24-bit/96 kHz usb audio interface
internal mic and speaker
7 hr rechargeable battery
128 gb of internal storage
TP–7 transcription app available for iOS
dimensions: 96 mm x 68 mm x 16 mm
weight: 170 g / 5.6 oz

[rocksuitcase]

Crazy small. Wonder what Pre-amp specs are

[aaronji]

It's beautiful. All three input jacks are two-way, which is also sort of cool. It's a shame that they are 1/8", though. It also seems like the controls might make stealth difficult. €1500...

[audBall]

More detailed specs here:
https://teenage.engineering/guides/tp-7

two-way input jacks
input:
impedance: 9.5kOhm
analog gain: 0 - 42 dB
max level: 8 dBu, 2 Vrms
SNR 105 dBA
headset:
max level 2dBu, 1 Vrms
SNR 110 dBA
microphone SNR 98 dBA

headphone out:
max level: 8 dBu, 2 Vrms
SNR 120 dBA

[yug du nord]

This seems to be what Gutbucket has been dreaming of.. too bad the form factor seems so goofy for taping purposes.
And yikes on the price??!!

[morst]

If those parts are not metal, then I bet they break off. Even if they are metal it looks like it will break.

[goodcooker]

This seems to be what Gutbucket has been dreaming of.. too bad the form factor seems so goofy for taping purposes.
And yikes on the price??!!

I was thinking the exact same thing. Gutbucket has asked for this device to be created for his specific use case for years.

Now's your chance!

[hoserama]

Not totally sure (manual is vague) but looks like you might be able to connect that TX-6 mixer to the TP-7 for a total of twelve inputs?

[grawk]

Not totally sure (manual is vague) but looks like you might be able to connect that TX-6 mixer to the TP-7 for a total of twelve inputs?

way more likely is it just feeds the 6 channels into the recorder with an analog front end.

[hoserama]

Not totally sure (manual is vague) but looks like you might be able to connect that TX-6 mixer to the TP-7 for a total of twelve inputs?

way more likely is it just feeds the 6 channels into the recorder with an analog front end.

Agreed. Although looks like the TX-6 mixer could connect to an iPhone as a DAW, and then record six stereo inputs from that. Manual is a bit unclear, but it can record to a USB thumb drive but I read somewhere it could only do stereo for that (boo).

[Gutbucket]

Interesting, thanks for the heads up!  Will have to look into this more as a 6-channel followup to the DR2d.  Haven't followed the link yet but wonder if it provides PIP? and if so, if it provides sufficient voltage to properly power miniature DPAs?

[RyanJ]

Teenage Engineering products are so insanely priced. When I've seen the release videos for some of them, I feel like it's satire. But they are serious.

I still have the original OP-1 and can't justify the prices for any of their newer products. I am just curious on those inputs and if you can run multiple inputs at once.

[heathen]

Teenage Engineering products are so insanely priced. When I've seen the release videos for some of them, I feel like it's satire. But they are serious.

I still have the original OP-1 and can't justify the prices for any of their newer products. I am just curious on those inputs and if you can run multiple inputs at once.

Yep.  Ridiculously overpriced, like this: https://teenage.engineering/store/field-desk

[heathen]

If anyone is going to record a show with this I sure hope that rocker can be disabled.  That's a bad accident waiting to happen.

[capnhook]

Teenage Engineering products are so insanely priced. When I've seen the release videos for some of them, I feel like it's satire. But they are serious.

I still have the original OP-1 and can't justify the prices for any of their newer products. I am just curious on those inputs and if you can run multiple inputs at once.

Yep.  Ridiculously overpriced, like this: https://teenage.engineering/store/field-desk

Sold out 

[Gutbucket]

Looks like it can record all three inputs simultaneously, each configurable as mono, stereo, or balanced.  That's good.  Says nothing about providing PIP, but there is mention of switching between line-in and "headset-in", which may just be a difference in input gain or might include PIP. 

This description is odd:
"TP-7 is an ultra portable digital tape recorder.."   Tape?  I imagine this to be a translation issue.

As is this statement:
"make sure you always have the TP–7 placed so it is level and sure to remain stable."

[RyanJ]

Teenage Engineering products are so insanely priced. When I've seen the release videos for some of them, I feel like it's satire. But they are serious.

I still have the original OP-1 and can't justify the prices for any of their newer products. I am just curious on those inputs and if you can run multiple inputs at once.

Yep.  Ridiculously overpriced, like this: https://teenage.engineering/store/field-desk

Lmao, exactly. Looks like an erector set.

[Twenty8]

I have a Pocket Operator PO-12.  Just a cool machine to fool around with.  However, it strikes me like all their products do- fragile.

Keep in mind that Teenage Engineer has a crowd of people using their products who DIY cases, sell those and a variety of other products.  I have a nice hard case on my PO-12.  Eventually there will be several kicking around for the TP-7 I would imagine.

[Gutbucket]

Wait a minute.. Looks like the scrub wheel on the TP-7, which they refer to as a "tape reel" spins as the machine is recording and/or playing back.  Deal breaker if that cannot be disabled while recording, doubly so if stopping the wheel pauses the recording (same as it does during playback).

[heathen]

Wait a minute.. Looks like the scrub wheel on the TP-7, which they refer to as a "tape reel" spins as the machine is recording and/or playing back.  Deal breaker if that cannot be disabled while recording, doubly so if stopping the wheel pauses the recording (same as it does during playback).

Yes it does rotate, and note the rocker switch that would be a pain in the ass (at a minimum) for the type of recording we do around these parts.

[RyanJ]

Wait a minute.. Looks like the scrub wheel on the TP-7, which they refer to as a "tape reel" spins as the machine is recording and/or playing back.  Deal breaker if that cannot be disabled while recording, doubly so if stopping the wheel pauses the recording (same as it does during playback).

Again these are niche products and people eat this shit up. I doubt it.

[Gutbucket]

Too bad. 

Yeah the rocker switch looks vulnerable to activation or damage, but I envision that being fixed by wedging something under both sides to disable and support it. Maybe a 3d printed insert that would snap into place.

But, if the spinning wheel got to go 'round,
better just ride a painted pony..

[voltronic]

This is an expensive toy, and not at all practical. I'm sure there will be people who buy it, use it a couple times, and forget about it.

[heathen]

This is an expensive toy, and not at all practical. I'm sure there will be people who buy it, use it a couple times for Instagram posts, and forget about it.

FTFY 

[Chilly Brioschi]

$1500 + NO P48 ?!!!!
Sheeeesh !

[hoserama]

Not exactly the TP-7, but I did order the TX-6 to use as a six input interface to record onto a DAW on phone. More details and impressions to come...will be testing it out this weekend. If it holds up I may take it for a field test at the Cure on Monday.

[hoserama]

Not technically about the TP-7, but figured it would fit with the general Teenage Engineering theme of this thread.

So I have this thread to thank for the missing $2000 in my bank account. Picked up the T.E. TX-6 (not the TP7) as the six stereo channels mini-mixer. It's able to plug into a phone, and then can record multitrack to the phone.

Got the mixer in on Friday. Tried hard to get it to work with two different Android phone, but could only get partial functionality. Ugh. Plugged it into my ipad, and had it working within a few minutes. Plugged into my girlfriends ancient Iphone 6, and had it recording six stereo feeds within two minutes. Guess it's Apple or bust for this. Ordered an Iphone 12 Pro as a dedicated phone for this rig.

Stress tested it at home and seemed to work. Battery life on the TX-6 seems to last about eight hours total. Ordered little usb-c hub that will hopefully allow me to provide external power while it's running.

Took it out for first field test last night with Interrupters at local venue here in Sacramento. Ran six stereo monitor feed inputs to the TX6 (they only had six, so perfect setup). Seemed to work well! Only hiccup was when turning on the phone, it said it needed to connect to the app store before firing up the DAW app (Roland Zentracker). Had to turn on hotspot on my Android phone, and came through.

I made a little 1/8" cord snake. The spacing on the inputs is VERY tight, so you need the very slim cables to fit.

Monitoring was easy. Can adjust monitoring levels easily on the Zentracker program, which then sends the two channel mix back to the main headphone out on the TX-6.

All and all, very intriguing. Need to take out for a stealth pull next.

[Gutbucket]

Very interesting.  Thanks for the report, will stay tuned..

[WiFiJeff]

Have you had a chance to try a stealth pull yet?  Specs seem to be line-in only, no plugin powering or mic pres.  On the other hand, firmware upgrade should allow recording to usb card, no phone needed.  Have you tried that?  (TX-6 questions, edit)

[hoserama]

Have you had a chance to try a stealth pull yet?  Specs seem to be line-in only, no plugin powering or mic pres.  On the other hand, firmware upgrade should allow recording to usb card, no phone needed.  Have you tried that?  (TX-6 questions, edit)

Yep, I've done couple stealth pulls and doing one more tomorrow.

Recording onto a USB stick is only the matrix output, not each individual channel. That's a no-go for me. It is line-in only.