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Teenage Engineering’s OP-1 finally gets USB audio support a decade after it was released

Teenage Engineering’s OP-1 finally gets USB audio support a decade after it was released

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A big new feature for the classic synth

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Teenage Engineering’s OP-1 has one of the most iconic synthesizers around since it was first released over a decade ago, but the music-making machine is still getting new features: the company just announced its 243rd firmware update that adds USB audio support to the OP-1 for the first time.

The added feature turns the OP-1 into a full-fledged external audio unit. That means you can directly send audio from an OP-1 to DAW software like Ableton Live, Pro Tools, or Logic Pro on a PC or Mac or mobile versions of those applications on iOS and Android (like Garageband) without having to use any workarounds or hacks. Additionally, you’ll be able to sample and record on the OP-1 directly from a connected USB audio device.

Send audio right to Ableton, no tricks or workarounds required

It’s a major addition to the device, which should help make it a lot more useful for creators looking to use their favorite software to put together new tracks and remixes using the OP-1. Teenage Engineering says it was able to add the new functionality by applying the work it had done in developing a similar USB audio feature for its newer OP-Z synthesizer.

The new firmware update (like the previous 242 ones) is free to all OP-1 owners, which is a nice touch to see for such a big update. Additionally, it’ll work on all OP-1 units, no matter how old.