£1,299
TE’s ever-growing Field Kit now adds a tactile recorder, but can it stand the rigours of the road? Simon Arblaster finds out
CONTACT WHO: Teenage Engineering WEB: www.teenageengineering.com KEY FEATURES 24-bit/96 kHz USB audio interface, internal mic and speaker, 7-hr rechargeable battery, 128GB of internal storage I/O: 3x TRRS stereo input/output mini jacks, 1x main/headphones output, USB-C DIMENSIONS: 96 mm x 68 mm x 16 mm WEIGHT: 170g
Teenage Engineering’s recent run of product releases has centred on what the Swedish manufacturer calls the Field Kit. What started with the updated OP-1 field and tiny TX-6 mixer, soon grew to include a whole desk system and more recently the TP-7 and CM-15 units.
From this recent batch, it’s the TP-7 that really stood out as something different from the norm. It’s a 128GB multitrack field recorder, capable of 96kHz/48-bit audio capture with an onboard mic and a design that harks back to the golden era of tape recorders with its tactile control and motorised functions. The recorder is housed in the same-sized aluminium chassis as the TX-6 and CM-15, all of which are destined to fit into Teenage Engineering’s own range of carry cases (sold separately).
THE PROS & CONS
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Seamless integration with the rest of the Field Kit, especially the TX-6 and CM-15
Tactile control really is a joy, but also extremely useful
Transcription is something of a boon
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Too pricey not to be bomb-proof
Fixed 128GB storage space feels stingy
Stay away from any humid conditions, as well as dust
The unit itself follows a similar design layout to that of TX-6 with ins and outs aligning both the top and bottom sides of the chassis. And much like the TX-6, this recorder is quite the feature-packed device. TP-7 is essentially a (up to) six-in and two-out recorder, with three TRRS ins adorning the top side, alongside a USB-C port and rotary on switch-cum-volume control, and the same headphone port located on the TX-6 along the bottom side.
As it’s also designed to be handheld, there are also ergonomic controls on the left and right-hand sides, albeit more inclined for the right-handed folks out there. The distinctive rocker switch on the left is your rewind and fast-forward function and delivers variable speed scrubbing. Just below it, you’ll find the menu button and underneath the rewind paddle is the speaker. While on the right you’ll find the Memo button, which we’ll dive into a little further later (see boxout).
The plus and minus buttons on the front provide easy access to a wide variety of contextual control functions. Two further buttons on the right side, above and below the “U” are user buttons which can also set input gain and offer menu navigation.
The large jog wheel doesn’t just provide visual feed
