Cut your own grooves with Teenage Engineering’s new Record Factory
The PO-80 Record Factory from Yuri Suzuki and Teenage Engineering is a musical toy with a serious side
Teenage Engineering has a sense of humour. Whilst it is best known for quirky and sophisticated, albeit pricey, audio gear for studio professionals (see the OP-1 Field compact synthesiser), many of the company’s other products embrace a more playful approach to audio. The OB-4 speaker, for example, with its inbuilt digital ‘tape’ loop, or the Pocket Operator music machines, which take their design language from early Nintendo consoles.
They all share a passionate and meticulous approach to packaging, product and interface design. The company’s latest device is the PO-80 Record Factory, developed in collaboration with artist Yuri Suzuki.
As its name suggests, the Record Factory is a one-stop shop for personalised vinyl creation. Although the colourful player also functions as a (deliberately low-fi) record deck, simply pop-on one of Teenage Engineering’s custom 5in discs and the multifunctional needle will cut the input from the 3.5in audio jack onto its surface.
This is vinyl creation at its purest and most immediate. The opportunities for musicians to cut live copies of loops and riffs is endless, with the pop, crackle and buzz of the audio playback baked in for a warm, fuzzy listening experience.
With vinyl on a shallow but steady comeback curve, what better than a device that you can use to cut your own record to sample from?
Nearly all Teenage Engineering products can be doubled up and used together, and PO-80 is no exception. Compose a track on a Pocket Operator, then cue up a fresh disc and cut yourself a record in an edition of one: instant digital-to-analogue conversion.
Suzuki, recently appointed a partner at Pentagram, and best known for his installations and objects that blend audio and art to create new experiences, has helped usher in a plaything for the modern age. Resembling a barely grown-up version of Fisher-Price’s classic Music Box, the PO-80 is both toy and tool.
Wallpaper* Newsletter
Receive our daily digest of inspiration, escapism and design stories from around the world direct to your inbox.
INFORMATION
Teenage Engineering PO-80, £149
Jonathan Bell has written for Wallpaper* magazine since 1999, covering everything from architecture and transport design to books, tech and graphic design. He is now the magazine’s Transport and Technology Editor. Jonathan has written and edited 15 books, including Concept Car Design, 21st Century House, and The New Modern House. He is also the host of Wallpaper’s first podcast.
-
Bringing BRAT to life: we meet the designers behind Charli XCX's victory-lap tour
An exclusive interview with Cour Design's Jonny Kingsbury, the stage and lighting designer behind Charli XCX's new BRAT tour
By Smilian Cibic Published
-
Apple’s new Mac mini is a pocket-sized powerhouse thanks to the M4 processor
With the new Mac mini, Apple has squeezed its M4 and M4 Pro processors into the smallest conceivable footprint, physically and environmentally. Apple insiders tell us how
By Jonathan Bell Published
-
One to Watch: EJM Studio’s stool is inspired by the humble church pew
EJM Studio’s ‘Pew’ stool reimagines the traditional British church seating with a modern, eco-conscious twist
By Smilian Cibic Published
-
Alpange’s high-tech piano makes its New York debut. Does it hit the high notes?
We lift the lid on Alpange’s high-tech digital piano, a blend of traditional craft and contemporary modelling technology
By Jonathan Bell Published
-
First look: Leica Cine Play 1 brings premium style and tech to the world of home cinema
Leica compresses its meticulous optic know-how into the ultra-compact Cine Play 1 4K projector
By Jonathan Bell Published
-
The Nothing Phone (2a) Plus Community Edition taps into the brand's creative followers
The unconventional features of Nothing Phone (2a)’s new limited edition come from a community-driven project to reshape the style and ethos of the smartphone
By Jonathan Bell Published
-
Epson’s Mini Laser Projectors with Google TV make light work of home cinema
The Epson EF-22 is an ultra-compact, highly versatile laser projector that can fill a room with sound and images
By Jonathan Bell Published
-
Aarke has created the ultimate collection for caffeine lovers, the Aarke Coffee System
The new Aarke Coffee System consists of three elegant components, part of the Swedish company’s ongoing quest to reshape the world of appliances
By Jonathan Bell Published
-
Huawei’s new MatePad Pro 12.2-inch tablet is a game-changer for digital artistry
With pro-level creative features, from delicate brushwork to myriad surface choices, the Huawei MatePad Pro 12.2-inch makes extraordinary art a possibility and a pleasure
By Simon Mills Published
-
All-new Nothing Ear (open) offers up a different kind of listening experience
If you find traditional earbuds cancel out too much of the outside world, Nothing has got you covered. We get down with the company’s new Ear (open) to experience this transparent new soundscape
By Jonathan Bell Published
-
Lasting impressions: the latest Beoplay H100 headphones from B&O are for keeps
Bang & Olufsen’s head of design, Tiina Karjalainen Kierysch, talks us through the new Bang & Olufsen Beoplay H100, headphones designed to last a lifetime
By Jonathan Bell Published