teenage engineering PO-32 Pocket Operator Tonic Drum Machine

teenage engineering PO-32 Overview

Small enough to fit in your pocket and powered by a pair of AAA batteries, the Teenage Engineering PO-32 Pocket Operator Tonic is an analog drum synthesizer with 16 on-board sounds and limitless external timbres thanks to a collaboration with Magnus Lindstrm of Sonic Charges. Indeed, the product was developed by Magnus and Teenage Engineering to jam-pack the sound of Sonic Charge s well-regarded Microtonic drum synthesizer into the pocket operator s form factor, recreating the oscillators, envelopes, and filters from the original Microtonic plug-in.

With 16 on-board sounds and 16 tweakable effects, the PO-32 is not merely a replica of the Microtonic. Instead, you can actually create custom sounds in the Microtonic plug-in and transfer them from your computer to the PO-32 by means of its on-board, receptive microphone. Thus, you can take the sound of the software with you in a highly tweakable analog format. You can also share sounds you ve tweaked with other users of the PO-32 in a similar manner as described above. Conversely, you can receive data from your friends /collaborators PO-32.

The unit s parameters can be locked, while a 16-step sequencer, which holds 16 patterns in memory, can be chained into a song. An integrated clock and alarm clock expand the creative possibilities of the instrument. A jam-sync function with 3.5mm audio in and out connections allows for multiple synthesizer units to be linked together. A foldout stand makes it easier to play and rear-panel speaker solder terminals allow you hook up the unit to a larger sound system. An optional tailor-made silicone pro case (sold separately) adds anti-slip feet, battery protection, and professional-feel buttons to this truly unique music-making device.

Key Features at a Glance

• Analog synthesizer engines
• On-board sequencer
• Parameter locks
• Step multiplier
• Unlimited sounds with Microtonic VST
• Built-in speaker
• Built-in microphone for data transfer
• 3.5mm audio I/O
• Jam-sync function
• Animated LCD display
• Folding stand
• Breakaway lock tab
• Clock and alarm clock
• Battery powered (2 X AAA)
• 1-month battery life
• 2-year standby time

On-Board Sounds

• Kick 1
• Snare 1
• Shaker / zap
• LFO effect
• Kick 2
• Snare 3
• Close / open hi-hat
• Claves / cowbell
• Low tom / kick 3
• Rimshot
• Tambourine / crash
• Hand clap
• Bass
• FM snare
• Cymbal
• High tom

On-Board FX

• Half rate
• Distortion
• Squash
• Echo fade
• Pitch LFO
• EQ sweep
• Mega morph
• Pitch bend up
• Punch
• 6/8 quantize
• Beat-repeat
• Beat-repeat faster
• FM
• Granular
• Reverse
• Bouncing ball

Notable Controls

The PO-32 affords you many controls, including:

• Accent
• Swing
• BPM
• Step Multiplier
• Copy pattern
• Clear pattern
• Chain pattern

Transfer Microtonic Sound to your Pocket Operator

You can craft your own unique sounds in Microtonic and send them wirelessly to the PO-32 by means of its microphone. Conversely, you can download sounds and patterns from Sonic Charge s online Rhythm-Generator Patternarium.

Lock Tab

Adding to the PO-32 s guerrilla mentality is a breakaway lock tab, which allows you to permanently protect all written patterns, restoring all tweaked parameters to locked settings any time you remove the unit s batteries. This process is reversible by soldering the two pads located by the lock tab together.

Transfer Capability

You can transfer sound and pattern data directly between separate PO-32 Tonics using the built-in speaker and microphone, or using the 3.5mm line in/out connectors.

Backup Capability

Sound and pattern data can be stored to any device for saving and sharing. You can back up the data via built-in microphone or line out. Likewise, you can restore data from a transmitting unit.