Launched this week at the firm’s shiny new store in New York, this is the Teenage Engineering EP-35, a standalone amplifier designed to be used for a keyboard, guitar, voice or whatever else needs plugging in and turning up. Powered by batteries, the relative simplicity and necessary scale of the amp has allowed TE to indulge in its passion for the cassette-futurist aesthetic, although as with the rest of its diverse range, there’s much more to the EP-35 than first meets the eye.
In addition to having a host of inputs (line, microphone, guitar, USB and Bluetooth), the EP-35 also has an array of eight effects tracks on both the mic and guitar input, selected and adjusted via old-school roller dials. These are programmed and labelled with typical TE aplomb (Indie, Twang, Robo Choir, Frog, etc), epitomising the company’s status as a supplier of eccentric gear that appeals to both hobbyists and ‘serious’ professionals.
Round the back of the amp there’s a storage compartment and a ‘camp light’, which can also be switched to a sound-reactive disco mode. Accessories include a carry bag and the K.O.–PEDAL expressive foot controller, which not only allows you to change volume and effects but should also work with other compatible gear.
An accessory kit is also available with a USB drive, microphone, the amptenna FM receiver (good for campfire audio) and a dock for clipping the Pocket Operator series of audio machines to the side of the amp.
A few weeks ago, there were hints from the TE camp that the company might be done with making synthesisers. As the creators of the hugely desirable OP-1 and its successor, the OP-1 Field, TE has lured countless synth-curious customers into acquiring what is are usually ferociously expensive pieces of hardware.
TE's gear has loyalists and detractors in equal measure, but could the company really be stepping back from the sector that made its name? The company suggested that such devices function just as effectively as a form of therapy as they do as a means of helping musicians make a living, so it's just possible that TE wants to focus its not inconsiderable industrial design chops on sectors that are a little less niche, like the EPA1 electric scooter it shaped for Vässla last year.
In any case, the music industry is changing fast. The past couple of months have seen the rise of homebrewed, vibe-coded firmware and decompiled operating systems, allowing enthusiasts to make major changes across everything from games consoles to high-end synths.
Many reckon this wave of AI-driven re-engineering will blow apart the cosy world of expensive proprietary boxes, dramatically slashing the status of carefully crafted interfaces like those created by TE. It’s very much a watch this space situation.
Teenage Engineering EP-35 Amplifier, £349, accessories sold separately, Teenage.Engineering, @TeenageEngineering