Studios-in-a-Box Quick Ref Guide
Having recently purchased Teenage Engineering OP-1 Field I’ve been contemplating what sot of videos I could make with it. There are already plenty around demoing its various functions in detail, and the obvious thing for me is maybe to make a comparison of the various options I’ve already demo’d. I started making notes but in the end realised that the video would be an endless list of features and functions, and if I re-demo’d them all it would be a mammoth video that no-one would watch!
So.. I thought I’d leave my notes here for quick reference if you’re interested in a short guide to the differences between the OP-1 Field, SMPLtrek, Polyend Play and Tracker, and the ELZ_1 Play
Honourable mentions to the LoFi 12 and the SH4d that I should really have included but things were getting far too complex! The Sh4d doesn’t have sampling and the LoFi 12 is a much more simple affair all in all. Both are lovely little units though.
OVERVIEW
Teenage Engineering OP-1 Field
A refined update of the original OP-1.
Sleek, aluminum unibody design.
OLED display, stereo audio path, and USB-C.
Sonicware SmplTrek
Focused on sampling and live looping.
Grid pad-based layout, a mini Ableton
Real-time recording with mic and line inputs.
Polyend Play
Grid-based groovebox.
8 audio and 8 MIDI tracks.
Emphasis on performance and sequencing.
Plus version has synths on board
Polyend Tracker
Old-school tracker workflow in modern hardware.
Vertical sequencing, powerful sample editing.
Game Boy/retro vibes meets full DAW capabilities.
Plus version has synths
Sonicware ELZ_1 Play
Synth playground.
13 sound engines, built-in sequencer.
Designed for immediate fun and deep sound sculpting.
SOUND ENGINES & SAMPLES
OP-1 Field
Multiple synth engines like Dr. Wave, DNA, FM, and a new vocoder.
Powerful sampler with tape-style workflow.
Stereo sample playback.
4 track audio recorder
SmplTrek
10 sound engines, real-time sample recording from mic/line/USB.
Designed around capturing, slicing, and arranging on the fly.
Lo-fi, gritty sound signature if you want it.
4 track audio recorder
Polyend Play
Original was sample-based only .
Insane control over pitch, effects, probability, and automation.
Plus version has synths and drum machine
Polyend Tracker
Lot’s of sample-based editing with granular, wavetable, and slicing tools.
Vertical sequencing makes it easy to get really detailed.
Plus version has synths and drum machine
ELZ_1 Play
13 synth engines: 8-bit wave memory, FM, granulator, string modeling, and more.
It’s a playground for sound designers and experimentalists.
EFFECTS
OP-1 Field
High-quality onboard effects: delay, reverb, EQ, compression, and master tape effects.
SmplTrek
Over 30 effects, with global FX and per-track insert FX.
Delay, chorus, lo-fi, pitch shift, and more.
Play & Tracker
Play: per-step FX. Think retrigger, randomize, rolls, and pitch FX.
Tracker: Delay, reverb, bitcrush, distortion. Not as lush as OP-1, but deep and tweakable.
ELZ_1 Play
Per-engine effects plus global delay and reverb.
Tons of modulation options.
SONG MODES & SEQUENCING
OP-1 Field
Tape-based sequencing. Linear, 4-track recorder-style.
Also has pattern sequencers like Tombola, Endless, Finger for loops.
SmplTrek
Pattern-based song mode.
Very easy to chain patterns and build full tracks on the fly.
Real-time recording/looping is a huge plus.
Polyend Play
Pattern chaining with tons of performance effects.
Probability, fill-ins, step repeats—great for live tweaking.
Polyend Tracker
Classic tracker-style patterns.
You build your track step-by-step—vertical sequencing feels a bit "coder-style" but super precise.
ELZ_1 Play
Phrase sequencer.
Good for loops and live play. Not ideal for full song arrangements, but good for jamming.
SIZE, BUILD, AND PORTABILITY
OP-1 Field
Ultra-premium. Thin, solid, fits in any bag.
Rechargeable battery lasts forever. It’s a luxury item.
SmplTrek
Small but plasticky.
Built-in speaker and battery.
Great for sampling anywhere—buskers, field recorders, etc.
Polyend Play
Flat and wide. Best for tabletop use.
USB-C power only—no battery onboard.
Tracker
Bigger than Play, but same footprint idea.
Also lacks battery. Best in a studio or fixed setup.
ELZ_1 Play
Compact and quirky.
Good size for backpacks.
Battery-powered, built-in speaker = true portable synth.
One I forgot to mention! Click here for my LoFi demo and review
EASE OF USE
OP-1 Field
Steep learning curve at first.
Once it clicks, it's inspiring—but not for everyone.
LOADS of info online to help.
SmplTrek
Straightforward UI.
Feels like a smartphone DAW.
Super intuitive for sample heads.
Polyend Play
Easy to get started.
Tons of features are hidden behind shift combos, though.
Tracker
Tracker-style is very different if you’ve never used one.
Great for detail-oriented folks, but not beginner-friendly.
Once it clicks its amazing
ELZ_1 Play
Very fun and immediate.
But some menus can get deep with no screen feedback on parameters.
4-track recorder can be confusing
CONCLUSION
The OP1- Field is a beautiful sounding ideas pad and sampler. It is a premium product with amazing build quality, a luxury creative station, but it’s not so great for completing tracks. Arranging on the tape can be a bit of an IQ test, and having everything processed as audio can get frustrating at times.
The SmplTrek… on the other hand is a bit like a mini Ableton and its easy enough to write whole tracks on it. It’s nowhere near as fun to use as the OP-1, the interface is a little fiddly and the screen is quite small, but it does have heaps of charm.
The Polyend Play is great for easy sequencing.. and having loads of variations on patterns… plus the live effects are great fun… it also integrates with everything else in the studio via MIDI. It has ‘sort of’ got a song mode via pattern chaining. But as the name suggests it’s very much a jamming tool.
The Tracker I think is better for arranging tracks via its song mode. The Tracker and Play are similar in lots of ways, particularly the plus versions of both which have the same synth engines.
the trackers strength is in sequencing precision – it doesn’t have the live audio effects of the play but you can set-up loads of live tweakable parameters and effects in the perform mode and this is another one that’s great for completing whole tracks in the song mode.
The ELZ_1 Play is fun for messing with the different synth engines, again more for ideas than for completing tracks. … its not on the same level as the OP-1 it’s not quite as fun to use and the build is nowhere near the premium finish you get on the Teenage Engineering Field kit… but you’ll be saving yourself a £1000 … and you’ll still have access to various synth engines and effects.
And I didn’t mention the Roland Sh4d as it didn’t occur to me because it doesn’t have sampling or song mode… but it’s a lovely little studio in a box. Tonnes of fun to be had in that.
And I got an honourary Membership of the Detroit techno club from none other than the legend that is Kenny Larkin for this so it holds a special place in my heart.