Any experience with Teenage Engineering OD-11?

Audio Gear Talk
1

I’ve just come across the Teenage Engineering ‘reboot’ of the Stig Carlsson OD-11…

Anyone out there using one/more with Roon?

2

Maybe I should rephrase the question…

Anyone even heard of the Teenage Engineering OD-11?

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3

yes and I am here for the same reason you are.

4

Ok, uncle.

What is it?

–MD

5

I didn’t buy one. Or two. But I still think a pair could be pretty cool.

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I bought two od-11 today, have set them up now. Was preparing to build a rpi w/ digi pro hat to feed a speaker over toslink, but to my surprise they showed up as Roon endpoints using airlink.

So, the only “worry” is whether AirPlay is audiophile enough or if I have to go for RoopieXL on rpi 4. For now there is sound, and not too shabby a sound either.

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7

Let us know how you get on! :slightly_smiling_face:

8

The speakers look very much the Sonab designs from the 70’s & 80’s, they were impressively omnidirectional.

9

Yep - Sonab were Stig Carlsson designs…

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10

So, a bit over two weeks in: the speakers sound great, they fill my 22 sq/m room with sound in a very nice way. AirPlay works fine, the only thing is that the Ortho Remote is somewhat unstable. It will always control volume (so far at least) , but whether skipping to next / previous track / stop / play works or not seems arbitrary. Not using that function a lot anyway so not a dealbreaker for me.

Soundwise the speakers depend a lot on the source material (duh…). I noticed because I put on something rather new, cannot remember what, and ended up fiddling with Roon EQ because it sounded ■■■■■■ It was a record that usually sounds good, btw. Then I put on Sonny Rollins “Way out west”, engineered by Rou DuNann, and the speaker came alive and put a stop to my fiddling.

As I’m a musician and mastering engineer by trade I’d say that an interesting aspect is that the speakers seem to respond better to “traditional” recording practices, ie those applied by engineers before bedroom producers became a thing. It’s just a hunch, but there might be something about how instruments used to be placed in the mix that makes more sense when played back on omni speakers, compared to the more common stereo placements of today. ¨

Anyway: great speakers, cozy and warm. Would not work on them, but listening off-duty is pure pleasure.

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11

I wonder if said ‘bedroom producers’ have a habit of using plugins that mess with the phase? Tends to wreck mono compatibility (guitars practically disappearing from the mix anyone?); maybe it has an unexpected effect with orthodirectional loudspeakers. Just a thought.