Quick Look: teenage engineering PO-32 Tonic

Swedish company teenage engineering, maker of the award-winning OP-1 synthesizer, came out this year with its newest and perhaps best pocket operator yet: the PO-32 Tonic. The Tonic has all the hallmarks of the PO series including the quirky design that’s a cross between a Game & Watch and a calculator. Like those that preceded it, the Tonic uses real synthesizer engines to create its drum sounds and various effects. This time, however, the Tonic enables the use of the Micro Tonic VST (sold separately or as a special bundle) for unlimited sounds, and includes a built-in microphone for data transfer as well as a breakaway lock tab for sequence write protection. The PO-32 is powered by two AAA batteries which lasts a month of operation and about two years of standby time.