# Teenage Engineering TP–7: A motorised reel for audio

> Teenage Engineering’s TP–7 is a digital audio recorder with a motorised reel you can turn to move through recordings. MusicRadar found the wheel useful for scrubbing and editing audio.

- Collection: Braddi № 002
- Category: Audio recorder
- Maker: Teenage Engineering
- Designer: Teenage Engineering
- Since: 2023
- Page: https://braddi.com/objects/teenage-engineering-tp-7
- Published: 13 Nov 2026

## Why it is in the collection

The TP–7 puts a motorised reel on the front of a digital recorder. You can turn it to scrub through audio, pause playback and navigate menus. MusicRadar found the wheel genuinely useful for scrubbing and editing, which is why we like it here.

Teenage Engineering began electronics work in 2018, starting with the idea of a modern counterpart to a Nagra portable recorder. The form came from sketches by Jesper Kouthoofd and was developed by a team at the company. The TP–7 was announced in May 2023.

It suits someone who wants physical controls for finding their way around recordings. Skip it if you need expandable storage or depend on finished transcription: MusicRadar found the workflow unfinished, and WIRED’s test couldn’t distinguish speakers.

## Worth knowing

- **A reel you turn.** The motorised reel can scrub and scratch audio, pause playback and navigate menus. MusicRadar found it useful for scrubbing and editing. [4, 11]
- **A Nagra starting point.** The team began with the idea of a modern counterpart to a Nagra portable recorder. An early MDF model was made from one of Jesper Kouthoofd’s sketches. [2]
- **Recording and connections.** There’s a built-in microphone and speaker, plus three 3.5 mm two-way stereo jacks and a separate 6.35 mm headphone output. It also works as a 24-bit/96 kHz USB audio interface. [4]
- **Size and storage.** Teenage Engineering lists the TP–7 at 96 × 68 × 16 mm and 170 g, with 128 GB of internal storage and seven hours of battery runtime. [7]

## Design details

- **Metal and backing.** The original manual specifies an aluminium body, a PU synthetic-leather backing and custom-made controls. [1]
- **Inside the body.** The development team describes an in-moulded antenna and three plastics moulded into the metal before CNC milling and surface treatment. [2]
- **A brushless motor.** Teenage Engineering specifies a brushless motor for the reel. Its development also enabled the motorised wheel on the company’s OB–4. [2, 4]

## Drawbacks

- **Transcription has limits.** MusicRadar found the transcription workflow unfinished. In WIRED’s test, the transcription did not distinguish between speakers. The manufacturer advertises the transcription app for iOS. [7, 11, 12]
- **Storage stays fixed.** The 128 GB of storage cannot be expanded with a card. MusicRadar also questioned the recorder’s durability, and the original manual calls it a delicate product. [1, 7, 11]
- **Some owners report faults.** One owner reported reel rattling audible in recordings and a subsequent speaker failure. A Thomann purchaser reported unreliable switching and shutdown at a displayed 25% charge. These are individual reports, not a measured failure rate. [15, 18]

- Good for: People recording voice memos or interviews who want tactile controls and a pocketable recorder with transcription.
- Not for: People who need expandable storage, XLR microphones with phantom power or a rugged field recorder should look elsewhere.

## What independent reviewers found

- WIRED [12]. Liked: Boone Ashworth liked the construction, tactile controls and pocketable size. He also appreciated the free transcription. Disliked: He found the microphone picked up wind and background noise, and the transcription did not distinguish speakers. The storage cannot be expanded.
- MusicRadar [11]. Liked: Simon Arblaster found the wheel useful for scrubbing and editing audio, and liked the integration with the TX–6 and CM–15. Disliked: He questioned its ruggedness and found the Memo and Recording modes confusing. He also criticised the fixed storage and unfinished transcription workflow.
- AMAZONA.de [13]. Liked: Jan Steiger liked the workmanship and clean voice recordings. Transcription worked very well in his test. Disliked: He found the menus hard to understand without the manual and the small display limited in what it could explain. Speaking too close to the microphone caused plosives.
- gearnews [14]. Liked: The reviewer liked the one-handed handling, instant memo recording and feedback from the wheel. Recordings sounded authentic, with high-quality output. Disliked: The sockets were close enough together to require slim plugs. The reviewer also missed XLR inputs and phantom power, and found the built-in speaker unexceptional.

## Versions

- **Aluminium.** The standard version has an aluminium finish. [7]
- **Black.** This version has a black finish. [10]

## Prices (as checked; not live, no stock information)

- Teenage Engineering (manufacturer): €1,499, Standard aluminium TP–7; retailer-labelled manufacturer RRP, not a confirmed direct-shop checkout price, checked 13 Nov 2026. https://teenage.engineering/store/tp-7
- Thomann (retailer): €1,329, Standard silver/aluminium TP–7, article 567357, checked 13 Nov 2026. https://www.thomann.de/de/teenage_engineering_tp_7.htm
- Music Store Professional (retailer): €1,349, Standard silver/aluminium TP–7, SYN0008702-000, checked 13 Nov 2026. https://www.musicstore.de/de_DE/EUR/Teenage-Engineering-TP-7/art-SYN0008702-000

## Specification

- Dimensions: 96 × 68 × 16 mm [7]
- Weight: 170 g [7]
- Body: Aluminium [1]
- Backing: PU synthetic leather [1]
- Storage: 128 GB internal [7]
- Battery runtime: 7 hours [7]
- Charging: 5 V USB power [5]
- USB audio interface: 24-bit/96 kHz [4]
- Display: 64 × 32-pixel monochrome [4]
- Audio connections: Three 3.5 mm TRRS jacks; 6.35 mm headphone output [4]
- Built-in audio: Microphone and speaker [4]
- Wireless: Bluetooth Low Energy [4]
- Battery replacement: Manufacturer-supplied battery; qualified personnel [5]
- Designer: Teenage Engineering [1]

## Sources

1. Teenage Engineering: 770-00050 sparrow guide REV.1.8 270623 outlined. https://www.bhphotovideo.com/lit_files/1022228.pdf
2. Teenage Engineering: now - 2024 - teenage engineering. https://teenage.engineering/now/2024
3. Teenage Engineering: press images - teenage engineering. https://teenage.engineering/press
4. Teenage Engineering: TP–7 - teenage engineering. https://teenage.engineering/products/tp-7
5. Teenage Engineering: TP–7 guide - teenage engineering. https://teenage.engineering/guides/tp-7
6. Teenage Engineering: terms and conditions - world wide - teenage engineering. https://teenage.engineering/terms-and-conditions-ww
7. Teenage Engineering: buy TP–7 aluminum - teenage engineering. https://teenage.engineering/store/tp-7
8. Teenage Engineering: TP–7 EUDOC REV LOCKED. https://assets.teenage.engineering/_img/645be06c38efc47f2e738d0a_original.pdf
9. Teenage Engineering: press images – TP–7 - teenage engineering. https://teenage.engineering/press/tp-7
10. Teenage Engineering: buy TP–7 black - teenage engineering. https://teenage.engineering/store/tp-7-black
11. MusicRadar: Teenage Engineering TP-7 review. https://www.musicradar.com/reviews/teenage-engineering-tp-7-review
12. WIRED: Teenage Engineering TP-7 Field Recorder Review: Price, Specs, Availability, Features. https://www.wired.com/review/teenage-engineering-tp-7/
13. AMAZONA.de: Test: Teenage Engineering TP-7, Field-Recorder. https://www.amazona.de/test-teenage-engineering-tp-7-field-recorder/
14. gearnews: Teenage Engineering TP-7 Field Recorder: 1.1.3 Update & a Review. https://www.gearnews.com/teenage-engineering-tp-7-review-studio-tech/
15. Reddit: TP-7 experience so far : r/teenageengineering. https://www.reddit.com/r/teenageengineering/comments/15rnv2v/tp7_experience_so_far/
16. Japan Institute of Design Promotion: GOOD DESIGN AWARD 2024 Winners Announced. https://archive.jidp.or.jp/en/pressrelease/2024/241016gda2024results.pdf
17. BEAMS: BEAMS RECORDS Teenage Engineering / TP-7 portable recorder. https://www.beams.co.jp/en/item/beamsrecords/interior/29740056539/
18. Thomann: Teenage Engineering TP-7 – Musikhaus Thomann. https://www.thomann.de/de/teenage_engineering_tp_7.htm
19. Music Store Professional: Teenage Engineering TP-7 | Deutschland. https://www.musicstore.de/de_DE/EUR/Teenage-Engineering-TP-7/art-SYN0008702-000

Facts are from the numbered sources; the judgement is Braddi's. Its studio images are AI-generated.