Teenage Engineering EP-133 K.O. II

The Lounge Other Gear
#619

I’m quite indecise about this one… OG PO33 is one of my fav samplers (and I have an OT / SP404mk2 / m8 etc.) so I nearly instabought the 133.

But some things puzzle me. The 33 is very barebone, but it has one resonant filter per pad + recordable punch fx + THAT SOUND, MY MAN! So, while being undeniably lofi, it has a very cohesive, warm, crunchy sound that kinda mixes itself.

I see that the 133 has a much higher fidelity samplerate / bitrate, so we won’t have that magical glue / crunchyness. And one non resonant filter PER GROUP + one send and no resampling… I dunno, I fear it will sound a bit muddy or crowded in there.

I know the first mpc were pretty limited on the sound shaping options too, but they had separate outs, tho.

Btw, this step rec mode is directly influenced by the mpc’s step rec / events rec, I used it a looooot on my 500.

2 Likes
#620

Can we have more than 20 seconds if loading in a sample vs recording it in?

#621

I missed the first batch at Andertons, then it was available to preorder early December, I caught that one. Now it just plain says sold out!

#622

So how do people peg this against the sp404mk2?

#623

Having had the SP, the usability on this alone is worth the money. I found the SP very cumbersome and trust me. I had them all the groove boxes.

5 Likes
#624

I don’t have an SP404MK2 but I don’t think one would necessarily replace the other. There was some discussion in the SP404MK2 thread: Roland SP-404 Mk2

A key difference I see is that the FX suite on the SP404MK2 is probably better at affecting incoming audio (and has more types of FX though quality of them is your personal opinion). The punch-in FX steal the show for me on the KO2 but those won’t affect incoming audio. You can affect incoming audio with the other send FX (reverb, delay etc). KO2 looks immediate above all else.

2 Likes
#625

Yeah. The only advantage I see for the SP now is having 2 fx at once and being able to resample. And a few minor others.

#626

Here´s an interview with TE Founder / Designer David Eriksson

6 Likes
#627

Btw, this step rec mode is directly influenced by the mpc’s step rec / events rec, I used it a looooot on my 500.

what do you mean exactly? how does it work on the 500?

1 Like
#628

Another thing to consider with the KO2 is honestly the fader. Maybe it is small, but a lot of competing products don’t have one. So that gives me a reason to use it over something like Digitakt in a performance setting. I’m definitely in the “faders for everything” camp.

4 Likes
#629

Well, exactly like on the 133, if memory doesn’t fail me. You set a time div, hop in the step rec, navigate from step to step with two buttons, input your samples. And if you want to edit, there is also the event list that works in a similar way.

Funny thing is nobody liked it on the mpc.

Edit: I’m all for being hyped, but let’s be honest, the sp404mk2 offers a lot more. Sd card for you library, no limit on sample duration, 16x10 pads, it’s an audio interface, 2 fx bus + 2 set and forget fx + input fx, RESAMPLING etc. You can dislike the SP, true, but objectively, it’s far more powerful. Is it the subject, I.don’t know. The 133 looks like it has mojo.

3 Likes
#630

I thought the same thing. This thing looks really, really cool (even the box is stunning), but it doesn’t really bring anything exciting beyond what my SP404mkii can do, in terms of features and workflow.

The PO-32 Tonic was really great though, so a drum machine based on that could be really unique.

1 Like
#631

For me it’s taking the SP concept even further to the, just play it in, perform, don’t think too hard, accept the mistakes mentality.

The SP is more powerful and has things like step sequencing, but the biggest thing on the TE for me is the slim profile that will slot in a bag alongside a laptop, approachability and the big battery life.

Thinking about it I see it more as a rival to the Circuit Rhythm.

3 Likes
#632

MPC200XL had this first (I think), and my MPC1000 has 2 :smiley:
You can assign it to pitch and record pitch mod like you would scratch. Sounds dope. Looking forward to do that on the PO

#633

The PO has step sequencing. all of them do.

1 Like
#634

He meant x0x step seq I guess…?

1 Like
#635

For me it’s the portability. I travel for work a lot and I while the DT is the best and most immediate music maker for me, I bought the new TE one because it’s light and runs on batteries.

#636

The online only manual/guide is terribly annoying

Can’t search through it easily at all

Is it not downloadable? Am I missing something?

#637

The aesthetics of this really lure me towards the purchase button. But I don’t need another groove box. Plus I’ve had it with TE. Let’s see how long I can resist.

2 Likes
#638

The big differences that jump out:

KO2 can sequence external gear via MIDI, has both live and linear midi sequencing, onboard mic.
20 seconds max individual sample time, fun and fast.

SP404 has 16 mins max individual sample time and huge memory via SD. Both live and XOX style sequencing that might be more inscrutable vs the KO2’s workflow. USB audio and MIDI makes grabbing samples off devices and integrating with mobile music making way more convenient. Has loop, resampling, reverse, more FX types. No ability to midi sequence other gear. Overall probably much more versatile than the KO2, though maybe at the cost of an intuitive UX.

The two of them together could be pretty nice, e.g. using the SP as a multitrack to record stems jammed in from the KO2, resample on the SP with FX and layers, then maybe bounce back to the KO2…yikes.

4 Likes