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Yeah 64mb of storage is a joke! I actually couldn’t believe it I did a double take when In first read it. You can get 64 GB micro ad for like 30 bucks. Total deal breaker
Nice work on this deep dive! I appreciate the thoroughness way more than day 1 hype. People had lots to say about the OP-1, OP-Z etc but they've really stuck around. Look forward to see where this line of gear lands over the course of time!
This was such a fantastic demo. You are really teaching here. Well paced and clear. I have a Samples, and I already see a couple of things I won't be able to do with this (and definitely limited compared to the Roland) but we shouldn't underestimate spontaneity, immediacy, and fun. This looks so freaking FUN.
It's a fun gateway drug for those who may not own a sampler, it seems, as was the original K.O. Those wanting to save memory might double the speed of their samples, and adjust later in the unit. Red Means recording has a nice video on how to do that (with a Digitakt, but it applies to all samplers). Looking forward to people doing crazy things with this, limits aside. I'm fortunate to own a Digitakt, so this ain't for me, but good on them for making this.
Great video and packed with the right information! I was doubt between the KO133 and the 404 MK2 and in the end went for the 404 after testing both in the store and im super glad that i did because no sd card support is just nuts in 2024.
I've ordered one of these today. My main selling point was the clicky sound the buttons make. I love mechanical keyboards, and the sound the "pads" make on this device just tweaked that part of my brain. I can't wait to try it out and start laying some beats down on it. I'm interested to see if I can do grimey boom bap on it. Great deep dive and as always you did an amazing job, Peace!
*Sweet review!* I’m glad you showed the side angle profile because I thought this device had the shoulder profile by the screen like the old school calculators. I didn’t know the screen was flat! To me there’s no comparison to the SP404 MK2 or the MPC Live those machines can be your workhorse if you choose! Just with storage alone the KO is outmatched! In fairness for the price point the KO is not much of a gamble for $300 bucks …it’s worth a look and if it’s not your vibe resale of use as equipment aesthetic in your studio; it is a sexy looking device lol.
Love your style of the video. Got a like just for the first cuts. I really admire your skills and can't imagine how much work you put into these videos.
One of the cool byproducts of this video is that I learned a few things that I didn’t learn in some of the “how to” videos. I’ve had my KO II in a bag for months in lieu of my MPC One+ but had fun with it this AM… 🙏🏾
My intentions when getting this is simple a fun little sampling play thing. It's more of a music making side game. It might be good for a little travelling live setup when I can afford a good amount of money on that after the studio has plenty in it always. I love the way it looks, so it'll be a aesthetic thing if anything for now and it'll have it's fun little uses and time killing in it's time.
I’ve used all 3 and I agree with everything you said. I like the EP-133 looks but the functionality is lacking. SP404 Mk2 is a beast of a sampler. MPC is more of a complete package sampler. The PO33 has the sound I love but the EP-133 has more functionality but still lacks. It’s about what sacrifices you want.
Yeah I know TE gets a lot of hate for being toy like, but thats not a problem to me- the problem is its not a very fun toy. Sampling has become too easy and flexible in this day and age, and it was hard for me not to wish I was using a drum rack plugin or multi out sampler. I’ve found a way to make music with and get inspired by almost anything that makes noise, but I sold my EP-133 without a single idea from it.
What would u recommend someone who wants to sample but also mainly use it as a beat drum machine for Live performancs? Only thing I've used similar is a novation but not the newer one. The older Novation Circuit. I'm a drummer but prefer a live hands on interface opposed to the novation which sequences the Drums. Any advice would be appreciated.
There is some incorrect info in this video. If the cursor is still flashing when you are trying to go directly to a scene/pattern and you let go, you stay at the scene/pattern you are on. To go to pattern/scene #3, for example, you have to type ‘03’, not just ‘3’. You need to manually create each scene i.e. there isn’t an empty scene 99 by default (like there is a pattern 99). To get to scene 99, you’d have to commit 98 scenes before it. You can parameter lock anything that can be assigned to the fader. But it’s kind of like a tracker, where it will just use the last value set, so you need to reset that value back to normal on a following step. And those fader parameters are at a group/layer level, so might not be super useful. But this is pretty good overview of the device and comparison to other devices and how it can fit in a setup/workflow.
Yeah it's weird I got confused about this. But also I remember jumping to lets say scene 8 - changing some stuff around and then going back to scene 2 which was what I previously entered in. I'm still kind of confused about this.
One of the benefits that's often missing in most videos about the EP-133 is that this thing is battery powered and hence portable. You can slap together some grooves on a flight, in the train, on the toilet...
@@timlloydsmithfineart1254 but that's not so convenient in a train or aircraft, for example. I think of this more as an idea generator and not a full production tool. It stimulates the user musically, while being small and fun. It's often criticised as a 'toy' but I don't see what's wrong with that. It serves a different role. And that's cool 😎👍
These look super cool and I think the limitations won’t actually bother a lot of people…. But when Koala Sampler us so inexpensive and adding Samurai makes it so powerful… I’m not sure I’m sold.
I ordered the KO II on release direct from TE and just got it yesterday. Lotta mixed feelings after seeing all the people issues. I was really debating what to do…opened the box and fader was dead on arrival. Super disappointing as I was a huge fan of the PO33. I already have the model samples and love it and am still getting comfortable with the sp404mk2 both of which land way higher in the ranks compared to this one. As much as I wanted to love this one, I think I’ll be returning it and focusing more on the mk2. Great video as always, Liam!
Thanks for watching! But I also always hate to hear this about TE gear. It seems to be a common theme. Extreme hype that dies down a couple weeks later due to unit issues and bugs. It just is what it is. That being said, I still use this unit A LOT for drums.
Wowzer .. lots of information .. thanks for breaking it all down .. your expertise in music being a trained musician ... is a key component to your dissecting any/all musical merchandise .. thanks and cheers!
Do I need it? No. But do I want it? ... also no. I kinda lost interest in most gear ever since I got an Akai which does pretty much everything I could ever want.
@@BHPOfficialI got an OP-1 about 7 years ago, and it's fun for messing around but really not practical for making songs. That's just not a trait TE prioritizes in their products.
I'm deep in the rabbit hole trying to decide on a fun sampler. The old MPC1000 is the only sampler i have...it is sooo heavy. Really want to have an internal mic for sampling noises, sounds from the environment etc. I think this fits the bill...
It's quite a bit more limited than the SP-404 mk2 - just consider that! Also if you have any specific questions about what to choose next my Discord community might be able to help: discord.gg/xj8J2xJuBP
tbh i dont find the pockets be in the shadow of the KO II because it litteraly looks like one haha. and its funny because a friend and i had a discussion about how cool it would be if they made a giant PO with just all the features and stuff from all the other PO and like a year later BAM KO II is realeased lol
Well, kinda - 4x3 so only 12 slices vs 16, and also no realtime step sequencer, no way to chain patterns/scenes together and no way of backing up the projects. The last 2 seem pretty trivial to do in a future update, the 4x4 step sequencer could work if the group buttons were used as steps 1,5,9 and 13 (Using some sort of Shift function to select the groups), but I imagine the group buttons lack the pressure sensors so having them as sample pads isn't going to work... Bit of a weird decision if you ask me...
Great video. I would love a full tutorial to KO II for beginners building up a track with external samples etc. I would even pay for it 😅 Just got my KO II and really enjoying it.
The TR-8S comparison is actually quite valid. In that sense the KO-II is more akin to a (sampling) drum machine - although it can do four layers…inside its limited polyphony. In terms of sampling, the TR-8S is even more limited, though: about 50MB and only 300 locations 😢 I have one, and I love it, but that one is REALLY annoying.
Definitely feels much more limited and more of a sketch pad than the circuit rhythm, which has a really fun workflow not far off from the Ep-133, and definitely more limited than my 404, which I've still yet to master but is clearly extremely capable of producing a finished track all on its own, tho not without frustrating
I feel like if a person has to use more than one dawless machine to create what they want, they might as well use a computer based DAW. With my MPC-1 ii does just about everything a musician wants-sampler*,looper, synth, and, very importantly for me as an acoustic instrument player, an eight track audio recorder. The effects are plentiful and excellent. I do wish it had a battery. So, it is the centerpiece of my studio, no computer or other box needed. I did order the EP-133 kind of on impulse, the low price, and for the cool factor. Because of the battery I’ll use it for rhythm and sample design when not in my studio. The simplicity will do me well. If I want complex…I’ve got my MPC-1😊. *BTW: The Autosampler is an amazing and useful feature
Really great overview!! It definitely seems like more of a fun idea machine then a full workstation. I think the punch in effects and the master effects are the most fun and unique parts that will bring lots of texture and variety!
Altough I have SP404MK2 and MC101 I always fall back to Smpltrek within minutes of use. I adore the visual of KO2 but the functionality is just limited even considering the size. I have the original KO also and its amazing what it can do considering its size. For the money I would buy the Circuit Rhythm again where you can even tweak the punch in effects to your liking.
The EP-133 is awesome at sequencing external drums! Maybe not for melodic stuff, but for percussion it’s so much better than a Beatstep or anything else. You can set any pad to any MIDI channel/note super fast, and you can set the pad to sound 0 to mute the internal engine. Finally I have something good for playing drum kits on my ‘90s rack synths. No way it would replace my 404, but it’s awesome as a little 4-track sketch pad and drum sequencer. But I hate how bendy it feels. It’s annoying how fragile this TE stuff is. I already crushed the LCD on my PO-35. I would not throw the EP-133 in a backpack. Even in a case, there’s just not enough rigidity. It pisses me off that a $300 TE product is so much more fragile than a Volca. I swear I could use my SP-404MK2 for self defense. And Behringer sucks but I gotta love how solid my Edge and RD-9 are.
You mentioned for example using group B for midi. It has 12 pads. Each can be a sound. Each can also be a midi channel. Does that mean that I can control 12 separate midi channels / potential instruments just from group B?
You have to be stalking my social media posts. Get out of my head!! 😂 Seriously though Liam, thanks for the video as always and really appreciate the comparison between other sequencer/samplers. This little device has received so much hatred despite looking like a really fun piece of kit. Can't wait to see what people come up with, Take care!
@@LiamKillen I agree, for the price it's really fun and that for me, is worth the most. Admittedly I downloaded all the factory samples from the EP133 and I've been using them on my MPC One+ in sample editor 🤣 Even just the samples are fun enough to get me being productive. The workflow is worth the price though. 👌
I can't decide between this and the OPZ. I'd love to see a comparison between the two. What are your thoughts on the two for someone wanting to get into music creation just as a hobby?
They're very different ! The OP-Z has a wayyy stronger sequencer and is an actual synth / groove box - the EP-133 isn't as capable - it's just a sampler - by the way - this is a great topic to bring up over in my Discord - would love to have you there: discord.gg/xj8J2xJuBP
@@LiamKillen Thanks Liam. I've actually gone ahead and ordered a PO-33 instead, as this is my first time trying this kind of thing and I figured that the cheaper option might be the best to see if I like it. If I do like it, which would you recommend as a step up in terms of the OPZ or EP-133?
Thanks for this video, I’m looking forward to getting mine, It won’t replace my MPC One, but I will use it as a fun sketch pad so the limitations don’t bother me
Thanks for the vid, sad that the Smpltrek, Tracker Mini, Dirtywave M8 or the Woovebox could not join the race, when it comes to form factor, price point and functions those devices fits the same market.
Also, one thing this shares with OP-1 is screen that's super user friendly. For me it's either something like this or no screen at all like on the Circuit Rhythm, which gives you all the feedback you need. Polyend play and Maschine screen are also easy on the eyes too but not MPCs or SPs by a long shot. TE is really strong on the screens, not sure why other brands don't do something similar
For the record I have an OP-Z and impulse bought this for fun. I'd like to use them together but that's assuming I can find unique roles for them to play.
If you love music, you can make music with anything…that applies to the EP-133 as well. You can make what you want with it if you think out of the box a bit. It’s fun and I’m going to work to master it and see what I get. Also…it’s streamlined, super simple without plugins and all of the bloat…it’s light and HIGHLY portable, can be operated with batteries, can be used live on the fly and feels like an instrument.🤷🏾♂️
I was excited at first glance because I thought it’d be a more usable TE device given the bigger form factor, but in the end it wasn’t what I needed/wanted. Being an Akai user already, I decided to go with an SP404 mk2 as a sketch machine and fx box, as I think it’ll interact well with the MPC.
@@LiamKillen Yes! That's exactly what I got from these videos (thanks so much for making them!). I absolutely adore the OP-Z but I can't help but think I would have used it way more if it had a bigger form factor and regular ins/outs for midi and audio. Currently working my way through your sp404 mk2 videos while I wait for my unit, so thanks again for your work!
10:15 that’s the reason why I like Teenage Engineering products. I’m EXTREMELY new to samplers/synths and stuff but I taught myself to play guitar and played other instruments as a kid but I’m kinda wandering and finding new stuff to play. I’ve used a friend’s 404 and another machine I don’t remember the name of but it’s complicated to me. And while I don’t know samplers, I’m fairly tech-literate. To me their products are fun and easy to get musical ideas out without me having to spend grueling hours learning how it works. And being it’s somewhat “game-ified” that just encourages you to create more
awesome vid. wish this was a bit more robust and as good as it looks visually. assuming 64mb fills up fast. “sketches” can be taken far or be the intent. fun to play factor vs waist of cuteness. i’d pay double if the pads were velocity plus soft, and for at least a gig. weird company perhaps, other than their one hit wonder. but it’s prob just me.
For me, the only reason why I would purchase it having all of that gear is to use it as a very simple drum machine with great FX. It's also a pretty dope FX unit in general IMO.
Great Video, I always enjoy the humor and cheekyness. My EP should arrive today ( I hope ) and being my first sampler, I wanted something simple and fun with little roadblocks and from your video i'd say it will do the job very well, until i'm ready to take on the SP404 MKII ( Gulp, 404 seems a beast and very scary as a beginner )
I was lucky enough to see this thing be released early but too slow to actually click the button in time to get one. I have a Syntakt and Digitakt and was about to get a Roland SP 404 MK II and this thing made me pause and consider it instead. The accessibility, and fun factor vs. learning another super deep, menu-diving toy that I might not use made it attractive. I think I'll hold off on buying an SP 404 and wait for the EP-133 to be available again. The good news is that the resale value of this stuff is pretty good if you take care of it and keep the boxes/manuals.
When you get bored with the sequencer you might like to use it like a part of the combo, and in this case, not all units have to be entirely complicated
Yeah so it has amazing sounds and effects and if you're a singer and guitar player it's the almost perfect band in a box (no song mode but 99 bars per sequence). It's not for people who need the power of a real sampler though. On board mic is totally rad and sounds good. Onboard samples also sound great and seem to be a perfect selection. Would be cool to be able to arrange scenes in a song. No reverse mode and no resampling is very silly indeed in any sampler but then most modern samplers lack quality onboard mic which is totally weird to me given even if you don't sing you know you don't need the quality of a external mic for small percussion or even voice unless you're Yma Sumac or Amy Winehouse or Erykah Badu. The streamlined look of my circuit rhythm is more my bag but whatever. Polyphony and four-track reminiscent workflow on this means it's the groove box i''ve needed for a while. The smlpltrk was looking good but too miniature for sure. This is gonna be super quick and it just sounds killer
Thanks for the video! I'm hoping you can clear something else up for me (/us), if you do any more EP-133 videos. I'm trying my darndest to understand how the auto-chop feature works, but as of right now it doesn't make any sense. I was hoping it would be like the PO-33 where if you trim a break to be exactly one bar then copy it to a drum track, it will divide evenly among the 16 pads. But it does something weird every time I try it and it might require some science to figure out. Like if it detects transients, then why does it ask you how many pads to split the sample onto? It's also frustrating to me that you can't truncate samples, to permanently get rid of the small amount of time before or after a sample in the ep-133 memory.
@@LiamKillen I can hold down a step on for an instrument and tweak the nobs, and the tweak will only apply to that step from for that instrument. So for example you can program a melody by adjusting the pitch on each step one by one.
Given your background with the PO series, maybe a video on what you think the next EP series should/could be (assuming they all are some form of grown up PO)?
Don’t forget the Novation Circuit Rhythm that is the closest competitor. It has 8 tracks, can chop, resample, as grid fx. Everything is stored on an sd card. Battery powered. No mic and no USB audio interface.
Considering that the sequencer is not powerful, is this still a good machine to record and arrange? I am looking for a sampler sequencer to record all my tracks (bass, voice, drums, synths), surely in an Ableton clip-fashion, and arrange these tracks/clips to make songs. Then I would like to export the tracks to my DAW to do the final cleaning and mixing. I guess the EP-133 isn't for me, right? Thanks!!!
I would get this as stereo sampler to play polyphonic samples with using a midi keyboard. The time stretching is good for that and it looks sweet. The buttons also look a lot better then my model cycles. Sequencer is obv not as good so I probably wouldn't use it for that.
The SPMK2 needs another firmware... Roland haven't released any firmware updates for any of their gear for a while.. not since the mc's where they added the zencore synth engine partials.
I hope so because the community is asking for a couple tweaks but mum gut tells me Roland are done u til the next gen….. compared to Akai a lot of companies need to up their game.. the MPC’s and the Force just get better and better… this may be because of the VST’s and sounds packs that kick back to Akai though.. I’m not sure Roland have as big of a audience for their Zencore packs 🤔
Still waiting for mine (ordered day of launch from TE). From what I've seen in demos, it 'needs': - Chop to grid (BTW, would be awesome to be able to have individual slices on all 16 pads. Dividing into 12 slots seems awkward, no=) - Pattern chaining / Song mode - Per slot/slice/instrument sound editing (not just group) - Parameter locking - 4 x 4 Grid sequencer (the original PO33KO is so much fun to sequence because of this) - Retrigger / Ratcheting - Mutes
20:55 sounds like a clipped tape record player or like a clipped harsh sound of feedback loop analog FX of the Bestie by BASTL, which is dope, without a doubt!
@@J-Hz not really … maybe a handful but hip hop made the Mpcs famous … I’ll look up on Google what electronic Music was made I could’ve sworn it was trackers software they were using
@@J-Hzmost electronic music maybe not techno but house … jungle … etc we’re all sub genres of hip hop at one point maybe I’m wrong but the influence of jungle was definitely hip hop and reggae I’m 100 percent correct… house is similar to hip hop but definitely got its roots from hip hop… or djs from Chicago and nyc is what created house but those djs used synths frequently so it separated the sound but the djs were definitely from a hip hop background
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You can auto-chop with the EP-133 as well, you just hit the group you want to use & select how many chops (from 1-12)
this has been my intro to the sequencer world, been tons of fun.
Awesome! TE is a great intro in general into the synth world
Man, if it had a micro SD card slot and resampling, I would be all in...
I hear ya
Yeah 64mb of storage is a joke! I actually couldn’t believe it I did a double take when In first read it. You can get 64 GB micro ad for like 30 bucks. Total deal breaker
@@modestmouse9191It can still hold 750 1-second samples.
Yes. The SD card function is crazy. At least let me connect a drive through the USB C slot
Nice work on this deep dive! I appreciate the thoroughness way more than day 1 hype. People had lots to say about the OP-1, OP-Z etc but they've really stuck around. Look forward to see where this line of gear lands over the course of time!
Thanks as always for watching! 😊 yeah this thing will stick around with me for sure
Great review. I find it to be a great couch synth. It's a blast to use.
It is great at that! But I also think it's a little more. I'm going to experiment using it with other gear as well.
@@LiamKillen I look forward to seeing your results.
This was such a fantastic demo. You are really teaching here. Well paced and clear.
I have a Samples, and I already see a couple of things I won't be able to do with this (and definitely limited compared to the Roland) but we shouldn't underestimate spontaneity, immediacy, and fun. This looks so freaking FUN.
Thank you for watching and for your kind words! :-)
It's a fun gateway drug for those who may not own a sampler, it seems, as was the original K.O. Those wanting to save memory might double the speed of their samples, and adjust later in the unit. Red Means recording has a nice video on how to do that (with a Digitakt, but it applies to all samplers). Looking forward to people doing crazy things with this, limits aside. I'm fortunate to own a Digitakt, so this ain't for me, but good on them for making this.
Thanks for this! :-)
Great video! I just bought a PO-33 and am excited as it’s my first dawless hardware device. I’m glad I’m starting with that as a gateway
Great starting point!
Mine too, it's been nice stepping away from the computer for a change.
Great video. Ordered one. I plan on using it as a way to make weird samples to feed into my 404MK2 and MPC One.
Hell yes!
Thats exactly why I ordered it as wel, I think the 404MK2 and the KO2 can really strengthen each other's workflow both in effects and in sequencing
Teenage Engineering crushes it aesthetically.
Doesnt crush it at all regarding build quality and "serious musician gear."
It's def not serious musician gear. It's meant for play for sure.
Great video and packed with the right information! I was doubt between the KO133 and the 404 MK2 and in the end went for the 404 after testing both in the store and im super glad that i did because no sd card support is just nuts in 2024.
Yeah I agree - we need more sampling space !!
Come vent about it on my Discord lol: discord.gg/xj8J2xJuBP
Thanks for addressing design as it relates to fun factor. UI/UX doesnt get enough coverage on this kind of gear. Great stuff as always!
Thank you! 😊
I've ordered one of these today. My main selling point was the clicky sound the buttons make. I love mechanical keyboards, and the sound the "pads" make on this device just tweaked that part of my brain. I can't wait to try it out and start laying some beats down on it. I'm interested to see if I can do grimey boom bap on it. Great deep dive and as always you did an amazing job, Peace!
You’d love the Digitakt!
You’ll have a blast!! Thx for watching
Who wouldn’t!? Right!?
*Sweet review!*
I’m glad you showed the side angle profile because I thought this device had the shoulder profile by the screen like the old school calculators. I didn’t know the screen was flat!
To me there’s no comparison to the SP404 MK2 or the MPC Live those machines can be your workhorse if you choose! Just with storage alone the KO is outmatched!
In fairness for the price point the KO is not much of a gamble for $300 bucks …it’s worth a look and if it’s not your vibe resale of use as equipment aesthetic in your studio; it is a sexy looking device lol.
Thank you for watching and for your addition! 😊
First video of yours that I’ve seen - and it’s great! Thanks
Hey thanks so much for watching! Welcome!
That midi control is special. I love that feature.😊
It certainly is :-)
Yes, it seems as a nice feature to me. Especially when you consider the EP as a mobile sketch pad.
I want this thing so when I'm doing taxes my wife thinks I'm actually being responsible! Lol
😂
This is the exact type of comparison I was looking for and you made the nices review video, Thank you and keep up the good work!
Thanks so much for watching!
Love your style of the video. Got a like just for the first cuts. I really admire your skills and can't imagine how much work you put into these videos.
Hey I really appreciate that! Thanks for watching :-)
One of the cool byproducts of this video is that I learned a few things that I didn’t learn in some of the “how to” videos. I’ve had my KO II in a bag for months in lieu of my MPC One+ but had fun with it this AM… 🙏🏾
Appreciate you watching and always glad to help :-)
My intentions when getting this is simple a fun little sampling play thing.
It's more of a music making side game.
It might be good for a little travelling live setup when I can afford a good amount of money on that after the studio has plenty in it always.
I love the way it looks, so it'll be a aesthetic thing if anything for now and it'll have it's fun little uses and time killing in it's time.
Yeah a piece of the puzzle!
I’ve used all 3 and I agree with everything you said. I like the EP-133 looks but the functionality is lacking. SP404 Mk2 is a beast of a sampler. MPC is more of a complete package sampler. The PO33 has the sound I love but the EP-133 has more functionality but still lacks. It’s about what sacrifices you want.
My thoughts exactly :-)
and the Elektron Octatrack is the most powerful one of all that I have used@@LiamKillen
Yeah I know TE gets a lot of hate for being toy like, but thats not a problem to me- the problem is its not a very fun toy. Sampling has become too easy and flexible in this day and age, and it was hard for me not to wish I was using a drum rack plugin or multi out sampler. I’ve found a way to make music with and get inspired by almost anything that makes noise, but I sold my EP-133 without a single idea from it.
So if I have all but the ep133 should I just leave the purchase Alone
What would u recommend someone who wants to sample but also mainly use it as a beat drum machine for Live performancs? Only thing I've used similar is a novation but not the newer one. The older Novation Circuit. I'm a drummer but prefer a live hands on interface opposed to the novation which sequences the Drums. Any advice would be appreciated.
by far the most useful review of the thing I've seen so far - thanks a lot!
Glad to help!
There is some incorrect info in this video. If the cursor is still flashing when you are trying to go directly to a scene/pattern and you let go, you stay at the scene/pattern you are on. To go to pattern/scene #3, for example, you have to type ‘03’, not just ‘3’.
You need to manually create each scene i.e. there isn’t an empty scene 99 by default (like there is a pattern 99). To get to scene 99, you’d have to commit 98 scenes before it.
You can parameter lock anything that can be assigned to the fader. But it’s kind of like a tracker, where it will just use the last value set, so you need to reset that value back to normal on a following step. And those fader parameters are at a group/layer level, so might not be super useful.
But this is pretty good overview of the device and comparison to other devices and how it can fit in a setup/workflow.
This ^^ Ricky Tinez covers this point here: th-cam.com/video/KH23bY0LOeQ/w-d-xo.htmlfeature=shared&t=423
Yeah it's weird I got confused about this. But also I remember jumping to lets say scene 8 - changing some stuff around and then going back to scene 2 which was what I previously entered in. I'm still kind of confused about this.
Ricky T
Awesome, thanks. I want minimal friction, so KO II seems good for that, but the Mk2 memory, re-sampling and step sequencer is pulling me over there.
Yyyup
One of the benefits that's often missing in most videos about the EP-133 is that this thing is battery powered and hence portable. You can slap together some grooves on a flight, in the train, on the toilet...
Absolutely! 💩
Yes - but the SP can be also juiced by batteries, & a second hand one is very little more money 🙂
@@timlloydsmithfineart1254 but that's not so convenient in a train or aircraft, for example. I think of this more as an idea generator and not a full production tool. It stimulates the user musically, while being small and fun. It's often criticised as a 'toy' but I don't see what's wrong with that. It serves a different role. And that's cool
😎👍
@@GuruCube Yeah I’m sure I would have a lot of fun with it 😎
Sp + iPad… the iPad can power the sp and you can sample the hell out of it too… best combo for flights
These look super cool and I think the limitations won’t actually bother a lot of people…. But when Koala Sampler us so inexpensive and adding Samurai makes it so powerful… I’m not sure I’m sold.
KO ii built in sample sounds were leaked online, so I've been playing w the sounds in my Koala Sampler app ;)
Dude's got a point.
Yeah those are all samples from The Kount.
Great video by the way. Great groove and really shows what it can do with no nonsense explanations
Hell yeah! Thanks for watching :-)
I ordered the KO II on release direct from TE and just got it yesterday. Lotta mixed feelings after seeing all the people issues. I was really debating what to do…opened the box and fader was dead on arrival. Super disappointing as I was a huge fan of the PO33. I already have the model samples and love it and am still getting comfortable with the sp404mk2 both of which land way higher in the ranks compared to this one. As much as I wanted to love this one, I think I’ll be returning it and focusing more on the mk2. Great video as always, Liam!
Thanks for watching! But I also always hate to hear this about TE gear. It seems to be a common theme. Extreme hype that dies down a couple weeks later due to unit issues and bugs. It just is what it is.
That being said, I still use this unit A LOT for drums.
Hey I forgot to thank you for the comparison. Great stuff as I would expect from you.
Thanks for watching 😊
Wowzer .. lots of information .. thanks for breaking it all down .. your expertise in music being a trained musician ... is a key component to your dissecting any/all musical merchandise .. thanks and cheers!
Cheers to you!
Exporting is only master or muting option and export each individually. So you are right on what you said.
Ok yeah that’s what I thought
Do I need it? No. But do I want it? ... also no. I kinda lost interest in most gear ever since I got an Akai which does pretty much everything I could ever want.
I feel like the hype train on this thing went fast and hard.
And not even to mention fader gate which has been a nightmare. TEs customer service has been a disaster
@@BHPOfficialI got an OP-1 about 7 years ago, and it's fun for messing around but really not practical for making songs. That's just not a trait TE prioritizes in their products.
What akai
@@bleighhhI'm using a Force. Very happy with it.
Ordered.Will fit perfectly in my mobile studio: OP-Z, SP404 MK2, SC1000 MK2, OB-4, and Roland Aira collection. Portability is SWEET!
Yes! Have fun
I'm deep in the rabbit hole trying to decide on a fun sampler. The old MPC1000 is the only sampler i have...it is sooo heavy. Really want to have an internal mic for sampling noises, sounds from the environment etc. I think this fits the bill...
It's quite a bit more limited than the SP-404 mk2 - just consider that!
Also if you have any specific questions about what to choose next my Discord community might be able to help: discord.gg/xj8J2xJuBP
I wish they would let you send audio over usb-c. I also wish you could use an audio interface into the usb-c.
Yeah that would be great
tbh i dont find the pockets be in the shadow of the KO II because it litteraly looks like one haha. and its funny because a friend and i had a discussion about how cool it would be if they made a giant PO with just all the features and stuff from all the other PO and like a year later BAM KO II is realeased lol
WHABAM!
Well, kinda - 4x3 so only 12 slices vs 16, and also no realtime step sequencer, no way to chain patterns/scenes together and no way of backing up the projects. The last 2 seem pretty trivial to do in a future update, the 4x4 step sequencer could work if the group buttons were used as steps 1,5,9 and 13 (Using some sort of Shift function to select the groups), but I imagine the group buttons lack the pressure sensors so having them as sample pads isn't going to work... Bit of a weird decision if you ask me...
Great video. I would love a full tutorial to KO II for beginners building up a track with external samples etc. I would even pay for it 😅 Just got my KO II and really enjoying it.
I actually have a beginner's EP-133 / sampler video coming out soon! :-)
@@LiamKillen🙌⭐️
I like this Ep 133 been having fun since it arrived
Hell yes!!
The TR-8S comparison is actually quite valid. In that sense the KO-II is more akin to a (sampling) drum machine - although it can do four layers…inside its limited polyphony. In terms of sampling, the TR-8S is even more limited, though: about 50MB and only 300 locations 😢 I have one, and I love it, but that one is REALLY annoying.
I’m for sure gonna do a video about how it’s pretty much just a drum machine in the future lol
Definitely feels much more limited and more of a sketch pad than the circuit rhythm, which has a really fun workflow not far off from the Ep-133, and definitely more limited than my 404, which I've still yet to master but is clearly extremely capable of producing a finished track all on its own, tho not without frustrating
Yeah I was thinking the circuit rhythm is a stronger bet too.
Yeah it doesn't really compare to the rhythm.
yyyup
A rock underneath the dawless rock! I’m dead!
lololol
I feel like if a person has to use more than one dawless machine to create what they want, they might as well use a computer based DAW. With my MPC-1 ii does just about everything a musician wants-sampler*,looper, synth, and, very importantly for me as an acoustic instrument player, an eight track audio recorder. The effects are plentiful and excellent. I do wish it had a battery. So, it is the centerpiece of my studio, no computer or other box needed. I did order the EP-133 kind of on impulse, the low price, and for the cool factor. Because of the battery I’ll use it for rhythm and sample design when not in my studio. The simplicity will do me well. If I want complex…I’ve got my MPC-1😊.
*BTW: The Autosampler is an amazing and useful feature
I understand your take here- but when you step into live stuff having complimentary hardware really helps
This is the sound I like to add to my Live2! Exactly this. Even just for resampling
Awesome!!
Really great overview!! It definitely seems like more of a fun idea machine then a full workstation. I think the punch in effects and the master effects are the most fun and unique parts that will bring lots of texture and variety!
Me too! That’s def what I’ll be exploring more too
I love quirky machines that are niche and unique man
Very good video! Insightful in a way that even i can understand!
Always glad to help :-)
I'm still saving for the table first 🤣🤣
Lol
Altough I have SP404MK2 and MC101 I always fall back to Smpltrek within minutes of use. I adore the visual of KO2 but the functionality is just limited even considering the size. I have the original KO also and its amazing what it can do considering its size. For the money I would buy the Circuit Rhythm again where you can even tweak the punch in effects to your liking.
I feel that in many instances, for drums, i'll be falling back on the ep-133 for shizzle.
The EP-133 is awesome at sequencing external drums! Maybe not for melodic stuff, but for percussion it’s so much better than a Beatstep or anything else. You can set any pad to any MIDI channel/note super fast, and you can set the pad to sound 0 to mute the internal engine. Finally I have something good for playing drum kits on my ‘90s rack synths. No way it would replace my 404, but it’s awesome as a little 4-track sketch pad and drum sequencer.
But I hate how bendy it feels. It’s annoying how fragile this TE stuff is. I already crushed the LCD on my PO-35. I would not throw the EP-133 in a backpack. Even in a case, there’s just not enough rigidity. It pisses me off that a $300 TE product is so much more fragile than a Volca. I swear I could use my SP-404MK2 for self defense. And Behringer sucks but I gotta love how solid my Edge and RD-9 are.
Yeah I use itm ainly for drums as well :-)
That's an MPC and a bit more. Excellent!!!
😏
You mentioned for example using group B for midi. It has 12 pads. Each can be a sound. Each can also be a midi channel. Does that mean that I can control 12 separate midi channels / potential instruments just from group B?
Yeah that’s what it means! Not sure how efficient it would be at actually doing that though
You have to be stalking my social media posts. Get out of my head!! 😂
Seriously though Liam, thanks for the video as always and really appreciate the comparison between other sequencer/samplers.
This little device has received so much hatred despite looking like a really fun piece of kit. Can't wait to see what people come up with, Take care!
It’s very fun and worth it imo!
@@LiamKillen I agree, for the price it's really fun and that for me, is worth the most.
Admittedly I downloaded all the factory samples from the EP133 and I've been using them on my MPC One+ in sample editor 🤣 Even just the samples are fun enough to get me being productive.
The workflow is worth the price though. 👌
I can't decide between this and the OPZ. I'd love to see a comparison between the two. What are your thoughts on the two for someone wanting to get into music creation just as a hobby?
They're very different ! The OP-Z has a wayyy stronger sequencer and is an actual synth / groove box - the EP-133 isn't as capable - it's just a sampler - by the way - this is a great topic to bring up over in my Discord - would love to have you there: discord.gg/xj8J2xJuBP
@@LiamKillen Thanks Liam. I've actually gone ahead and ordered a PO-33 instead, as this is my first time trying this kind of thing and I figured that the cheaper option might be the best to see if I like it.
If I do like it, which would you recommend as a step up in terms of the OPZ or EP-133?
REALLY helpful video! Love seeing the practical, if I want this here's how I get it :)
Thank you and thanks for watching! :-)
The MPC is the king of Sequencing
It’s really solid- it just CANNOT be controlled cuz it bugs out immediately
@@LiamKillenwhat bugs out? The ep133 or mpc?
Super helpful as someone considering a hardware sampler. Thank you.
Glad to help 😊
Thanks for this video, I’m looking forward to getting mine, It won’t replace my MPC One, but I will use it as a fun sketch pad so the limitations don’t bother me
Yeah that's exactly how i'm using it.
Thanks for the vid, sad that the Smpltrek, Tracker Mini, Dirtywave M8 or the Woovebox could not join the race, when it comes to form factor, price point and functions those devices fits the same market.
I think of those as more of the tracker category except for the smpltrek
@@LiamKillen The Woovebox isn't a tracker.
Also, one thing this shares with OP-1 is screen that's super user friendly. For me it's either something like this or no screen at all like on the Circuit Rhythm, which gives you all the feedback you need. Polyend play and Maschine screen are also easy on the eyes too but not MPCs or SPs by a long shot. TE is really strong on the screens, not sure why other brands don't do something similar
Yeah the OP-1 graphics are great and it's super informative for the size of that screen.
Loves that "Under a rock" cliche, don't cha ? Great vid. :)
lol
thanks for watching!
Plz make a follow up video about using the KO II as a MIDI controller for other gear ♥️
For the record I have an OP-Z and impulse bought this for fun. I'd like to use them together but that's assuming I can find unique roles for them to play.
Noted
🍻
If you love music, you can make music with anything…that applies to the EP-133 as well. You can make what you want with it if you think out of the box a bit. It’s fun and I’m going to work to master it and see what I get.
Also…it’s streamlined, super simple without plugins and all of the bloat…it’s light and HIGHLY portable, can be operated with batteries, can be used live on the fly and feels like an instrument.🤷🏾♂️
It's true! But as you start to use more and more tools, you realize that some are better than others for your particular workflow.
@@LiamKillen I agree 👍🏾
I was excited at first glance because I thought it’d be a more usable TE device given the bigger form factor, but in the end it wasn’t what I needed/wanted. Being an Akai user already, I decided to go with an SP404 mk2 as a sketch machine and fx box, as I think it’ll interact well with the MPC.
Yeah it’s quite limited- pretty fun though !
@@LiamKillen Yes! That's exactly what I got from these videos (thanks so much for making them!). I absolutely adore the OP-Z but I can't help but think I would have used it way more if it had a bigger form factor and regular ins/outs for midi and audio.
Currently working my way through your sp404 mk2 videos while I wait for my unit, so thanks again for your work!
this is the best break down iv seen thanks for keeping it real Liam
Hey I appreciate you watching! Thanks.
10:15 that’s the reason why I like Teenage Engineering products. I’m EXTREMELY new to samplers/synths and stuff but I taught myself to play guitar and played other instruments as a kid but I’m kinda wandering and finding new stuff to play.
I’ve used a friend’s 404 and another machine I don’t remember the name of but it’s complicated to me. And while I don’t know samplers, I’m fairly tech-literate. To me their products are fun and easy to get musical ideas out without me having to spend grueling hours learning how it works. And being it’s somewhat “game-ified” that just encourages you to create more
Yeah this is a great entry
awesome vid. wish this was a bit more robust and as good as it looks visually. assuming 64mb fills up fast. “sketches” can be taken far or be the intent. fun to play factor vs waist of cuteness. i’d pay double if the pads were velocity plus soft, and for at least a gig.
weird company perhaps, other than their one hit wonder. but it’s prob just me.
Super weird company * lol
Do you think it adds something already having op1, 404, opz or po33. What does it add uniequely as a sampler having so many other sampling options?
For me, the only reason why I would purchase it having all of that gear is to use it as a very simple drum machine with great FX. It's also a pretty dope FX unit in general IMO.
Great Video, I always enjoy the humor and cheekyness. My EP should arrive today ( I hope ) and being my first sampler, I wanted something simple and fun with little roadblocks and from your video i'd say it will do the job very well, until i'm ready to take on the SP404 MKII ( Gulp, 404 seems a beast and very scary as a beginner )
I hope you're having a blast with it! :-)
The missing functionality on this makes a good used OP-Z look like a heck of a bargain!!
I’ll have some more on this in coming weeks it’s actually very unique- more on it soon ish
nice, very insightful and in-depth-y, thanks! Sneaky how you temporarily switched shirts at around 14:20 ;)
Hehe good eye- that’s an edit!!
Nice video Liam, great job
Thx for watching 😊
Great review thankyou I think the PO KO II shouldve been smaller, they wasted a lot of space next to the speaker
Fair take - thanks for watching!
@@LiamKillen thanks
Bro, honestly, I want someone to make a sampler with the capabilities of the SP but with the User Interface and layout of the EP.
Maybe one day...maybe one day.....
thanks Liam, great video!
🍻
Can you imagine the internal debates that must have occurred around whether to support undo?
😂 pulling an op1
Awesome review and comparison 👍
🍻
I was lucky enough to see this thing be released early but too slow to actually click the button in time to get one. I have a Syntakt and Digitakt and was about to get a Roland SP 404 MK II and this thing made me pause and consider it instead. The accessibility, and fun factor vs. learning another super deep, menu-diving toy that I might not use made it attractive. I think I'll hold off on buying an SP 404 and wait for the EP-133 to be available again. The good news is that the resale value of this stuff is pretty good if you take care of it and keep the boxes/manuals.
yeah you got everything you need
When you get bored with the sequencer you might like to use it
like a part of the combo, and in this case, not all units have to be entirely complicated
True
Yeah so it has amazing sounds and effects and if you're a singer and guitar player it's the almost perfect band in a box (no song mode but 99 bars per sequence). It's not for people who need the power of a real sampler though. On board mic is totally rad and sounds good. Onboard samples also sound great and seem to be a perfect selection. Would be cool to be able to arrange scenes in a song. No reverse mode and no resampling is very silly indeed in any sampler but then most modern samplers lack quality onboard mic which is totally weird to me given even if you don't sing you know you don't need the quality of a external mic for small percussion or even voice unless you're Yma Sumac or Amy Winehouse or Erykah Badu. The streamlined look of my circuit rhythm is more my bag but whatever. Polyphony and four-track reminiscent workflow on this means it's the groove box i''ve needed for a while. The smlpltrk was looking good but too miniature for sure. This is gonna be super quick and it just sounds killer
Thanks for your take on this! :-)
Great dive! Can't wait to get mine!
Deeeeeep dive! Thanks for watching ! :-)
Thanks for the video! I'm hoping you can clear something else up for me (/us), if you do any more EP-133 videos. I'm trying my darndest to understand how the auto-chop feature works, but as of right now it doesn't make any sense. I was hoping it would be like the PO-33 where if you trim a break to be exactly one bar then copy it to a drum track, it will divide evenly among the 16 pads. But it does something weird every time I try it and it might require some science to figure out. Like if it detects transients, then why does it ask you how many pads to split the sample onto? It's also frustrating to me that you can't truncate samples, to permanently get rid of the small amount of time before or after a sample in the ep-133 memory.
Yeah the truncate thing would be ideal - the 404 mk 2 kills it at both of these things. Not sure about the auto chop either. I need more time! 😭
@12:55 with PO-32 you can actually change parameter per note. There aren't many parameters but still :)
do you mean like automating parameters in? In that case, you can do that with the 133 as well but it's just not as precise.
@@LiamKillen I can hold down a step on for an instrument and tweak the nobs, and the tweak will only apply to that step from for that instrument. So for example you can program a melody by adjusting the pitch on each step one by one.
Given your background with the PO series, maybe a video on what you think the next EP series should/could be (assuming they all are some form of grown up PO)?
Oh I wouldn’t know where to begin. TE is like the most unpredictable company lol
The lack of pattern *Chaining does kinda sour it for me but i guess i'll see how bad i miss it when it gets here
Yeah it’s a statement for sure
Don’t forget the Novation Circuit Rhythm that is the closest competitor. It has 8 tracks, can chop, resample, as grid fx. Everything is stored on an sd card. Battery powered.
No mic and no USB audio interface.
Yeah I mentioned that in the video 😊
Oh I missed that…
i dont get why they cant put like 1. more memory 2. pattern chains 3. resampling 4. mutes. it is good but these seem like powerful no brainers
I feel like they put these limits on purpose
I love the PO33 sound and sequencer better but the EP-133 is better for playing sounds. I’m not a fan of the Fx on either.
I actually looove the sound of the ep-133 especially with those FX
@@LiamKillenI love the fader and the master compressor is cool. I just like the gritty 8bit sound more. SP404 Mk2 has the Fx down.
So, we will see! 🤠
My take is in the worst-case scenario, they (TE) might send to us with apologize a new, more robust unit. 😎
Haha
Considering that the sequencer is not powerful, is this still a good machine to record and arrange? I am looking for a sampler sequencer to record all my tracks (bass, voice, drums, synths), surely in an Ableton clip-fashion, and arrange these tracks/clips to make songs. Then I would like to export the tracks to my DAW to do the final cleaning and mixing. I guess the EP-133 isn't for me, right? Thanks!!!
I wouldn't recommend it for arranging at all - that's for sure. I use it primarily as a one shot / drum machine at this point.
is this the cheap op1 ?
Hmmmm it’s different it’s closer to the OPZ- we should talk about it in my Discord server (if you want) : discord.gg/xj8J2xJuBP
I would get this as stereo sampler to play polyphonic samples with using a midi keyboard. The time stretching is good for that and it looks sweet. The buttons also look a lot better then my model cycles. Sequencer is obv not as good so I probably wouldn't use it for that.
yeah I can see you getting some solid use that way.
The SPMK2 needs another firmware... Roland haven't released any firmware updates for any of their gear for a while.. not since the mc's where they added the zencore synth engine partials.
I'm sure they're cooking something up. They've released like 5 updates on the 404 mk2 since it's been released though.
I hope so because the community is asking for a couple tweaks but mum gut tells me Roland are done u til the next gen….. compared to Akai a lot of companies need to up their game.. the MPC’s and the Force just get better and better… this may be because of the VST’s and sounds packs that kick back to Akai though.. I’m not sure Roland have as big of a audience for their Zencore packs 🤔
Still waiting for mine (ordered day of launch from TE).
From what I've seen in demos, it 'needs':
- Chop to grid (BTW, would be awesome to be able to have individual slices on all 16 pads. Dividing into 12 slots seems awkward, no=)
- Pattern chaining / Song mode
- Per slot/slice/instrument sound editing (not just group)
- Parameter locking
- 4 x 4 Grid sequencer (the original PO33KO is so much fun to sequence because of this)
- Retrigger / Ratcheting
- Mutes
Hopefully TE is reading! Lol
@@LiamKillen Hope so! Cheers
I just got a volca drum but now I feel as if I should have spent a bit more and got this…
Yeah I would say this is a step up for sure.
20:55 sounds like a clipped tape record player or like a clipped harsh sound of feedback loop analog FX of the Bestie by BASTL, which is dope, without a doubt!
Hells yea bruh
I remember in the 80s and 90s only people who made hip hop used samplers now the whole world uses them for every genre
Yup
Samplers were used by electronic producers during that time too....
@@J-Hz not really … maybe a handful but hip hop made the Mpcs famous … I’ll look up on Google what electronic Music was made I could’ve sworn it was trackers software they were using
@@J-Hz hip hop is a form of electronic music because there was no use of anything live instruments wise
@@J-Hzmost electronic music maybe not techno but house … jungle … etc we’re all sub genres of hip hop at one point maybe I’m wrong but the influence of jungle was definitely hip hop and reggae I’m 100 percent correct… house is similar to hip hop but definitely got its roots from hip hop… or djs from Chicago and nyc is what created house but those djs used synths frequently so it separated the sound but the djs were definitely from a hip hop background
i have 0 musical experience but i want to learn. it seems fun and relatively accesible would you recommend it?
It is a great starting point! Maybe even pocket operators might be a good choice to start!
Do you think TE will make another EP model that focuses more on sequencing with an OP-Z type workflow?
I’m willing to bet they will
Hi does the sp 404 have the mic option as well.
You can plug a mic into the ext in slot for sure.