Teenage Engineering has dropped one of the biggest updates yet for its EP-133 KO II sampler. OS 2.5 adds a laundry list of features that transform the already-capable $329 device into something significantly more powerful.
The headlining addition is audio over USB, which lets you record and playback directly through a computer connection. But the real fun is in the new selectable sample rates. You can stick with the standard 46 kHz, drop to 32 kHz for some added character, or go full lo-fi at 26 kHz for crunchy, digital textures.
Sample reverse is another standout — it’s such a simple feature that it’s surprising it wasn’t there from the start. The new arpeggiator doesn’t always make sense on a sampler, but the KO II sounds so good repitching samples that it feels like a natural fit. You can now crank out a synthpop bassline faster than ever.
The update also extends maximum sample length from 20 to 40 seconds by switching to mono capture, adds equal-length autochopping for better melodic sample work, and includes improved time stretching, new scales, and per-pad time shifting. The Riddim sampler gets the same update, while the EP-1320 Medieval only receives USB audio support — for reasons Teenage Engineering hasn’t explained.
