EP-40 Riddim vs EP-133 K.O. II: Which Should You Buy?
People treat these as different machines. They're nearly the same sampler underneath, and the thing that actually separates them is the EP-40's built-in synth. Here's how to decide.
People assume the EP-40 Riddim and the EP-133 K.O. II are different beasts. They're not, really. The EP-40 turns up in full dub regalia and the K.O. II looks like a plain workhorse, but strip the styling and they're nearly the same box. Both are 128 MB samplers with 999 slots and nine projects, and both will happily forget they ever shipped with factory sounds the second you load your own.
So "which genre am I?" is the wrong question. The one that matters: do you want the synth?
They're basically twins
Same memory, same 999 slots, same nine projects, same USB-C, same EP-PatchStudio support. If you're buying purely to sample, honestly, flip a coin.
The EP-40's trick: a real synth
This is the actual difference. The EP-40 has the Supertone synth built in, a proper subtractive engine, and the K.O. II just doesn't. It's not a preset bank or a skin. It's a synth sitting next to your sampler. If that sounds useful to you, that's the whole case for the EP-40 right there.
The dub thing? That's factory content and a paint job. I know it's called "Riddim" and it arrives sounding like a soundsystem, but wipe it and it's a blank sampler like any other. Techno, hip-hop, ambient, whatever you're into, it couldn't care less. Don't let the wardrobe put you off.
The K.O. II's case: cheaper, and everywhere
It's usually the cheaper way in, its factory sounds are more neutral if you'd rather not start from a dub kit, and because it's the more popular box there's a mountain of packs and tutorials out there for it.
So, which one?
- Want a synth as well as a sampler? Get the EP-40. The Supertone engine is worth the extra if you'll actually use it.
- Just want the cheapest, most neutral start? The K.O. II.
- Put off because one "looks like a reggae thing"? Don't be. Load your own sounds and it's whatever you want it to be.
Prices move around, so check Teenage Engineering for what they're going for now.
Either way
EP-PatchStudio works with both. Sample management on a screen that isn't two inches wide, project backups, and multisampling on the EP-40. Free to download.
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EP-PatchStudio is an independent app from SquareWave Studio. It is not affiliated with or endorsed by Teenage Engineering AB. Device names are referenced for compatibility only.