The K.O. II is More Than Just a Groovebox

Donald Jordan explores the Teenage Engineering EP-133 K.O. II and its old school sampling methods.
All sounds and music in this video were created using the K.O. II.
This video is not sponsored and all featured gear was purchased at full price.
If you enjoyed this review and want to see similar content in the future, please like and subscribe.
Intro: 00:00
Quality: 1:56
Drop Test: 2:38
Concerns: 5:04
Workflow: 7:31
The Killer Feature: 13:02
Conclusion: 17:05

[@Bloom_Music]

The follow up video to show my 2x sample prep process is now live: kzbin.info/www/bejne/nnvOkomGe9GWbcU

[@johnsuggs7828]

When my wife leaves me (god I pray) because I purchased another groove box....I'll blame....no one actually. Did it all on my own because it's something cool from TE and I can afford it. So shit, why not

[@darrickholmes6233]

Do you have a in depth video on the killer feature you were talking about

[@Bloom_Music]

@@darrickholmes6233 I do! kzbin.info/www/bejne/e6vTkqCemsRlhKs

[@djkillachris]

wow, an intelligent review. thanks. I absolutely love mine. never have I had an easier time getting people who have never hit an electronic pad on any machine get completely into making beats. watching the smile on one's face the first time they ever made a beat, complete with their own voice as a sample, is priceless. and the quantize function makes it seem like their naturals lol. the ultimate party trick.

[@RhettShull]

This is hands down the best KO II video Ive seen so far.

[@denisforbes]

Such a smooth video, loved every minute of this, smart, polished and very well done. Love it!!!!!

[@konstantine8054]

The drop test section ... made me subscribe. Clever, well executed, informative. Well done!

[@lucaacaprio]

same

[@marcoshreds]

I 100% agree. I've been having sooo much fun with mine and absolutely love the design, quality and functionality. Everyone that has put their hands to it loves it. Thanks for an honest review in great production quality and the double speed tip!

[@SamplersAndThings]

Best and most honest review I've seen so far. The 2x speed then pitch down quality example is great.

[@ipsinghification]

Amazingly produced Video :) Thanks

[@benoftroy]

terrific review, thank you!

[@Goth108]

Wow, this video was pretty informative in the end. Thanks!

[@shawnfroos]

Sir, the production, presentation and vibes of this are top drawer. Instant sub

[@supadave4250]

Totally agree 💯

[@canertogan6462]

Amazing

[@vinylarchaeologist]

Thank you for your level-headedness ❤

[@LOGICALMAGNET]

this Video Started Perfectly, so glad that i Found it, Quality always Matters thanks for this video cant wait to see more like this

[@gabrielreinert8458]

So glad to see a new video. Started to get worried, because the last videos are 8 months old. Your reviews have a certain production quality, that sets you truly apart from any other gear review youtuber. Keep up the good work!

[@ToCoSo]

The knobs are so easy to learn, took me about a day to feel totally back to my old sampler days of the late 90's

[@SuperDuperVision]

Thanks for the video. Ive been on the fence about the KO2 but this was well done. Phenomenal editing too you got a sub in me im surprised you’re not at a million subs yet. Im here for it when it happens

[@Vxt667]

Feels like I’m back in Music class. Love it. Educational and entertaining.

[@TrickmanTerry]

I appreciate this take on the KO II. I was worried about the 64MB sampling limitaton, so I was shying away from sampling on it. Now I think I will try to embrace it more, as it does give a cool gritty effect when its slowed down. You have a new subscriber.

[@Boumclap]

Great honest and cool sounded video !

[@corri303]

Excellent review. And seriously impressed by your tapping precision!! On time like a robot

[@shawnmuench]

I was gonna make a snide comment like "oh you must really get off at an actual concert then" but I checked your channel and your stuff is v cool. Props!

[@corri303]

@@shawnmuench thanks :) always enjoy watching talented musicians no matter what instrument or genre. I for one have to rely on quantization but that's fine :D

[@JohnMcSmith]

Fantastic review, and great editing. This channel is gonna go places

[@cougarman8]

Awesome video! I love my ko2 and this gives me new ideas!

[@3tree]

Great piece, thank you. It made me think again about this one, having been put off on launch by the quality concerns. The killer feature alone is super interesting.

[@mwood1618]

Dude. The drop test. So good.

[@CyberMunchies]

This is rad. Great presentation

[@regortex3364]

10/10 presentation, I’m sold.

[@jalocin]

very good video! I am really impressed!

[@kolvis1641]

the cinematic intro has earned a subscription, like, and comment. quality video production, and i appreciate the review! also, rip the mpc.

[@iforgot11]

This was so helpful - Thanks!

[@jcain2411]

One of the best ko videos. Thanks

[@josebee1319]

Great review and insights

[@davelee1935]

Awesome vid ! Mines in the post ! A really interesting take on it

[@canertogan6462]

I am an instant fan, thank you!

[@bitbotrecords]

Great video 🎉 thanks for sharing

[@Reggi_Sample]

Thing about using breaks over one shots - you’ve automatically got a premixed panned and balanced drum bus sound. With one shots they need to be blended to sound that way. It’s a good advantage

[@LoserDub]

Yeahhhh but breaks are somebody else time work and effort, like paint by numbers, sure its your picture, but did you make it? Is it a representation of you

[@LaidBackApophis]

you're commenting on a review of a sampler, and thats your take? @@LoserDub

[@stefrance2]

Such great video !!!! ❤

[@brettmaddan3255]

This is a great video, I'm not even that interested in this device but the nice videography and calm commentary makes this excellent. Subscribed cheers!

[@CourtneyEllis]

I see that you are just under 7k subscribers. I appreciate that you only review what you buy with your money. Your writing and video creativity is killer! Your video quality is wonderful. Keep with this. You are one of the best reviewers I have seen. I just purchased the KOII to test ideas for myself. I don’t know the Launchpad. I’ll check out your other video related to its use in polyphonic sampling.

[@freeagentbeats6170]

I really enjoyed this review it helped me understand the K.O. II beings though I just got it 😊

[@nicknormandy]

You’re inspiring me to go back in time when they weren’t sold out and buy one ❤

[@cvltzilla]

theres plenty available

[@AbcAbc-rs7kx]

When was that 😅

[@nicknormandy]

Oh really? Awesome! I didn’t know they were back in stock

[@roseutterback5755]

Damn love yur videos bro so clean

[@w8less2020]

Well made video. Subscribed ❤

[@NicolasMelis]

great video! thanks

[@evianxlucy]

this review really made me consider keeping my po ii instead of selling it for something else. thanku so much for this

[@Knypsterino]

I really enjoyed this review and I agree on your point of view. Love my KO II 🥊

[@pierdolek1236]

You're the summoning salt of the music gear world, great work!

[@aftertheendtimes]

Best KO-II video ever 🥰thanks

[@Andreas1683]

Oh! Dude! I have been playing all day with how to make this sampler into a ambient device! Thanks to the video something clicked! I sampled some choirs from egypt, with into key mode and turned Attack and release up! and damn! a whole new world was opened! Bless you!

[@Funkotronimus]

Much appreciated!

[@raysubject]

that drop test was absolutely epic … laughed very hard 😂😂😂😂😂

[@raoniband]

OMG that drop test gave me chills!! 😅

[@Bloom_Music]

She was an old gal that was ready to be put to pasture, so she sacrificed herself in the name of comedy. 😀

[@bjamminsincebirth3494]

Best review imo.

[@krazywabbit]

Props. If one focuses on the negatives or somehow you are shilling, they are missing out on the workflow nugget you dropped and the killer feature. You kinda spoke to me on the jam v production side of the house. Not that I need this yet if I decided too, fun would be had. Isn't that what this is all about? For most of us.

[@giannisozo7928]

I love the look of this thing.

[@earthboundboy]

I love mine, I’m from the old days of early MPCs / S900 with an Alesis MMT-8 etc and the KO gives me the same sort of vibes. Not had any problems with it at all quality-wise.

[@CrusaderGeneral]

cant believe this channel isnt at least 100k!

[@officialbestkeptsecret]

Again.... Bravo!

[@ChewoBeats]

This will be add nice to my live Ret! Can’t wait - it really sounds like my 3k… amazing

[@vladimirkirillovskiy8056]

Really nice video and really useful trick with samples double speed! I may try it on my PO-33 :)

[@wehongryy]

excellent video!

[@retrothing]

I’ve been saying for decades a there’s been no successor to the SK-1’s throne. Thank you. I’m not a beats guy, more of a sound design fiddler, and I’ve been looking for a sampler to love for ages. I was going to pass this one, but your presentation and resulting music may have turned me. Thanks for your terrific work.

[@zacharysearcy]

im also a sound design fiddler...what gear do you like?

[@davisdial3301]

just got this thing and i’m loving it😀😀😀😀😀

[@delibedriful]

amazing video. it inspired me a lot. Subscribed immediately. peace bro!!!

[@ifxman]

I don't even own one but I am enjoying your tutorial presentation. I'll stick with my PO33 and 133's. Cost relatively the same but I didn't pay full retail. Last yr B&H sold the PO133 for $59 - I bought 2. 4x3=12tracks/polyphony and with the right samples it's a sweet little noise making rig. I'm honestly not sold on the EP133 yet but you certainly are giving me something to think about now because I'm all about looping sequences too. Keep 'em jam'n

[@michael7018]

I agree the immediacy of results are gained quickly and is a fun unit. I use it in a complex studio environment with many analog synths. I got it at first as a nostalgic impulse from the old days of sampling but it turned out to be a great addition to my toolsets.

[@kiume_]

proudly contributing the 777th like for such a well made video 🙌

[@dianamaydj]

hahaha, I just LOVE your intro

[@GrocerGames]

Sadly mine came with a non functioning fader from the start but I agree with your assessments. I loved it for the day that I had it and will probably buy it again, perhaps the kinks are worked out.

[@TreyBruceable]

Great take. I returned mine due to the faulty fader, but it’s still a very immediate and fun device.

[@Bloom_Music]

Bummer... Sorry to hear you lost the TE lottery!

[@MacBeatsByGoldClaggettt-wf6vu]

This video is so on point!!! Thank You for uploading and sharing your knowledge and experiments👑

[@BoombapBodega]

Dope sampler fam 🙌

[@cresshead]

excellent video

[@cresshead]

subbed too

[@Bloom_Music]

Thanks!

[@Reyescult]

What a fantastic demo with a fair and balanced review. I snagged one when it was first announced, but I have yet to open it. I can't get myself to disrupt that beautiful packaging. :-) I have a soft spot for old school 'memory management' style sampling. My first sampler was an unexpanded Ensoniq EPS with 512 KB of memory. I became a MASTER of getting the most out of that limited memory. Sadly most modern samplers (including my MPC X) don't give off that same vide. This K.O. II seems to do so. I gotta get mine going.

[@infektdubstep]

the break workflow is so cool, really want to mess with those now! great video

[@fredicagoillanoise1309]

To really dial in on the trim points, I found using the trim knob while holding shift helps you accurately trim your samples.

[@biggreemo]

What did you use to pitch the samples before you loaded them into the EP 133 @ 8:52 ?

[@Bloom_Music]

The follow up video to show my 2x sample prep process is now live: kzbin.info/www/bejne/nnvOkomGe9GWbcU

[@tomblaze2]

Amazing

[@saluddiaz]

great review, thanks I was wondering were do you get your breaks and drum loops, love them

[@Bloom_Music]

All of the breaks in this vid are from rhythm-lab.com, three packs: Vintage Hip Hop Breaks Vol.1, Vintage Hip Hop Breaks Vol.2, and Trippy Beats.

[@saluddiaz]

@@Bloom_Music thanks and keep up with great work

[@baronvongreenback]

I keep coming back to this video for help and inspiration, really nice work, subbed. Any recommendations on where to get some nice loop packs? Or do you make your own loop samples?

[@Bloom_Music]

All of the breaks in this vid are from rhythm-lab.com, three packs: Vintage Hip Hop Breaks Vol.1, Vintage Hip Hop Breaks Vol.2, and Trippy Beats.

[@baronvongreenback]

@@Bloom_Music Thank you! I come from the silly land of overpriced modular synths and have no idea when it comes to sample packs.

[@achook9474]

@Bloom_Music 1. Does it have portamento or glide between two note? As in the sample of the moog can you play a pad/note and then it slowly glide to the next note when you press and hold both notes/pads? My Emu mp-7 has this and my sp404mk2 doesn’t t and it sucks because I can sample sounds but not glide between note so I can’t make westcoast wire sounds or bass glides. 😢 that’s what I’m looking for is a sampler with glide/portamento that you can change the glide speed to make wires/bass glides that’s not an mpc(I hate their work flow). Why is this so hard when an Emu mp-7 from 20 years ago had it. 🤦‍♂️

[@Bloom_Music]

It has legato, but no glide. The way it works is it continues playback at the same position in the sample when you trigger the next note, but the pitch changes instantly.

[@ForecastGrim]

Fantastic cinematography and production! May I ask what is your camera/lens of choice?

[@ForecastGrim]

Man this video is the gift that keeps giving. Excellent tip on the sample loading.

[@Bloom_Music]

Thanks! I am using a Panasonic GH5 recording out to a Ninja Flame 7. For lenses, I use a Panasonic 30mm f/2.8 for the close shots and an EF-S 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 adapted with a speed booster for the overhead shots.

[@sonicultura]

Inspring video! Great one thanks!! Sorry but a dumb question how do you do to get the loops at double speed before sending them into the device? I need trying that! Thanks I am now subscribed to this channel! ✌🏾

[@Bloom_Music]

I've had this question several times, so I think I will make a follow up video to show this process and how to get the best results. Stay tuned!

[@sonicultura]

Thanks a lot!! @@Bloom_Music

[@sambeard4428]

Something like audacity works well

[@Bloom_Music]

@@sonicultura Follow up video is live: kzbin.info/www/bejne/nnvOkomGe9GWbcU

[@sonicultura]

Thanks so much for the follow up on this theme! I will look into it now! I missed the notification but saw it now! THANKS!! 🙏🏾@@Bloom_Music

[@ringsystemmusic]

oh mannnnnnnnmnn I got one of these in a trade and damn this slaps even harder than I thought it would

[@ruz8099]

you should have started the video with the pad, omg now I want one haha

[@tartoras]

Thanks for the vid! Helping me better understand my KO II. I have a question... more like a request actually. Is there such a thing as a sped-up breaks sample pack for devices like this? If you have a link, would love it.I want to give your workflow a try.

[@Bloom_Music]

Sorry, not to my knowledge! You can do it fairly easily by speeding them up in a DAW, though!

[@N.E.S.83930]

How did you turn the note from the Moog into that nice pad at 14:07? Did you sample it as-is then pitched down only, any other sound editing in the KOII on top of it? Great video btw, it makes a lot of sense now on how this devices should be used!

[@Bloom_Music]

I’m not 100% sure, but I think that one used the K.O. II’s chorus, and then I was hitting the compressor pretty hard too. But yes, definitely some extra processing on the device to get that sound. (I can’t remember exactly because I did a lot of different takes with different samples and settings, so it’s hard to remember exactly what I did on this one specifically).

[@grahambailey8995]

great video! the undo icon is perfect, you need to look at the handle not the canopy lol

[@sodiumlights]

Superbo video.

[@hollownation]

For anyone looking to do this on the cheap koala sampler you need to pitch down and bounce a couple of times before you get it real low but it will get there add a MIDI keyboard and your away

[@jorgillo86]

Not as fun

[@rinkobamoto2452]

great clip, could you do another with the same prep and test with the Elektron Model Samples and compare it to the K.O.II .., and btw which model launchpad did you use?..... regards.

[@Bloom_Music]

The Launchpad is the Mk3. I would definitely recommend it, I love it. As far as a Model Samples video, not looking good, as I liked the K.O. II so much better that I sold the Samples! 😬

[@mrD66M]

I'm seriously tempted on the KO II. Last kit I used extensively for "jamming" was the yamaha rm1x, I'm fairly resistant to other drumboxes with different workflow mechanics, most don't feel intuitive to me, this though is very close to the mark

[@JaydenLawson]

8:21 genius move

[@ropewalkingelephant]

Don't forget it's also a polyphonic MIDI sequencer with 16 simultaneous MIDI tracks

[@Bloom_Music]

Good point!

[@goodnightosaka]

I barely see anyone mention how insane this is. That alone is probably worth the price

[@ropewalkingelephant]

@@goodnightosaka Exactly!

[@skyisfalling100]

This was a great video, thank you! Just curious if you can explain how you pitched up the samples before you loaded them into the EP 133 ? Thanks again!

[@Bloom_Music]

I loaded them all into my DAW of choice, doubled the tempo, and then exported them back out. There are probably dedicated tools or more elegant ways to do it, but it worked for me!

[@skyisfalling100]

Thank you!@@Bloom_Music

[@Bloom_Music]

@@skyisfalling100 Follow up video is live: kzbin.info/www/bejne/nnvOkomGe9GWbcU

[@zooblestyx]

"Sometimes it gets a little bit too cutesy." This is TE's entire brand proposition.

[@CrazyLazyDave]

Have you ever tried samplers in Reason in 16/44 with 16bit samples?

[@efnbrg]

When you sampled the analog synth and played it back as a pad, would it behave the same way as doing this in ableton with simpler or sampler? If you need to use sampler what would you look for in the settings?

[@Bloom_Music]

Generally, yes, you can do the same thing in Simpler. The big difference will be the sound and the way that Simpler pitches your sample. (At least the last time I used it), Simpler doesn’t have any “old school” pitching modes; it just uses the same stretching algos that it uses for clips, which usually try to maintain the quality and character of the original samples. So, while Simpler can achieve the same type of sampling, the results will sound very different and won’t have that classic lo-fi vibe.

[@DM43685]

OK big question then......how did you get the fader knob on????? So many have broken because people have just pushed it on that breaks the flimsy fade mechanism inside...so how did you do it??? Or are TE now per-installing it like most new MPC's

[@Bloom_Music]

I just pushed it on. If your unit wasn't one of the one's affected by the bad packaging, putting on the fader cap won't hurt it.

[@socalr6]

Mine is only half way on compared to yours. I’m afraid to push it further is seems very difficult

[@huberjonathan]

For me some midi controllers don't work properly with the KOII. And it can't be a setting within it because the only independent variable is the midi controller. I tried controlling it with a Roland a49 and UDO Super 6, but the polyphony didn't work properly on them. But it worked fine with a hydrasynth explorer. Very strange, but aggravating I hope the midi gets optimized in future software patches. Anybody else have this issue?

[@mattsprdiseboomy]

Sorry for the dumb question. What is purpose to match bpm if you can use time stretching? If i know a break beat is a 4 bar count i can just time stretch to 4 bars.

[@Bloom_Music]

Not a dumb question! It's really just personal preference, but it's a couple things for me: First, I almost always start with the beat and build around that, so it's simple to just set the BPM (it's not like I'm trying to fit a break into an existing arrangement with mismatched tempo). Second, I just don't like the way time stretch affects the audio. If you're just changing it a few BPM, it's probably fine, but major shifts affect the transients and introduce artifacts. I'd rather just play the loop at the correct BPM than mess with that!