Teenage Engineering is no stranger to bizarre gadgets that defy description. This is a company and, uh, We all knew it. We also knew that the company would probably release a sequel to its . However, we couldn't have guessed in a million years that it would be a .
That's right. The sequel to the KO II is a sampler built entirely around sounds inspired by the Middle Ages. It's all here, from Gregorian chants and lutes to drum sounds reminiscent of Monty Python. The sampler also comes preloaded with tons of thematic foley effects, such as sword slashes, arrows, farm animals, and, according to the company, “an actual dragon.” The EP-1320 Medieval has it all, if by “all” we mean samples of screaming peasants.
Aesthetically, it's basically the KO II with a different look. The design features red calligraphy, castle towers, and of course, plenty of Latin. In fact, it's not even referred to as a sampler. The company calls it “the world's first medieval electronic instrument,” and there's a big label on the front that says “instrumentalis electronicum.”
There are new effects, for those who were worried that this was a copy of last year's model. These include something called “torture chamber reverb” and another called “bardic ensemble.” The arpeggiator has been reworked, and there are hundreds of new multi-sampled instruments. Teenage Engineering also says, and I'm not kidding, that the drum pads smell like cocoa. We've reached out to them to discuss the latter and will let you know when we have more information.
Of course, it’s a sampler at its core, so users can put whatever they want into it via the internal mic or USB-C connection. It’s also essentially a KO II, so it has the same special effects tool, nine memory slots, a small speaker, and a battery compartment that holds four AAA batteries. But out of the box, it has everything you could possibly need for a D&D-themed rave.
Same as the original, costs $300. Orders The most die-hard fans will also be able to purchase a themed T-shirt, a vinyl record and a padded carrying bag.
The EP-133 KO II was a huge success, but it sold in huge numbers, including several units that were delivered with broken faders. TE says this was all due to poor packaging. Hopefully the company has sorted all that out.
