Frequently asked questions

No. The EP-40 is a curated performance/"riddim" instrument with fixed built-in content — it is not a sampler and has no way to import your own audio. If you want to chop and play your own samples, that is the EP-133 K.O. II's job; the EP-40 is designed around its on-board sounds and performance controls.

The device itself doesn't bounce multitrack stems, so the built-in route is to play parts out and record them into your DAW in real time over an audio interface — usually group by group (or track by track), then line them back up and chop in the DAW. The resample function is handy for capturing a part first. For a much faster workflow, desktop tools can convert a whole project into DAW-ready material: EP Toolkit exports EP-133/EP-1320/EP-40 projects straight to Ableton Live, REAPER, DAWproject or MIDI, and PatchStudio helps with samples and patches. Short one-shots or loops can also go through the online tools.

A factory reset restores the EP-40's built-in sounds, so you don't have to undo changes pad by pad. Back up anything you want to keep first, then run the reset. If a reset doesn't fully restore the factory content, download the EP-40 factory sample pack from Teenage Engineering's EP-40 page and import it back over USB. Going forward, keep a backup of a clean device so handing it to a friend can't cost you the original layout.

Several owners have reported the EP-40 staying on regardless of the power switch and whether it's running on AAA batteries or USB-C power, so it isn't just a dead-battery quirk. First make sure you're on the latest firmware from Teenage Engineering's EP-40 page, since power behaviour is the kind of thing a firmware update can fix. If it still won't power down after updating, treat it as a fault and contact TE support — others in the same situation have had it handled as a warranty/repair case.

The EP samplers can drive outboard gear: they send MIDI out (over the sync jack and over USB), so you can use the pattern sequencer to play external synths and drum machines, not just internal samples. It's a capable but fairly basic MIDI sequencer — great for laying down parts for a synth from the same workflow you already know, but it isn't as deep as a dedicated MIDI sequencer for things like lots of CC automation or many independent MIDI channels. For a simple, fast "sample box that also clocks and sequences my synth" it works well.

Not really — the official EP Sample Tool (and the community desktop tools) run on a computer, not on iPadOS, so there's no full backup/restore path from an iPad alone. If you're travelling light, the practical advice is to bring a laptop when you'll need backups, and otherwise avoid factory resets on the road, since a reset without a backup wipes your projects and any custom sounds. Plan your trip around having a backup made before you leave.

Don't drag files in one at a time — use a tool that does the batch import for you. Teenage Engineering's official field/EP sample tool lets you load a whole folder of samples and write them to the device in one pass, and if the pack ships as a full backup you can restore it as a project/backup instead. Community tools like EP-PatchStudio and the EP toolkit (both in this list) also handle bulk import and device management. Whichever you use, back up your current content first, since restoring a backup can overwrite what's already on the unit.

Yes. The EP samplers share the same sample format, so the factory packs from the EP-133 K.O. II and EP-1320 Medieval can be imported onto the EP-40 Riddim (and the other way around) using the EP sample tool or a community tool like EP-PatchStudio. The catch is memory: the EP-40 has limited storage, so you may not fit every pack at once — load the sounds you actually want rather than all of them. Back up the device first, since restoring a full backup can overwrite what's there.

Don't rename it to .zip — a .pak is the EP's backup/restore format, not a plain zip archive, so unzipping it by changing the extension generally fails. Instead, load it with the EP sample tool's "restore" function, which writes the contents back onto the device. If your goal is just to move a sample pack between EP units, it's easier to import the individual samples (or the source pack) with the sample tool — or a community tool like EP-PatchStudio — rather than wrestling with the .pak directly. Back up the target device first, since a restore can overwrite it.

They share the same core sampler engine but lean different ways. The EP-133 K.O. II is the do-everything one: sample anything, chop, sequence, and arrange full songs. The EP-40 Riddim is built around loop triggering and live, hands-on performance — its demo content is reggae-flavoured, but you can wipe that and use it for any genre, and a lot of people prefer it specifically as a live sample/loop launcher. The EP-1320 Medieval is the same idea with a medieval-themed sound set. Pick the K.O. II for general production and song-building, or the Riddim if live looping and quick triggering is your main thing.

Owners reach for a few options. Purpose-built cases cut to the device exist (see TEcases in this list); a popular off-the-shelf pick is the CTRL / Magma case, which is well padded and has room for cables; and any small hard case or camera-style bag that fits the unit works for backpack duty. Teenage Engineering's own folio offers light, slim protection but less impact resistance. Whatever you pick, make sure the fader and knobs aren't pressed on in transit.

Yes. The EP-40 Riddim, EP-133 K.O. II, and EP-1320 Medieval all share the same chassis and footprint, so a splash/silicone cover made for one fits the others. It gives the same light protection against dust and spills. (For carrying and impact protection rather than a surface cover, see the case options in this list.)

It comes down to samplers vs a synth. The EP-133 K.O. II and EP-40 Riddim are samplers — fantastic, affordable, and flexible, but they make synth sounds by you sampling or importing them rather than synthesising in the box. The OP-1 field has real synth engines built in, so if rich, tweakable synth tones are central to your sound it gets you there directly (at a much higher price). A common path is to start on a K.O. II to learn sampling and sequencing cheaply, then add an OP-1 field later if you find you want hands-on synthesis.

Plug into the EP's input and sample it like any other source — but mind the level. A guitar's pickups put out a weak, instrument-level signal, so going straight in tends to be quiet and thin. Put something in front to bring it up to line level and shape the tone: a DI box, a preamp/pedal, or an amp-and-cab simulator all work well, and an overdrive or amp sim also gives you a usable guitar sound rather than a clean DI. Once it's recorded you can chop and sequence it like any other sample.

You can order directly from Teenage Engineering's own store, which ships free in many regions — the trade-off is that shipping and support can be slow at busy times. For faster or more local options, buy from an authorized retailer such as Thomann, Perfect Circuit, Sweetwater, or Bax Music, which also gives you their returns and warranty handling. There's an active used market too, but check the fader and overall condition before buying second-hand.