Woody Piano Shack vs Teenage Engineering EP-133 K.O. II: Beat-Making in the Rave Bunker

The Teenage Engineering EP-133 K.O. II isn’t just another groovebox – it’s a sampler, a beat machine, and a workflow puzzle all in one chunky slab of plastic. Woody Piano Shack, known for his playful yet practical approach, jumps straight into the deep end, showing off the groups, pads, and the slightly bonkers sample management system. You get four groups, each with 12 sounds, and a thousand sample slots to fill. Factory sounds are solid, with plenty of 808s, claps, and cowbells to keep your inner raver happy. Loading your own samples is a breeze thanks to the web app, and the built-in mic means you can get weird on the fly.

It runs on four AAA batteries and has a surprisingly decent speaker, so you can bash out beats on your sofa, in the park, or wherever inspiration strikes. Woody’s not shy about the quirks: the build is all plastic, but it’s a solid chunk, and the mechanical keys feel great. The fader’s smooth, the screen is colourful, and the whole thing auto-saves everything you do – for better or worse. If you’re after a sampler that’s portable, playful, and a bit unpredictable, this one’s got your number.

This is where the K.O. II gets interesting. Woody layers up bass, chords, and melodies, showing how you can sequence multiple sounds in the same group and switch between scenes for live performance tricks. The workflow is flexible but demands attention: one wrong move and your bassline’s gone, or you’ve duplicated a dodgy pattern across every scene. Still, the ability to have twelve different patterns running at once in a group is wild – it’s a toaster-fight of ideas waiting to happen.

The fader controls everything from volume to effects, but you’ll need to keep your wits about you as it jumps modes. Woody’s not afraid to call out the confusion, but he also finds moments of magic, especially when stacking sounds and using the colourful screen to navigate the mayhem. If you like your grooveboxes with a side of risk and reward, this section will make you grin.

Woody’s review pulls no punches: the K.O. II is fun, but it’s not always friendly. The workflow can be a brain-melter, especially when the fader changes function without warning or when swing and shuffle behave unlike any other drum machine. Bugs and oddities crop up, and sometimes your hard work just vanishes. Compared to the OP-Z, which somehow manages to be more intuitive without a screen, the K.O. II demands patience and a sense of humour. If you want instant gratification, look elsewhere. But if you’re up for a challenge, this box will reward you with unique beats and plenty of happy accidents.