I try hard not to talk too much about Teenage Engineering’s latest gadget

Image credits: Teenage engineering

The new $300 groove box from Teenage Engineering has nothing to do with this cutie. That’s the point.

the People’s Army – 133 Koyi (We’ll just call it Knock Out II) is a combination drum machine, synthesizer, and sampler. It’s a great pint-sized upgrade from the Teenage Engineer PU-33 Kuwhich offers many of the same features for a fraction of the price.

The vibe of Knock Out II is definitely more Drum computer in the 1980s From modern Roland groove. The buttons, knobs, and single fader feel almost oversized on the thin device. I’m not quite sure how to handle this, but that doesn’t leave me any less tempted to part with the money.

Whether you consider Teenage Engineering’s audio equipment to be over-the-top, expensive, or simply inadequate, I’m glad it does VC-backed startup Creates things that elicit an emotional response. It’s refreshing to see a hardware company get weird with it; Most of them seem overly busy chasing Apple down a simple rabbit hole.

Get weird with that Everything in teen engineering. The Swedish company creates great wireless speakers, groove boxes, and accessories for listeners and musicians alike. Their tools often feature Lego-like tactile buttons and knobs, with a design language that blurs distinct aesthetics — think: Futuristic cassette Meets brutality meets KB Games.

Teenage Engineering has built a following with its extremely affordable (and, in my experience, frustratingly fragile) pocket trigger. Sequencers, but in recent years the company has devoted more attention to advanced equipment. This has left some of her fans out of the fun. The price of the Knock Out II occupies a tempting middle ground. It’s not a stocking filler, but it’s not a stocking stuffer either Two big.

Mastering a drum machine and sequencer takes time, and Teenage Engineering products are often so feature-packed and premium that they come with a learning curve. However, the design of the Knock Out II makes it look easy to use. She seems to be pleading—perhaps disingenuously, if you’re not prepared to spend hours—”You can totally learn this!” For now, I’ll do my best to resist the siren song.