Teenage Engineering EP-40 Riddim Supertone – Reggae Sampler With a Real Synth

The EP-40 Riddim Supertone channels reggae, dub and dancehall culture into a slim, battery-powered groovebox. A sampler, a sequencer and — a first for the EP series — the built-in Supertone synth engine share one board, so heavyweight basslines, riddims and dub sirens sit right under your fingers. At Soundium it slots in beside the EP-133 K.O. II as the most character-rich member of the EP family.

Key Features

• Supertone synth engine: Subtractive synthesis with classic reggae legacy bass and lead tones, plus a pressure-sensitive dub siren.
• Riddim soundbank: Over 300 original samples — drums, bass, chord stabs, vocal shouts, melodica and guitar — recorded with 13 artists including King Jammy and Mad Professor.
• Serious polyphony: 12 stereo or 16 mono voices with 128 MB of user-writable memory and 999 sample slots.
• Loop performance mode: Build full arrangements live from grid-synced loops that always land on the beat.
• Hands-on effects: 7 main FX and 12 punch-in FX driven by pressure-sensitive keys and a multifunctional fader.
• USB-C audio interface: Free OS 2.5 firmware adds class-compliant USB audio in and out, an arpeggiator, reverse sampling and equal-length auto chop.

Customer Benefits

Everything about the EP-40 is tuned for flow. Sample from the input, chop it, layer it over an artist-built riddim, drop a Supertone bassline underneath and ride the punch-in FX — all without touching a computer. Because it runs on AAA batteries and has a built-in speaker, the same session moves from the studio desk to the couch to the stage, and MIDI plus sync keep external gear locked to your groove.

Quick Specs

• Polyphony: 12 stereo / 16 mono voices
• Memory: 128 MB user-writable, 999 sample slots
• Sampling: 46 kHz / 16-bit
• Effects: 7 main FX + 12 punch-in FX
• Connectivity: Stereo in/out (3.5 mm), sync in/out, MIDI in/out (3.5 mm Type A), USB-C
• Power: 4 × AAA batteries or USB-C
• Dimensions: 24.0 × 17.6 × 1.6 cm
• Weight: 0.625 kg

In the Box

• Teenage Engineering EP-40 Riddim Supertone
• Quick-start guide and documentation

Ideal For

Dub and reggae producers, live loop performers, mobile beatmaking rigs and anyone adding sound-system flavour to a studio setup.

Compatibility

Works as a class-compliant USB-C audio interface with all major DAWs, while 3.5 mm MIDI and sync in/out lock drum machines, modular systems and other hardware to its clock; the EP-2350 Ting performance microphone plugs straight into the input.

Pros & Cons

✅ Pros:

• First EP-series unit with a built-in synth engine — bass and sirens without external gear
• Deep, artist-recorded reggae soundbank you will not find in generic sample packs
• Slim, battery-powered format with its own speaker — a complete rhythm section in a backpack

⚠️ Cons:

• Calculator-style keys take practice if you come from pad-based samplers
• Strong genre focus — less neutral than the EP-133 K.O. II for general-purpose sampling

If your music leans on riddims, low-end weight and space-bending effects, the EP-40 turns those instincts into muscle memory. Hear the Supertone engine for yourself — the EP-40 Riddim Supertone is available at Soundium.