This thing is an upgrade over the po33, but it's not anywhere close to the same league as the 404. This is less of a criticism of TE and more of a credit to the incredible depth of features they've packed into the 404mkii.
This, the 404mkii is a really strong machine on all fronts, if they manage to give us a proper looper in this year’s software update I will be over the moon.
I like TE but their gear always ends up being closer to a toy than anything. It’s really fun but it mostly ends there.
Elektron and Roland devices end up being much more versatile and professional in the long run.
SP404mkii pros: DJ mode, SD card slot up to at least 64 Gb, 16Gb(!) internal memory for 16 projects 160 samples each, works as an audio interface over USB-C, full size 1/4" jack input and outputs, 33 effects with 3-6 parameters, 5 configurable effects simultaneously, resampling with effects, skipback recording, rubber pads, looping samples, real-time time stretching, OLED display, on screen wave editing and chopping.
EP-133: 64 Mb internal memory, no SD card slot, 6.3mm jacks, predefined effects (considering the POs these are usually hardcoded with only couple of adjustable parameters), didn't see an unquantizied mode in the manual, but it has note offsets, 9 effects in total, adorable design!
My guess is that EP-133 is very immediate and fun to use but you hit a wall at some point due to lack of storage / limited effects, whereas the 404 will take you from making beats to playing full multi-hour live set and beyond.
You can unquantize actually! at the very least you can with midi input.
I use my po 33 a lot. It's something between a toy and a full fledged device. I've used it 'live' when hosting a pen and paper event i wanted custom music for. Usually though it's something I enjoy using when I want to do something musically without being too 'committed'.
I think there's a lot of value from an item being easy to use and evoking the concept of play. It makes it easy to keep up 'good habits' like music making on days where I dont want to or cant do more.
I find a lot of their gear is very tilted toward not being “committed”. I have an OP-1, the POM-16, and POM-400. I’d love to get a Field and will at some point.
That said, all of these are very much ephemeral to me. I can and do load up different songs on the OP-1, but by and large it’s very much the kind of workflow where you make something and tweak it and, if you liked what you had three iterations back…too bad. And that’s ok.
I recently added a Deluge to my setup and it’s the real glue to the setup (along with a BlueBox). The Deluge can control the OP and the 400, so songwriting all happens in one place and the synths shine in their own unique ways. I can also still use the OP and the 400 to play around, experiment, and make cool stuff that will just go into the ether or maybe a line-in on the Deluge.
