Teenage Engineering has released the EP-136 K.O. Sidekick, a pocket-sized device that combines a two-channel mixer, effects processor, and USB audio interface into a single unit designed to complement the company's growing EP series. Available now for €189 in Europe, the Sidekick represents the latest chapter in the Swedish company's ongoing mission to make professional-grade music production hardware that fits in your jacket pocket.
What the Sidekick Does
The company says it set out to build a mixer for the EP-133 K.O. II sampler but ended up with something more ambitious. Teenage Engineering describes it as "a DJ mixer with a 2-bar looping effects-automator." The device offers two stereo channel strips with a third stereo auxiliary input for session sources. Each channel features a three-band EQ with selectable modes for DJ, studio, and parametric applications. Individual compressors on each channel provide three distinct flavors, ranging from clean to progressively more saturated.
Six performance effects round out the creative toolkit: filter, tape emulation, delay, beat repeat, tremolo, and siren. A pressure-sensitive force pad and a multifunction mod stick allow real-time manipulation. The internal beat detection locks onto incoming audio tempo, syncing effects to whatever's playing through.
Tech Specs
The EP-136 processes audio at 48kHz/24-bit with a signal-to-noise ratio of 105dBA on inputs and 108dBA on outputs. The unit measures 240 x 88 x 16mm and weighs 300 grams without batteries. Power comes from either two AAA batteries or USB-C. Over USB, the Sidekick functions as an 8-in/4-out audio interface with MIDI capabilities. The company says users can daisy-chain multiple Sidekicks together by feeding one unit's output into another's auxiliary input.
EP Pegs: The LEGO Connection
Alongside the Sidekick, Teenage Engineering introduced EP Pegs, a physical connection system that snaps EP-series devices together. The pegs are LEGO-compatible and slot into side openings on EP hardware. The idea is that musicians can physically lock their samplers, mixers, and effects units into custom configurations that hold together during performance. It's exactly the kind of playful engineering detail the company has made its reputation on.
Teenage Engineering's Design Philosophy
The Stockholm-based company was founded in 2005 and introduced its flagship product, the OP-1 synthesizer, at NAMM in 2010. Since then, the company has built a portfolio spanning high-end instruments like the OP-1 Field and TX-6 mixer alongside more accessible products like the Pocket Operator series and EP samplers. The company's design language draws from Scandinavian minimalism: clean lines, bold colors, and interfaces stripped to their essentials.
What distinguishes Teenage Engineering from most music gear manufacturers is its obsession with tactile experience. CEO Jesper Kouthoofd has spoken about how limitations spark creativity, and that philosophy shows up throughout the company's catalog. The TP-7 field recorder features a rotating disk that transforms playback into something almost ritualistic. The mechanical crank on the Playdate handheld gaming console, designed for Panic Inc., came directly from Teenage Engineering's studio.
Beyond its own products, the company has collaborated with IKEA on the Frekvens audio collection, designed the aesthetic for Nothing's consumer electronics, and co-created the Rabbit r1 AI assistant. MoMA stocks several Teenage Engineering products in its design store. The company operates in a space where consumer electronics meet industrial art, and that positioning explains both the devotion of its fanbase and the premium pricing of its higher-end offerings.
The EP Ecosystem
The EP-136 joins a lineup that includes the EP-133 K.O. II, a 128MB sampler based on the legendary Pocket Operator PO-33 K.O. that sells for $329; the EP-1320 Medieval, a variant loaded with historically-themed sounds; and the EP-40 Riddim for reggae and dub production. With the Sidekick, owners of multiple EP devices now have a central mixing hub that matches the form factor of the samplers it's designed to accompany.
For musicians invested in the EP ecosystem, the Sidekick fills an obvious gap. For everyone else, it's a portable mixer and effects unit that doubles as a USB audio interface. Whether that justifies the roughly $200 price point depends on how much you value the design language and the modularity. Teenage Engineering has always been a company that charges a premium for its particular brand of thoughtful, personality-laden hardware. The Sidekick is no different.
