Teenage Engineering has spent the better part of two decades convincing the world that serious music gear can fit in a shirt pocket with everything from their Pocket Operator series to the cult-favorite OP-1. Then came the plot twist, with the Swedish firm’s founder recently hinting the company might be done making synthesizers altogether. So what comes after you’ve built all the instruments? How about the thing you plug them into. Enter the EP-35, Teenage Engineering’s first-ever amplifier.
From Pocket Operators to Power Chords
Unveiled alongside the brand’s new New York flagship, the EP-35 is a battery-powered amp that takes practically everything you can throw at it. There’s a 6.35mm guitar input with a hi mode for active pickups and pedalboards, an XLR mic input with 48V phantom power, a 3.5mm line-in for your Pocket Operators, plus Bluetooth 5.3 and USB audio.
And here’s the sleeper feature. Plug it into a laptop and the EP-35 becomes a full USB audio interface, sending the guitar, mic, and line inputs to your DAW on separate channels.
Twist a Dial, Pick a Vibe
In typical TE fashion, there are no menus or screens here at all. Two old-school roller dials cycle through eight guitar presets and eight mic presets, with names like twang, indie, robo choir, and yes, frog. One amount dial per bank controls intensity, and that’s the whole workflow.
Behind the grille sits a 4-inch woofer and 1-inch tweeter pushing 35 watts, good for 94dB, with the 20.1Wh battery lasting 12 hours per charge.
Yes, the Beer Compartment Is Real
Pop the rear hatch and you’ll find the gain knobs, a tone control, and a storage bay that TE’s own user guide says is for cables, accessories, “or beer.” There’s also a camp light in there with a sound-reactive disco mode. Simply tilt the whole amp backward and its LEDs display remaining battery.
Want stereo? Auracast links multiple units together, and tilting each speaker left or right before powering on assigns its channel.
Spec Sheet
Brand: Teenage Engineering
Model: EP-35 (K.O. Amp)
Speakers: 4″ woofer + 1″ tweeter (mono 1+1)
Output Power: 35W
Frequency Response: 50Hz-20kHz
Max SPL: 94dB @ 1m
Inputs: 6.35mm guitar, XLR mic (48V phantom), 3.5mm stereo line, Bluetooth 5.3, USB-C
FX: 8 guitar presets, 8 mic presets
Battery: 20.1Wh lithium-ion
Play Time: 12 hours (volume at 5)
Charging Time: 2 hours (45W USB-PD)
Water Resistance: Splash resistant
Price: $399
Pricing & Availability
The EP-35 is available now for $399 directly from Teenage Engineering and retailers like Sweetwater, with accessories including an FM radio “amptenna,” a handy mic, and the K.O. foot pedal sold separately. Head over to Teenage Engineering’s website to grab one.
Recap
Teenage Engineering EP-35 K.O. Amp
Teenage Engineering’s first-ever amplifier packs guitar, mic, and Bluetooth inputs, 16 dial-controlled effects, and a beer-approved storage compartment into one $399 battery-powered box.
