1010music Boîte noire

1010music Blackbox – a compact sampling studio with intuitive touchscreen control, 16-voice polyphony, and comprehensive MIDI connectivity, offering a complete music creation workflow in a device that fits in the palm of your hand. The system allows recording hours of audio from synthesizers, drum machines, and other audio sources, editing, slicing, sequencing, and structuring them into complete songs. Blackbox supports WAV files at 16/24/32-bit resolution at any sample rate, offers four sample playback modes (Sample, Clip, Slicer, Granular), built-in delay and reverb effects, and USB power.

Blackbox represents a revolution in portable sampling – a device measuring approximately 14 cm × 13 cm × 3 cm weighs just 910 grams and fits in a backpack, and thanks to USB power can even operate from a powerbank. The durable dark grey metal housing protects a large LCD touchscreen that offers familiar navigation gestures (including pinch-to-zoom), high-quality soft-touch knobs, and dedicated buttons for different function pages. The workflow is incredibly intuitive – the device can be mastered without consulting the manual, and white mode buttons are arranged in the logical order of the music creation process.

The memory system based on high-speed microSD cards allows storing and playing back both short one-shots, long loops, and complete multi-minute tracks. Maximum single sample size is 4 GB, and the SD card can store virtually unlimited files. Blackbox comes with approximately 60 presets and around 900 WAV files prepared by Loopmasters and SoundTrack Loops. Each preset can contain 16 samples arranged on virtual pads in a 4×4 grid, 16 sequences of variable length, and 16 song scenes. Samples can be played chromatically, making Blackbox an excellent tool for creating basslines, melodies, and chords.

Clip mode enables tempo-synced playback, ideal for drum loops and instrumental phrases. Slicer mode automatically or manually divides samples into segments that can be triggered independently – perfect for chopping drum loops. Granular mode opens new sound synthesis possibilities. Recording is exceptionally simple thanks to metronome, configurable quantization, and automatic matching of new recording length to the sequencer – the system works like a live looper. Resampling allows layered recording and saving effects. Two built-in effects (beat-syncable delay and reverb with decay, damping, and pre-delay control) can be applied independently to any number of pads. Parameter modulation via velocity, pitch wheel, mod wheel, and MIDI CC opens possibilities for expressive performance.

KEY FEATURES

• Compact sampling studio with LCD touchscreen
• 16-voice polyphony
• 4 sample playback modes: Sample, Clip, Slicer, Granular
• 16 samples, 16 sequences, and 16 song scenes per preset
• 96 presets available simultaneously
• Support for 1- and 2-channel WAV files (16/24/32-bit at any sample rate)
• Audio recording quality: 24-bit/48 kHz
• Stream long samples directly from microSD card
• Maximum sample size: 4 GB
• Chromatic mode for playing melodies, bass, and chords
• Automatic and manual sample slicing
• Tempo-synced playback with pitch-shifting
• Resampling for layered recording and saving effects
• Live looping with automatic length matching
• 2 built-in send effects: delay (beat-syncable) and reverb (with decay, damping, pre-delay)
• Parameter modulation via velocity, pitch wheel, mod wheel, MIDI CC
• Intuitive touchscreen navigation with pinch-to-zoom
• Sequencer with real-time and grid recording
• Metronome and configurable quantization
• Song mode for arranging sequences into complete tracks
• MIDI-triggered recording and pad clearing
• Synchronization via MIDI Clock or Analog Clock (4 ppqn)
• Sample triggering from screen, external MIDI keyboard, or sequencer
• USB Host for MIDI controllers
• DC-coupled audio outputs for CV signals

TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS

• Type: Compact desktop sampling studio
• Display: LCD touchscreen
• Polyphony: 16 voices
• Memory: MicroSD card (included with firmware, 60 presets, and ~900 WAV files)
• Supported Formats: WAV (mono/stereo, 16/24/32-bit, any sample rate)
• Recording Quality: 24-bit/48 kHz
• Audio Inputs: 1× stereo (3.5 mm jack)
• Audio Outputs: 3× stereo (3.5 mm jack)
• Headphone Output: 1× stereo (3.5 mm jack)
• MIDI In: 1× (3.5 mm TRS jack)
• MIDI Out/Thru: 1× (3.5 mm TRS jack)
• Clock In: 1× (3.5 mm TRS jack, 4 ppqn)
• Clock Out: 1× (3.5 mm TRS jack)
• USB: 1× Type B (power), 1× Type A (host for MIDI controllers)
• Power: USB (5V via USB cable or powerbank)
• Dimensions: 266.7 × 76.2 × 177.8 mm (10.5" × 3" × 7")
• Weight: 910 g (2 lbs)
• Housing: Metal, durable construction
• Included: Blackbox, microSD card with firmware and samples, USB cable, USB wall wart with 3 international adapters, 2× MIDI adapters (3.5 mm TRS to 5-pin DIN), Quick Start Guide