Korg VOLCASAMPLE2 Digital Sampler Portable Beat Machine

The Korg Volca Sample2 is the second generation of Korg's popular sample-based groove machine, retaining the immediacy and fun of the original while addressing its most requested improvements. At its heart is a 16-step sequencer spread across 16 parts, giving you the ability to layer drums, melodic hits, vocal chops, and textural elements into full beat patterns. With 8-voice polyphony, you can trigger multiple samples simultaneously, and the pattern chain feature lets you string up to 16 patterns together for longer compositions without a computer.

The most significant upgrade is doubled sample memory — now 8 MB providing roughly 130 seconds of audio — along with a micro USB port that replaces the original's cumbersome audio-cable transfer method. The dedicated Librarian software for Mac and PC makes loading custom samples and managing patterns straightforward. Sound-shaping tools include a digital reverb for spatial depth and an analog isolator with bass and treble controls for quick tonal adjustments. The unit weighs just 372 grams and runs for approximately 10 hours on six AA batteries, with a built-in speaker for casual monitoring. Whether you're sketching beats on a commute or integrating it into a studio setup via MIDI, the Volca Sample2 delivers a surprisingly capable creative tool at a fraction of the cost of full-size samplers.