Chompi Club hardware sampler, part of Chase Bliss, is back in stock with an upcoming new Tempo firmware and a hardware update planned for 2026.
The developers were utterly overwhelmed by the success of the Chompi Sampler. No one had expected the sampler to raise more than $1 million on Kickstarter for development. Two years have now passed since this success, and Chompi also received firmware 2.0, which brought numerous engine and workflow improvements.
The news in March that the developers were joining the Chase Bliss team, and that Chomi Club would therefore also become one of their products, came as a bit of a surprise. The fruits of this young partnership are now evident in some news.
In Stock And New Chompi Club Hardware In 2026
The first piece of good news from Chase Bliss is that the Chompi Club is again in stock. After being unavailable for a long time, they have now 1100 units in black and another 200 units in the limited white/translucent Storytime colorway available.
That’s not very many, and there’s a reason for that. Chase Bliss is currently working on a hardware update planned for 2026. So this is the final run of Chompi in this exact form factor.
Chase Bliss isn’t revealing any details yet, but they intend to give it their own identity. I suspect the primary goal here is to optimize the hardware so that it can be produced more efficiently, thereby achieving larger quantities.
The hardware will not be an MK2, but will change slightly (and the price may have to change slightly as well); otherwise, it remains the same CHOMPI. The main difference is that it’s made by the developers at Chase Bliss.
According to them, the inside will be the same, and firmware updates will be compatible with both versions. That’s excellent news.
Alternative Tempo Firmware
In addition to the new 2026 hardware, an alternative firmware will be available soon. This revives the “experience” concept that Tobias and Chelsea, the developers, initially envisioned during development but never fully realized.
CHOMPI Club now becomes a sort of hardware platform with future new alternative firmware versions.
The first free alternative firmware is called TEMPO and is essentially a rhythmic reimagining of CHOMPI Club. TEMPO is the complete opposite of the current fluid, free-form “tape” style composition idea.
It replaces the “tape” looper with a new arpeggio pattern generator, transforming it into a brand-new instrument.
At its core is a new slice mode sampling engine that turns anything into a pattern. You record a sample, and the engine turns it into a playable instrument. These slices can be sequenced and processed in real-time. For this, it comes with a new dual-effects engine.
They also redesigned the sample engines, allowing you to use single-cycle synthesis from any sound source. Thus, CHOMPI also becomes a synth.
TEMPO also introduces a new snapshot feature that allows you to store and recall snapshots of all device settings quickly. It’s a great function for live performances and experimentation. Another notable addition is MIDI clock synchronization with external effects.
First Impression
Surprising news from Chase Bliss and the Chompi developers. I didn’t expect such rapid changes in hardware. I’m curious to see what changes or improvements they’ll make to the 2026 hardware.
The new firmware will undoubtedly transform the device and likely appeal to an even wider audience. The addition of slicing and patterning is a welcome step in a new direction.
And the new effects, likely based on the Chase Bliss code, could make this new engine even more colorful and playful. All in all, great news for Chompi users!
The new TEMPO firmware will be available soon as a free download. Keep an eye on the Chase Bliss website when units go live. There’s no information yet on when that will be.
Update from May 8, 2024
The Superbooth is not just an opportunity to unveil new products. Many developers also use the event to show their products to a real audience or in Europe for the first time. This applies to the Chompi Club Sampler. This was a huge success last year, with over $1 million in Kickstarter support.
At Superbooth 24, you can finally closely examine the final hardware. The developers celebrate this premiere in Europe with a special edition called Treasure Island made in collaboration with the pedal developers of Casse Bliss.
A dreamy CHOMPI dressed in lagoon blue, the panels have a subtle translucence that seem to color-shift like the sea. With gorgeous gold graphics and a white handle, this nautical chomp is ready to set sail on a new adventure…
Chompi Club Treasure Island
The Treasure Island is a limited edition with collaborative Chase Bliss graphics. The hardware is the same, but it is just in different dresses. The package also includes a limited edition sample pack and a Chase Bliss x Chompi sticker.
That’s not all for Superbooth 24. The developers also published a new firmware 1.0.9 made in collaboration with Chase Bliss. It adds a proper FX send and return routing position, configurable default states, and other new user configuration options.
Many of these functions simplify pairing Chompi with external FX, especially the third input monitoring modes: send and return. Position 3 routes the AUX input to the headphone out always, even if a different input is selected.
The Master Out is then used as an FX send, the AUX Input is the return, and the Headphone Out is dedicated as the main output. This avoids feedback loops, etc.
The new Chompi Club firmware 1.0.9 is available now as a free download.
Chompi Club Treasure Island is now in a presale for a limited time for 614.95€. The order window closes at the end of May, and shipping starts in early Summer (June/July 2024). You can visit the developer at booth Z200 at Superbooth 24 next week.
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Update From December 30, 2023
Good news for the end of the year: the Chompi Club sampler is ready and is shipping to the Kickstarter backers. The first ones have already received the units.
Chompo Club will be available in their official shop in January 2024.
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Article From April 1, 2023
Update: Chompi Club is now on Kickstarter, and crazy, it has hit already the $1 million mark on Kickstarter
We need more hardware samplers. Instead of more and more monophonic analog synthesizers, many musicians would be happy about a larger market of live samplers with which you can quickly capture sounds and do sound design on the go. The iPhone or iPad has shown that it is even possible in a mobile device in the form of an app.
With the Wofi, Kiviak Instruments presented a new sampler with granular that will soon be on the market. Another popped up this week. And it’s one from the cute corner.
CHOMPI Club
CHOMPI Club is an upcoming hardware sampler built on the powerful and versatile Daisy platform by Electro-Smith. It’s also open-source, so users can easily extend the engine with new features. According to the developer, it was inspired by childhood devices such as the Casio SK-1. These are known to have a straightforward way of working.
What the developers have created is anything but a replica of the classics. It has a unique design, which is striking because of its cuteness and toyish character. Plus, it has something magical: no classic keys but big buttons, big knobs, and a 2-octave with clacky MX Cherry switches. They alone sounds lovely. Oh yes, there is no screen.
Engine
A newly developed engine runs on the Daisy platform, offering sampling, tape-style looping, and multi-effects. CHOMPI’s sample engine can handle up to 7 voices of polyphony and has an internal recording time of over 6 hours. There are 40 slots for presets. That’s solid.
The sampler engine has various parameters to tweak, including playback speed and direction, fixed start and end points, and AD envelope. Besides this, you have single-knob effects with filters, lo-fi effects, and granular reverb and delay effects. Not sure yet how versatile these effects are.
Then there is also a tape Looper offering sound-on-sound looping with transport controls, scrubbing, playback speed, and direction. The developers put a particular focus on playability, speed, and workflow. With a push on the CHOMPI button, you can sample in the device and edit them on the fly with the other one-knob features.
CHOMPI Club is powered by USB-C, has a built-in microphone (w/ High Gain Pre-Amp), and an SD card slot. Whether there is internal memory is not known. It has a stereo line input and output, headphones, and MIDI support on the connectivity side.
First Impression
At first glance a very exciting instrument. A big yes for more samplers. And if they are so unique in the design, an even bigger yes. From the first demo, I really like the workflow. Very simple and perfect for performances. That the Chompi is open-source is the icing on the cake. In this way, the OS community can develop new engines for it, with which the device can be made even more extensive or transformed into a completely new one. Very tempting.
Chompi Club will arrive on Kickstarter on the 28th of March, 2023, for an early bird pre-order price of $499 (retail $599).
More information here: CC
now, that is friggin cool looking; i don’t care what it does.
Too close for comfort to the Organelle. Two octaves, four knobs. Instead of a screen you get three more buttons and more LEDs. Even pricing is similar.
Meh…trade off, stereo sampling ability vs screen. Organelle is a tad more $. This wigit looks to be a bit more user playable for live situations. The Organelle seems a bit more rugged in design. 1/2 doz., etc.
Cool looking, nice workflow …. but big OOOPs on that price. Well for 200-250 maybe, but 500E … well, I wish them luck.
the goal was 30k they passed it with over 1m so i guess they doing fine.
How is the chompi powered.
Thankyou
600€ ?, please pinch me ! How is it possible to justify such a price…
2k backers thinks the price is justified.
No thanks. Sonicware sampler is cheaper. For that price I’ll just buy sp404 mk2 sampler duh lol
Glad the campaign went well, I really like this thing and would be interested in future products even if it’s out of my current price range
I’d rather buy six Timbre Behrs for the money and turn all the “Growl knobs” to 100%.
Wow, what a success. I dont know of too many Kickstarter campaigns but I can remember that the Koma Field Kit also went very well. I think rather small instruments /music machines go very well. If I had a synth company I would go in that direction. Built something small and something that is very well designed and something that does a little more than simple drone synths, maybe add some of the Soma/Vlad Kreimer and Ciat Lonbarde/Peter Blasser mystique and succes will be yours. And I have to second the first commentator. It really just looks so nice that it does not matter what it does. It is just charming.
The board is $27 Daisy seed from electro-smith. I estimate that other BOM including housing, knobs, keys can be up to $250 when a customer buys each components separately. Design, firmware and assembly could take account for the rest $200. so I think the price CAN be justified by the cost.
of course it is arguable that whether the VALUE justifies that price. I backed the crowdfunding ’cause I could tinker with the software(it seems that the board can be reprogrammed via Arduino IDE) and make my own synth/sampler or even a guitar multieffect with a decent hardware.
This is an overpriced Toy nothing more
Exactly…
A charming coffee table book of a device – ooh what’s that next to your Teenage Engineering collection…you are such a leader in the more money than sense tribe. Style over substance rules! But will it clash with your Elektron “why so serious” gear?
Well, if you already picked up a million why not milk it some more? Congrats to the Chompi team.
I thought the pricing on this was high, now I think it’s just dumb (and getting away with it). New iPads launched recently so maybe?
iPad Pro starts at 1200€ 😉
selling for how much?
People are suckers for marketing. I honestly don’t see any value in this. Maybe for 250 at most, but what is the point at that price? lol
Wherever it’s worth it or not is up to whoever’s buying it really.
Personally, it’s not for me.
However, what I’m more surprised about is that this special Chase Bliss edition doesn’t have any Chase Bliss type effects built in. They make some really good pedals. The fact that this Chompi doesn’t include anything is disappointing.