Blackbox

SampleStack supported

1010music

A compact sampling studio with touchscreen, 16 pads, and streaming from SD.

The Blackbox is 1010music's standalone take on their sampling engine, the same one that powers the Bitbox Eurorack modules, packed into a compact desktop unit with a touchscreen, 16 pads, a sequencer, and a full set of effects. Each of the 16 pads holds a sample, a clip, or a slice, and you can trigger them by hand, launch them as loops in sync, or drive them from the built-in sequencer or an external MIDI controller.

It suits both live performance and quick studio sketching. Because it streams audio straight from the microSD card instead of loading everything into RAM, it happily plays long loops and large kits, and its unusually relaxed format handling means you can throw almost any WAV at it and have it work. That makes the prep less about strict conversion and more about organizing samples and presets so they stay portable.

Format

Standalone

Sample Rate

48 kHz (any rate accepted)

Bit Depth

16/24/32-bit

Channels

Mono or Stereo

File Formats

WAV

Storage

MicroSD (streaming, exFAT or FAT32, tested up to 512 GB)

Features

16 sample slots per kit
Delay, reverb, granular, filters, LFOs, EQ
1 stereo input, 3 stereo outputs, headphones (all 3.5 mm)
USB-A for MIDI controllers
MIDI in/out (TRS 3.5 mm)
Touchscreen display

Folder Structure

microSD Root/
├── Presets/
│   ├── MyPreset1/
│   │   ├── preset.xml
│   │   └── RC000001.wav
│   └── MyPreset2/
├── Drums/
│   ├── kick.wav
│   └── snare.wav
└── (any custom folder structure)

Notes

Preset .XML files reference samples by path; samples can live anywhere on the card
Recordings auto-saved in the preset's folder as RC000001.wav, etc.
Pack preset command copies all referenced samples into the preset folder
Multi-sample loading: load a folder of drum sounds mapped alphabetically to notes C2+

Preparing samples for the Blackbox

The Blackbox is one of the most forgiving samplers on the format front. It accepts WAV at any common sample rate (44.1, 48, or 96 kHz), 16, 24, or 32-bit, mono or stereo, with 48 kHz giving the cleanest playback. Because it streams from the card rather than loading into memory, card capacity is the real limit rather than any per-preset RAM budget, and the card can be exFAT or FAT32.

Presets are folders containing a preset.xml that references samples by path, so your audio can live anywhere on the card. Recordings are saved into the preset folder as RC000001.wav and counting. The Pack Preset command copies every referenced sample into the preset folder so the whole thing becomes self-contained and easy to share, and multi-sample loading maps a folder of sounds chromatically from C2 upward for quick keygroup-style kits.

SampleStack keeps a master library tidy and drags cleanly organized folders onto the card in the layout the Blackbox expects, converting anything that needs it along the way. For a full walkthrough see loading samples on the 1010music Blackbox, and if you are choosing between units, Bitbox mk2 vs Blackbox compares the two directly.

Frequently Asked Questions

What sample format does the 1010music Blackbox accept?

The Blackbox is one of the most flexible samplers when it comes to format. It accepts WAV at any sample rate (44.1, 48, 96 kHz), 16/24/32-bit depth, mono or stereo. 48 kHz gives the best playback quality.

How does sample storage work on the Blackbox?

The Blackbox streams samples directly from the microSD card rather than loading them into RAM, so card capacity is your only limit (tested up to 512 GB). The card can be exFAT or FAT32, and samples can live in any folder structure. Presets reference them by path.

How many samples can a Blackbox preset hold?

Each preset has 16 sample slots (one per pad). You can load a single sample per slot or use multi-sample loading to map a whole folder of drum sounds chromatically to notes starting at C2.

What's the difference between Blackbox and Bitbox?

Both are 1010music samplers built on the same engine. The Blackbox is a standalone desktop unit with touchscreen, MIDI, USB, and stereo I/O, built for live performance and studio use. The Bitbox mk2 and Micro are Eurorack modules with the same sample engine plus CV and gate inputs for modular integration.

How do I share a Blackbox preset with someone?

Use the 'Pack Preset' command on the device. It copies every referenced sample into the preset's folder, making it self-contained. Zip the folder and send it. Whoever you send it to drops it onto their SD card and the preset loads.