ALM Squarp Rample (2019–2023)

A four-channel Eurorack sampler that plays back full-length .wav files. No recording, no frills.

Overview

Plug in a microSD card loaded with drum hits, field recordings, or hour-long ambient drones, and the Rample plays them back. It isn't a synth, a looper, or a compositional suite. It's a playback engine built for modular use. It has four independent stereo channels, each with dedicated trigger, CV, and gate inputs, so you can sequence and layer samples with tight control. There's no internal recording and no touchscreen. A small dot-matrix display shows what you need and nothing more. It feels like a tool, not a toy.

Launched in 2019 and developed by ALM (a collaboration between Andrew M. and Squarp Instruments), the Rample arrived when modules like the Erica Synths Sample Drum and ALM's own Squid Salmple were changing how samples lived inside modular systems. Where others leaned into recording or effects, the Rample went the other way, with playback only and plenty of flexibility in how you trigger and modulate. You reach for it when you want a perfectly timed snare, a glitchy vocal snippet, or a cinematic swell without wading through menus or worrying about sample time limits.

There aren't any time limits. You can load a 45-minute ambient piece onto one channel. The only constraints are the microSD card's capacity and your willingness to organize folders named A00 to Z99 - 2600 total kits, each holding up to 12 samples per channel. This isn't a drum machine pretending to be a sampler. It can do drums, but also drones, soundscapes, spoken word, or full backing tracks. It can randomize between four kick samples on a single channel based on velocity. It can sweep pitch across 10 octaves via CV, with a cold, digital precision that is a lot steadier than wobbly analog oscillators.

This isn't a module for beginners. There's no screen to guide you, no undo button, and no visual feedback beyond the minimal display. You navigate kits and samples with button presses and LED blinks. If you're not comfortable with that, look elsewhere. It rewards organization: naming your samples logically, grouping them in folders, knowing what's in A23 versus B07. Once you're set up, it's fast in performance. No loading screens, no stuttering, no buffer issues.

It isn't warm or lo-fi, either. The audio output is clean and digital. Some might say sterile. For grit, run it through a distortion module. For movement, patch an LFO into the pitch CV.

Specifications

Key Features

No Sample Length Limits—None

Most Eurorack samplers cap you at a few seconds or push you into one-shot territory. The Rample imposes no time restriction. Load a full ambient composition, a spoken word poem, or a field recording of a rainstorm onto a single channel and trigger it like any other sample. That suits live performance or installation work where long-form playback is needed. The only bottleneck is your SD card and file management. There's no internal memory and no buffer constraint. It reads directly from the card, so as long as the file is there, it plays.

Per-Channel CV Over 10 Octaves

Each channel accepts a CV input that can sweep pitch from -5V to +5V, which gives a full 10-octave range. Use linear mode for smooth, non-musical sweeps, or switch to V/octave for chromatic tracking. This is where the Rample starts feeling like a synth voice. To play a multisampled kick across a keyboard, assign MIDI notes via CV and the Rample responds like a ROMpler. To drop a sample down three octaves with a simple offset, patch in a negative voltage.

Randomization and Velocity Mapping

The Rample can randomize playback between multiple samples on a single channel. You can load up to 12 variations of a kick, snare, or synth stab and have the module choose which one fires based on incoming velocity, MIDI CC, or random chance. No two hits need sound the same. That helps with drum programming, and for sound design it opens up generative possibilities without external logic modules. It isn't full-on granular synthesis, but it's a workaround that gives the illusion of complexity with minimal patching.

Historical Context

The Rample arrived in 2019, when Eurorack was embracing more complex digital modules but sampling was still a niche pursuit. Most samplers either focused on short looping (like the Make Noise Morphagene) or were tied to specific workflows (like the Mutable Instruments Clouds, which leaned heavily into granular textures). The Rample treated samples like instruments - something to be triggered, tuned, and performed, not processed into oblivion. It shared DNA with the Squid Salmple, another ALM/Squarp collaboration. The Salmple emphasized recording and internal sequencing. The Rample was all about playback fidelity and routing flexibility.

It competed most directly with the Erica Synths Sample Drum, a two-channel sampler with onboard recording and effects. The Sample Drum offered more per-channel features, but it had only two channels and a more menu-heavy interface. The Rample offered four channels, no recording, and a more immediate, performance-oriented workflow. The choice often came down to whether you wanted to record and edit inside the module or import samples and play with maximum routing freedom.

Firmware updates kept the Rample relevant throughout its production run, adding improved MIDI implementation and better folder navigation. It never tried to be everything. When ALM shifted attention to newer platforms like the SQ-1 and Squid, the Rample quietly faded out of production by 2023. It wasn't replaced. It was retired, and it left behind a loyal user base that still swears by its reliability and simplicity.

Collectibility & Value

As of 2026, the Rample trades between $350 and $450 on the used market, depending on condition and whether it includes the original microSD card and documentation. Units sold with a pre-loaded card of high-quality samples, especially drum kits or sound design packs, often fetch closer to the upper end. There are no known hardware revisions, so all units are functionally identical. Firmware version does matter. Anything below v1.5 may lack newer MIDI features, so buyers should verify the version before purchasing.

The most common failure points are mechanical. The microSD card slot can wear out with frequent swapping, and the front-panel buttons, while sturdy, can develop contact issues after years of heavy use. There are no user-serviceable fuses or internal batteries, so failures usually require board-level repair. Otherwise the module holds up well: no overheating issues, no known capacitor plague, and minimal power draw. It isn't prone to crashing, and firmware updates are stable.

When buying, test all four channels for audio output, verify that CV pitch control responds smoothly across the full range, and check that the display updates correctly when changing kits. Make sure the microSD card is recognized and that sample loading works. Some users report issues with cards formatted as exFAT or over 32 GB, so stick to 16-32 GB FAT32 cards for compatibility.

Because it doesn't record, the Rample isn't a standalone solution. It's best paired with a DAW or computer for sample preparation. That limits its appeal to purely modular purists, but for those who already work hybrid, it fits well. It's also a favorite in live rigs where reliability and speed matter more than onboard creativity.

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