ALM Squid Salmple (ALM-022) (2019)

Name: ALM Squid
Brand: ALM

You plug in, hit record, twist a knob, and the modular spits out crunchy 1-bit snares like it's 1993 all over again.

Overview

The ALM Squid Salmple (ALM-022) is a sampler with no menu diving. It's hands-on, immediate and lo-fi, and it feels more like a drum machine than a module you patch. ALM Busy Circuits built it in 21hp with eight independent channels of real-time sampling, mangling and playback, and the workflow favors speed and tactile control. It cost $499 when it launched around 2019. That isn't cheap, but it wasn't meant as an entry-level toy either. You sample a noise burst, drop the bit depth to 2, stretch the playback, and send it out with a gritty, aliased edge that sounds ripped from an old Akai S950. That's the vibe it's going for.

It's designed for a live modular setup, where you sample, re-sample and warp sounds on the fly. The interface is physical: buttons, knobs, a screen (though some wish it were bigger), and a front-panel USB slot so you can pull the stick and swap banks. You can record both audio and CV, mangle each channel independently with bit reduction and sample rate shifting, assign cue zones, and let one channel borrow another's sample for layered processing. That last trick is deceptively powerful when building kits. The DACs carry some Elektron Digitakt DNA, but owners report the output is cleaner, less colored and more transparent than its standalone cousin.

The Squid has quirks. It doesn't crossfade or zero-cross when setting loops, so you'll hear clicks and pops if you're not careful. One user called it a "significant design flaw." The clip indicator is apparently useless. It doesn't light until after clipping happens, and the level meter reads hot at just 10% deflection. There's also a learning curve, especially with saving settings. Some users report inconsistent saves for things like channel level and quantize, which can be maddening mid-session. Still, the consensus is that once you're in, you're in. It's fast, fun, and full of the instant "vibe" that makes rave and jungle material snap to life.

Specifications

Manufacturer	ALM Busy Circuits
Module width	21hp
Depth	38mm
Supply	+12V 300mA Max / -12v 35mA
Maximum sample duration	11 seconds
Max sample time per channel	11 seconds
Number of banks	up to 99 banks per USB storage device
Channels per bank	8
Cue zones per channel	up to 32
Audio outputs	4 DC coupled outputs (2 channels per out) and a mix output (ac coupled)
Audio output routing	Channels 1/2 on output 1, 3/4 on output 2, 5/6 on output 3, 7/8 on output 4
Supported sample file format	44.1kHz / 16 bit mono WAV
Recording quality	16 bit 44.1khz mono
Supplied samples	85 banks of samples
Number of channels	8 independent channels
Trigger response time	1-2ms
Record input	1 mono record input handling both CV and audio input signal from line to modular level
Audio output configuration	Mono
Expandability	Can be paired with an AXON-2 expander
Bit depth per channel adjustable from 16 bits to 1	Sample rate per channel adjustable from 44khz to 4

Key Features

Real-Time Sampling & Mangling

The Squid Salmple thrives on immediacy. You hit record on the fly, sample a modular source - a snare, a drone, a burst of noise - and play it back instantly. One reviewer said they couldn't tell the original from the sample in a blind test, so clean fidelity is good. The mangling is where it gets interesting. Each channel lets you adjust bit depth (down to 1-bit), sample rate (as low as 4kHz), playback speed/pitch, amplitude with a simple envelope, loop points, direction, and cue positions. You can set up to 32 cue zones per channel, which makes it a powerhouse for slicing rhythmic material. Most parameters are CV-able, so you can automate or modulate the grit in real time.

USB Workflow & Sample Management

Samples are saved as standard 44.1kHz/16-bit mono WAV files to a USB flash drive in the front-panel slot, so no computer is needed during performance. Here's the catch: the WAV files contain Squid-specific metadata, including panel settings, cue points and loop markers. If you overwrite a bank, you overwrite the original sample and all its settings. Some users have reported cue points disappearing with non-OEM USB sticks, though the PNY 64GB Elite-X Fit USB 3.1 is confirmed to work reliably. For desktop editing, a free open-source tool called SquidManager lets you drag and drop samples, concatenate them, and add cue markers before loading them onto the stick.

Reference Channel & Expandability

The "reference channel" feature is one of the smarter workflow touches. It lets one channel use the audio from another, so the same sample can play across multiple channels with different bit depth, pitch or envelope settings. That's handy for building kits where a single kick gets three variations without eating extra memory. For more hands-on control, the Squid pairs with the AXON-2 expander, which gives you dedicated knobs for each channel. Some users report lag when assigning too many parameters (three or more per knob). The combo turns the Squid into something closer to a standalone groovebox.

CV & Trigger Integration

The Squid has no MIDI, but it fits well into a modular rig. It has a +5V trigger output, a mono record input that handles both audio and CV, and the ability to record and play back CV. That's not quite a Dnipro Krait, but it's useful for capturing LFO sequences or envelope shapes. Channels 6, 7, and 8 have V/Oct pitch inputs, so you can play melodic content chromatically. Trigger response is fast at 1-2ms, so timing stays tight. One user reported a sync issue where the CV output drifted from the input trigger, which could be a firmware or hardware quirk.

Historical Context

The ALM Squid Salmple emerged around 2019, into a Eurorack scene already full of samplers. It was positioned as a tribute to 12-bit samplers like the Akai S950, but with modern expandability and modular integration. At the time, it was compared to units like the BitBox Micro, Assimil8or, 4ms samplers, Squarp Rample, and Sample Drum, all of which lean into lo-fi or modular-centric workflows. Unlike some of its peers, the Squid avoided deep menu diving in favor of physical control, a choice that won it fans who wanted to play, not program. As of May 2025, ALM has confirmed that a "Squid II / Pro" is not on the horizon, which has eased fears of obsolescence among buyers.

Collectibility & Value

As of August 2022, the Squid Salmple was out of stock due to an unavailable IC, and ALM suggested that the only way to get one was through their "Coupe" bundle or the secondhand market. Demand has stayed steady. Buying used comes with caveats. Common issues include power-on failures - some units require multiple power cycles to boot, and a few have reportedly stopped powering on entirely. Quality control has also been spotty. Users have reported screens installed backwards, ribbon cables misrouted from the factory, and sticky or unresponsive buttons. One fix for a reluctant channel button involved rotating the plastic actuator 180 degrees, a workaround that sometimes fails over time. ALM has offered repair services for faulty units, but shipping a module overseas isn't ideal. If you're hunting, check for consistent bank recall (some report loading bank 72 on startup regardless of save state) and test all buttons and outputs. The original $499 price tag now feels like a bargain given the feature set, if you can find one that powers on reliably.