Although the live looping of music is nothing new, it often requires some audio expertise with the help of footswitches, pedals and some software. However, UK-based startup Sonuus is looking to put loop control at your fingertips with the Loopa.
Being billed as the world’s first looper microphone, the Loopa enables you to build up layers of sound, intuitively controlling the looping and overdubbing on the microphone itself. This way, you’re free to move around while you sing or perform at home, on stage or in the studio.
At the core of the Loopa is a custom looper engine that utilizes 32-bit floating point processing courtesy of an ARM Cortex-M4 MCU, a 24-bit digital-to-analog converter and built-in error-correction Flash memory. This circuit is powered by a single AA battery for up to 10 hours of continuous use. Aside from that, Loopa features a high-quality cardioid condenser microphone, with 130 dB SPL and 100Hz – 16kHz frequency response.
In terms of software, the Loopa’s proprietary algorithms let you overdub your original loop an unlimited number of times, allowing you to add layers of audio with minimal degradation. If you’re having trouble getting that perfect take, there’s a 16-level undo and redo recording history, plus loop level control.
According to its creators, “The Loopa is aimed at everyone who enjoys singing and making music. There is no age or skill limit to having fun with the Loopa. The ages of the people who have tried, tested and enjoyed it so far range from children to seasoned musicians, with skill levels ranging from inexperienced enthusiasts to professionals, and musical tastes covering everything from beat boxing, hip hop, acapella, pop, folk and musicals.”
Whether you’re a pro beatboxer, a hip-hop artist, the next American Idol or simply a fan of music, hurry over to the Loopa’s Kickstarter campaign. Sonuus is currently seeking $52,024 and hopes to being shipping units come July.