The visual sample-explorer that organises thousands of one-shots versus the classic, kit-focused drum sampler.
Written and reviewed by Kasper Nods. Updated June 2026. How PlugPick reviews
PlugPick is reader-supported. We may earn a commission from links on this page, at no extra cost to you. Learn more
samplerXLN Audio
A drum-sample organiser that maps your entire library onto a visual galaxy so similar sounds cluster together, plus a built-in sequencer for building beats. The modern way to wrangle thousands of one-shots.
At a glance
Genres
Artists who use it
samplerNative Instruments
A kit-based drum sampler built for detailed, playable kits: up to 128 layered cells, round robins, layering and per-cell effects, plus a large library of curated, ready-to-go kits across every genre.
At a glance
Genres
XO's signature is its constellation view, a visual map that arranges thousands of drum one-shots by sound so you can audition and build kits fast, even across your own messy sample folders. It ships with thousands of samples, lets you add your own libraries, and is brilliant for producers who hoard samples and want to rediscover and combine them quickly. It is the modern, exploration-first drum tool.
Battery 4 is the established kit-based drum sampler. It puts curated, ready-to-use kits in front of you and offers deep sampler features: up to 128 layered cells, layering, round robins and built-in effects for detailed kit construction. It is less about discovering forgotten samples and more about building and editing polished, playable kits, which makes it a long-time studio workhorse.
The two solve different halves of drum production. XO is the better tool for finding and combining sounds from large personal sample collections through its visual browser.
Battery 4 is the better tool for building and editing detailed kits with layering, round robins and effects. Producers who collect samples lean toward XO; those who want curated kits and deep per-cell editing lean toward Battery 4.
Pick XO if you have large sample collections and want a visual way to explore, audition and build kits fast.
Pick Battery 4 if you want curated, ready-to-play kits and deep per-cell editing with layering and round robins.
XO, by design. Its constellation view visually maps thousands of one-shots by sound, including your own libraries, making it far better for exploring large collections than Battery 4's kit-based browser.
Building and editing detailed drum kits. It offers up to 128 layered cells, round robins, layering and built-in effects, and ships with many curated, ready-to-use kits.
Not necessarily. Choose XO if you want to explore and combine large sample libraries, and Battery 4 if you want curated kits and deep per-cell editing. Some producers use XO to find sounds and a sampler like Battery to arrange them.