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The unreleased Teenage Engineering SP-1 can run a community CircuitPython project that plays four WAV stems from its internal storage, with the front faders controlling their individual volumes. Installing it replaces the unpublished stock firmware, however, and the documented process does not provide a way back. The project is not official Teenage Engineering support; preserve anything important on the device before you start.
What the SP-1 project does
Adafruit describes the SP-1 as a hardware stem player manufactured in a partnership that ended before official release. Units have circulated as-is, without official documentation or support. Its CircuitPython guide, published September 4, 2026, demonstrates playback of four WAV files stored on the device. The four front faders adjust the corresponding track volumes.
This is a specific demo, not evidence that every original SP-1 feature works under CircuitPython. The guide also mentions third-party firmware options, but does not compare or rank them.
What hardware is accessible—and what is not
The board uses an nRF52840 microcontroller. Adafruit’s pinout guide identifies the controls and audio components available on the board:
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- Four faders, track buttons and LEDs, side buttons, and play LEDs.
- A Cirrus CS42L42 audio codec, Texas Instruments TAS2505 speaker amplifier, speaker, and 3.5 mm audio output.
- A Toshiba eMMC storage device with approximately 4 GB of capacity.
CircuitPython can access the eMMC as a block device, and the CircuitPython emmcio documentation lists the SP-1 among supported boards. Using it as a filesystem still depends on the storage being formatted with FAT.
Bluetooth is not a working feature of this project
The board includes a CYBT-353027-02 Bluetooth audio module, but the guide says CircuitPython has no driver or support for it. The possibility of using the module is untested; do not assume Bluetooth audio will work after flashing.
Rank #2
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Understand the firmware and data risks first
According to Adafruit’s guide, installing CircuitPython overwrites the stock firmware image, which has not been published. The documented route therefore does not let you restore the original firmware. Back up important files from eMMC before flashing.
Formatting storage is a separate destructive step: it can erase files on the eMMC. The guide’s formatting script asks you to type the exact confirmation delete. Do not proceed with that confirmation until you have preserved anything you need.
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Install CircuitPython at a high level
You need a known-good USB-C cable that carries both data and power; the guide lists a USB Type-A to Type-C cable. A charge-only cable will not provide the required data connection. Follow the current SP-1 instructions in Adafruit’s guide and obtain the SP-1-specific CircuitPython build and project bundle there.
- Back up files. Copy anything important from the device’s eMMC before changing firmware or formatting storage.
- Enter the bootloader. With the SP-1 unplugged and powered off, hold track buttons 1 and 4, then connect USB-C to the host. The guide says the track 1 LED indicates bootloader entry.
- Flash CircuitPython. Use the guide’s browser flasher, which uses Web Serial, or follow its listed flashing route. The guide reports a bootloader window of about 60 seconds and a flashing time of around 30 seconds; these are its stated timings, not independent measurements.
- Set up the demo files. Use the supplied project bundle, which includes code and libraries. If you intend to use eMMC as a filesystem, account for the FAT filesystem requirement. Formatting may erase existing data; the included script requires the literal confirmation
delete. - Try the four-track demo. The program reads four WAV files from eMMC and maps the four front faders to the tracks’ levels.
Opening the enclosure is optional
You do not need to disassemble the SP-1 to install CircuitPython. Adafruit’s teardown guide, published September 4, 2026 and listed as last edited September 5, 2026, describes an aluminum enclosure with glued components and screws. Opening it risks damaging glued parts, so treat teardown as a separate hardware project rather than a setup step.
Quick Recap
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