It was hailed as an affordable alternative to buying old, unreliable hardware devices. In 1997, Propellerhead released ReBirth RB-338, a step based, programmable sequencer which emulated classic Roland instruments commonly associated with techno: TB-303 Bass Line Synthesizer and the TR-808 and TR-909 drum machines. ReCycle was launched in conjunction with Steinberg, who marketed it as a companion to Cubase, as it brought a simple way of gaining control over tempo and timing of audio loops.
The export medium was Propellerhead's own REX format. Their first release was ReCycle, a sample loop editor that could change the tempo of a loop without affecting the pitch. Propellerhead Software was founded in 1994 by Ernst Nathorst-Böös, Marcus Zetterquist and Peter Jubel, who still hold prominent positions within the company.
