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songboy « Fun for solo instrument loops and ideas »
Published on 12/06/11 at 12:04The RC-20XL is a looping effect system. It only offers the capability of looping phrases/samples, no other effects are on board. This unit cannot be edited through a computer. It uses digital flash memory technology to store your samples and loops. The RC-20XL has 1/4" inputs and output for audio and pedal controls. It also offers an 1/8" input for audio as well. It is not rackable in any traditional sense.
UTILIZATION
Everything is accessible from the front face. There are several knobs for adjusting volume input/outpt and loop selection. Switching through loops is much easier live when using a separate foot switch (such as the FX-6). You also have all the options of what happens at the start and the end of your loops which can be edited using multi function buttons. Normally that is a pain but they made it a little easier by adding bright light indicators indicating what selection you are making. The manual is clear (which can't be said for most Roland manuals) and extremely helpful, especially if you want to learn how to use all the functions including auto fade, reverse and such.
SOUND QUALITY
I use this mainly with my acoustic guitar for solo singer songwriter sets. I also sometimes use it in my main electronic rig to loop noise samples on the fly. It is almost impossible to perfectly sync up with a steady beat like Ableton generates, so I use it on the noise samples as they don't require perfect sync to do whats intended. I feel like the sound is in fact colored a little as the mids and lows get a little muddy and the lowend gets a little cut. It works for live purposes for me as my solo acoustic sets are not played in large upscale venues. But I don't think I would bring it to a big gig, if I ever have one
OVERALL OPINION
What I like most about this unit is how quickly and easily I can start looping with it. All my other looping gear requires a lot of units turned on including a computer. With this little guy, I just plug in my guitar in one end, the amp in the other and I'm good to go. What I don't like is the fact that the sound quality does suffer. I also wish this thing had Midi sync. Despite the sound quality issue, I would use it a lot more if I could sync it with ableton. I also had the RC-50 for awhile but it suffered from a host of bugs and other issues that eventually caused me to sell it. I would buy this again seeing as I got it for 1/2 of what they sell for.
UTILIZATION
Everything is accessible from the front face. There are several knobs for adjusting volume input/outpt and loop selection. Switching through loops is much easier live when using a separate foot switch (such as the FX-6). You also have all the options of what happens at the start and the end of your loops which can be edited using multi function buttons. Normally that is a pain but they made it a little easier by adding bright light indicators indicating what selection you are making. The manual is clear (which can't be said for most Roland manuals) and extremely helpful, especially if you want to learn how to use all the functions including auto fade, reverse and such.
SOUND QUALITY
I use this mainly with my acoustic guitar for solo singer songwriter sets. I also sometimes use it in my main electronic rig to loop noise samples on the fly. It is almost impossible to perfectly sync up with a steady beat like Ableton generates, so I use it on the noise samples as they don't require perfect sync to do whats intended. I feel like the sound is in fact colored a little as the mids and lows get a little muddy and the lowend gets a little cut. It works for live purposes for me as my solo acoustic sets are not played in large upscale venues. But I don't think I would bring it to a big gig, if I ever have one
OVERALL OPINION
What I like most about this unit is how quickly and easily I can start looping with it. All my other looping gear requires a lot of units turned on including a computer. With this little guy, I just plug in my guitar in one end, the amp in the other and I'm good to go. What I don't like is the fact that the sound quality does suffer. I also wish this thing had Midi sync. Despite the sound quality issue, I would use it a lot more if I could sync it with ableton. I also had the RC-50 for awhile but it suffered from a host of bugs and other issues that eventually caused me to sell it. I would buy this again seeing as I got it for 1/2 of what they sell for.