The onboard rhythm section is also generous, whether used for initial recording or actual performance, and there’s plenty of room for expansion via the USB connection. The LCD is a simple monochrome affair of 128 x 64 pixels and beneath it are four black encoders that, along with some of the buttons, blend mysteriously into the black background, a design trend only Douglas Adams could have predicted. Dedicated buttons are offered for key functions, such as starting/stopping the entire machine or the rhythm section — a built‑in ‘super metronome’.

The idea is you develop a track until you’re happy, set a Mark Back point, add further overdubs and then toggle between the marked state or overdubbed state. Sonic variations help make loop performances more compelling, and the RC‐505mkII provides a greatly expanded FX palette to color your sounds during recording and playback. Built for free-flowing expression on stage and in the studio, the RC-505mkII is a dream machine for beatboxers, vocalists, multi-instrumentalists, and other fearless looping artists.We can surely forgive original owners a certain amount of anticipatory drooling, but this could also be an opportune moment for others to discover what all the fuss is about. Tucked away in the background is a step sequencer designed to automate a range of effect parameters. If you choose different loop lengths, either by specifying a number of bars in advance, or picking Free (you can choose as you go), your choices won’t necessarily be honoured.

I’m happy to report that the destination track can be much longer than the source(s), incorporating mixing and effect tweaking on the fly.Elevate your performances with five stereo tracks and four simultaneous Input FX and Track FX, and soar even further with customizable buttons, expanded I/O, increased mixing control, and other enhancements requested by long-time RC-505 users.