XLN Audio RC-20 v2: A Must-Have Plugin Upgrade
XLN Audio RC-20 v2 adds new Echo, Grains, and Codec modules with 32 new reverbs, custom routing, and workflow upgrades. Essential plugin upgrade.
XLN Audio’s RC-20 Retro Color has held a cult status among producers for nearly a decade, and the highly anticipated XLN Audio RC-20 Retro Color v2 picks up exactly where the legendary original left off. Expanding on an already distinctive sound palette, this massive update allows you to add a fresh coat of sonic paint to instruments, individual tracks, samples, and full mixes.
XLN Audio RC-20 Retro Color v2
Our team has been using the original RC-20 for quite some time in our studio sessions, relying on it to inject analog warmth and texture into lifeless digital tracks.
One of its greatest strengths is how incredibly easy it is to use—and v2 perfectly preserves that intuitive workflow. You don't need to spend hours menu-diving; you can dial in character immediately.
Because of this simplicity, it has countless applications in music production, whether you need a subtle touch of vintage flavor or a heavily degraded, lo-fi aesthetic.
What’s New in RC-20 Retro Color v2?
Rather than just focusing on subtle tweaks, v2 provides a broader, more colorful brushstroke with brand-new modules, expanded effects, and major workflow enhancements:
- New Echo Module: A dedicated feedback delay that musically degrades the sound with every pass, adding desirable warbling and distortion.
- New Grains Module: Designed for creating shimmering ambient soundscapes and lush granular textures.
- New Codec Module: A glitch enthusiast's dream that introduces digital "dirt" and poor data compression artifacts, riddled with dropouts and formant shifts.
- Expanded Sonic Content: Features new tape, preamp, and 4-track cassette distortions, 32 brand-new reverb types, ducking effects, drive, "digital sputter," and warp modulations.
- Custom Routing: You can now freely arrange the Wobble, Distort, Digital, Space, and Loss modules to experiment with entirely new effect chains.
- Precision Filtering: The Noise, Wobble, Distortion, and Loss modules now allow you to precisely define the frequencies being processed.
- Workflow Boosts: Includes tempo sync, a crucial loudness match function, module locking, undo history, and much faster preset browsing.
The Verdict
If you already own the original, the upgrade to XLN Audio RC-20 Retro Color v2 is extremely affordable, making it an absolute no-brainer for existing users.
If you don't own the plugin yet, it is well worth checking out. With its massive range of applications, ease of use, and instant sonic gratification, RC-20 v2 remains an essential, inspiring tool for modern music production.
What new features does RC-20 v2 add over the original?
RC-20 v2 introduces three new modules: Echo (feedback delay with musical degradation), Grains (granular ambient textures), and Codec (digital glitch and compression artifacts). It also adds 32 new reverb types, custom module routing, precision filtering, tempo sync, loudness matching, and faster preset browsing.
Is the upgrade from RC-20 v1 to v2 worth it?
Yes. XLN Audio offers an extremely affordable upgrade price for existing users, making it a no-brainer based on the expanded sonic palette, new modules, and workflow enhancements that preserve the original's intuitive design.
What can you use RC-20 v2 for in music production?
RC-20 v2 works across instruments, individual tracks, samples, and full mixes. You can apply subtle vintage warmth or heavy lo-fi degradation, making it versatile for adding analog character, ambience, granular textures, and creative glitch effects.
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