Just curious as i haven’t touched the 404 for a hot minute. Is there finally a way to specify the number of Bars your want to record a sample in?
I was just using the Looper on the MPC One today and it was really nice specifying 4 Bars as the length of my audio captures.
Do we have this setting yet on 404 mk2?
Thanks.
I sample the DN often with no problems, the A4 and DT may run hotter? Not much help but maybe look at the gain settings on the 404.
I’m pretty sure the closest thing to looping is the end snap feature. It’s not terrible once you get the timing down!
Yeah. Familiar with it. Was hoping for a Bar # capture feature though.
Thanks.
I really wish they have the bar/measure sample length lock and warp feature. Will make it so much easier to lock loops. Seems like a no brainer feature for this device.
This! Roland if you are out there somewhere please grant our wish!
i also found the line ins really hot, and was clipping when i first started, there is a global setting in there under the Gain tab, “Attenuator”: When this is ON, the gain of the audio input from the LINE IN jacks is lowered. Turn the Attenuator on when the LINE IN input seems to be distorting.
this fixed everything for me, hope it helps
The 404 Mk2 saturates/compresses the line-in audio if it’s coming in too loud, which makes finding the most transparent spot a bit tricky.
I thought I could just send in a 0dB test tone to find where it breaks up but that doesn’t work with how it effectively compresses. I had my output from the interface maxed out at +20dB because I didn’t realise this, though I thought it was weird at the time. Then when I went to sample a song it sounded really messed up.
Because it’s a little hard to hear exactly when the threshold is exceeded I used Reaper’s LUFS meter and just looked at the LRA (loudness range) number on the output from the 404 as I lowered the output gain from the interface, and it seems like around -10dB was good for avoiding the squashing.
I’m in the same situation at the moment… I’ve been getting into using the looper on my MPC and using it mainly standalone… but I’ve then brought my SP404 into my home setup.
I feel like the MPC is capable of everything the 404 is apart from the fx implementation (which I love), but there’s something way more immediate with the workflow of the 404. Apart from that live rec/looping option.
So, I don’t have an answer (sorry), but I am thinking the same thing… being able to get that MPC style looper in the 404 would hugely improve it.
I get that it’s a lot to ask at the 404’s price point… so is the Roland thinking that we should be doing that on an RC505 or an MC707??
I’ll share my current setup with you as I’m using an A4mk2 too.
The key for me in my setup is the mixer. I think once you have a few different sources, a mixer makes sense.
I have my Rev2 hitting the Ext Ins of my A4, into one channel of the mixer. The Roland JDXA is a midi controller for them both and also has its own audio going into another channel of the mixer. Then I have a Line 6 HX for playing bass and guitar in.
I have (stereo) aux send 1 on the mixer feeding the SP404mk2, and then it comes into its own channel on the mixer.
This gives me the capability to record/resample anything I want (even the 404 back to itself through the Xone 96’s EQ/filter), and, allows good control of gain staging.
As the mixers six send is pre-fader, it’s really easy to drop a channels fader and hit Ext Source on the 404 and monitor through that (and match the sound/level).
TLDR- I’d recommend using a mixer for the gain staging… but I also ‘normalise’ a lot and adjust sample pad volumes a lot (as you say, the 404 samples tend to default to LOUDer.)
No worries about feedback?
Nope… I just knock Ext Source off.
So you sample from the sends to the SP then disable Ext Src and play that sample back through the mixer?
Yep, but it’s rare tbh, if I’m doing that it’s usually easier to record/resample internally… but sometimes I want the Xone 96’s EQ or Filter (the filter section has a nice drive/saturation circuit).
I got the 404 mk2 a few months ago and finally started to make some tracks on it. I used the 303 and 404 a lot and it took a bit to adjust to the new workflow. Mostly it’s been a great journey and i especially like the skip back function, i use it all the time.
But what i really don’t get is how often i have to hit the freaking exit button. It kills the fast workflow a bit for me. I can’t find the reason why some functions aren’t possible in certain menus. Makes no sense to me. I know this has been discussed before but i just wanted to write the anger off my chest. 
Other than that and a few minor gripes i’m really happy with the new version. There are quite a few functions that we old SP-heads only dreamt about when we busted our asses on the OG. Some of the OG spirit is gone because it’s gotten a bit more complicated but i feel like Roland did a pretty good job.
Whenever I get frustrated with the MKII I fire up the SX to remind myself how lucky I am!
Shift+exit = 4x exit 
So that means hitting this button combo saves me the next 4 times i’m stuck in a menu?
It’s an investment in your future
I see you on SP forum, look dead?
