BOSS Intros RC-505 mkII and RC-600 Loop Station pedals
BOSS has officially announced two new Loop Station pedals, the RC-505mkII and RC-600.
The RC-600 and RC-505mk II are flagship models for the serious loopers out there, and these offer seriously in-depth features.
The five-track RC-505mkII is the follow-up to the company’s acclaimed 2013 tabletop looper. The RC-600 is the do-it-all floor unit, offering six stereo tracks, advanced foot control, and deep dives for players who need to customise their looping experience in detail.
Both feature 32-bit sound, an impressive array of onboard effects, built-in rhythms, a range of connectivity options, external control support, and USB output for computer.
BOSS says that “the RC-505mkII retains everything that made the original so loved and adds a wealth of new features to make the looping experience even more creative and free flowing”.
Each of the RC-505mkII’s five stereo tracks now includes customizable FX and Track buttons, making it easier to color and control loops in the heat of the moment. Users can set up various parameters and trigger them with a press, hold, or double-click. Pressing the Undo/Redo button reveals a secondary layer to double the control options.
Two external control jacks are also available for connecting footswitches or expression pedals, and each has its own dedicated set of parameters. And with the Assign function, users can set up 16 additional targets for hardware control and MIDI operation.
The RC-505mkII also provides a greatly expanded FX palette to process sounds during recording and playback. There are 49 Input FX and 53 Track FX types to choose from—including new vocal harmony effects—and it’s possible to use up to four in each section at once. Groups of four Input FX and Track FX can be stored in four banks for quick recall, and a step sequence function is available in some FX to create dynamic real-time movement.
The RC-505mkII’s expanded connectivity and onboard audio processing allow performers to do more with less external gear. There are two XLR mic inputs and two mono/stereo line input pairs, plus an input mixer with two mic compressors and independent channel EQs. Three stereo output pairs, a headphones output, and an output mixer are also available, complete with assignable routing options and master reverb and compressor effects. In addition, the RC-505mkII’s panel faders have longer throw for more precise adjustments and rigid construction for a more solid feel.
Each of the RC-505mkII’s five stereo tracks now feature customisable FX and Track buttons, for on-the-fly tweaking and control over individual loops. “Users can set up various parameters and trigger them with a press, hold, or double-click,” says Boss. “Pressing the Undo/Redo button reveals a secondary layer to double the control options. Two external control jacks are also available for connecting footswitches or expression pedals, and each has its own dedicated set of parameters. And with the Assign function, users can set up 16 additional targets for hardware control and MIDI operation.”
The RC-505mkII wealth of effects can process your sounds during playback and recording as needed. There’s 49 Input FX and 53 Track FX types to choose from—including new vocal harmony effects—and you can even use up to four in each section at once. “Groups of four Input FX and Track FX can be stored in four banks for quick recall,” Boss explains, “and a step sequence function is available in some FX to create dynamic real-time movement.”
The RC-505mkII improved connectivity now allow it to “do more with less external gear”. There are two XLR mic inputs and two mono/stereo line input pairs, plus input mixer with two mic compressors and independent channel EQs.
Three stereo output pairs, a headphones output, and an output mixer are also available for musicians, complete with assignable routing options and master reverb and compressor effects. There is more, the RC-505mkII panel faders have “longer throw for more precise adjustments and rigid construction for a more solid feel.”
Features:
- 32-bit AD/DA and 32-bit floating-point processing
- Five simultaneous stereo phrase tracks with dedicated controls and independent volume faders
- Input FX and Track FX sections, each with four simultaneous effects and four quick-access banks
- Customizable FX and Track buttons for each phrase track
- Massive onboard effects selection with 49 Input FX types and 53 Track FX types, including new Harmony, Electric FX, and many others
- New ultra-durable faders with longer throw for more precise adjustment
- Newly added Mark Back function provides enhanced undo/redo flexibility while performing
- Two XLR mic inputs with phantom power, two stereo line input pairs, and three stereo line output pairs
- 99 memories, each containing five phrase tracks, custom effects and playback settings, control assignments, and more
- Synchronize your loops with over 200 onboard rhythm patterns and 16 drum kits
- Deep MIDI control support
- Two external control jacks, each with support for up to two footswitches or an expression pedal
- USB for data backup, phrase import/export with BOSS Tone Studio, and pattern import with the RC Rhythm Converter
The floor-based RC-600 Loop Station is the boss of Boss’s floor-based Loop Stations and offers huge potential for guitarists, singer-songwriters and multi-instrumentalists.
Users can capture multiple mics and instruments with the RC-600 six stereo phrase tracks and control them with nine assignable footswitches and three different pedal modes, with further scope for external control support.
The RC-600 display offers a large, circular loop indicator and seven LCD screen variations. There’s a whopping 49 Input FX and 53 Track FX types. “Users can process sounds before and after loop capture to bring colour, variation, and excitement to performances,” says BOSS.
This could well be a one-stop effects unit for some musicians with these Boss guitar effects, a guitar-to-bass sim and vocal FX all onboard. There’s also “DJ-style” effects like Beat Scatter and Vinyl Flick. Up to four Input FX and Track FX can be used at once on the RC-600, and banks of four can be stored in each section to call up as needed.
The RC-600 can be your drummer with over 200 built-in rhythms in styles ranging from pop, rock, latin, jazz, acoustic and electronica. Each rhythm type includes four pattern variations with intros and endings, and automatic fills for transitions between.
“It’s also possible to import SMF rhythms using the BOSS RC Rhythm Converter software,” says Boss. “And with 16 different kits, users can instantly transform grooves with sounds from heavy rock to light percussion and everything in-between.
The RC-600 has the same connectivity and mixing features as the RC-505 MKII to use for recording and practice, as well as onstage or the street.
Features:
- 32-bit AD/DA and 32-bit floating-point processing
- Six simultaneous stereo phrase tracks
- Ultra-flexible onboard control with nine freely assignable footswitches and three pedal modes
- Massive onboard effects selection with 49 Input FX and 53 Track FX types and the ability to use four at once in each section
- Time-based effects can automatically sync to rhythms and loop tempo
- Two XLR mic inputs with phantom power, two stereo line input pairs, and three stereo assignable line output pairs
- 99 memories, each containing six phrase tracks, custom effects and playback settings, control assignments, and more
- Synchronize your loops with over 200 onboard rhythm patterns and 16 drum kits
- Deep MIDI control support
- Streamlined and durable metal body
- Large circular loop status indicator and informative LCD screen with selectable display modes
- Two external control jacks, each with support for up to two footswitches or an expression pedal
- USB for data backup, phrase import/export with BOSS Tone Studio, and pattern import with the RC Rhythm Converter
The BOSS RC-505MKII Loop Station will be available in the U.S. in January 2022 for $599.99.
The BOSS RC-600 Loop Station will be available in the U.S. in December of this year for $599.99.
More info at Boss website.
