Boss RC-505 Loop Station

The Boss RC-505 Loop Station is designed from the ground up with the vocalist in mind. The Boss RC Loopstations have been really popular with beatboxers and singers but they wanted to control it with their hands not their feet.

Infinitely inspiring, the RC-505 Loop Station has become an essential performance instrument for beatboxers, singers, and club performers around the world. Filled with new features requested by top users, the Version 2.0 update brings even more creative power to the flagship tabletop looper. Simultaneous effects can now be used in the Input FX and Track FX sections, and a number of new effects types are included. Many refinements to the loop functionality offer a multitude of ways to enhance and improve live performances. The control target functions have been greatly expanded as well, providing a wealth of external control options for musicians who loop with guitars, keyboards, and other instruments.  

Here's what Boss say about the RC-505

Although floor-based Boss Loop Stations are perfect for street performing or on stage, not everyone wants to use their feet to keep the show rolling. The Boss RC-505 is a table-top Loop Station that fits right into a busy DJ booth or club environment, making it ideal for beatboxers, singers, and club performers.

Just plug in a mic, instrument, smart phone or any other audio source and get started on the five stereo phrase tracks with up to three hours sampling time. Everything you need to control your performance is at your fingertips, with dedicated buttons on each track and powerful effects for a wide range of dynamic, real-time processing options.

The RC-505 also supports computer integration via USB and operation with external pedals and MIDI, opening a world of advanced looping possibilities for all types of musicians.

• Tabletop Loop Station that can be operated with the hands, perfect for beatboxers, vocalists, and club performers
• Five simultaneous stereo phrase tracks, with dedicated controls and independent volume faders
• Wide range of Input FX and Track FX for processing loops, including DJ and sampler-style effects
• Independent play mode and tempo sync settings enable a flexible combination of track behaviours and advanced performance options
• 99 phrase memories, each containing five phrase tracks, custom effects/playback settings, and more
• 85 onboard rhythm patterns, including odd-measure beats
• External control via MIDI and optional footswitches or expression pedal
• USB for phrase import/export with computers; USB audio/MIDI functionality for integration with DAW software
• XLR mic input with phantom power, mono/stereo instrument inputs, and stereo AUX input

Five stereo tracks with everything at your fingertips

Power without control is pointless. The RC-505 can play back five stereo tracks at once, making your performance easier to plan, build and control. You have everything you need at your fingertips: each of the five tracks has its own buttons to record, overdub, play and stop, giving complete control of your performance - no need to worry about pressing the wrong pedal with your foot. Each track has its own volume fader for fast adjustment, while the rhythm part can be sent via the headphones, giving a dedicated click track for monitoring and helping keep you in time. Each track also has its own playback mode (multi, single, one-shot, reverse, etc.) and tempo sync settings, providing even more flexibility once the performance has begun.

Powerful FX onboard

An effective performance Looper should be built around effects, so you can easily add colour to your sound during the gig. The RC-505 includes a wide variety of effects, split into two main types; Input FX and Track FX. Input FX such as ROBOT and VOCODER add unique textures when recording loops; Track FX, including VINYL FLICK and BEAT REPEAT provide dynamic DJ and sampler effects for real-time processing of phrase playback. Six dedicated buttons-three for Input FX and three for Track FX-can be loaded with your favourite effects, giving you one-touch on/off access while looping. In addition, effects parameters (filter cutoff, effect depth, etc.) can be tweaked in real time with the INPUT FX and TRACK FX knobs. Global compressor and reverb effects are also available for processing the overall sound output.

Four simultaneous audio inputs plus USB

The RC-505 has four inputs, so you can capture and mix a variety of different audio sources as you build your loops. There's an XLR microphone jack with phantom power, mono/stereo 1/4-inch inputs for guitars, synths, or other instruments, and an AUX mini-jack for connecting a music player or smart phone. Via USB, you can plug into your computer and import/export WAV audio phrases, for loop archiving or loading up RC-505 phrases with backing tracks or sounds for sampler-style triggering. You can also use optional foot switches to control the RC-505; one BOSS FS-6 or two FS-5Us; or a Roland EV-5 expression pedal can be connected via the rear-panel jack.

If you're working in the studio, the RC-505 offers extensive MIDI control options and you can also import WAV audio phrases via USB. This opens up a wealth of creative opportunities, especially with up to three hours of stereo recording on a single track. The RC-505's USB port also provides USB-Audio and USB-MIDI connections - ideal for connecting your favourite computer-based DAW software, syncing with other MIDI gear or backing up your recordings.

Customised looping: just how you like it

The RC-505 can be moulded to suit your performing style, rather than the other way round. The real-time controls can be customised to suit the way you like to loop. You can specify up to eight different functions and operate them in a variety of ways-with front-panel controls, an external expression pedal or foot switches, and/or various MIDI Control Change messages-extending your command of looping and many other operations. The eight control assignments are handily stored with phrase memories, allowing you to create and recall custom setups for different songs and performing situations.

Phrase Memories and Rhythms

When you power up your gear for a gig, you need to be sure that everything sounds just how you left it during rehearsal. This is where phrase memory comes in. The RC-505 has 99 phrase memories that provide onboard storage for phrase track data, and their various playback and effects settings. A combination of frequently used settings can be saved as a User Set, which you can easily load to quickly reconfigure any phrase memory, even in the heat of performing. Also included are 85 different onboard rhythms forming backings for loop recording, with a large selection of odd-measure beats for more advanced looping adventures.