Boss RC-500 Loop Station

139

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Effects pedal for electric guitar and electric bass

2-Track looper with integrated mixing and control options
High-end sound quality with 32 bit AD / DA and 32 bit floating point processing
13 Hours of recording time
Multicoloured backlit LCD display for displaying the loop status and the processing parameters
Mono / stereo inputs for easy pedalboard integration as well as independent XLR microphone input with phantom power
Reverse function and loop FX (repeat, scatter, shift and vinyl flick)
16 Different drum kits and 57 preset rhythms with A / B variations
Advanced control via external foot switches, expression pedal or MIDI
99 Phrase memories
Backup and loading of WAV loops via USB
Controls: Memory / Value, Mic Level, Track 1, Track 2
Push buttons: Track 1 Edit, Track 2 Edit, Rhythm Tempo, Rhythm On / Off, Memory Button, Menu, Exit, Enter, Input
96 x 32 dot RGB LC display with backlight
Footswitch: Rec / Play, Stop, Track Select
Operation with 4 AA batteries or 9 V DC mains adapter (not included in delivery - suitable mains adapter: Art.409939)
Dimensions (W x D x H): 170 x 138 x 62 mm
Weight: 405 g

Connections:

Instrument inputs A / Mono & B: 2x 6.3 mm jack
Microphone input: XLR
Outputs A / Mono & B: 2x 6.3 mm jack
Ctl 1.2 / Exp: 6.3 mm stereo jack
Stop / Memory: 6.3 mm stereo jack
Midi In / Out: 2x 3.5 mm stereo jack
USB Micro B Type
Power supply connection: barrel connector 5.5 x 2.1 mm, negative polarity inside

30-Day Money-Back Guarantee

3-Year Thomann Warranty

Available since November 2020

Item number 504139

Sales Unit 1 piece(s)

Effect Types Looper

Recording time in minutes 780 m

USB connector 1

MIDI 1

Stereo 1

XLR Input 1

944 AED 247,90 €

Plus 266 AED shipping

The price in AED is a guideline price only

Since we ship from Germany, additional costs through taxes and customs may be incurred

Sales Rank

in Miscellaneous Guitar Effects

Bundles & offers

Boss RC-500 Loop Station Bundle

1.039 AED

Boss RC-500 Loop Station Bundle

1.299 AED

Loop station de luxe!

In 2001, Boss released its first looper (the RC-20, for those who remember!). The RC-500 operates along similar lines – while adding twenty years' worth of technological advances and experience. In physical terms, the TC-500 features three foot switches, a multi-coloured display, and fully-fledged connectivity, which includes two stereo inputs and outputs, two additional independent inputs, a microphone input with phantom power, and finally MIDI I/O. Up to 99 different loops can be recorded, managed, and controlled via MIDI, adding up to a total possible recording time of 13 hours. The audio data is stored in WAV format and can easily be sent to a computer. In addition, the RC-500 ships with 16 internal drum kits with 57 pre-programmed rhythm loops and A/B variations. Additional functionalities include play/stop, record, overdub, undo, restore functions, and reverse playback – as well as dedicated effects.

A one-stop, one-pedal loop factory

The RC-500’s colour LCD screen displays the status of the main parameters, which can then be easily adjusted. Each track is individually controlled via dedicated buttons and a central encoder, for continuous parameter settings. The three footswitches activate multiple functions and can be supplemented by two optional and individually programmable external switches or expression pedals. Unlike many competing devices, the RC-500 can store loops internally and communicate with a computer via USB. The AD/DA converters operate at 32 bits internally, allowing for the best possible sound quality. The maximum recording time of 13 hours – with a maximum of 1.5 hours per individual file - is also quite remarkable for a simple pedal, and all the more so considering it can be powered by a single battery. Finally, the MIDI signals not only trigger audio files – they can also be used to synchronise the tempo with a DAW.

Layer upon layer

Loopers have been used for improvisation and building musical ideas for decades. All it takes is the initial spark, such as a simple rhythm, a riff saved the night before, or even a full-blown track that is revisited, layer after layer. The RC-500 has more storage capacity than older units, features a dedicated preamp which can be used for both vocals and instruments, operates in stereo, and can be easily integrated into any modern music environment via MIDI. The RC-500 is also ideal for rehearsing at home or refining ideas – whether learning and practicing riffs, working on a solo, or going over the entire set list to prepare for the next gig. Used in combination with a computer and Boss's Tone Studio software, one can even swap exercises, playback tracks, or any other musical ideas with fellow musicians.

About Boss

The Boss brand has been an important part of the Japanese Roland Corporation since the mid-1970s and has caused a sensation from its inception, especially with its compact effect pedals but also multi-effect units and other helpful tools for guitarists. The company's single effect pedals in particular are legendary and can be found in almost every guitarist's home. An incredible 15 million have been sold to date. With its Katana series, the manufacturer now also offers excellent amplifiers at a very interesting price point.

Improvise on stage or practise at home!

The RC-500 is designed for guitarists, singer-songwriters, keyboardists, and multi-instrumentalists of all kinds. Whether on stage, during band practice, or at home, it will always find its purpose. The RC-500’s storage capacity and MIDI compatibility will meet the demands of most professional musicians, whether live or in studio settings. Additional effects processors can be added to the audio chain to further enhance the recorded loops. The loop creation process itself is intuitive and straightforward, thanks a number of features - including two separate audio recording tracks, "undo" and "redo" controls, long sample times, "repeat", "stutter", or even "reverse playback" options - and all of it in stereo, of course. The RC-500 is also great for practising and fostering musical ideas at home. With its pre-programmed rhythms, exceptional looping abilities, comprehensive playback functions, and the added possibility of exchanging files with other musicians via the Boss Tone Studio software, the RC-500 will likely become a treasured musical partner!

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139 Customer ratings

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4.5 / 5

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96 Reviews

MIDI In doesn't sync well

artemusprime 30.09.2021

I don't understand the point of this looper having a MIDI In port. It's meant to keep up with external gear and synchronise with the 'clock in' signal from other sources. In my case, I've tried multiple devices as MIDI clock sources but the Boss RC 500 does not play along as a slave device. The unit mangles the loop I've just made, making it sound unusable. Boss's advice is to disable Tempo Sync feature, which defeats the purpose of having a MIDI In, Clock Sync port. The unit cannot adjust to slight clock variations and therefore constantly time-stretches the recorded loop, making it sound like it's skipping frames, all jumbled up. Also, if Tempo Sync is disabled, the recorded loop plays at random intervals, when the unit feels like it. I can't make any sense of it.
The unit does work as a Master Clock, however, so not all is lost.
I think what Boss needs to do in a software update is to make it ignore the slight BPM changes of an incoming clock, average across time and disable the time-stretching algorithm for decimal point clock variation, or at least make it an option to disable time-stretching without disabling the Tempo Sync.
I've sold my unit after not seeing any significant updates from Boss. Unfortunately the unit did not fulfill my needs. I've moved onto a Pigtronix Infinity looper and it syncs to a clock without issues.

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More than enough

FiveOneFour 20.10.2021

I had tried this out before purchasing and it was everything I was expecting. It has lots of options and an easy user interface. If you're looking for something like this, go ahead and grab one and don't look back.

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elegida por falta de alternativas

stefano scarani 22.02.2024

La cualidad del sonido es decepcionante. Tiene bastante ruido de fondo y una ganancia muy limitata con micrófonos (un poco mejor con una guitarra eléctrica). Los pulsadores/pedales pequeños son una muy mala elección, mucho mejor los grandes de la antigua RC-30. Tuve que comprar unos acesorios que alargan estos pulsadores. Por lo demás funciona como todas las Boss, bien. Pero para tener un audio a 32bit (declarado) y (cosa rara) un sample rate de solo 44.1, la cualidad del sonido es un poco por debajo de lo que esperaba.

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Excellent looper

Tudor Verde 29.10.2024

This pedal is really creative. The workflow really lets you in the creativity space. I use it for postrock ambient loops. You can use the 2 tracks in serial mode (but you need a tempo beat for the both tracks) or in parallel, like I use it (for adding or stopping percussion and bass). I wanted to change it with the bigger one, but having only 2 tracks with good quality sound is enough and even better for keeping the creative flow going. Having more tracks would be more stressful I think.

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Boss RC-500 Loop Station

Effects pedal for electric guitar and electric bass