Boss released the RC-505 Loop Station about ten years ago. It was a new take on looping, with five stereo tracks, effects, plenty of memory, and reliable MIDI synchronization that could allow for, at the time, pretty excellent creative opportunities for live performers. Its large buttons and tabletop format differed from other looping pedals with small metal buttons and were designed only for guitarists. As such, it quickly becomes one of the go-to loopers for s street performers and other types of live performance mediums.
Boss updated it a few years ago by increasing the memory and adding more effects and remote control abilities. A lot of people were pleased with these changes, but many others deemed it as being too little too late.
Enter the BOXX RC-505 MK2…
The BOSS RC-505 Mk2 loop station has been upgraded with new features to improve performance and creativity, making it a powerful house player in the world of loo-based live performance. Whether you play multiple instruments, sing, beatbox, or perform any other loop type, the BOSS RC-505 Mk2 will help you create extraordinary live and on-the-fly sounds.
UNBOXING THE BOSS RC-505 MkII
I was excited to unbox the RC-505 MkII and noticed that it was bigger than its predecessor, taking up a lot of desk space (420 x 234mm). Although it weighs slightly less than you expect, that is not necessarily bad. I think we too often fall into the trap of thinking heavy hardware means that it is durable, and that’s not always the case. The weight is one of the first things that caught my attention, as it made me recognize its potential for ease of travel for actively gigging musicians and performers on the go.
What caught my attention were the sliders and faders on the Boss RC-505, which were almost twice the length of the model’s previous iterations. The added size on these sliders and faders allows for responsive and significant mixing without sacrificing precision. This is fortunate because the model can also bounce down tracks and consolidate effects. This capability was likely very high on many users’ lists of desired features when submitting gripes about the original model’s design. These improvements mean the developer team heard the communities loud and clear; it warms my heart to see them answer in spades.
Overall, the RC-505MKII, while looking somewhat similar to the RC-505 model released a few years back, features significant upgrades. The device, with its black plastic casing and red and green accents, is designed to control tracks and effects easily. The top of the unit has been changed to include a larger display and four effect knobs instead of three for input and track effects. The level sliders are considerably more substantial on the RC-505MKII compared to its older brother and look more premium from the images released.
Not a bad first impression, wouldn’t you say?
KEY FEATURES OF THE BOSS RC-505 MkII
MEMORY SLOTS
The RC-505MKII has 99 memory slots for loops and settings, hours of recording per track, and 13 hours of total recording capacity. This is a whole lot of recording and saving functionality for whatever you are looking to print. Its 49 input and 53 track effects make it perfect for any use but ideal for recording live performances and bringing them into the studio later.
Drum machine
The loop station also has over two hundred different rhythm patterns and 16 drum kits that can be used as reference guides or backing tracks.
This is one of the best features of the RC-505MKII. Each rhythm pattern has a handful of different variations, and you can choose from one of sixteen drum kits for each pattern, which means that the sound of the drum machine can be strongly adapted to your own needs depending on the performance you are trying to give. Another great feature is that you can transfer self-generated rhythm patterns to the device via a USB connection from your PC or Mac.
This is one of the shining features this unit offers and sold me on the unit once I got into the flow of using it.
AMAZING ONBOARD EFFECTS
The RC-505 Mk2 comprises a range of built-in effects that let you easily modify your sound as you’re performing. Use the input effects to create unique sonic textures while recording, or employ track effects for real-time processing while your loops are playing back. The RC-505 Mk2 also provides global compression and master reverb effects for overall processing, which allows you to get a tight, punchy sound on the fly with little time spent dialing in settings. It’s incredibly convenient and sounds good without much fuss.
IS THE BOSS RC-505 MkII RIGHT FOR ME?
I’ve always thought looper units were a bit of a niche-market toy best saved for street performers and Avante-guard stage musicians. And to be honest, I held this impression for the first few hours of playing around with the Boxx RC-505. But it wasn’t until I started to get comfortable with this device that I started to see just how creatively powerful this device really could be. So to answer the question, I firmly believe that the BOSS RC-505 deserves, and has earned, its space on my studio desk and in my immediate workflow.
But that may not necessarily mean that it would fit into your workflow. So let’s unpack that a bit further.
If you are a performer looking for a new loop device, I honestly can say this thing is one of the best on the market. The number of drum loops, effects, and other functionality means you have complete control over the circles and audio you are working with, along with next-level creativity in manipulating that audio on the fly. I’ve never encountered something this powerful, and I can highly recommend it.
SPECS ON THE BOSS RC-505 MkII
Type: Loop Station
Screen: 2.9″ Graphic LCD
Sounds: 16 x Drum Kits
Presets: 200 x Rhythm Patterns
Looper: 5 x Stereo Tracks, 99 x Phrase Memories
Effects: 49 x Input FX, 53 x Track FX, 2 x Master FX
Analog Inputs: 2 x XLR (balanced, phantom power), 4 x 1/4″ (stereo instrument: L/mono, R)
Analog Outputs: 2 x 1/4″ (L/mono, R), 4 x 1/4″ (sub out 1/2: L/mono, R)
Headphones: 1 x 1/4″
MIDI I/O: In/Out/USB
USB: 1 x Type B
Pedal Inputs: 1 x 1/4″ TRS (control 1, 2/expression 1), 1 x 1/4″ TRS (control 3, 4/expression 2)
Power Source: AC adapter (included)
Height: 2.63″
Width: 16.53″
Depth: 9.21″
Weight: 4 lbs.
Will Vance is a professional music producer who has been involved in the industry for the better part of a decade and has been the managing editor at Magnetic Magazine since mid-2022. In that time period, he has published thousands of articles on music production, industry think pieces and educational articles about the music industry. Over the last decade as a professional music producer, Will Vance has also ran multiple successful and highly respected record labels in the industry, including Where The Heart Is Records as well as having launched a new label with a focus on community through Magnetic Magazine. When not running these labels or producing his own music, Vance is likely writing for other top industry sites like Waves or the Hyperbits Masterclass or working on his upcoming book on mindfulness in music production. On the rare chance he's not thinking about music production, he's probably running a game of Dungeons and Dragons with his friends which he has been the dungeon master for for many years.
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