BOSS RC-505MKII Loop Station – The Industry Standard Tabletop Looper, Updated and Enhanced. Class-leading sound quality. Five simultaneous stereo phrase tracks. Input FX and Track FX sections.

Product Information

MEASURE—Record/play operation starts at the beginning of the next measure. During recording, the length is set in measure units. The RC 505 MK2 is a tabletop looper that you operate with your hands, whereas the RC 600 is a foot-based looper that you operate with your feet. So while the RC 505 is aimed at vocalists and beatboxers, the RC 600 is aimed at guitarists or any instrumentalist who has busy fingers. Both these loopers incorporate real-time time-stretch, that actually works pretty well. We found that for speeding up the recording, this tends to work better than for slowing it down. With the RC 300 you get just 3 hours of total recording time. Not a lot when compared to the 13 hours you get with the RC 600!!

The RC-505 MKII continues the legacy of this excellent loop station, and brings a whole host of new features to the table to surpass the original in every way. Over 200 rhythm typesare built into the RC 600 looper. So if you’re looking to switch up the vibe pretty fast, the RC 600 gives you the freedom you need to do so.

This is a legal agreement between you (an individual or a corporation) and Roland Corporation (herein referred to as "Roland") regarding the usage of this software product (herein referred to as "SOFTWARE"). Please read carefully the terms of this License Agreement before installing or using the SOFTWARE. By installing, copying, or starting the use of the SOFTWARE, you hereby consent to the terms of this License Agreement. The RC 600 runs rings around the 505 MK2 when it comes to sound bankage. With the RC 505 MK2 you get 10 assignable buttons with 2 possible functions. Whereas with the RC 600, you get 9 foot switches, each of which have 3 possible functions. So that makes it a whopping 7 sounds up on the 505 MK2! Looping changed the performance landscape. Explore the differences between tabletop loopers and see how each can help capture your sound. Read more… We regret that we are unable to answer questions regarding the update procedure using this system program. Please perform the update responsibly, following the directions given in this document. Never apply this update data to any product other than the RC-505mkII. This update data may destroy the data or system program of other products.

Roland makes no warranty, either expressed or implied, with respect to any of the software, including, without limitation, any implied warranties of merchantability or fitness for a particular purpose. Two XLR mic inputs with phantom power, two stereo line input pairs, and three stereo line output pairs A total of 16 user Assignments are offered. The sources include the panel buttons, plus pedals or incoming MIDI CCs. Assignments can be a bit daunting to set up (and to remember), but the workflow rewards are worth the effort. Some user configuration is possible for the encoders, too: for instance, you can allocate duties such as memory selection, switching display modes, controlling the rhythm variation and level, and so on. But while the RC 600 does get rid of some inputs, it also adds a lot too. In comparison to the RC 300, you also get an additional XLR mic input, another stereo input & a 2nd sub output. The RC-505 lets you set up customized real-time controls, extending your command of looping and many other operations. With the Version 2.0 update, you can specify up to 16 different functions and access them in a variety of ways—with front-panel controls, an external expression pedal or footswitches, and/or various MIDI CC messages. Many newly added target functions are tailor-made for foot control, perfect for looping musicians who have their hands occupied with a guitar, keyboard, and other instrument. The 16 control assignments are stored with phrase memories, allowing you to create and recall custom setups for different songs and performing situations. Nominal Input Level INPUT MIC (variable): -40 dBu (typ.), -10 dBu (max)Another additional feature of the Boss RC 600 is that it gives you both mic & master compression. All of which makes the sounds you get out of this looper a lot more level and even. Great news if you’re using your looper as part of music production. That’s because the Boss RC 600 isn’t just designed for making music or jamming in your bedroom. Oh no – just like the Boss RC 505 MK2, it’s also geared towards performance. So much so that before even considering this looper, it’s a good idea to see how it fits into a live setting. Reason being that, if you’re considering (or have already bought) an RC 300 – this looper’s predecessor – then you may want to rethink your strategy. Find out how global superstar Ariana Grande uses the BOSS RC-505 in her new Vevo video series and learn about her looping history. Read more… Songwriting With The BOSS RC-505 Loop Station The most noticeable difference between the Boss RC 600 & the RC 300 is the size. Compared to the RC 300, the overall footprint of the RC 600 is tiny. Around two thirds of the size! So if you’re after a portable looper pedal, the 600 is by far your best bet. Please install the extracted system program file into your RC-505mkII according to the following procedure.

The screens on both the 505 MK2 & the 600 are also incredibly similar. In fact, both loopers share the exact same menu structure & navigation. Virtually all the systemwide settings are identical, as are all the audio routing options. With all this additional control and assignability, you may worry that it’d be hard to use, but you couldn’t be more wrong. Due to the size of the RC 500, the display is nowhere near as intuitive as that you’ll find on the RC 600. Not that it’s bad by any means – it isn’t. Only in this case, the RC 600 does it better. For users that like to use Rhythms to support their performances, the RC-505MKII has an all-new Rhythm Section. You’ll find 200 patterns, each with A/B/C/D variations and 16 brand new drum kit sounds covering a wide range of musical genres.In terms of assignable controls, the RC 600 has more than any other Boss looper to date! In other words, it’s one of the most flexible and customisable loopers you can buy! c) If this SOFTWARE contains multiple templates of media (such as floppy disks and CD-ROM) and these media contain the same software, you may use only the one form of media that is appropriate for your computer. You shall not use the remaining form(s) of media on another computer. The 600 also comes with an updated LCD display. Ideal for giving you greater control over your loops, not to mention a far more pleasant user experience than previous models. With the RC 600 you’ll less likely have to buy additional control pedals – it gives you SO many more options! The 9 foot switches each come with 3 banks, so that’s 27 options you have to play with before even thinking of including external pedals. Another small difference between the RC 600 and the RC 300 is that it no longer gives you an AUX input. All of which means that you’ll likely have to spend more money on adapters. Something to bear in mind.

The RC-505MKII is the most sophisticated and advanced hand-operated looper in Boss’ illustrious RC range. This is perfect for advanced loop pedal users, beatboxers, vocalists, multi-instrumentalists or any creative-minded performers. Extended parameters added to previous effects, including dotted and triplet note values for tempo syncing A major niggle we had we the RC 300 was the fact there was no ‘delete all’ button. Something you do get with the RC 600 by holding down the reset/ undo switch. A nice workflow addition if you ask us.Assign functions have been increased from 8 to 16, providing expanded performance control via the front panel, external footswitches, expression pedal, and MIDI Most instrument players want looping as much control channeled to their feet as possible. And this is where the RC 600 excels. Being foot-operated, opposed to a tabletop looper, make it FAR easier for the majority of musicians to use. Good to know if you’re after a looper for performance. Copy (drag and drop) all the files included in the "rc505mk2_sys_v121" folder into the "RC-505MK2" icon.