Boss Loopers: RC5 with switch or RC500?

Gear Aquisition Syndrome is a serious disorder.... FX etc

Moderators: Slowy, Capt. Black

Post Reply
User avatar
StratMatt
Vintage Post Junkie
Vintage Post Junkie
Posts: 5242
meble-kuchenne.warszawa.pl
Joined: Sat Jan 25, 2014 7:41 pm
Has liked: 557 times
Been liked: 621 times

Boss Loopers: RC5 with switch or RC500?

Post by StratMatt »

Does anyone have any experience with either of these Loopers?

Mainly want to use as a practise and songwriting tool, and I enjoy making weird noises with the Echosystem and looping on the looper that is on that, but it's a bit confusing.

I've got an FS7 I can put to use. Am I just as well to go for the RC5 and use that or spend not that much more for the 500?

Any others to consider? Anyone selling one?
Loving it so far

User avatar
Conway
Vintage Post Junkie
Vintage Post Junkie
Posts: 9837
Joined: Mon Aug 29, 2011 1:33 pm
Location: Auckland
Has liked: 242 times
Been liked: 966 times

Re: Boss Loopers: RC5 with switch or RC500?

Post by Conway »

I have an RC-500 on each of my pedalboards. Excellent bit of kit, does absolutely everything. If you want another option, especially if you want built in drum tracks, the RC-10R is great. FS7 is very useful addition to any of these loopers without having to go to midi. (I have an FS7 on 1 board and midi on the other).
GUITARS ROCK - www.guitarsrock.co.nz
TONE LOUNGE - www.tonelounge.co.nz

User avatar
robthemac
Vintage Post Junkie
Vintage Post Junkie
Posts: 8518
Joined: Sun Apr 28, 2019 3:47 pm
Has liked: 1102 times
Been liked: 1419 times

Re: Boss Loopers: RC5 with switch or RC500?

Post by robthemac »

The RC-30 is still a great bit of kit for the basics. Takes up a bit of real-estate, but does everything you want, sounds fine and there's hundreds on TradeMe.
Jops wrote: Sun Sep 18, 2022 7:46 am Spring is the comic sans of reverbs anyway.

User avatar
jeremyb
Chorus of Organs
Posts: 40878
Joined: Sat Dec 06, 2008 9:03 am
Has liked: 7685 times
Been liked: 4157 times

Re: Boss Loopers: RC5 with switch or RC500?

Post by jeremyb »

Have you done any looping before? If not maybe just a simple ditto might be sufficient, I’ve got the new plus version coming, does all sorts of cool stuff and is super simple to use… sometimes less is more ;)
Slowy wrote: That's the problem; everything rewarding is just such hard work. Regret takes much less effort.

User avatar
Zaulkin
Vintage Post Junkie
Vintage Post Junkie
Posts: 5425
Joined: Thu Nov 27, 2008 4:01 pm
Has liked: 737 times
Been liked: 511 times

Re: Boss Loopers: RC5 with switch or RC500?

Post by Zaulkin »

What about the looper on your AX8?

slash-ed
Resident Gear Whore
Posts: 10032
Joined: Fri Jun 10, 2005 12:26 pm
Has liked: 97 times
Been liked: 424 times

Re: Boss Loopers: RC5 with switch or RC500?

Post by slash-ed »

StratMatt wrote: Sun Jul 04, 2021 11:10 am Does anyone have any experience with either of these Loopers?

Mainly want to use as a practise and songwriting tool, and I enjoy making weird noises with the Echosystem and looping on the looper that is on that, but it's a bit confusing.

I've got an FS7 I can put to use. Am I just as well to go for the RC5 and use that or spend not that much more for the 500?

Any others to consider? Anyone selling one?
If you don't need:

- Two tracks
- Mic input
- Loop effects

Then you probably will be fine with RC-5. It'll be great for songwriting and practice, the drum grooves are the same quality as the 500 (i.e. WAY better than previous generation RC-30 "drums"), and the sound quality, screen, memory, everything else is pretty much equal. An additional footswitch will give you a lot of expanded functionality or you can even MIDI it up to control almost everything you could imagine, and get a LOT of bang for your looping buck in a tiny enclosure.
Just a small town girl living in a lonely world

User avatar
robthemac
Vintage Post Junkie
Vintage Post Junkie
Posts: 8518
Joined: Sun Apr 28, 2019 3:47 pm
Has liked: 1102 times
Been liked: 1419 times

Re: Boss Loopers: RC5 with switch or RC500?

Post by robthemac »

slash-ed wrote: Sun Jul 04, 2021 12:48 pm
StratMatt wrote: Sun Jul 04, 2021 11:10 am Does anyone have any experience with either of these Loopers?

Mainly want to use as a practise and songwriting tool, and I enjoy making weird noises with the Echosystem and looping on the looper that is on that, but it's a bit confusing.

I've got an FS7 I can put to use. Am I just as well to go for the RC5 and use that or spend not that much more for the 500?

Any others to consider? Anyone selling one?
If you don't need:

- Two tracks
- Mic input
- Loop effects

Then you probably will be fine with RC-5. It'll be great for songwriting and practice, the drum grooves are the same quality as the 500 (i.e. WAY better than previous generation RC-30 "drums"), and the sound quality, screen, memory, everything else is pretty much equal. An additional footswitch will give you a lot of expanded functionality or you can even MIDI it up to control almost everything you could imagine, and get a LOT of bang for your looping buck in a tiny enclosure.
Yeah the drums on the RC-30 are absolute dogshit....
Jops wrote: Sun Sep 18, 2022 7:46 am Spring is the comic sans of reverbs anyway.

User avatar
Conway
Vintage Post Junkie
Vintage Post Junkie
Posts: 9837
Joined: Mon Aug 29, 2011 1:33 pm
Location: Auckland
Has liked: 242 times
Been liked: 966 times

Re: Boss Loopers: RC5 with switch or RC500?

Post by Conway »

Having 2 tracks on the RC500 you can do either in series or parallel. Series is great for having separate verse & chorus loops.
GUITARS ROCK - www.guitarsrock.co.nz
TONE LOUNGE - www.tonelounge.co.nz

User avatar
StratMatt
Vintage Post Junkie
Vintage Post Junkie
Posts: 5242
Joined: Sat Jan 25, 2014 7:41 pm
Has liked: 557 times
Been liked: 621 times

Re: Boss Loopers: RC5 with switch or RC500?

Post by StratMatt »

Thanks for the replies gents. Reckon the 5 will likely be plenty, I'm not much of a singer so I won't be doing any solo Ed Sheeran gigs anytime soon.

I've owned the Rc30 and the Jam Man stereo before, preferred the Boss tbh. The AX8 looper does the trick too but I just want a small board with a drive, Iridium and a looper pretty much.
Loving it so far

User avatar
sizzlingbadger
Vintage Post Junkie
Vintage Post Junkie
Posts: 8241
Joined: Sat Jan 15, 2011 7:12 am
Location: Wire Wrapper
Has liked: 1200 times
Been liked: 1398 times

Re: Boss Loopers: RC5 with switch or RC500?

Post by sizzlingbadger »

RC10R - check it out first....
Tube amp and guitar tones straight from 1958… amazing how believable the sounds were back then, even without the modellers...

User avatar
StratMatt
Vintage Post Junkie
Vintage Post Junkie
Posts: 5242
Joined: Sat Jan 25, 2014 7:41 pm
Has liked: 557 times
Been liked: 621 times

Re: Boss Loopers: RC5 with switch or RC500?

Post by StratMatt »

sizzlingbadger wrote: Sun Jul 04, 2021 5:46 pm RC10R - check it out first....
Have you got one? I'd read some less than positive reviews on it, something to do with not being able to turn off the drums or something? Didn't look into it much further tbh, will have another look.
Loving it so far

User avatar
Conway
Vintage Post Junkie
Vintage Post Junkie
Posts: 9837
Joined: Mon Aug 29, 2011 1:33 pm
Location: Auckland
Has liked: 242 times
Been liked: 966 times

Re: Boss Loopers: RC5 with switch or RC500?

Post by Conway »

StratMatt wrote: Sun Jul 04, 2021 6:17 pm
sizzlingbadger wrote: Sun Jul 04, 2021 5:46 pm RC10R - check it out first....
Have you got one? I'd read some less than positive reviews on it, something to do with not being able to turn off the drums or something? Didn't look into it much further tbh, will have another look.
I think that says more about the user leaving the review than the product…. Of course you can turn off the drums.
GUITARS ROCK - www.guitarsrock.co.nz
TONE LOUNGE - www.tonelounge.co.nz

User avatar
sizzlingbadger
Vintage Post Junkie
Vintage Post Junkie
Posts: 8241
Joined: Sat Jan 15, 2011 7:12 am
Location: Wire Wrapper
Has liked: 1200 times
Been liked: 1398 times

Re: Boss Loopers: RC5 with switch or RC500?

Post by sizzlingbadger »

StratMatt wrote: Sun Jul 04, 2021 6:17 pm
sizzlingbadger wrote: Sun Jul 04, 2021 5:46 pm RC10R - check it out first....
Have you got one? I'd read some less than positive reviews on it, something to do with not being able to turn off the drums or something? Didn't look into it much further tbh, will have another look.
I have one, its excellent, there were a couple of bugs in early firmware versions but I have had no issues. You can update the firmware yourself if you find a 2nd-hand one that hasn't been sorted.


Tube amp and guitar tones straight from 1958… amazing how believable the sounds were back then, even without the modellers...

User avatar
StratMatt
Vintage Post Junkie
Vintage Post Junkie
Posts: 5242
Joined: Sat Jan 25, 2014 7:41 pm
Has liked: 557 times
Been liked: 621 times

Re: Boss Loopers: RC5 with switch or RC500?

Post by StratMatt »

sizzlingbadger wrote: Sun Jul 04, 2021 6:37 pm
StratMatt wrote: Sun Jul 04, 2021 6:17 pm
sizzlingbadger wrote: Sun Jul 04, 2021 5:46 pm RC10R - check it out first....
Have you got one? I'd read some less than positive reviews on it, something to do with not being able to turn off the drums or something? Didn't look into it much further tbh, will have another look.
I have one, its excellent, there were a couple of bugs in early firmware versions but I have had no issues. You can update the firmware yourself if you find a 2nd-hand one that hasn't been sorted.


These seem pretty sweet actually. There's a guy selling one on Facebook. I want to go and try them out for myself at RS first I think.
Loving it so far

Pvt. Ryan
Ashton
Ashton
Posts: 260
Joined: Thu Sep 19, 2019 10:56 am
Has liked: 50 times
Been liked: 40 times

Re: Boss Loopers: RC5 with switch or RC500?

Post by Pvt. Ryan »

Hi. I got one. It's splendid - compact and has plenty of features. I have to learn its basic looping controls with the help of FS-7 for easy control switching. Never knew about TRS cable before. It's more than enough for my leisure.

Post Reply