All of this is powered by a single Cioks DC7. I'm using the Cioks 8800 Parallel Adapter Flex with a Cioks 1050 Flex Cable Type 1 to get to the milliamps needed. Powering up, it can get to about 70% load on the milliamps, so it's perfectly safe with that. 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!! A few other things may be an issue, depending on what you’re looking for. First, and most obviously, there is no longer an expression pedal as there was on the RC-300. The certainly isn’t a deal breaker, but it was nice having it on the RC-300. The RC-600 also costs more than the 300 did, even at release. There are some minor issues that persist, though. In particular, many report breaking the buttons, and they do seem more flimsy than on other pedals, like the Ditto X4 or the Electro-Harmonix 22500. You really don’t expect this from Boss, but you get the sense that the build quality is worse than usual.

The RC-3 isn’t quite dated, but it feels that way when you compare it against the RC-5’s RGB LED screen. Having one footswitch means you need to memorize how to control the loop. Fortunately, the RC-1 has the basic functions written on the pedal. You tap the footswitch to start recording, then tap it again to enter into overdub mode. The first thing to point out is that the RC-3 was released in 2011, so it is nine years older than the RC-5. The BOSS RC-500 was released in 2020 and while the name implies that it’s a bigger and better pedal than the RC-300, it definitely doesn’t look it at first.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.

Having a way to see exactly what is happening with your looper pedal is a great advantage. Who is the RC-1 for? Opposed to the majority of loopers which are made of plastic, the Boss RC 600 is encased in metal. So as you can imagine, when compared to your average looper, it’s likely able to take more of a beating. Great if you’re looking for a looper to take on tour. The storage capacity you get with the RC 505 MK2 & the RC 600 looper is identical too! Both have 99 memories + can store single loops of up to 1.5 hours in length. When it comes to hooking up your computer, the RC 600 relies on USB Type B. Whereas the RC 500 uses a micro USB. The control interface appears somewhat simplified, which is good news for that feeble brain, with assorted knobs and buttons dotted around the two main landmarks: a small monochrome LCD screen on the left and, most strikingly, a multicoloured circular light panel in the centre. This serves as a visual metronome, with 16 beat indicators around the edge and a slightly disconcerting resemblance to HAL 9000 in 2001: A Space Odyssey. Let’s hope this computer’s a little less buggy.There are a couple of other pedals in the BOSS Loop Station range such as the RC-505MKII, but those pedals aren’t relevant for guitarists. They’re tabletop units designed for vocalists/DJs and don’t use footswitches. 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. Note: If you want to know when the Boss RC-600 was released relative to other Boss looper pedals, we’ve made a timeline of all the Boss loopers here. The Boss RC-600 is Big. Really Big.