Is the BOSS RC-300 Loop Station still worth it in 2021!? 6 YEARS LATER BOSS RC-300 Long Term Review!

[@BenRowlandsMusic]

Check out my BOSS Product Guides and more: www.benrowlandsmusic.com

[@eekamoose]

Pull the master volume knob off, put a felt washer on the control and put the master volume knob back on. Makes it difficult to move the knob accidentally. Takes five seconds.

[@MarcAllredVideos]

Thats genius. Totally stealing that idea.

[@PLNKYELLOWBLACK]

Nice nice. Writing that down

[@NoahFonoti]

A simple fix for the master volume dial is to take the actually dial off. Under it is a small half circle knob that's almost impossible to hit. I haven't hit it in 5 years with the knob off and I play 4-7 gigs a week. Its not the most glamorous fix but it 100% solved my problem.

[@larrycortner6321]

I think the controls should be detach able from the foot pedals , So a person could put them within arms reach . Then it would be so much better. And by the way ,thank you so much Ben on the help and reviewing of all these products. Your a Awesome person for sharing your knowledge. Thank you again

[@knivesoutdoorsbytotoco.6114]

My thoughts exactly

[@KevinCastleMusic]

Brilliant review...somehow without you so much as playing an note I feel like I totally understand what the pedal is about. Straight to the points and provided counterarguments as well. Ads are a bit much but I can't blame ya. Well done! Thank you.

[@e5elite]

for your Start/Stop issue - try dual-lock velcro and add a piece of wood to make a higher and maybe larger stomp point to help :)

[@New_Zealand_Music]

Thank you for your video. I've been using a loop station sense rc50. And I'll tell you what. Even if you're not that interested in looping. It's a very good investment. Because if you have any timing issues. It will most definitely fix them . Righteous. So my setup consists of still got my rc50, going I bought the RC 300 last year. And I've also got an rc2. I like to use that particular one. As like an in-between pedal. So you can record a loop. Keep the music going. While you start your next don't. But being able to do 7 loops is fantastic. It really is part of my life support system. I write most of my songs using them. And say if I'm using a synthesiser and I don't want to use an arpeggiator or whatever full. You can use the loop station to make it sound more organic. Also since I got the RC 300. I use my rc50 sometimes as sampler. It's brilliant for that. I mean unless you need lots of different options. And you have enough on the loop. They make great sampler, definitely. May I please ask you a question. Do you have an opinion on the Modal Cobalt5s ? I bought one last year and have been really enjoying it. Once you get to know the workflow, it's brilliant. And like SOS magazine said. It's actually competition to big brother. And possibly better. Because of its workflow. They did a wonderful review. So out of meaning of course. I'll check cherry pick two. I really liked my modal and also my typhon, also even though I think it's highly underrated. But yeah don't use the sampler unsyncer. I really think it's a sleeper investment.. I think it's absolutely brilliant. I use my Roland tr-09 to pay it. I also like to use two drum machines live. One digital one analogue. So I can have a mix of both or switch between the two. Am I a music totally. And loving it. Loving it. I started playing synthesisers not long before covid started. It certainly was a great adventure. And a British friend of mine who is older than me. Who started playing in 1983. Says I'm an amazing keyboard player. And I really look up to this man I think he's amazing. He can seriously spit out. 75 songs in one week. Hello from New Zealand 🙂

[@davidmparkes]

Had mine RC300 since released and used it three times, still mint as I have the RC50 which I will use. I must be mad.

[@piperofsimms]

Do you still own the 300 ?

[@supersalesproducts]

Hey there. Is the 300 still worth it in 2024?

[@Firstinversion899]

Yes to the headrush comparison, Ben. I’ really like for you to compare laptop/midi foot controller setups v hardware looper pedals. I’m about to get the KMI softstep 2 to control Ableton’s Session view. I’ll use a UAD Apollo Solo (i.e. Arrow) for I/O. 8 tracks of looping on one pedal config, all bus-powered, & fits in a backpack! I also have RC300, but the weight, sound quality and ancient UI less desirable overall. Still good for lots of things, & I’m glad I have it.

[@vinodbhatia5298]

RC-300 saves tracks in 16 bit WAV (lossless) format @ 44.1kHz

[@Jonas-qf1cu]

yeah, im not an expert at all, but im wondering why he keeps talking about mp3 16bit. MP3 (320 kbps): 2,4 MB per minute WAV (16-bit, 44.1 kHz): 10,59 MB per minute, (which is the rc300 using) its a massive difference.

[@AdamHamSammich]

When you said “let me explain”, I got the warm and fuzzies. A lot of professionals and musicians alike could learn from your ability to teach me like I’m 5. ✌️(for now, I’ll check out your channel when the rc-300 arrives, stay classic.)

[@linzkirk]

Very informative and professional video. But I don't think the RC300 outputs MP3, it outputs wav 44.1, 16bit (cd quality) according to specs on the boss website, I might be wrong. Other pedals like the RC505 and RC10R are 24 bit. But think about it, why would it take a raw audio signal and encode it to MP3, this would create a latency issue. I think the quality increase on the RCR505 is because it is 24bit. I would love to see an updated version of the RC300 from boss. 24 bit with the rhythm section from the RC10 or better and maybe a smaller form factor. Also yes to the headrest comparison.

[@eekamoose]

Correct, the RC300 outputs 16-bit WAV files at 44.1 kHz (page 36 of the user manual). I agree, 24-bit sampling and a better rhythm section would be good, but for live gigs with an acoustic guitar I wouldn't use a drum machine anyway, it's more authentic to use the guitar as a drum kit and beatbox on the mike. And 16-bit is fine for live use. A more advanced display would be a good improvement. The RC300's display with two digits and two lines of text was already dated before the RC300 came out. The whole unit has the styling of a 1970s Datsun, in fact. Companies like Zoom have been putting good graphic displays in their products for years. Even TC Electronic put graphic display into the tiny Ditto+ looper (which will be great if/when the extended loop dropout bug gets fixed). But the bottom line is that the RC300 is still an absolutely awesome machine. And, unlike the TC Electronic Ditto X4 that I nearly bought until I read about its reliability problems, the RC300 is totally reliable.

[@sevwah77]

@@eekamoose "totally reliable".....wrong. It has a defect where the unit will freeze & show a "Too Busy" sign where you have to flip it to a new patch to reset. Extremely embarrassing when you're performing live & midway through a loop where the thing freezes & your loop stops. Many RC300 users have had this problem & I've scoured tons of forums for a fix but it seems it's a defect in the software which Boss will apparently never rectify. Don't get me wrong, I love the RC300 other than this "Too Busy" problem it has.

[@eekamoose]

@@sevwah77 OK, I was not aware of that and it's not a problem that I have encountered. I totally agree, any equipment that can fail at a live gig is a massive, massive problem. It may not be a software issue, it may be hardware -- a CPU being asked to do many processor-intensive operations at the same time.

[@sevwah77]

@@eekamoose It's an extremely common problem, you must be one of the lucky ones as most users have experienced this issue at some point with the RC300. Sorry, I did mean hardware. The manual states this problem as the unit "not being able to process the data completely" & lists a handful of actions to avoid this issue. Problem is these "actions" do not allow the unit to be used to the capability of what it's advertised or should be able to do, one such one is "save the current content to a phrase memory".....why would I do that if I'm live looping on the fly?? I've seen a video of someone rebooting the power to the unit, then recording a 2 bar loop on acoustic guitar only to have it stop midway through playback with the "Too Busy" error. If this is something that the unit's processor cannot handle I see it as failing to do the bare minimum the unit is supposed to do. On forums I have seen a wildly vast array of "fixes" for this issue & can honestly say my method of looping adheres to nearly all of them yet I will still get the problem occur. Boss even released a firmware update years ago which noted a bug fix for the "Too Busy" notification but the update didn't rectify the issue. I've come to the conclusion it is a defect in the hardware/software or something & Boss will never rectify it because the unit is so old now. Sorry for the rant, I just don't think Boss should've continued selling a product that essentially cannot perform tasks it's made to do without a most unit's having this regularly occurring issue.

[@nealgraymusic]

@@sevwah77 oh wow! That's a serious show stopper! thanks for the info

[@strykermoonfall2220]

Your looper comparison videos are very useful, subbed.

[@RonTheFlyingDutchman]

At the moment the Boss RC-300 is the only Boss looper for which the single play mode works properly when the different tracks have different lengths.

[@edjakezeigler6715]

Heard the other cut out and drop.

[@MarkTheTruckinBarber]

Yes! I love mine!!

[@burlapstudio6504]

Thanks for the review, and yes, I'd like to see a head on comp with the Head Rush.

[@gibbs75]

thank you very much for all the info and explications!

[@ChrisChillyLopez]

Hey man !!! I love the content and it has helped me with the RC300 I was wondering if you can loop midi into the RC300 and use the tempo on the pedal board to change the tempo.? Thanks bro !!

[@WoozleEffect]

If love to see the Headrush comparison. A friend of mine, also a live streamer has the Headrush. I'm streaming with my RC-300. I feel like he's got routing options that blow my RC-300 our of the water. I'm usually looping vox a percussion mic, a harmonica mic, AND a guitar. Right now I mix these all together into a stereo signal. New firmware updates on that headrush all the time and tones of updates already. If I could rout four inputs in, and have the outputs of each loop keep those four instruments seperate, I'd be cooking with rocket fuel. In my perfect world, I want my 4 "instruments" to have independent outputs, regardless of what loop they're on.that would help a LOT with mixing my performances, or even re-mixing recordings of those performances.

[@gladejustglade]

The 2.0 made it go from "interesting toy" to "someday the pros can use it," and even though it's my main looper now, they still have some growing to do, especially with respect to effects. Yes, this guy's channel is the worst for ads.

[@MarcAllredVideos]

I just found a partial solution to that exact same problem. I wanted to mix each individual track live and for recordings. My solution was to edit each track (1-3) and route their output to a specific jack. For example, track one edit would make the output be sub and pan left. Then track 2 would be sub output pan right. Track 3 is main pan left. Each track would output to a specific jack and then you can mix that suckered perfectly. Its taken me years to figure that out.

[@WoozleEffect]

@@MarcAllredVideos That's exceptional!

[@natpezzy3339]

I would like to buy a rc500 but I am fascinated by the rc300 what do you recommend?

[@PatrickStefan]

Thanks for this, however - the output is not mp3 quality !!! WAV 16/44 is totally standard and very few people an tell the difference between 16/44 and 24/48. But calling it MP3 is not the case.

[@ralphtom3431]

Im still rocking my Boss br- 532

[@tommyaudio]

hey dude, i have a random question, because it seems like u might be the only one who knows this...but do u know how to force the tap tempo to only land on whole numbers (like 112 instead of 112.3) ?? thanx for all the great vids, really helping me!

[@USALibertarian]

I'd superglue a guard around the master volume. It's frustrating when people who make stuff obviously don't use it and don't find obvious bugs.

[@vmilic1]

I bought IT before few days. Very serious thing!

[@davefriedman8050]

My digital readout screen blacks out periodically. How can this be corrected?

[@axekhar911]

Guys please help! I'm having a problem with rc 300, it doesn't respond to pedal presses in time and loops with a delay. I've set the tracks to free mode, but I still can't play in my own tempo.

[@CHESSZILLA]

have you tried modifying that master volume

[@d.h.9239]

Glad you made this video because I never heard of the headrush looper board. It looks amazing. Im going to go check it out now! Thanks man

[@WaioluUkulele]

Can I hook up an external drum machine to the rc 300 so I could use the drum machine patterns? If yes what drum machine works well with the boss rc 300

[@kasperchristensen8416]

Very information video, Geddy Lee Jr. ;)

[@franklyn8267]

do you play the Boss RC 505 combined with this Pedal board??:)

[@fromthestreets00]

do you know how to hear a audio input but not record that? i have a drum machine e want to hear the beat but not record (i dont have a mixer vet and i have pluged my phones on the rc300 only, thanks!

[@bellagoldwinsfunhouse1244]

This is very helpful! Thank you.

[@MuriMorello]

there's a guy that trimmed the expression pedal off, we could make a more useful mod and create a protective cover for the master knob. hahaha

[@badgoat666]

Help me out people, should I buy a 2nd hand one for £215?

[@steveregnier7317]

Ok, tried the firmware update... now i just have the message Data Damage... HELP!!

[@nahf4m]

why does the boss website say that this outputs @ 16bit wav?

[@SR-ih1be]

Doesn't the headrush just suck?

[@caleb8075]

Prob a dumb question but can I run this directly into my Roland cube ex amp?

[@GuillaGrooveLab]

yep!

[@SilicateOverlord]

I have an older model roland street cube and it works fine

[@marko9024]

Is rc 300 worth exchange for rc 500 regarding sound quality???

[@LMurphyMusic]

Would I be able to run a synth through the midi into the rc300? Thanks!

[@shanedowneyreload182]

Well man. Just wondering have you a fix for "Too Busy". It pops up on the display in the middle of live looping. The whole thing freezes and too busy is displayed and i have to turn it off and on to get it working again. Can you please help?

[@theoneroger]

I experience the same thing once every 2 shows or so! Lmk if you find a solution

[@sevwah77]

I was going to comment on exactly this issue & ask him why he didn't list it in his cons of the unit. I've researched this on tons of forums & it seems most users have had the "Too Busy" issue at one point, if not many times, before like myself. I don't believe there is a fix for it & it's a defect in the unit that Boss will never rectify seeing it's so out of date. I've heard a multitude of different things which people think helps avoid this problem but I disagree because the way I use the unit correlates to every so called "fix" I've heard & I still get the "Too Busy" problem. I've even seen a video where someone literally reboots the RC300's power, records 2 bars of acoustic guitar & it freezes halfway through playback. Clearly that is not something that should overload memory, which is Boss's definition of the "Too Busy" notification, & has to be a defect in the software design not being able to do 100% of the time what it was designed to do. Sorry to be the bearer of bad news. BTW.....you don't have to turn the power off to clear the "Too Busy", just flip it up to the next patch & back again.

[@MarcAllredVideos]

I thing I've found is make absolutely sure your loop station is getting the right amount of power. If you're using any kind of daisy chain to power the rc300 or not enough power, this is what I found was my problem. Not until I got a dedicated power source, like a voodoo labs 2, did it solve my "too busy" problem. Hope that helps!

[@Rex-dk1rx]

Can u use to trigger backing tracks is well

[@crelltv5170]

Praying to have one of this🙏😭

[@xdsband]

thanks so much for this

[@mikegenova3274]

Hello everyone, could someone please write me how to activate the Delay effect on the Loopstation RC300? Thanks if anyone can help me

[@jameswinterburn1548]

I'm curious could anybody tell me, If I ran a mic into the rc300 and had 3 separate tracks of vocals going, then ran the rc300 into a small mixer via the sub output on the back, could I apply separate effects and volumes to them as independent tracks on the mixer? Before running the mixer to a speaker

[@JamCamDelta]

its called gaffers tape, you put the tape over the volume once I is set

[@poolfountainconstructionrw1569]

How much your loop station you have Shop online?

[@wouldoox8024]

Is it possible to set it in a way, that you can play verse->bridge->chorus, meaning i can somehow with one click go from loop A to loop B? Cheers mate

[@ianhamilton1997]

It is! Check out the video titled "RC-300: Single Track Mode" by clayhorsemusic

[@supersalesproducts]

Not selling anything..i wanted to do internet marketing years ago and set account up to show sapersalesproducts, must remeber how ro take that off. I am just a muso and want to figure out whether its still worth it buying a 300 or better to go for a 500,505 or 600. I an doing acoustic gigs

[@automstone7613]

Awesome video. Would like to see a comparison. Would the boss 3000 be good for a starter as well if you are just getting into it ? I subscribed

[@echoandcompany8989]

I too am a starter at looping, my first looper was 36 seconds and it was time to upgrade, I bought the RC 300 because I didn't want to outgrow again, Holy CRAP!!!! No regrets!!! Its quite the learning curve but def worth it man!!! I have learned a crap ton just watching these vids, I did have to read the manual (I usually don't do that) because it is so detailed. after about 15 hours on it, I feel pretty comfy, although I don't know all about it, Long answer for you but ..... YES GET IT LOL.

[@echoandcompany8989]

i ALMOST FORGOT...... I got mine at guitar center just to be safe, during Covid they have a 45 day no questions asked return policy, so if you get it and decide its too much for you, you can always go with another option. Also, if and when you buy the 300 just be aware that the default settings are not ideal, you will need to deep dive into the settings and set it up for you, everyone is different... hope this all helps you Larry

[@automstone7613]

Christian Lamers - thanks for comments. I hopping it’s good for song writing and having a complete song recorded with vocals. Adding in the drums and the right beats is my challenge

[@richardworkman5416]

Way too many ads... seems like one interupts your 'flow' every minute or so. I'm too impatient for that.

[@michaelwu2370]

its like an ad a minute. super asnnoying

[@freelancevt]

@@michaelwu2370 Yup. It annoyed me so much, that I bought a competitor's product. Enough with the greed, already!

[@keithsandulak9844]

If you want to eliminate ads go to the end of the segment and hit the return arrow. Done! All the ads are gone and the entire video plays ad free...

[@freelancevt]

@@keithsandulak9844 Good tip! I tried it and it worked. Thank you!

[@TheDayd111returns]

Get adblock.

[@planetmue7165]

Been looking for a looper pedal for synth live work. Is there a footswitch looper that retains quality better than this one?

[@adamzukmusic4562]

Website says output is WAV format, idk why he’s claiming it’s mp3. Unless they changed it over the years, but I can’t find evidence of that.

[@fpw2205076]

Your opinion of new RC-500 please... buy The RC-300 or new RC-500?

[@TFLSTUDIO88]

The RC-505* is much newer so it has a whole new set of features and effect. But it's a tabletop, hand operated looper so it's not ideal for instrumentalist. So you can use that to determine which one you would want to get. ... just my objective opinion.

[@45zapatero]

@@TFLSTUDIO88 I think you are talking about the 505. The rc 500 is a 2 track floor model. But maybe the person who wrote this question also was referring to the 505 and made the same mistake ;-)

[@45zapatero]

@@TFLSTUDIO88 You are absolutrly right but you can connect a midi foot controller via midi. Of course this makes things more expensive. You have a very nice channel by the way.I enjoyed the loop videos there.

[@TFLSTUDIO88]

@@45zapatero I think you can. You def can with the 300 so I don't know why they would take away that awesome feature. I don't use it but I've seen videos of people who do and it's incredible! Thanks for looking my videos!! I'll have to upload some more soon. 🙌🏽🙌🏽

[@davidgrunstra3680]

Do you still have to push the record pedal again after tapping it once to start the loop and again to loop (or it starts over dubbing) like the rc 30? I can't stand that feature. They got rid of that feature with the rc 500 and the rc 20 never had it. Great review! :-)

[@PLNKYELLOWBLACK]

If I’m not mistaken. 1 press is record if you press it again it saves and plays the loop. If you press it again you over dub it. I think you can over dub as much as you want and undo/redo whatever you feel isn’t good until you hit stop which cuts it off. It has auto recording so it starts recording you as you’re playing so if you forget to press record you’ll be good, and it records for 3 hours. Sorry if I’m restating things you know and/or what was said in the video I haven’t watched the full thing I saw your comment and wanted to reply If I didn’t answer your question adequately or you have more to ask just lemme know :)

[@PLNKYELLOWBLACK]

In short. Yes. You need to tap it multiple times but the auto record helps

[@fientasyling8711]

heyie Ben thanks you very much for youre energetic information movies!! super information. i wanne ask i buy this loop station in this year 2021 februari, and he is full now, so i try to put the numbers out true the computer, but discover that al the songs are split in 5 tracks and without the beat i record it. i wish so much that i can listeing to my songs the same way as true my loop station. can you mabe help me? happy gretings Jozefien from the Netherlands!

[@blue6633]

Thankyou for your excellent information. Could you tell me the best way please to plug my boss GT-1 into my RC 300. From Craig Australia

[@JohannBrehmer]

Great!!

[@nickj9085]

Just tape the master volume :)

[@K9Mike]

Excellent video. Sub’d

[@BenRowlandsMusic]

Thanks for the sub!

[@K9Mike]

@@BenRowlandsMusic hey man, it’s my pleasure! Listen… I’m 46 years old, been a singer-songwriter since I was 14. I have always dreamed of pulling off what you are currently doing. It’s not just about how effortlessly you’re using all of this equipment, you have genuine musical talent in a multitude of areas. I freaking love your guitar work. And your ability to create those beats so quickly and in such excellent time… I’m really just blown away by watching you perform. You have polished this routine finer that anyone I’ve ever paid good money to watch, like Keller Williams or Michael Kelsey. Virtuosos in their own right, of course, but I honestly find myself more entertained by watching you, since I’m familiar with all of these songs and since your arrangements are so creative. I took a peek at your performance schedule just out of sheer curiosity. Holy shit! You’re working every single night! Cheers man. I’m glad somebody’s doing it! Keep going!.

[@zakitteofficial]

Mfking sold. Gonna buy this now then

[@johnwayne8895]

Hey Ben, I'm looking for a looping station and I'm not really sure which one I should choose. Generally my choice would be the RC-300 because of the Expression pedal, the several foot switches and the possibility of 3 different loop recordings. But I'm not sure, if the audio quality is good enough. Does it make sense to buy 2 x RC-500 and connect them? Or should I wait until Boss releases a new RC-300 version? Maybe you've heard something? Would be great if you could give me an advice. Cheers John

[@piperofsimms]

Hi John, Did you get a 300 ? I have loved the simplicity of my RC-30. I just would like 3 tracks now. Does the 300 act like the 30 ? Just "Press record/Play/Press again when done, go to next track, without having to set up multiple menu settings ? I'm having trouble with the new MENU in my new 505 mkii. It's way too complicated for what I need to do. Comments please ? Thank you.

[@johnwayne8895]

@@piperofsimms Hi, I've bought one RC500 and that's enough for my needs. Regarding your question: I think that should be possible, because the RC-300 has 3 switch areas for each track. You can record track 1 and then you can press the rec switch of the 2nd area to record track 2. while pressing this button the record of track 1 begins to play at the same time. By the way Boss released a newer Model RC-600. Maybe this could be interesting for you. Cheers John

[@piperofsimms]

@@johnwayne8895 Thank you for your response. Much appreciated !!

[@jlb8830]

Hi there Ben; I'm not even new to this, I'm wondering whether to get one. My main question is: How many bars can you record on each track Thank you

[@e5elite]

you had me at the boss rc-505 part about mp3 quality on 300. i want to sound like djent marc rebillet! Also, does anyone know if you can just get 5 decent single stomp loop pedals and make them flow well? looking for cheap alternative as I have logic pro x for rythm/drums

[@Mojokiss]

im gonna gaff tape my master volume

[@Elodio05]

Can i record a song of four or five minutes on a track?

[@alexdates]

Sure you can. I use it like a "record studio".

[@kstringer24]

A WAV file is pronounced "wave".

[@midnightoilfan5809]

Rc300 is tried and proven workhorse and will outlive your headrush pedal board and everything else that's coming out. I'm not convinced the headrush would go the distance of ten years before the motherboard fails or the screen dies, where the boss will kick on long after.

[@cmcg5788]

I just checked, and the RC-300 is 9 years old! kzbin.info/www/bejne/oYK7k2mpbdyGq7M

[@gladejustglade]

Short answer: yes. I wish Boss would make the RC-300 exactly like that but with only two channels and no expression pedal. They'd take over the world (again). There are no good two-channel loopers out there. Yes, I now about the RC-30, it's terrible by comparison.

[@fpw2205076]

The RC-500 is your answer!! Is better than the RC-300? I don’t know...

[@gladejustglade]

Felipe Pereira I’ll know sometime today...

[@azurduy117]

CD =/= mp3

[@Pablo_Claustrum]

Te son un porco de Dio !xd

[@pepuletrz]

lol..99 tracks but a hit ain't one of em....lololol

[@powbud]

Six ad's in a 15min video. Dislike.

[@jimbojonezplanet]

get premium. these demos are a lot of work. makers need to benefit somehow.