Boss RC-20XL – Release Date: 2004
Picking up where the first version left off, the RC-20XL was released by Boss to expand on the shortcomings and users’ feedback from the original RC-20 Loop Station.
Primarily, looping time was i
ncreased, and a modification to how the Undo function affected your overdubs was applied, as well as a Redo function. The original RC-20 allowed just over 5 minutes of total looping time, whereas the RC-20XL gave you 16 minutes total recording time, to be split over the 11 memory locations. The Undo function was adjusted from stripping away all overdub layers at once, to undoing (or re-doing) only the last layer that was added. These two seemingly small changes made a world of difference for most future loop artists around the world, and in a way, set the standard for how loop pedals should work in general. And unintentionally, the RC-20XL became somewhat of a template for just about all the Loopers that followed in the next few years.
The RC-20XL brought you:
- Record/Play/Overdub and Undo/Redo on the left pedal
- Stop/Clear and Tap Tempo on the right pedal
- Dual Inputs, for Mic & Instruments (both 1/4″)
- Separate Input Level knobs for Inputs
- Aux In
- Undo/Redo of the last recorded layer
- Auto Record Mode
- Reverse Mode
- One-Shot capability
- Loop Level Control Knob
- Rhythm Guide
- Rhythm Level Control Knob
- Tap Tempo function button
- Loop Quantize
- 11 Memory Locations (One is for a 1-Shot track)
- External Controller port (for Phrase select)
- 16 Minutes total recording time
- 16 Bit, 44.1Khz sampling rate
- Separate output jack for reverse tracks
- Can use 6 x AA Batteries (approx 20-25 hrs)
- Came with a 9vdc power adapter
The RC-20XL pedal was a great pedal in it’s time and would be fun to grab if you were to find one anywhere. It was discontinued somewhere in the later 2000’s, and was succeeded by both the RC-2 in 2006 and then fully replaced by the RC-30 in 2011. For beginning loopers, it might be a valuable learning experience to spend a bit of time with an RC-20 or an RC-20XL, but to a collector, it would be a necessity!!
Check Reverb.com for Boss RC-20XL
