Boomerang Phrase Sampler

There's lots of news surrounding the total redesign of the Boomerang looper. You need to go to boomerangmusic dot com to get all the info. The Boomerang III software is being finalized, and you can order a preproduction unit now, or wait for the final product to come out. The delays have been many, but the design and development team is small, and they are dedicated to turning out a very solid product. Release is very near!

I have a pre-production beta, and can enthusiastically state that, even without final software and a partial feature implementation, this looper beats everything I have tried to date (all the Boss loopers, Jam Man, Electro Harmonix). I am withholding ratings for most of the review categories here, because the Rang III is not final at this time and it wouldn't be fair. But please do check out their website if you are in the market for a new looper. You won't regret it.

Totally pristine. I can't tell the difference between the looped signal and the original input

See comments above regarding witholding ratings until the unit is final.

See comments above regarding witholding ratings until the unit is final.

See comments above regarding witholding ratings until the unit is final.

This is quite honestly the easiest piece of equipment to use that I own. It is entirely intuitive. The guys who designed this actually sat down and thought it through. I hate rack systems and having to crawl inside a machine to figure out how to make it work. You don't have to do anything like that with the 'Rang. Easy footwork while you play.

Sounds pretty much exactly like what you play. What you put in as signal comes out the same way. I can't discern a difference.

Can't say yet. If it goes south on me, I will repost...

Again, can't say. These guys are from Texas (I'm in Houston) so I expect they're down home.

Love it. Just love it. Had a Boss looper, and couldn't stand it. Nothing worked the way it was supposed to. Turned me off the idea of loopers until I saw an article for the Rang. Unless you are a jerk or gear snob, you will be very pleased with this, and it will make you play better. It's like holding up a mirror to your skills. I'm giving it a nine because, for the life of me, I can't understand why they put the mute switch practically right on top of the volume roller. That little roller is a fantastic idea, but you can't use the thing with hitting the mute switch. Why?

The Rang is as easy get up and running as any looper. If you're new to looping, you can't go wrong with a Boomerang. If you've been loopy for a while then you already know that it's a breeze to use. My unit is a version 2 and the manual is necessary to get the most of the depth of features, but it's well written and easy to navigate.

Pristine is such a subjective concept isn't it? I don't know why people complain about the quality of sound. I own or have owned: an original Lexicon JamMan, a Headrush, an original Boomerang (which I traded because I wanted more floor space and more available loop time), ALL of the Boss Loop Stations, including the RC-50 and RC-2 (of which I still have the original RC-20, and the Line 6 Delay Modeler. The Boomerang + is made for live use and in that arena it's as good as anything out there, excepting maybe the Echoplex Pro. The Boss RC-2 is a pain in the ass to stop and erase loops while you're jamming. The RC-50 sounds great until you swith loops and go back to your original and get that horrible warbling sound. The RC-20 is just fine. The JamMan was old and on it's last legs so I traded it while I still could get my investment back. The Line 6 was good but not enough loop time. The Rang does need good balance of input and trim to get optimal sound and tone, but it's in there you just need to be patient. When you change pedals going into the Boomerang you'll need to adjust the trim on the unit or the output from your guitar or pedals. So what. Most of us are tweakers anyway and it only takes a few minutes at most to get it adjusted properly. I play Takamine acoustic-electrics into Damage Control pedals or Boss pedals and what comes out of the Rang is what I put into it. Just like my Boss Looop Station does and like my JamMan used to. What more can you ask?

It is solidly built. The buttons are plastic so that would be my only minor concern, but Mike Nelson seems like any problems will be taken care of quickly. I'm not worried though.

Okay, so I called their number on Friday afternoon and left a message. On Monday around dinner time in Ohio I got a call from Mike Nelson answering my question. We had a great conversation for the next half hour about music, life, culture, favorite songs, concerts we'd been to, and ways we use looping to make cool music. I have never talked to a manufacturer before. I'm confident with that kind of customer supprt. What more do you need to know? Thanks Mike. Peace to ya'll.

I play acoustic folkadelic, jam-based (that's why I use a looper), classic rock and traditional-type music and loopers are essential to what I do. I've been playing for 30 years and looping for the last 10 years. I'd most definitely buy the Boomerang again if I lost????? it(you know, if I lost a $400 piece of gear I'd probably have alzheimers or something which means it's time to hang it up) or if it got ripped off. It's made to be used live and in that regard it's a great investment. It is a little large but the trade off is worth it: easy to use, sounds great, durable, and real people who care about the product they make. Peace to ya'll and keep making music, the world needs it now more than ever.

v 2.0...set levels and go-manual is short and easy reading. good design,the modes/programming are pretty easy to get the hang of.

cool pedal! i have used a few different Boss loopers as well as some software types...the Rang is great for being able to control everything by foot without bending over. also has a nice warmish delay(80's style, a bit low res) and the multi speed playback/reverse is very fun to mess with...

unit is solid as is the ext power supply-don't stomp all over it and things should be fine.

i use loopers for more pad-ish backgrounds than rhythmic stuff...not a lot of worked out things,just like to have it there for when the mood strikes. the new Rang 3 coming out will probably smoke this version but this one is good enough for my needs-i would try to get another if lost,etc.

My wife got me this pedal as a birthday present. (What a great wife I've got!). I've been interested in getting one of these pedals for a long since another guitar player friend mentioned how much he liked his.

Within in 10 minutes I was able to get this puppy up and running. As an sofware engineer by profession, I can atest that, yes even engineers don't like reading directions. No worry, though there are special features that this pedal has that requires reading the manual, you can still get up and running quickly, with little more than a passing glance at the cover the cover of the manual.

I have a few other pedals, that as of yet I have not used in line with the the Boomerang. Stand-alone the pedal is alittle noisey, however, once you start recording and stacking you really can't hear the background noise.

My Boomerang is new, so at this point I can't comment on reliability.

As of yet I haven't had the occasion to deal with the customer support.

It would be nice if their web-site published information about future planned features for their product, and a forum for submitting suggestions, (I assume that this customer feedback forum is the closest thing to a suggestions box.)

So far I love this product. I have been playing the guitar for 20+ years. When I was younger I use to jam with friends all the time.

These days, with a job, wife and kids, it is very difficult to find a bunch of guys who play, much less get then together for even a Saturday afternoon to jam. I have really missed that.

This product allows me to be able to have a "virtual" jam session, by allowing me to be those other players.

There are definitely two features, right off the bat, that I wish this product had.

First, I would wish the pedal had the ability to "Unstack" layered parts. There are times that I the last part I just added didn't sound the way I thought it would. It would be great to "pop" it off the stack (like a true software stack, where you can "push", and "pop" things on and off the stack).

Second, it would be very useful to be able to save loops. I have seen this feature mentioned in other posts, on this as well as other reveiw sites.

As much as I like this product this product, I do think these added features would take the "rang" to the next level. The reverse feature is "cool", but frankly not quite as functionally useful as being able save loops, as well as providing a greater ablility to manipulate existing loops using a simple push/pop stack capabiltiy

My wife got me this pedal as a birthday present. (What a great wife I've got!). I've been interested in getting one of these pedals for a long since another guitar player friend mentioned how much he liked his.

Within in 10 minutes I was able to get this puppy up and running. As an sofware engineer by profession, I can atest that, yes even engineers don't like reading directions. No worry, though there are special features that this pedal has that requires reading the manual, you can still get up and running quickly, with little more than a passing glance at the cover the cover of the manual.

I have a few other pedals, that as of yet I have not used in line with the the Boomerang. Stand-alone the pedal is alittle noisey, however, once you start recording and stacking you really can't hear the background noise.

My Boomerang is new, so at this point I can't comment on reliability.

As of yet I haven't had the occasion to deal with the customer support.

It would be nice if their web-site published information about future planned features for their product, and a forum for submitting suggestions, (I assume that this customer feedback forum is the closest thing to a suggestions box.)

So far I love this product. I have been playing the guitar for 20+ years. When I was younger I use to jam with friends all the time.

These days, with a job, wife and kids, it is very difficult to find a bunch of guys who play, much less get then together for even a Saturday afternoon to jam. I have really missed that.

This product allows me to be able to have a "virtual" jam session, by allowing me to be those other players.

There are definitely two features, right off the bat, that I wish this product had.

First, I would wish the pedal had the ability to "Unstack" layered parts. There are times that I the last part I just added didn't sound the way I thought it would. It would be great to "pop" it off the stack (like a true software stack, where you can "push", and "pop" things on and off the stack).

Second, it would be very useful to be able to save loops. I have seen this feature mentioned in other posts, on this as well as other reveiw sites.

As much as I like this product this product, I do think these added features would take the "rang" to the next level. The reverse feature is "cool", but frankly not quite as functionally useful as being able save loops, as well as providing a greater ablility to manipulate existing loops using a simple push/pop stack capabiltiy

My boomerang version 2 is very easy to use. I have read the manual in its entirety and found it clear and complete. My only question is concerning the behavior of decay rates while over dubbing on a recorded loop. I'll need to experiment more to have a complete understanding of relative volume of previously recorded parts as new ones are added.

So far I have plugged my 1963 Fender Stratocaster into the Boomerang and then into a Fender Hor Rod Deluxe amp. I have also used a Boss delay pedal before the Boomerang.
When the input switch is in the correct position and the trim control is properly adjusted there is a perfectly acceptable signal to noise ration.

I couldn't imagine lugging 2 phrase samplers to a gig. The Boomerang seems sturdy and reliable.

I bought my unit from the company. Mike Nelson was a pleasant and efficient interlocutor.

I play jazz, rock and improvised music which more and more is loop-oriented. I have been playing the guitar for almost 40 years. (I started young!) I already own these loopers; the Line 6 loop sampler and delay, a new JamMan, a Roland Loop Station, an Electro-Harmonix 16 Second Delay, and a newly acquired Digitech Echo Plus. It seems to me these devices fall roughly into 2 categories; loopers which allow you to sculpt the sound and create beautiful music using reverse, pitch and tempo changes, and loopers which allow you to store the loops you've made, to be triggered later for live playing or recording. The EH 16-sec delay is a bit of a hybrid because it's a sound sculptor AND it can save one loop.
So where does the Boomerang fit into the picture? It is definitely one of the sound-sculpting devices, because it allows you to record and overdub forwards and backwards and to slow down (and lower) your loop or to speed it up and raise it's pitch.
All this can be done with the Line 6 device. So what are the pluses (or minuses) of the 'Rang?
One very nice feature is the A/B option. Simply put, you can create two separate loops and trigger them as you wish. This helps a lot in "composing" with the looper because obviously no matter how nice Loop A is, it's great to be able to create a B. Previously, I would create loops separately and glue them together on the computer. The 'Rang allows a more spontaneous approach, although it always seems that one loop is inevitably musically better than the other. (That's my fault, not the machine's!)
All in all I know that I'm going to spend many happy hours with the Boomerang and that I'll certainly use it live in an improvisational context. My only regret is that the delay feature (which is very nice; I love using a nicely-dosed reverse delay after the original signal) can't be part of the guitar sound that one records in a loop. This feature exists in the Line 6 machine. But that's just a quibble. Mike Nelson and his partner deserve congratulations and our thanks for creating this fine instrument.

It just doesn't get any easier...

I've noticed for years all the complaining about the hiss that comes from the boomerang; well, please pay attention and I'll lay some ideas on you that will help.
1. make sure you're using the proper level setting (ie-instrument, line level or mic) for what your connecting to.
2. realize that if your connecting noisy effects and or other noisy products prior to the 'rang it's only going to magnify the problem.
3. use balanced cables running from the effects send/return of your amp if possible.
4. a cool little device called the 'Hum Eliminator' made by Ebtech, if patched between the amp's effects send/return and the 'rang, works wonders with noise!

I've learned these things from years of use of the 'rang and from discusions with the company owner. The 'rang is intended for live use and in that capacity it is excellent.

it's tough as a tank.

If you contact Boomerang there is a good probability that you will get an opportunity to talk to the company owner. I did and have. He will do what ever he can to help you with the 'rang.

I've used my Boomerang for years now in a 'one-man-band' capacity at my gigs. With pratice, I've become very proficent in it's use. I also make extensive use of it in practice and as a teaching aid. I also use it to help play examples of ideas to a combo I play with. Would I go into a studio with it? No, but that isn't what it was designed for either so I'm not busting on it for that. I'm a very satisfied user of the Boomerang and I would indeed replace it with another if I ever needed to. For what it was designed for, I couldn't ask for much more.

using the boomerang phrase sampler + ver2.0

manual is ok

if you are familiar with loopers its a no-brainer though, it can be difficult to find the correct volume to noise rasio

92 takamine acoustic-analogman bicomp-fishman pro eq plat-ernie ball vol-xotics robotalk-boss dd5- analogman bichorus-boss rv5-mackie 1202vlz pro-aux send-boomerang-various synth modules

i have only been able to obtain reasonable noise levels with the boomerang when using it through the aux sends on a mixing board (use line level signals)

once setup correctly it is verry reliable and consistant

i use a mackie smr450 (just one) and the sound quality is great for small bars (in bigger bars i use whatever is in the house)

had mine for 3 years and have never had a problem

haven't had a need to contact them

i am writing to express my opinion of the rang so i will forgo explaining about my own personal style and prefrences

i am looking forward to owning a gibson exchoplex but will allways keep the rang around just in case

the boomerang is a great tool of music and it would the choice looper for a beginer to loopers.......

please excuse my poor spelling

There is no easier looping pedal on the market

Well... It's great for live applications, but the hiss that it produces is unacceptable in the studio. Trust me..

Well.. Right now i've got 2 boomerangs at my disposal... and the biggest problem that both of them have had is the Plastic control buttons.. One rang has a broken "Once" button.. the other rang ONLY has ONE WORKING BUTTON... They're easily replaced... it's just a pain to have to order the replacement parts... In fact, I guess I'll go ahead and do that today..

With that said... the rang (besides the buttons) has never failed me on a gig... NEVER. And i have probably used it on 300+ gigs.

I actually contacted the company about 2 years ago about replacing the buttons... they were really helpful, and told me when I upgraded to version 2... to include the original email and they'd ship me the buttons free of charge... I've yet to upgrade though... so it's not thier fault the rang's still broken..

I love the Boomerang.. I play Solo Dinner Jazz.. and the Boomerang is my partner... I don't know what i'd do without it..

It's a shame that it isn't good for recording though.. (at least my versions aren't... I've got 2 of the Original Boomerang units)