Boss launches 2 pedals into an entirely new category - the Gigcaster 5 & 8 Multi-Channel Audio Streaming Mixers

Apr 20, 202308:00 by

Stefan Karlsson

Blender and MixerBossRolandUtility+-

Next time you navigate to the Boss.info website you will find an entirely new Category for Boss - consisting of these 2 brand new Gigcaster Audio Streaming Mixers. And while parent company Roland has a few products in a similar category - albeit they tend to be combination Audio / Video Mixers and Controllers - Boss has not been active in this segment before.

The reason for why this sits as part of the Boss rather than Roland range - is that all the effects onboard are taken from the same library as Boss’s GT-1000.

The smaller Gigcaster ’5’ has 5 core mixable channels and its larger ’8’ sibling of course has 8 - as where each name derives from. The larger device also has 8 customisable pads that you can either use as playback triggers or effects blocks - to punch in a variety of ’stingers’ and ’jingles’ during your live stream or podcast - which this device will mostly be used for.

I believe this will largely find favour as an Audio Podcast Mixer - while several podcasts these days also include a visual / video component - in which case there are several Roland products that target that area.

You have a fantastic full-colour 4.3" LCD Display touch-screen - which is kind of central to both mixers. Both devices have the same engine as such - while the larger ’8’ device has twice as many ports, outputs and inputs and a somewhat expanded feature set - of course including those cool Ableton Live style pads. I would imagine some clever spark will figure out how to use this as a more instrument type / music-making device - via coordinating those 8 pads in particular - it will be really interesting to see how these devices get adopted and adapted!

Here follow the individual details on each Gigcaster :

Gigcaster 5 - €549 / £475

The smaller Gigcaster gives you everything you need to add a professional touch to your livestream or podcast. You have 5 mixable channels which you can multi-track or combine for stereo output. Lots of connectivity to connect various outboard gear - Mics, Instruments etc. There are also dedicated vocal effects for you to switch up your broadcast any which way. And of course the touch screen gives you all manner of different ways to punch in different effects.

FEATURES

All-in-one USB interface solution designed for music-focused content creators
Advanced audio and control features in a space-saving footprint
Premium sound quality with 32-bit floating-point processing and 48 kHz sampling rate
Five-channel audio mixer and numerous sound-shaping tools
High-impedance input for direct connection of a guitar or bass
Two XLR jacks for mics and stereo line input for electronic instruments
Mic inputs feature phantom power and high-grade preamps with low noise and wide gain range (+70 dB)
Flagship-quality BOSS amps and effects derived from the GT-1000
Dedicated vocal effects, harmony, and voice transformer functions derived from VE vocal processors
Ready-to-go preset libraries provide optimized sound processing for guitar, bass, singing, and speaking
Dedicated stereo channels for remote guests and mobile device audio streamed via Bluetooth®
4.3-inch color touch display for intuitive control
Independent faders and mute buttons for the five audio input channels and master output
Onscreen effect pads for customizable live effects control
Talkback function for discrete communication between presenters
Ducking function automatically lowers the background music volume while speaking
Two headphone outputs with dedicated EQs
Headphones 1 output supports a headset mic or inline mic
Also works as a 16x12 USB audio interface for multitrack recording in music production software
Runs on USB bus power* or included AC adaptor
Supports hands-free operation via optional BOSS footswitches, expression pedals, and a GA-FC/GA-FC EX foot controller
Dedicated Gigcaster 5 App for sound pad playback, parameter editing, backup, and audio file conversion
Dimensions : 177 (W) x 216 (D) x 78 (H) mm / 6.97 (W) x 8.50 (D) x 3.07 (H) inches
Weight : 0.96kg (2lb 12oz)

Gigcaster 8 - €769 / £665

The larger '8' Gigcaster device has more Channels and more ports to connect to more outboard devices. It also has the 8 customisable pads which make it easier to punch in effects, stingers and jingles. There's a significant difference in pricing here - so you will need to decide how much you're going to use those extra features and connectivity. Obviously there is a difference in real estate here too. I would consider both devices fairly large though.

FEATURES

All-in-one USB interface solution designed for music-focused content creators
Premium sound quality with 32-bit floating-point processing and 48 kHz sampling rate
Eight-channel audio mixer and numerous sound-shaping tools
High-impedance input for direct connection of a guitar or bass
Four XLR/TRS combo jacks for mics and electronic instruments
Mic inputs feature phantom power and high-grade preamps with low noise and wide gain range (+70 dB)
Flagship-quality BOSS amps and effects derived from the GT-1000
Dedicated vocal effects, harmony, and voice transformer functions derived from VE vocal processors
Ready-to-go preset libraries provide optimized sound processing for guitar, bass, singing, and speaking
Dedicated stereo channels for remote guests and mobile device audio streamed via Bluetooth® or a wired connection
4.3-inch color touch display for intuitive control
Independent faders and mute buttons for the eight audio input channels and master output
Eight customizable pads for audio playback and real-time effects control (two modes with eight selectable banks in each)
Talkback function for discrete communication between presenters
Ducking function automatically lowers the background music volume while speaking
Onboard stereo microphone and four headphone outputs with dedicated EQs
Front-panel headphones output supports a headset mic or inline mic
Also works as a 20x14 USB audio interface for multitrack recording in music production software
Record live stereo or multitrack audio (32-bit/48 kHz) to an optional microSD card
Runs on USB bus power* or included AC adaptor
Supports hands-free operation via optional BOSS footswitches, expression pedals, and a GA-FC/GA-FC EX foot controller
Dedicated Gigcaster 8 App for parameter editing, backup, and audio file conversion
Dimensions : 217 (W) x 267 (D) x 80 (H) mm / 8.54 (W) x 10.51 (D) x 3.15 (H) inches
Weight : 1.36kg (3lb)