Since their introduction in 2018, BOSS wireless products have quickly become a mainstay in the industry. From the easy-to-use bug-style WL-20 to the top-of-the-line WL-60, there’s something for everyone. But before delving into specifics, let’s discuss the common features of the BOSS wireless systems.
Class-Leading Speed
Passing your guitar through a wireless transmitter, which converts it into a digital or analog frequency signal. This goes through the receiver and gets converted back into an analog audio signal. All this requires a tiny, but measurable amount of time. That small lag between when you hit a note, and when it actually comes out of the wireless receiver into your amp or pedalboard has a name. We call it latency.
Higher latency results in a delay or disconnect between your playing and the guitar sound coming from your amplifier. This can be distracting and detrimental to your playing experience.
As a practical example, the speed of sound is 343m/s. If you’re standing 1 meter away from your amp, the sound will take approximately 2.9 milliseconds to reach your ears. By comparison, BOSS wireless systems offer a class-leading, ultra-low latency of only 2.3ms.
14 Channels of Freedom
Modern digital wireless units operate on the 2.4GHz frequency band. That’s the same as your WiFi. Think of how much information is flying through the air from cellphones, smart TVs, and wireless speakers. You’ll get an idea of how congested this frequency band can get. Stepping on the toes of any other signals can cause interference and signal loss. What’s worse is that the specific frequencies that are or aren’t used will change with any given room or venue.
This is an issue with low-end digital wireless units, which typically have 3-4 channels. If these channels happen to be in use, you may experience dropouts and interference. BOSS wireless systems have 14 channels total. This means it’s much less likely this kind of issue will occur. Plus, they feature automatic frequency sensing. This feature finds the best frequency to operate on in any given room.
BOSS WL RANGE
Let’s get into the different systems.
WL-20
The easiest intro to the world of wireless, the WL-20 consists of a bug-style transmitter and corresponding receiver. It has a nominal operating range of 15m. It’s very straightforward. To pair, simply plug the two together, wait for the orange light to stop flashing, and you’re ready to go. The unit’s auto-pairing feature chooses the best frequency in a given room from the 14 possible channels.
The WL-20 also features built-in cable tone emulation, which reproduces the tone of using a 10-foot guitar cable. To charge the internal rechargeable batteries is simple. Plug the transmitter and receiver together, then connect a USB cable to charge both at the same time. 4 hours charging time will give you 12 hours of battery life for the transmitter, and 10 hours for the receiver.
A useful thing to note is when storing the wireless system for long periods, it’s best not to connect the transmitter and receiver. Once the automatic pairing function is complete, the system goes into a standby mode where the LED flashes once every few seconds. This consumes a small amount of battery and will run down the charge.
WL-20L
The WL-20L is for guitars with active pickups as well as line instruments such as acoustic guitars with active preamps or synthesizers. Essentially, it’s the same as the WL-20, but without the cable tone. You can identify the WL-20L by the grey receiver. Incidentally, all the transmitter bugs are the same.
WL-50
The WL-50 is for players who want to integrate their wireless system into their pedalboard. You may have noticed the receiver shares a similar size and form factor with the iconic BOSS compact pedal. Powered it via 9V adaptor or 2 AA batteries for up to 10 hours. If you’re using an adaptor, you can use the WL-50 as a power distribution hub to power other pedals via a daisy chain.
Once again, it’s easy to pair. Dock the transmitter into the receiver and wait for the yellow light to stop flashing. The receiver has three options for switchable cable tone – off, short and long. With cable tone in the OFF position, the WL-50 is suitable for use low impedance sources such as guitars with active preamps. This is the same as the WL-20L.
With cable tone on the “short” setting, the cable tone simulation reproduces the tone of using a 10-foot cable. This is the same as the WL-20. On the “long” setting, the cable tone simulation reproduces the tone of using a 20-foot cable.
This gives you the freedom to swap between active and passive pickup guitars. This gives a little more of the high-end roll-off associated with long cables if that’s what you’re used to hearing with your wired rig. In case the transmitter runs out of batteries, there is a standard guitar input jack on the receiver, like a normal BOSS pedal.
WL-60
The WL-60 is the latest in the range of BOSS wireless units. It has the same class-leading low latency as the rest of the range. Plus, it features a pedalboard-mountable receiver and a belt-pack style transmitter, each with an LCD screen. The feature set of the WL-60 is in direct response to user feedback on the WL-20 and the WL-50.
The auto-pairing feature on the WL-20 and the WL-50 is handy for plug-and-play. Still, for some users looking to use many units in their band, it can be easier to know which channel each player is on. With that in mind, the WL-60 incorporates a visual readout so you can see which channel you’re on. You can auto-select the best channel for the room. Or, you can manually select the channel. This is so bands with multiple users can assign each player their own channel, avoiding interference.
WL-60 incorporates the same switchable cable tone simulation as the WL-50 and has the same nominal range of 20m. For some users, the wireless bug design of the WL-20 and -50 means the transmitter sticks out from the body. This puts it at risk of damage during play. The WL-60T addresses this with a body-pack form factor. This allows it to be safely tucked behind the guitar strap.
Unlike most other body-pack transmitters, the WL-60T does not need a separate pouch. It attaches securely to your guitar strap with its built-in clip. You can also reverse it depending on which orientation you prefer.
Many other body-pack transmitters require a proprietary cable between it and the guitar. With the WL-60, you can use any instrument cable, and in fact, a high-quality 2-foot BOSS cable comes with it.
For gigging musicians, the WL-60T transmitter uses 2 AA batteries for up to 25 hours of playing time. This means it’s no problem if you’ve run out of batteries before a gig. Swap in fresh ones and be ready to go, rather than waiting for internal batteries to recharge.
summary
Are you ready to make the jump and leave tangled cables behind? There’s something in our wireless range for every player. From the simplicity of the WL-20/WL-20L, to the pedalboard-friendly WL-50, to the WL-60 and its pro-level features, you’ll find many options. Go cable-free today.
