Fattest Chorus?

jufros · #1 09-02-2009, 05:14 PM

I've been using the Boss CE-5 for a good long while now and I love it so much that I have never really bothered to explore chorus pedals in depth. I usually use the CE-5 after octave->fuzz->filter, fuzz->filter, etc. synth combos and love the way that it fattens sounds and sometimes even creates a synth pad effect.

I'm very close to having fully realized my synth board plan, but I can't help but wonder if there's a fatter chorus out there that I should try. Any input?

bamabass · #2 09-02-2009, 05:15 PM

The mind bender is pretty nice.....

RickenBoogie · #3 09-02-2009, 05:32 PM

Chorus is one of those weird effects that although they all sound different, they all sound the same. Know what I mean? Some sound more natural, some more metallic, some go deep, some have HP filters, etc. You should play as many as you can find for a good idea on the differences. I went through about 12 different ones, and landed on the Maxon CS 9Pro. It's pretty fat, and has 2 differentways to adjust the rate. Then there's the ones that combine chorus with flanger, like the Stereo Electric Mistress, and that's a pretty unique effect. Extremely metallic, and outerspacely. The Boss CE-5 is probably the best of all the Boss models, so I wouldn't consider any of their others.

JMDT · #4 09-02-2009, 05:35 PM

I've tried a ton of chorus pedals, and the Maxon CS-9 Pro is the thickest I've tried. It has a clean blend which makes it very versatile. Also at extreme settings you can get a detuned wobble like effect that sounds pretty cool. The pedal's combiness makes it sound especially well as part of a synth sound.

However I have been thinking about a Boss DC or a Hardwire for a non vibrato chorus effect. Some days I like it, others not so much. Regardless, the Maxon is a top flight chorus for pretty much any situation.

bigchiefbc · #5 09-03-2009, 05:20 AM

If you're using chorus for a synthy sound, you probably want a relatively static chorus, without a lot of wobble/pitch-bend to it. In that case, I would stay away from the Small Clone/Analogman/Stereo Electric Mistress choruses. Boss really does make some of the best of those static/icy chorus sounds, and the CE-5 is probably the best, unless you can get your hands on one of the older DC-2s. That is my ideal chorus, but I'm just not willing to drop a couple hundred bucks on a 30-year-old Boss pedal yet, so I'm currently playing the Behringer knock-off of the DC-2. Fromel makes a higher-quality clone of it that I think he called the Seraph or Lush or something.

Alternatively, the EHX Stereo Clone Theory is supposed to be able to do that static icy chorus sound pretty well, you might want to think about that one, too.

gnasher1993 · #6 09-03-2009, 06:46 AM

The DOD Ice Box is great. I love it

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BigOldHarry · #7 09-03-2009, 11:12 AM

I was thinking of posting a thread on this very subject today - I don't see much discussion on Chorus units here (is it that they are passe??) Anyway, I have a Boss CEB3, and I like it well enough, but Boss pedals seem so... "Not quite as good as you can get", you know?

Anyway, I see about two references to the CE5 pedal... I've been using the CEB 3 and have been very impressed (it replaced my TC Electronics!) , given that I've owned much more expensive pedals that didn't do the job as well - - So why might you want a CE5 rather than a CEB 3? I've tried both, found the CEB 3 to have a better sound for bass - am I missing something, or is this just one of those subjective things?

And i'm still curious about other brands (just on principle) - - I've not heard the aforementioned Maxon... Anyone else leap to mind in the higher end world?

thx

fishtx · #8 09-03-2009, 11:26 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BigOldHarry

I have a Boss CEB3, and I like it well enough, but Boss pedals seem so... "Not quite as good as you can get", you know?

Anyway, I see about two references to the CE5 pedal... I've been using the CEB 3 and have been very impressed (it replaced my TC Electronics!) , given that I've owned much more expensive pedals that didn't do the job as well - - So why might you want a CE5 rather than a CEB 3? I've tried both, found the CEB 3 to have a better sound for bass - am I missing something, or is this just one of those subjective things?

thx

YOu will find there are people here that hate the CEB-3 and people that love it. I personally think it's a nice sounding subtle chorus box...I don't think I would replace a TCE SCF+ with it, Which I think is just an amazing sounding Chorus...but to each his own.

I've been through a bunch of Chorus pedals, and recently picked up a Maxon CS9 Pro...It is a great sounding chorus..my one knock on it is that I don't think it's as quiet as the TCE (which to me is dead silent). The Maxon has a very slight hiss...not enough to bug me, but worth mentioning in my opinion. I haven't had a chance to gig the Maxon yet, but will next weekend..and am looking forward to it!

I've found the CEB-3 to be very quiet as well...but not as full/thick sounding as the Maxon...I've always kind of leaned towards the subtle side...but am excited to try out this Maxon...

RickenBoogie · #9 09-03-2009, 02:14 PM

The Maxon CS 9Pro I've been using for better than a year is dead silent. That was the first thing that attracted me to it. I'd describe it as lush, and full spectrumed. It affects every note on your bass, down to a low B. It can be subtle, ot in your face. Has a blend control, and aside from being pricey, it came out on top after many other chorus's. As to the Boss CE-5, unlike the CEB-3, it has alot more range. Has 2 filters, so you can put the effect whereever you want in your eq range, and I think it's deeper than the bass version, which to my ears, is nice, but too subtle. The Maxon can be set up to be subtle if you want, but can also really shimmer up your tone, in a very natural sounding way.

bassman1185 · #10 09-03-2009, 03:57 PM

The Visual Sound H2O can get pretty darn fat sounding, plus it has a very workable delay built in too.

Cough, Ihaveoneforsaleintheclassifieds, cough.

opivy3056 · #11 09-03-2009, 05:41 PM

mode 8 on the boss PS-3 is very fat sounding. Definitely widens my tone a lot. Makes things in my dorm rumble more than my clean tone does.

jufros · #12 09-03-2009, 06:24 PM

Yeah I've definitely given the PS-3 some serious consideration lately. It would be really awesome for detuning sounds or running two sounds in parallel and delaying one before the filter.

fishtx · #13 09-03-2009, 07:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RickenBoogie

The Maxon CS 9Pro I've been using for better than a year is dead silent. That was the first thing that attracted me to it..

Mine is not dead silent...It's not noisy...but as I said it's not as quiet as the TC Electronic SCF+...

I like the Maxon, and have it on my board now to give a go...One reason I am trying it out is because I want a really good "9v", true-bypass, smaller footprint Chorus that I can put on a PT Mini and power from a Fueltank Jr...

Hollow Man · #14 09-03-2009, 08:30 PM

Since we're talking about choruses, can anyone clarify the difference between the Maxon CS-550 Sterea Chorus and the CS-9 Chorus Pro?

**TheMutt** · #15 09-03-2009, 11:27 PM

Personally, my go-to chorus is the ModFactor. I love the flexibility that it affords, plus the models all sound great to me. For a fat sound though, I personally like a slightly detuned effect as found on the BOSS PS-3 and PitchFactor among others.

shinobi · #16 09-05-2009, 10:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hollow Man

Since we're talking about choruses, can anyone clarify the difference between the Maxon CS-550 Sterea Chorus and the CS-9 Chorus Pro?

it's almost the same thing. cs-9pro has a front mounted blend control, cs-550's is a the rear. older versions of the cs-550 aren't true bypass. cs-550 doesn't work on batteries, adaptor only. in terms of tone they are almost identical, but you could say that no 2 pedals ever sound the same

Hollow Man · #17 09-05-2009, 11:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by shinobi

it's almost the same thing. cs-9pro has a front mounted blend control, cs-550's is a the rear. older versions of the cs-550 aren't true bypass. cs-550 doesn't work on batteries, adaptor only. in terms of tone they are almost identical, but you could say that no 2 pedals ever sound the same

Good stuff. Thanks.

Jared Lash · #18 09-05-2009, 11:29 PM

I'm not the best person to ask for chorus suggestions as it's not an effect I use much, but for a natural sound I liked the George Dennis Chorus Flanger and for a more lush sound the Analogman Chorus is tough to beat. But again, unlike most effect types I haven't tried all that many chorus pedals.

That said, if you're primarily looking for one to modulate synth sounds I do think you'd be better served using a PS-3 or Whammy on detune mode as they work very well in that setting. Thick and slightly ominous.

Here's a clip of Octavius Squeezer > PS-3 > Superdelay.

Blueser · #19 09-05-2009, 11:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jared Lash

I'm not the best person to ask for chorus suggestions as it's not an effect I use much, but for a natural sound I liked the George Dennis Chorus Flanger and for a more lush sound the Analogman Chorus is tough to beat. But again, unlike most effect types I haven't tried all that many chorus pedals.

That said, if you're primarily looking for one to modulate synth sounds I do think you'd be better served using a PS-3 or Whammy on detune mode as they work very well in that setting. Thick and slightly ominous.

Here's a clip of Octavius Squeezer > PS-3 > Superdelay.

I agree that the Analogman is very lush, but if it's pure cholesterol that the OP is looking for, then the Retro Sonic or the Fulltone Choral Flange will also deliver the goods in a fat way! After trying all of these, I kept the Analogman, because is also had a nice clarity to it in addition to it's lush character. I did not get that clarity from either the Retro Sonic or the Fulltone, but they did sound great. Just not what I was looking for.

ItsMichaelYeah · #20 09-06-2009, 02:33 AM

I'm using a Visual sounds H20. But Thickest Chorus I've used goes to the MXR stereo Chorus. That think sounds really thick... Man Now Talking about it I kinda miss it. the only reason I got rid of it was because it's 18Volts