Chorus Love - PastFx chorus ensemble
Posted: Wed May 18, 2022 12:10 am
A little while back I picked up the PastFx Chorus Ensemble, but have held-off raving about it until now, in case I was experiencing honeymoon-period delusions! Having waited, I can comfortably say this pedal is really inspiring me and might just be my new favourite.
It’s unashamedly a copy of the Boss CE1 (which I have never played), and the consensus on YouTube is that it does a very accurate job emulating the old Boss unit. I realise that blatant copies tend to generate emotional discussions, so I’ll leave that to others!
http://www.pastfx.com/index.php/effects ... ble-mn3007
I bought the version with the MN3007 chip, after chatting to the maker and being told there is pretty much no sonic difference between it and the (significantly more expensive) rarer chip.
Until now, my favourite chorus has been the Boss Waza. I did some extensive A/B testing of the Waza and the PastFx units (using true bypass loops), to get an idea of how they compare (with the Waza in CE1 mode, of course). In most settings they are very similar, with the PastFx (in stock mode) having a touch less high-end, and a bit more grit in the midrange due to the preamp. Just like the originals appear to do, this preamp can cause a fair bit of clipping in certain settings, which may or may not be desirable, depending on the application.
I really like the range of switchable options in this pedal; they take it well beyond the capabilities of an original Boss CE1. After playing around with mine, I took advantage of the ‘Depth’ option (a brilliant addition - why wouldn’t anyone want independent depth control of the chorus?), the ‘Pot Mod’ option, and the True Bypass setting. I haven’t activated the Buffer option, as I found that the Pot Mod already brought me enough high end, when switched to 500k.
Combine this with a low noise floor and an aesthetically appealing interface, and it’s a winner for me. Chorus without the cheese!
If I had to complain about anything, it would be nice to have some of the switch options available externally, rather than via internal switches. Particularly the Buffer option and the Pot option, as I might like to vary these at times. Also, putting the input/output jacks on the top would be preferable to the sides, for obvious reasons.
I am not affiliated with PastFx, although I must admit I’m feeling some Aussie Pride supporting a local builder!
It’s unashamedly a copy of the Boss CE1 (which I have never played), and the consensus on YouTube is that it does a very accurate job emulating the old Boss unit. I realise that blatant copies tend to generate emotional discussions, so I’ll leave that to others!
http://www.pastfx.com/index.php/effects ... ble-mn3007
I bought the version with the MN3007 chip, after chatting to the maker and being told there is pretty much no sonic difference between it and the (significantly more expensive) rarer chip.
Until now, my favourite chorus has been the Boss Waza. I did some extensive A/B testing of the Waza and the PastFx units (using true bypass loops), to get an idea of how they compare (with the Waza in CE1 mode, of course). In most settings they are very similar, with the PastFx (in stock mode) having a touch less high-end, and a bit more grit in the midrange due to the preamp. Just like the originals appear to do, this preamp can cause a fair bit of clipping in certain settings, which may or may not be desirable, depending on the application.
I really like the range of switchable options in this pedal; they take it well beyond the capabilities of an original Boss CE1. After playing around with mine, I took advantage of the ‘Depth’ option (a brilliant addition - why wouldn’t anyone want independent depth control of the chorus?), the ‘Pot Mod’ option, and the True Bypass setting. I haven’t activated the Buffer option, as I found that the Pot Mod already brought me enough high end, when switched to 500k.
Combine this with a low noise floor and an aesthetically appealing interface, and it’s a winner for me. Chorus without the cheese!
If I had to complain about anything, it would be nice to have some of the switch options available externally, rather than via internal switches. Particularly the Buffer option and the Pot option, as I might like to vary these at times. Also, putting the input/output jacks on the top would be preferable to the sides, for obvious reasons.
I am not affiliated with PastFx, although I must admit I’m feeling some Aussie Pride supporting a local builder!