MXR M234 Analog Chorus | The unheralded workhorse of chorus pedals

I can’t say that I am a Chorus Effect aficionado, at least not yet but, I do appreciate the effect and like to incorporate it from time-to-time into my tone libraries. With anticipation of limited use, I have been trying to find something affordable; certainly not wanting to make it the most expensive pedal in my setup. As I journeyed through the search process, I always held the Strymon Ola and the Analogman Mini Chorus (w/ full options) as the two top-tier choices but both were more than what I really wanted to spend. In lieu of those two options, I have worked with or demoed a few other pedals in my search and would start by sharing the following feedback:

• MXR Micro Chorus: I started with this pedal for the first two or three months – Positives: Very easy to work with, the range of effect covers most of the common bases/settings one would use for Chorus. Drawbacks: Lack of more in-depth control to dial in variations of chorus based on combinations of speed & depth. Slight Volume Boost when engaged. No tone/mix control to adapt to gear or control intensity.
• Way Huge Blue Hippo Chorus MK II: I wrote the following review when I first got the pedal and added it to my board, NPD: The Way Huge Blue Hippo MK II Review, so I won’t go into much more detail. Positives: Easy to work with, a great range of the effect AND ability to dial in a great many combinations of speed & depth. Vibe switch was an added bonus to get more out of the one pedal. While it lacked a mix/blend, it was so very easy to dial in a subtle chorus. Drawbacks: The pedal just clipped the highs from the second it was engaged, very focused in the mids. In lacking tone control, I found that it was not as flexible in adapting to other gear (e.g. changing between guitars).
• Keeley Seafoam Chorus: I only had this pedal long enough to give it a quick test drive; I knew very quickly it was not for me. It was a solid Chorus Pedal and certainly got me closer to the sounds I was in search of. The general feeling was, in comparison to the price points of other pedals and then factoring the final product (what you got in return), it was not worth the premium paid. Positives: Good spectrum of effect thanks to rate and depth controls. Blend control was an interesting approach to switching between Vibrato & Chorus or finding something new in-between. Tone knob allowed the pedal to work well with both my LP and Strat. Drawbacks: As hinted at earlier, for what the pedal offered, the price seemed a bit high. While listed as a strength, I would have preferred a vibe switch and then the mix control would have been a mix between dry signal and effect –> much more useful. Maybe it was the digital aspect, but I experience a very nuanced delay at times while the effect was engaged but before the wet signal would kick-in compared to the dry (as best described). It was noticeable enough to have me pause once or twice to check what I really was hearing.

All of this leads me back to the MXR M234 Analog Chorus that arrived today. This pedal has been recognized or referenced as the unheralded workhorse on theGearPage.net forums. Anytime there is a discussion about what chorus option one should consider, its name quickly appears as a recommendation. I am sort of kicking myself for not trying it sooner since it was only a bit more than the Micro Chorus. After an hour or so since placing it on my board, here is a quick “First Impression”:

It is a solid Analog Chorus with a great range of effect, from subtle to leslie-esque, and with granular controls to really provide adaptability to any and all gear you might use with it (from other pedals to different guitars). Throw in the simplicity to dial-in a classic chorus sound and I’m not sure what else I could have asked for. Thanks to the Hi and Low Cut Controls, no more “murkiness”, especially when using the LP, and yet you can still have the expected “warmth” of analog chorus or, if it one’s preference, to dial-in a lighter/airier feel that provides a bit of sparkle. The level control allows for more subtle chorus presentations. To summarize, and when looking at my experience from the other pedals, in essence what the MXR m234 provides represents the strengths of the many pedals listed above: Simplicity, Adaptability, Range and Variation of Effect, Intensity of Effect. Note: If you are looking for some uber-intensity or modulated craziness, this pedal is probably not what you are looking for. While it can get a bit wacky on the highest settings, it is still pretty straight forward in its approach.

[Update: Day 2 Impressions]

Since its arrival yesterday, I have now have several more hours, spread across a few different practice sessions, to run the pedal though its paces. The trials included usage of both guitars, interactions with various combinations of different pedals, and application/usage in songs from my set-list. The key to the success of this pedal, making it different than the other pedals that I’ve tried and listed above, is the three controls: Low Filter, High Filter, and Level. The original tone of the guitar is kept intact – the full spectrum of frequencies retained with the chorus effect added providing a sense of greater width (“fatness”). The intensity of effect can be adjusted to one’s liking thanks to the “level” control. The Low & Hi controls can either provide warmth of analog, a bit of murkiness if desired, or really making for an articulate and light heavenly chorus.

I am trying not to GUSH about this pedal (pun intended) but rather, to provide some helpful analogies to convey the types of tones I am able to achieve with the pedal. Last summer I started a project to create a new pedal board setup, adding one component/pedal at a time, and Chorus has been the one effect I have struggled with the most, not being able to find the classic sound without having some sort of issue. At this point in time, and based on the feedback I detailed above, the dual-lock has been applied to the MXR234 and the pedal affixed securely to the board. Where I struggled to find an appropriate time and use for Chorus before, I now very happily turn it on and enjoy the sounds I get. For my wants and needs, the search is over.

[Update: A few days, A few gigs later]

Now that I have had some real-world live performance usage, I am happy to report back that the pedal is fantasic — for all of the reasons mentioned above. In previous performances (pre-ownership of the MXR M234), I struggled to find a good tone/mix of the chorus effect, allowing me very few opportunities to actually utilize the pedal. With the MXR Analog Chorus, I was able to effectively use it in at least four or five of my songs plus some additional sections (where it would be appropriate) with great results. The versatility and flexibility of this pedal really open up its overall potential and possibilities of use.

As with my other pedals, if things change, I will come back to provide an updated perspective and additional insights.