All user reviews for the MXR M234 Analog Chorus

Analog chorus
Besides the classic controls (depth, volume, rate), you can also modify the tone (low and high).
There are two "mono" and "thru" outputs to use it with two amps (which I've never done).
The box is made of metal covered with metallic blue paint / spangles.

USE

Very easy to use.
Consider the following drawbacks:
- To change the battery you need to unscrew the bottom lid (not very practical during rehearsals or gigs)
- The power supply on the side is not very practical
- The pots are rather small, which isn't very practical when you have big fingers
- The LED is VERY bright, it can blind you dark environments

SOUND QUALITY

The sound quality is excellent.
You get an effective chorus, rather neutral (in the sense that its doesn't have a strong "character") and versatile.
I get all the sounds I want, both with clean and distorted sounds (I place it on the amp's effects loop) and I think it provides a pretty warm sound (without a doubt due to its analog design).

OVERALL OPINION

I find this chorus pretty effective and versatile, it meets my expectations.
It's doesn't have a strong character nor was it conceived to get bizarre sounds (not even with the controls all the way up), which is good to know when you are looking for a modulation pedal...

Analog chorus
Two EQ controls: low and cut
One volume control
One rate and one depth control
Two output: mono and stereo

USE

I haven't opened the manual. It's very easy to find your sound. The EQ and parameters allow for a really wide variety of sounds.

SOUND QUALITY

It's simply awesome. It colors sound in a wonderful way. You need to find the right balance between rate and depth so that it's not to muddled (unless that's what you're looking for, obviously). Personally, I don't like it when it becomes a tremolo. I use it between my amp and preamp (because I don't have an effects loop). I think it could also be used as a booster. In short, the sound is both versatile and excellent.

OVERALL OPINION

I've had it for several months and I don't regret it. It's a quality unit, plus it looks nice. I love '80s thrash and was looking for Megadeth's sound in "So far so good so what" and I immediately found my own tone (both with clean and distorted sounds) with this pedal. I didn't give it 10/10 because nothing is perfect and, especially, because I have nothing to compare it to (except too digital multi-effects), but I dreamed about it.

Analog chorus
EQ for highs and lows.
Controls: Level, Rate and Depth
Status LED. Metal box.
Made in the USA.
Color: Blue.
Optional power supply.


USE

Very easy to use.
User's manual? Yes, but what for?
Satisfying sound quality.

SOUND QUALITY

This effect is effective, it does well its job, which is what you expect of it!

I use it with a Vox AC15, a Telecaster (Fender Baja) and a hollowbody ES 335 (IBANEZ AS 93).


OVERALL OPINION

I've been using it for one year and a half.
I tested other models, but MXR = Safe bet and a good value for money. The Zack Wylde is nice, but too typical, so the analog convinced me more.
The pros: It doesn't take up too much space on my pedalboard, value for money all right.

Pedal in "nano" format (see nano clone - the same size as a phase 90), with standard power supply, so it fits well on a pedalboard.

Despite its reduced size, you have plenty of settings, especially those that make a difference: Low and high.

USE

The pedal comes with a manual including settings examples, it's very nice to understand the new characteristic settings of the pedal (low and high).

These two controls that allow you to EQ the signal are really well-achieved, once you get used to them, you miss them on all other chorus pedals.

This mini-EQ allows you to get a somber chorus (wonderful for clean sounds) or a more brilliant one (very '80s), which suits distorted sounds well; fiddling with the other controls you can get "the" desired chorus and some other advantages.

The rest are classic controls (level-rate-depth), it's plug and play.

SOUND QUALITY

The sound quality is really good, especially at this price point.

I wasn't a big fan of chorus effects (I'm more into flanger/phaser), but I wanted something that worked fine with clean sounds and I picked this chorus, which made me change my mind regarding chorus effects.

As a result, I invested on the Maxon CS-9 (which is supposed to be the ultimate chorus in pedal form) and it disappointed me, because even though it has a good sound, it's different, but not better than the MXR chorus and the MXR chorus has the "low" control that allows you to get fabulous chorus effects with clean sounds.

One last argument in favor of the MXR (compared to the CS-9) is that it is also convincing with distorted sounds. I always thought that modulation for distorted sounds meant flanger/phaser, but the MXR made me eat my words..

To sum it up, the sound quality of this MXR is excellent, it has a very "neutral" sound, less particular, with much less character than the EHX, but it's not bad for a chorus.

OVERALL OPINION

I've been using this pedal for one and a half years.

As I said before, I was able to compare it to a Maxon CS-9 and I chose the MXR for my pedalboard (I also kept the CS-9, which I use from time to time for a change, but the MXR always keeps coming back to my pedalboard).

I also have a NANO CLONE, which is very particular and I don't quite like (it colors sound too much).

If, like me, you don't like the big, intrusive chorus from the '80s, the MXR is very interesting. It's a chorus that can be very deep while remaining relatively discreet in terms of coloration.

The M234 is a very good pedal I can recommend. Thanks to its low control it allows you to get fabulous chorus with clean sounds (especially together with a delay). And it's also the chorus pedal I've found most usable with distorted sounds.

A chorus pedal that offers many settings and a stereo output.
Like all MXR, the case seems indestructible construction and does not call any criticism. The effect is completely analogue as we might expect from the brand

UTILIZATION

The five knobs settings allow multiple levels of effect. As always (yes, I'ma fan of the brand!) In MXR, each potentiometer offers on its entire course, a musical sound AND usable. You have tried all of that chorus pedals, from 50% of the race of knobs, to become less "weird" and unusable. In MXR, all the effects of musical modulations remain on their full range of adjustments.

SOUND QUALITY

I often compare it to the chorus 90 Vintage Phase 74: elegance, class and musicality at all levels. I will change it for anything even if I remain committed to Clone Electro Harmonix that I also own. A world separates these two pedals and even if the EH Clone D'nothing wrong (and far from it) MXR chorus plays in the higher category. Fortunately elsewhere: it costs more than double!

OVERALL OPINION

I kept a nostalgic memory of a superb Roland Chorus I owned at the end of 70 years, until I acquired it from MXR. To the extent that auditory memory is playing tricks on me, I found the same musicality and serene light, the same propensity to color delicately authority but the sound of a Les Paul or a Strat. Equally at home in its clear that behind the overdrive, distortion or fuzz, the MXR Analog Chorus is my grail.