PastFX's MN3002 Chorus Ensemble Mini is a Vintage-Inspired Modern Marvel of a Stereo Chorus and Vibrato Pedal
I had long intended to get one of these - while the catalyst to this timely acquisition was a notice that PastFX were starting to run short of those super rare 512 Stage Matsushita NOS MN3002 BBD Chips - which featured in the very original Boss CE-1’s.
For Chorus lovers there should not be too much alarm though - as PastFX also make a slightly less rare MN3007 variety which sounds pretty much just as good as the original - and has a slightly improved noise-floor to its benefit too.
This Chorus currently comes in 4 varieties - a larger BB-sized Deluxe Edition - also priced at $489 AUD - like the Chorus Ensemble Mini featured here - and both sporting super-rare and now obsolete MN3002 chips. And while the chip prices keep going up all the time, the MN3007 Standard and Mini varieties are still considerably more affordable at $299 AUD and $249 AUD respectively.
The minis have just the one internal dip-switch for the Buffer Mod, while the larger editions have a separate dip-switch for the Depth Mod, and an additional Potentiometer Mod dip-switch which changes said resistance value from 50K to 500K (where in theory 500K is very slightly better for guitar). The larger pedals also have a second footswitch in place of the Vibrato / Chorus toggle-switch of the minis. I would quite like a bigger toggle here - like those flat ones that are on the Spaceman Sputnik I - where I can flip those over with my toes!
In any case this Chorus Ensemble takes that classic Boss CE-1 circuit and reproduces it authentically in miniature - with all of the same parts values as the originals - including those special MN3002 chips. Obviously this Mini format is more pedalboard-friendly. While there are also some cool innovations onboard in the form of those Mods.
This is every bit as dynamic and sparkly as the original - just more practical, and marginally better behaved. It produces a perfectly sparkly enough output for me without the Buffer Mod applied - that needs to be applied diligently as it can generate more noise - particularly on the Higher / Crunchier Input Sensitivity Mode.
My two core references here were the Joe Perkins and Dave Simpson demos - first and last of the demos below - where I kind of side with Dave’s preferences in having the pedal mostly set to Low, Buffer Mod on, and with Depth maxed out, and Chorus and Level knobs set around noon - that’s my perfect Chorus sound!
Of course if / when you flip it to High Sensitivity or raise the Level / Preamp control - you get those wonderful Crunch tones - and for some rigs you need to be careful with Buffer Mod applies as it can introduce more noise at higher levels as well as delivery more sparkle!
I have it set up for stereo output and it sounds totally glorious to me, it may though colour your signal a touch even when bypassed - so you might need to recalibrate your chain slightly when you deploy it. For most it’s probably best deployed via a Looper-Switcher - where you can take it out of the signal path when not on active duty. I actually quite like it’s overall impact on the signal character.
Key Features
- NOS / obsolete 512 Stage Matsushita (Panasonic) MN3002 BBD Chip
- Incorporates 'Noise Killer' circuit
- Same unique Preamp stage
- Vibrato / Chorus toggle / mode switch
- Chorus LFO is Triangle Wave
- Vibrato LFO is Sinewave
- JFET Switching per original (NOT True Bypass)
- High / Low Input Sensitivity toggle-switch
- Red LED Peak Level / Input Sensitivity Indicator
- Blue LED LFO Rate indicator - flashed when pedal is engaged - in time with Rate
- Mono Input and Mono / Strero Outputs : when in Stereo dry goes to Mono jack, and affected signal to Stereo jack
- Vibrato Controls are Rate and Depth
- Chorus is controlled by just one knob - Intensity - which is both Rate and Depth
- When bypassed Blue LED is still lit, but stationary
- Buffer Mod Onboard : Stock / Buffer internal dip-switch, where Buffer can give you slightly more sparkle, but more noise too - particular in High Input Sensitivity Mode
- Depth Mod Onboard : Can use Depth Knob for Chorus too, stock Chorus setting full Clockwise / Max
- Standard 9V DC 2.1mm [-] power requirement : 130mA Current Draw : requires isolated supply
- Dimensions : 60mm x 112mm x 31mm (1590B)
- RRP for MN3002 Mini and Deluxe : $489 AUD
- RRP for MN3007 Standard : $299 AUD
- RRP for MN3007 Mini : $249 AUD
Demos
Final Thoughts
I'm obviously a collector to a large degree and am somewhat overly enamoured by a lot of those early and now super-rare or obsolete components - so I really wanted to own a bona fide MN3002 chorus. In practical terms though, and were I being wholly pragmatic - I would / should probably have gone with the Mini MN3007 variety - as it has significantly lower cost, sounds pretty much just as pristine - and also has a lower noise floor than the MN3002.
There's often some weird attraction to NOS Mojo Components which often supersedes rational thought - some degree of nostalgia or inherent need for completion - which is probably just 90% placebo. Also - I want more modern / improved and more compact / practical takes on those early classics - but with the original tonality fully and authentically replicated. A lot of those early classics were overly hefty, has a lot of unwanted noise, alongside odd power requirements. With modern circuit advances you should be able to hone and improve those circuits - while still keeping all the original character!
So I'm delighted to have finally gotten my hands on an MN3002 variety - it's everything I hoped it would be and will no doubt be in heavy rotation - while I already have quite a number of beloved choruses. This is a wonderfully nuanced pedal with lots of salient notes on usage - hence why the demos from Joe Perkins and Dave Simpson are so handy. Joe Perkins has an earlier video specifically about the CE-1 Buffer Mod.
Verlie at PastFX is a total genius at hunting down those rare components and reproducing those classic original / vintage circuits with all the personality and character in tow - but with myriad improvements and innovations onboard too. The Chorus Ensemble Mini is my 8th PastFX pedal.
I'm obviously a touch late getting to this - as it's been out for quite a while already - just had various different schedules and priorities to juggle really - it's been on the to-do list for a while - and I just needed the added incentive of parts scarcity to pull the trigger.
Pedal acquisitions are all about timing - for getting the right editions and at the right sort of price. If you get your timing wrong - you either miss out, don't get the best iteration, or pay way over the odds - which has alas happened to most of us avid collectors. You can't have everything, and unless you are ridiculously wealthy - which most of us are not - you need to schedule your acquisitions with monthly spend limits and shifting priorities guided for me by fuelling the blog, serving the pedal-chain, and keeping up with the latest innovations.
Some of us will inevitably want the original Mojo components - and there are just a handful of those left now - you for sure pay a premium on those. The smart and sensible choice is undoubtedly to go for the MN3007 variants - which are a touch more readily available. All 4 varieties are still available from the PastFX Webstore (Pacific and USA), and Reverb.con PastFX Store (Europe).
I know quite a few of you have this Chorus already in one of these varieties - do please share some insights!
