Chorus shootout! Red Witch Empress vs Retro-Sonic vs Moollon Chorus

[skyn]

What are your opinions about the following chorus pedals?

Red Witch Empress, the Retro-Sonic Chorus and the Moollon Chorus?

Which is your favourite and why?

 

[duderanimous]

the retro-sonic is my favorite because I have one, and it sounds like RUSH

 

[normal ninja]

I would really like to check them out side by side - but, based on internetz recordings so far, I'm leaning to red witch.

 

[skyn]

I'm leaning towards the Red Witch too! Too bad there aren't many Moollon demos out there

 

[Droptop]

Having owned both the Red Witch and the Retro-sonic, you may also want to try Analogman's Bi-Chorus with Deep Switch. IMHO its the best one out there...just hard to find.

 

[skyn]

Hmm having had both the Red Witch and the Retro-sonic, how would you compare them?

 

[donbarzini]

the retro-sonic is my favorite because I have one, and it sounds like RUSH

I really like the Retro-Sonic as well, however, I am really digging the MXR Stereo Chorus Reissue. Does the RUSH thing just as good, works better in front of higher gain and is super quiet, Very Grace Under Pressure-ish sounding as well as VH Fair Warning, Diver Down, 1984.

 

[ibzmav]

have you tried the cool cat chorus? (the latest & truebypass one)

- very versatile & natural sounding

 

[skyn]

Naw have yet to try one. Seems like very few have had experience with the Empress Chorus!

 

[scotty31]

Empress, however its big sister the Medusa is tons better.

 

[duderanimous]

I really like the Retro-Sonic as well, however, I am really digging the MXR Stereo Chorus Reissue. Does the RUSH thing just as good, works better in front of higher gain and is super quiet, Very Grace Under Pressure-ish sounding as well as VH Fair Warning, Diver Down, 1984.

I had the MXR Stereo Chorus, and I agree... excellent! But, unfortunately, financial circumstances forced me to choose which one had to go, and I dug the "Hemisphere" tones of the retro-sonic more

 

[normal ninja]

I just bought the visual sound h2o today - be interesting to hear how it compares to the chorus pedals mentioned here?

I like the echo!

 

[WahmBoomAh]

Having owned both the Red Witch and the Retro-sonic, you may also want to try Analogman's Bi-Chorus with Deep Switch. IMHO its the best one out there...just hard to find.

could I get little more in the A/B between the retrosonic and the AM w/deep mod ? thanks

 

[leblanc74]

I just bought the visual sound h2o today - be interesting to hear how it compares to the chorus pedals mentioned here?

I like the echo!

I tried that pedal for 20 days and returned it, the buffer did not like my setup...also, noisy pedal.

could I get little more in the A/B between the retrosonic and the AM w/deep mod ? thanks

after listening on youtube for 2 weeks between the two, I went ahead and purchased the retrosonic, also it has a vib on it which is a plus... I will will let you know if it is a keeper or my chorus search is still on.

 

[WahmBoomAh]

after listening on youtube for 2 weeks between the two, I went ahead and purchased the retrosonic, also it has a vib on it which is a plus... I will will let you know if it is a keeper or my chorus search is still on.

I have the Retrosonic (9v stereo) and find it a little too dark with a mask over my tone . I don`t like the hifi TC style chorus either .
I did the mod to the Retrosonic and it`s better but not all there .

Anyone that can compare the Retrosonic stereo to the AM w/deep?

thanks , Paul

 

[mad dog]

The retrosonic had me real curious based on clips. But the Red Witch sounded (from clips) like something different. And it is. It can do lots of ambient flavors not explicitely chorus like. I've never had a need for chorus, never even liked it that much, but very much like what this pedal can do.

 

[jcarpenter]

My taste in chours may be different than most. Retro Sonic... I was unimpressed. I like low speed moderate depth chours on my clean tones. I don't use that shimmery warble blues vibe. Red Witch dunno. However, my fav at the moment is the meistersinger by jaqueuz. I love the fact that it has depth and wet/dry level controls. It helps make a real transparent and tasteful chorus. Any Chours pedal with just rate and depth should be rejected. The new sleeper that one of my students just purchased was the reissue delta lab chours. Built well and sounded great.

 

[gpro34]

I've had the AM, Retro-Sonic, T.C. Electronics, DLS chorus vib, fulltone, and Red Witch Empress.

The retro sonic is a nice unit, but it was a much thicker chorus than what I'm accustomed to.

The red witch had a couple of settings I really liked, but there were some settings I didn't care for, and some settings produced increased noise at the top of the range. I didn't notice this with the others, especially the T.C. which is as quiet as a prostitute in church.

The analog man is a nice unit also. It has a flangey chorus sound. I did not have the deep mod, sorry.

The T.C. is a cool unit. It has a much thinner chorus sound. I describe it as kind of airy as opposed to hi fi. I generally prefer a more subtle chorus; therefore, the T.C. worked great for me.

Now I'm using the E-155 boomerang chorus/delay. This pedal has a great subtle chorus, like the T.C, but with a killer delay to boot. This is a very cool pedal that is highly overlooked here.

 

[Tweeker]

...The red witch had a couple of settings I really liked, but there were some settings I didn't care for, and some settings produced increased noise at the top of the range ...

I tried the Red Witch, but didn't keep it because it was both noisy and prone to interference from other pedals. It is more versatile than the Retro-Sonic, but the Retro-Sonic does just what I want a chorus to do, so that's what I'm using.

 

[Droptop]

I have the Retrosonic (9v stereo) and find it a little too dark with a mask over my tone . I don`t like the hifi TC style chorus either .
I did the mod to the Retrosonic and it`s better but not all there .

Anyone that can compare the Retrosonic stereo to the AM w/deep?

thanks , Paul

The retro-sonic is out to be like the old Roland CE-1 which is a great warm and lush chorus with a really nice/subtle flange to boot. The AM with deep switch can take you from Small Clone craziness to TC shimmering ambiant to warm and lush chorus. For versatility its hard to beat the AM. Getting one in stereo is harder to find used. The Retrosonic, I believe, now comes in stereo.

Both are good chorus units, I just found the AM Bi-chorus to be able to cover more ground. The deep switch mod is a must.