Best I've tried so far is TAL-Chorus-LX, Arturia Chorus JUN-6, using Soundtoys Microshift, or Eventide Micropitch (plugin) to get a chorus effect. They all sound cheapish/off imo.

Obvious answer out of the way, buy hardware. Already have, several. Even Behringer's cheap plastic chorus pedal clone sounds miles better to my ears. Yes, hardware rules.

I'm hoping to get a recommendation on something I may not have tried/know about. IDK, maybe there's some little gem of a plugin I'm unaware about. I can't do UAD, not willing to buy into it, just FYI.


I was hoping Brainworx bx_bluechorus2 would be the ticket. It's a CE-2 emulation after all. Nope. I even tried 112dB Mikron Chorus in desperation recently. Nope.

I think it's a no win situation, having to settle for pale emulation which I guess the Brainworx bx_bluechorus2 would do, but I thought I'd take one last shot.

 

Valhalla Ubermod & Meldaproduction MChorusMB

 

I understand what you say and when I needed it, I wish someone had recommended UVI Thorus and Loomer Manifold!

EDIT: Others that might deserve some attention are Syntorus, Ensemble Snapin, Tritik Echorus, Distorque Azurite, Blue Cat's Chorus, Acon Digital Multiply and Kuassa Efektor CH3604

 

Last edited: Jul 16, 2021

Have you tried Blue Cat's Chorus?
https://www.bluecataudio.com/Products/Product_Chorus/

 

I've really come to like Native Instruments Choral, and it's brethren Phasis and Flair which can also do some nice choruses though they're not designed for that. YMMV of course.

 

Oh, if you like the Juno chorus/ensemble circuit, part of the charm of the original (apart from the synth it was affixed to) was that it was noisy as fuck.

Try this for fun: get your synth/whatever signal, mix in a bit of tapeish hiss (say, a high passed white noise), not much, but certainly audible. Then feed it to the chorus, engage both switches and see if you like it that way more.

*edit:* Might be my memory, but I don't think the separation was full in the wet signal either, reduce the stereo width a bit there as well.

 

this is a really good question. i don't know why but chorus pedals sound the way they are supposed to sound, and plugin choruses generally don't even sound like chorus to me most of the time, it's really been a thorn in my side. set up a poll

 

Plugins can't possibly stink. A little physics study will persuade you.

Seriously speaking, I do love my Boss chorus pedals because they sound more alive. It's the hardware mod pedals and the compressors that make a bit of change in the songs you're making IMHO. They really do change the sound in a positive way.

I'm sorry, but a software chorus that doesn't stink is a bit hard to achieve. Personally, I like TOGU chorus [but I resample it through hardware to get more spaciousness], and I like Acon Digital Multiply, too. Any chorus that you resample through some kind of hardware will sound more spacious and like a hardware chorus.

Just my 2p. Cheers!

 

For inspiration and emulating a pedal perhaps:
https://exclusivemusicplus.com/vst-au-aax/chorus/the-best-chorus-effects-vst-plugin-2020/
https://integraudio.com/top-6-chorus-plugins/
And to add a few more to the list:
AIRChorus, DDMF ERS Dim D, Kilohearts Chorus, Soundtoys EchoBoy CE-1 factory preset, Tritik Echorus, Lexicon PCM Native Chorus, Voxengo CRTIV Chorus, Nomad Factory Blue Tubes Analog Chorus CH2S, Nembrini Audio Analog Rack Chorus

 

You should try Audio Damage QuatroMod, it's my favorite one.

 

I'm not sure exactly what your looking for in a chorus plugin but try the TC Electronic TC1210 or even their SCF pedal plugin from the Vintage pedal bundle. Another favorite is the Empty Room Systems Dim-D. Its a copy of the Roland Dimension D and is now made by DDMF.

 

Goodhertz - Wow Control
Valhalla - Supermassive

 

You lost me at Eventide, Soundtoys, and Arturia stink and sound cheap (all of which are awesome) compared to a cheap Behringer chorus pedal.

That statement makes no sense whatsoever. I suggest your problem isn't with the plugins, it's either the way you are using them or something else in the chain (interface, converters, computer?).

As a former owner of high-end hardware like the Eventide H3000, TC M5000, Sony M7, Roland SDD320 & SDE330..ect, aside from the converters (sometimes adding their own mojo), the software in some cases is pretty much on par, equal to or surpasses the hardware counterparts.
If you cant get a good chorus out of the plugins you've mentioned, sorry to break it to you mate but you're blaming your tools.

 

Last edited: Jul 16, 2021

Just got turned onto the Goodhertz stuff, really great.

 

UVI Thorus.

 

Just use Multiply. It's free, it sounds great and it works.

 

I've owned 4 Juno-106s and can attest to this. I recently bought the Softube Polyphonic 84 and I actually have to mute it when it's not in use because it mimics this feature from the hardware. But damn, this plugin sounds good.

Also another vote for NI Mod Pack. I really don't like any other chorus plugins - agree with the OP they sound like shit.

if you can afford it, grab a Boss Waza VB-2 or CE-2 pedal - I love mine!

 

Whoa, I have a lot to go through. Thanks everyone.

This is going to take me some time. I thought I mentioned this, I forgot, but it's an analog style chorus I'm mostly interested. It would be awesome to have a Boss CE-2W in a plugin for example, but anything else I find is cool as well.

These are subjective terms/words. it's hard for me to put what I'm hearing into words and have you understand my experience exactly. To me all the software inspired by/versions of a Boss CE-x sound cheapish, smeared and or not as clear or live approximations of my pedals. The Juno style TAL & Arturia not only sound different to each other but they don't sound like the chorus on my Junos which IMO sound better.

The Behringer I'm talking about is the Boss Super Chorus CH-1 clone, it sounds exactly like it. It might even be it in plastic case for all I know. I heard the Eventide H3000 HW in person some years ago but I can look on youtube right now and hear a comparison between the Eventide plugin version (which I have) and the hardware and the clear winner to my ears is the hardware. Others see it (hear it) differently and or believe that some EQ in a mix can get them the same result or close enough.

One man's dookey is another man's treasure or vice versa, I think.

"sound more alive" I sometimes describe it like that as well. I can relate and yes.

That's an interesting idea, resample it. I've been sampling, resampling, the crap out of everything, and I didn't think to try it on some chorus. Doh, hmm thanks.

This is also an interesting idea. for you friend.

Already have (CE-2W) Love it.


Again, thanks to everyone in the thread for all your suggestions and links.

 

d16 group is best for me

 

You didn't tell us what kind of music you work with, so just general top-3 choruses, in no particular order.
UVI Thorus, Acon Digital Multiply, Baby Audio SuperVHS. The last one positions itself as a VHS emulation, but it really is a chorus.

Or you can accept that you're not into software choruses and move on. In all honesty, I never worked with hardware, nor did I hear a recording and thought "Daym, that's a nice chorus there!", so I don't really get you.