yea, get the small clone, its really simple, easy to use, and it just sounds amazing.

the small clone is quieter and warmer but it lacks some of the tonal complexity present in the clone theory. it’s been mentioned above that the clone theory is brighter, and it also tends to flange more than the small clone so it’s very psychedelic and new-wavey. the rate knob on the theory is dialed in a little better and it has a much larger usable range; it seems to me that the only decent settings on the small clone fall between 9 o’clock and noon. despite this, the small clone can cover 95% of the ‘usable’ chorus sounds you hear on records.

the depth on the small clone is dialed in perfectly and you’ll likely find yourself looking for similar depth settings on every pedal you play; the depth and rate knobs on the theory are extremely interactive (the depth gets deeper as rate increases) so mode 1 at a slow rate actually covers the shallow iciness of the clone’s first setting, and the faster rates give you the wobbly goodness of the small clone’s ‘deep chorus’ setting. mode 2 gives you the option of a deeper chorus at a slower rate or a shallow chorus at a faster rate. vibrato can be difficult to dial in because it gets very very wobbly, but it sounds cool once you get it right. i find that the white noise on the clone theory is actually my favorite part of the chorusing for the depth it adds, but if you’re averged to hiss and moan then you will likely be better served by the small clone.

basically, i’m in the clone theory camp but the small clone is fantastic as well. as basically every other poster stated: if you’re looking for something simple, warm and clean, go with the small clone. if you’re after something a little more complex, both tonally and control-wise, the theory is likely your best bet.

small clone any day.

To all the posters above – thanks for the reviews.

I had a Boss CH-1 that I sold a few months ago because I couldn’t get on with it. After demo’ing a Small Clone and listening to a few Youtube reviews…I have one on the way. I don’t run a stereo rig, so no worries there.

Thanks for helping add to my EHX collection, and I’m very excited to get my hands on it.

Follow-up to my own post a couple above…

[warning: honeymoon post]

The Small Clone is everything I wanted in a chorus, and nothing more. Dead simple to use, sounds great, and has stood up to three hours of my terrible playing.

Yes, it is kinda noisy, but my setup tends to create noise (too big of amp in too small of apartment, so I have my compressor knocking the signal down so I can turn the amp up past 1). It doesn’t have a billion knobs (which I consider a plus). Bought a power supply with it so I don’t care about the non-standard plug…only downside I think is the no sticker in the box (got one with my memory boy). What I like about the Small Clone is the one knob, one switch. I don’t get distracted fiddling around with options, I just get good sound. Yeah, I might want something more programmable 1% of the time, but the other 99% of the time I spend playing instead of futzing.

I’ve wanted a Small Clone for a few years, I’m not sure why I ever got the CH-1, but I’m wicked happy with the Small Cone. I hate saying it, but besides my tuner, the three EHX pedals on my board are the only ones that I consider ‘home runs’ and not something I’ll someday kick off the board.

I had a Boss CE-3 for years. Got rid of it. Sold cheap!

I have a Small CLone now. Absolutely love it to bits. Exactly what I wanted a chorus to sound like.

The Boss CE-3 coloured too much my tone, didn’t have enough depth and I never used it stereo anyway.

Might work for some. I don’t know why I put up with it for so long.

Now I have a Chorus I can love! (Cheesy eh?)

Of the two, an unmodded Small Clone (don’t make the same mistake I did). However, my favorite chorus is still the built-in effect from my Roland Jazz Chorus 55 amp. It does the JC-120 thing, but you can control the rate and the depth, whereas the 120 only allowed for depth. It did allow rate on vibrato-only, which the 55 doesn’t do, but I’ll take the one effect that works best over two that don’t.

But, that’s a Roland product. And EHX isn’t Roland. It does things a little differently, which is why I say their best chorus is the Polychorus. Apart from simply sounding wonderful, it also allows for sounds that are not so much “chorus,” as they are “dissonant noises that make your teeth fall out.”

I have, however, owned a Clone Theory. I traded it for the Roland, if that’s a hint. About the only chorus worse than that (in the analog side, at least) that I’ve tried was the Nano Clone. Sorry for raggin’ on EHX, but that Nano Clone was awful. The Neo Clone, however; that looks like it may have some potential. Assuming, of course, I can FIND one in Madison.