What is the chorus effect, and how does it work? Chorus is a sound effect that duplicates a signal (the original signal and each of its copies each have their own “voice”) then detunes each voice to widen and thicken the sound. Each voice interacts with the others, resulting in subtle modulation and a larger-than-life sound.
Every music producers knows a good chorus plugin will add depth and “thicken” any audio source in an organic way. The effects on guitars, keys, strings, and other instruments can range from subtle vocal-friendly effects to smooth widening. While there are many excellent free chorus vst plugins available, sometimes you get what you pay for. However, the chorus effects on this list are well worth your money, and you won’t have to pay much to do so.
Eventide Tricera Chorus
The rich BBD-style delays of the 1970s and 1980s – the golden era of the chorus effect plugins – inspired Eventide Tricera Chorus. It contains a patented micro-pitch detuning and three-phase LFO for further modulation, as well as tri-chorusing awesomeness. The result is a versatile Chorus VST plugin with completely customizable signals that produces thick, wide, and deep chorused sounds like stompbox choruses.
They’ve packaged the chorus awesomeness of their renowned multi-effects device into a VST plugin for PC, macOS, and iOS. Many elements in this modulation plugin are in threes, as the name implies: three voices, three modes, and a three-phase LFO. With a clear, modern GUI and 11 more knobs for fine-tuning, all of the modulation power may be tweaked. Tone, Depth, Amount, Pan, and Detune (+/- 40 cents) are among the knobs. TriceraChorus allows you complete control over the effect, allowing you to pan, broaden, and position it wherever in the stereo field. The three modes – Ribbon, Swirl, and Hotswitch – were our favorites because of their instantly useful parameters. Swirl is a trippy kaleidoscope of frequencies bouncing about in a flanger-like sound in stereo chorus.
Ribbon is an Eventide blending function that allows you to easily transition from one preset to the next. Hotswitch is a live performance feature that allows you to change settings and presets. Chorus and Chorale mode are also important features. The stompbox flavor of Chorus-mode is similar to the Eventide H9 unit’s very lush algorithm. The deep, fluid tones of traditional rackmount tri-chorus machines are reminiscent of Chorale mode.
Tricera Chorus carries the good name of Eventide in an ever-expanding array of H9 inspired audio plugins, from deep wobbling to frenzied vibrato to super-lush chorus. It’s a VST plugin that’s great for live performances and comes in VST, AAX, and AU formats. This is the Best Chorus Plugin in 2023.
Arturia Chorus Dimension-D
The Roland Dimension-D was an outboard chorus effect that was considered a must-have pro-audio effects equipment, having been released in 1979. It was well-liked for its spacious chorus sound that lacked pitch modulation. Furthermore, it performs admirably on all instruments, including vocals, acoustic guitar, percussion, synths, and electric keyboards.
The Arturia Dimension-D is a faithful reproduction of the original Roland gear, capturing much of the nuance and character that made the Roland gear so famous. It has a familiar interface design, but it gives you a lot more control than the original hardware did. It also works well on mono sounds to make them sound wider and livelier, just like the hardware.
A preset-based processor, the Roland Dimension-D chorus effect. So it has five buttons on its face, four for picking presets and one for turning it off. On the main user interface of Arturia’s adaptation of this effects unit, there are five buttons. Instead of an off-switch, there’s a “0” switch that bypasses the plugin while keeping the internal electronics active, such as compressors, expanders, and filters.
The remaining four switches each select a preset. As a result, Mode 1 has the gentlest chorus effect, whereas Mode 2 has a little stronger chorus but half the delay duration of Mode 1. Similarly, Mode 3 creates a powerful chorus effect that results in the well-known “swirly” modulations. Finally, Mode 4 enhances the wet quantity of the other modes, implying that it must be used in conjunction with another mode.
Although Dimension-D does not sound exactly like the original gear, it offers significantly more versatility and comfort than hardware. While Roland’s hardware only had built-in presets and no other controls, Arturia’s design includes useful features such as the dry/wet knob. Playing around with the advanced panel soon transforms the stereo spread into something completely different, but it should provide plenty of opportunity for experimentation for the creative.
MeldaProduction MChorusMB
The four modulators that make up MeldaProduction MChorusMB are a level follower, LFO, midi/audio triggered ADSR enveloper, and randomizer. They can communicate with one another and/or act independently to change a set of settings. Add in the step sequencer-based oscillator technology with MES waveform editing, and you’ve got a near-unprecedented level of flexibility in modulation effect for your audio signal.
The stereo width control plugin is feature-rich and forward-looking, with everything from host tempo sync to configurable up-sampling and MIDI learn. Automatic gain correction, a safety limiter, and minimum-phase algorithms are some of the most useful features for avoiding aliasing. It has an old-school analog vibe to it, and the tube saturation simulator lets you add top-end sparkle for chorus modes as an audio engineer.
Is there an A/B test? Pffft. With an A to H switch, MChorusB is in a class of its own, allowing you to save and retrieve up to 8 patches on the fly. You may also use the X-Y pad to merge four slots together with “A-to-D morphing.” You can download (and share) presets created by the online community using the global preset management system. If you run out of ideas, the presets, paired with the sophisticated randomization technique, provide a plethora of options for instant inspiration.
The mother lode is MChorusMB. While it’s well worth the money to add to your guitar or Wurli, we recommend it for entire mixes and scoring for TV, movies, or games as the best chorus VST plugin. When you add in the free updates for life, you’ve got a true winner!
D16 Group Syntorus 2
D16 Syntorus 2 allows you to build three independent LFOs as well as a BBD signal line. LFOs with a frequency range of up to 20Hz can be created, and their amplitude can be changed for a more dramatic effect. Each side’s phasing can be increased to 360 degrees, resulting in a massive stereo image. After each Chorus has been processed, you can mix it in level and panoramic, as well as blend the dry and wet signals to produce a parallel chorus effect.
The LFOs can be routed into the delay lines using this panel. Independent, Summed, and Mixed topologies are all available. The first one establishes a direct connection between each LFO and its matching BBD. The second spreads the signal back into the three BBDs by combining all of the LFOs into one output. Finally, the third one combines the first two LFOs and delivers them to BBD 1 and 2 as a mixed signal. LFO3 is unmodified as it enters BBD3.
Each BBD has its own LINE, which allows you to adjust the signal’s Depth, Offset, Filter, Tremolo, Modulation, and Cutoff parameters. The minimum amount of delay time modulation is determined by the Offset knob, while the maximum amount is determined by the Depth knob, which ranges from 0 to 20 milliseconds. Tremolo alters the signal’s loudness, while the filter allows you to choose between Low, High, or Band Pass. The Cutoff knob is used to select the frequencies. Finally, the Modulation knob can be used to adjust the Depth of the cutoff frequency modulation applied to the LFO. The ability to modify the LFO waveform opens up a world of sound possibilities. Furthermore, the three sync settings, Full, Dotted, and Triplet, expand the rhythmic capabilities of this plugin. All of this, multiplied by three, makes Syntorus 2 a very useful plugin.
The Dreamy Rhodes, Perfect Triangle, and Highest Harmonics are among the 100 factory presets that are worthy of praise. Because the presets are tagged, you can sort them by type – delicate, mild, or intense – depending on the app. Additionally, you can save and add presets to these categories. The effects range from slight width enhancement to pad thickening to rich stereo enhancement.
D16 Group’s Syntorus 2 is a versatile plugin that provides you complete control over the final sound. Due to its triple path architecture, it is one of the most adaptable on our list. Even if you already have a favorite chorus effect, this is a plugin worth having.
PreSonus Analog Chorus
Analog Chorus has long been regarded as a Studio One classic. Many music creators requested a universal version of the stock effect as a result. PreSonus complied and made its Analog Chorus plug-in available in VST3, AAX, and AU formats. It’s available as a separate plugin or as part of the Analog Effects Collection Bundle.
This chorus VST plugin is a straightforward 1-3-voice doubler with analog-style tones and saturation. It’s a simple-to-use traditional analog chorus plugin with a nostalgic look and no-nonsense UI. As you replicate the recognizable tones of analog stompboxes, you’ll hear a lot of wobbles and warbles. They’re perfect for guitar tracks and basic audio processing.
The inbuilt controls do a fantastic job of fine-tuning the chorus’s character. This one will suffice if your requirements are simple and analog. If not, you may find yourself in need of additional LFO generators for more demanding applications.
Although Analog Chorus lacks a long number of functions and a cutting-edge algorithm, not everyone requires a Herculean chorus plugin. Don’t be fooled by that. It’s capable of substantial modulation effects that add depth and space.
