GEAR REVIEW
WARM AUDIO WA-C1 CHORUS VIBRATO PEDAL | Michael Hodge
• Faithful Reproduction of the Classic CE-1
• 100 % Analog Stereo Chorus & Vibrato
• Mono in Stereo Output
• Independent Depth & Rate Controls
• Selectable Impedance Switch
Austin , Texas-based Warm Audio has done it again with the WA-C1 remake of the classic BOSS CE-1 Chorus Ensemble pedal . In many people ’ s views , this was the original and most popular Chorus and Vibrato unit of its era . It was hard-wired , AC-powered , Mono In , and Stereo Out . It weighed almost four pounds and was over ten inches wide and seven inches deep . Warm Audio ’ s WA-C1 version stays true to the original form factor , though only one-third the size . Warm Audio also added separate Rate and Depth controls , individual LEDs for Chorus / Vibrato , and an impedance switch for flexible input sources .
KEY FEATURES OUT OF THE BOX : The hand-tested WA-C1 comes boxed with foam protection , stickers , and a manual in six languages . They did something great with the army green-like textured finish in the mini-me metal casing . On the top are five knobs : Level , Chorus Depth & Rate , and Vibrato Depth & Rate . There is a mini-High / Low input switch and two footswitches . One is for On / Off and another for Chorus / Vibrato . On the Back are the Mono In and Stereo Out jacks , the 9Vdc jack , and a mini Impedance switch . The unit feels sturdy and weighs just under two pounds . This WA-C1 has a lot of stuff under the hood . Five ICs , eleven Discrete Transistors , three FETs , nineteen Diodes , two MOSFETS , and a classic MN3007 BBD chip recreation . They put a lot of work into accessing these scarce parts .
READY FOR ACTION : I have an old original BOSS Chorus Ensemble . It ’ s easy to compare how they sound . Right off , the WA-C1 is quieter and has less hum . The distortion created by turning up the input level is smoother and more musical . The included manual has several setting suggestions , and I went through them all .
There are a lot of variations for a Chorus effect . You can go intense and fast like a Leslie , but I go more for the 80 ’ s chorus vibe with Depth at 1:00 and Rate set to almost 3:00 . For Vibrato , I like just past 1:00 Depth , and 12:00 for Rate . These settings are how I ‘ d have it on my live board most of the time . It is anyone ’ s guess in the studio , depending on the producer ’ s imagination or vision for the song .
If you ’ re going for a Leslie vibe , I ’ d use the Vibrato and turn the Depth up to 2:00 and Rate just past 10:00 . In my setup , the pedal sounded better in the Hi-Z position . Next to the Level knob is a mini switch for high and low input settings . The low setting has more headroom , but it sounds darker . I prefer the Hi setting with the gain at 9 to 11 . You can hear some upper harmonics coming through , and you could also use this pedal to dirty up your sound if
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