The Boss CE-20 Chorus Ensemble is a Boss chorus pedal, currently around $293.15. Close alternatives include the TC Electronic Stereo Chorus Flanger and the Analog Man Bi-Chorus. It pairs well with the Fender Prosonic and the Marshall JTM45 45W Tube Guitar Amp Head.
Boss CE-20 Chorus Ensemble
Boss · pedal
The Boss CE-20 Chorus Ensemble is a programmable digital chorus pedal drawing on Boss's classic CE-1 and SDD-320 voicings across six selectable modes. Rich mode delivers a deep, atmospheric chorus wash, Bass mode thickens low end enough to edge toward a heavy, distorted tone when paired with high gain, and Dimensional mode adds a wide stereo spread best appreciated in a stereo rig. A Brilliance control adds shimmer on top of the effected signal, and up to four user presets store different chorus tones for instant recall. Some players find its digital voicing colder and less warm than Boss's earlier analog chorus circuits, so it suits players who value a broad, programmable chorus palette and stereo width over vintage analog warmth.
What stands out
“A Brilliance control adds shimmer on top of the effected signal, and up to four user presets store different chorus tones for instant recall”
— from the listing
“the boss ce-20 chorus ensemble is a programmable digital chorus pedal drawing on boss”
— from the listing
“Its standout weakness is that digital processing cannot fully replicate the warmth of the original analog BBD chorus circuits”
— from the community notes
“The CE-20 offers a broad chorus palette spanning from deep, lush poly-chorus through warm analog-voiced modes to dimensional chorus inspired by the Roland SDD-320, giving access to a wide range of chorus character in one unit”
— from the community notes
“Strengths: Six distinct chorus algorithm modes cover a wide range of textures from warm analog-voiced to bright dimensional shimmer”
— from the reviews
Trade-offs
“Rich mode delivers a deep, atmospheric chorus wash, Bass mode thickens low end enough to edge toward a heavy, distorted tone when paired with high gain, and Dimensional mode adds a wide stereo spread best appreciated in a stereo rig”
— from the listing
“In the signal chain it fits naturally after drive sections and before reverb or delay”
— from the community notes
- chorus
- digital
- shimmer
- stereo
- analog warmth
- bass
- bright
- lush
Price updated Oct 23, 2026
Genres the Boss CE-20 Chorus Ensemble is commonly used in
- Ambient
cited
Inferred from shared tonal signals, not a stated genre tag. - Post Punk
cited
Inferred from shared tonal signals, not a stated genre tag. - Acoustic
cited
Inferred from shared tonal signals, not a stated genre tag. - Shoegaze
cited
Inferred from shared tonal signals, not a stated genre tag. - Indie
cited
Inferred from shared tonal signals, not a stated genre tag. - Post Rock
cited
Inferred from shared tonal signals, not a stated genre tag.
Amps that pair well with the Boss CE-20 Chorus Ensemble
Fender Prosonic
amplifier
23% matchfills a frequency gapFills in a frequency range the other side doesn't cover, instead of piling more onto what's already there. (bright → warm)
Run Fender Prosonic after it and the bright edge settles into something more warm
Comes later in the signal chain
Marshall JTM45 45W Tube Guitar Amp Head
amplifier
22% matchfills a frequency gapFills in a frequency range the other side doesn't cover, instead of piling more onto what's already there. (bright → warm)
Where this leans bright, Marshall JTM45 45W Tube Guitar Amp Head answers back warm
Comes later in the signal chain
Hiwatt Park P18LH 'Little 45' Handwired18W
Hiwatt
tonal matchComes later in the signal chain
Hiwatt Park P18LH 'Little 45' Handwired18W's warm balances out the bright tone
Orange BT1000H Terror Bass 1000-Watt Bass Amp
Orange
tonal matchComes later in the signal chain
Where this leans bright, Orange BT1000H Terror Bass 1000-Watt Bass Amp answers back warm
Orange Terror Bass
Orange
tonal matchComes later in the signal chain
Where this leans bright, Orange Terror Bass answers back warm
Blackstar Series One 200
Blackstar
tonal matchComes later in the signal chain
Where this leans bright, Blackstar Series One 200 answers back warm
Orange Little Bass Thing
Orange
tonal matchComes later in the signal chain
Orange Little Bass Thing's warm balances out the bright tone
Gibson GA-50
Gibson
tonal matchComes later in the signal chain
Gibson GA-50 leans warm right where the bright tone needs it
Pedals that stack with the Boss CE-20 Chorus Ensemble
Tone City Hot Mama Overdrive
Tone City
16% matchsits in the right chain slotPlaced for where it does its job cleanly in the chain, not for a tonal interaction with the anchor. (high gain → shimmer)
Put Boss CE-20 Chorus Ensemble after Tone City Hot Mama Overdrive in the signal chain, clear of Tone City Hot Mama Overdrive's own gain stage
Comes earlier in the signal chain
ZVEX Fuzz Factory
Zvex
16% matchfills a frequency gapFills in a frequency range the other side doesn't cover, instead of piling more onto what's already there. (bright → smooth)
Run ZVEX Fuzz Factory after it and the bright edge settles into something more smooth
Comes earlier in the signal chain
EarthQuaker Devices Hoof
EarthQuaker Devices
16% matchfills a frequency gapFills in a frequency range the other side doesn't cover, instead of piling more onto what's already there. (bright → warm)
Run EarthQuaker Devices Hoof after it and the bright edge settles into something more warm
Comes earlier in the signal chain
Line 6 DL4 Delay Modeler
pedal
13% matchsits in the right chain slotPlaced for where it does its job cleanly in the chain, not for a tonal interaction with the anchor.
Keep Line 6 DL4 Delay Modeler after Boss CE-20 Chorus Ensemble in the signal chain, where it won't crowd Boss CE-20 Chorus Ensemble — goes in the amp's FX loop (or last, into a clean amp)
Comes later in the signal chain
Caroline Guitar Company Kilobyte
Caroline Guitar Company
13% matchsits in the right chain slotPlaced for where it does its job cleanly in the chain, not for a tonal interaction with the anchor.
Keep Boss CE-20 Chorus Ensemble's pristine voice out front: Caroline Guitar Company Kilobyte goes after Boss CE-20 Chorus Ensemble in the signal chain so its pristine voice doesn't muddy it — goes in the amp's FX loop (or last, into a clean amp)
Comes later in the signal chain
SolidGoldFX Commodore Breaker Overdrive
Solidgoldfx
tonal matchComes earlier in the signal chain
Where this leans bright, SolidGoldFX Commodore Breaker Overdrive answers back smooth
Dunlop Blue Hippo Optical Tremolo
Dunlop
tonal matchDunlop Blue Hippo Optical Tremolo's warm balances out the bright tone
Strymon Iridium
Strymon
tonal matchComes later in the signal chain
Strymon Iridium leans warm right where the bright tone needs it
Cheaper alternatives
Wampler Nirvana Chorus
Wampler
61% similarityShared character: stereo, chorus, warm
TC Electronic Corona Chorus
TC Electronic
58% similarityShared character: stereo, chorus, delay
Behringer UC200 Stereo Chorus
Behringer
56% similarityShared character: bright, analog, stereo
MXR WA38
MXR
55% similarityShared character: stereo, chorus, warm
Warm Audio WA-C1 Chorus and Vibrato
Warm Audio
53% similarityShared character: analog, stereo, chorus
Visual Sound H2O V3 Chorus
Visual Sound
51% similarityShared character: chorus, digital, reverb
Boutique & premium upgrades
Similar charactersee all similar tone character →
TC Electronic Stereo Chorus Flanger
TC Electronic
62% similarityShared character: stereo, chorus, middle
Analog Man Bi-Chorus
Analog Man
59% similarityShared character: wide range, analog, stereo
MXR M134 Stereo Chorus
MXR
57% similarityShared character: wide range, analog, stereo
Catalinbread Callisto Mk. II
Catalinbread
52% similarityShared character: analog, chorus, digital
JAM Pedals Chill
Jam Pedals
52% similarityShared character: warm
Ibanez FP-777 Flying Pan Reissue
Ibanez
52% similarityShared character: stereo, delay, vintage charm
See all alternatives to the Boss CE-20 Chorus Ensemble (cheaper + boutique) →
Questions people ask
What are good alternatives to the Boss CE-20 Chorus Ensemble?+
The closest matches in character are the TC Electronic Stereo Chorus Flanger, the Analog Man Bi-Chorus, the MXR M134 Stereo Chorus. Budget picks: Wampler Nirvana Chorus, TC Electronic Corona Chorus, Behringer UC200 Stereo Chorus. Boutique upgrades: Boss CE-1 Chorus Ensemble.
What pairs well with the Boss CE-20 Chorus Ensemble?+
Strong matches from rig and tone-complementarity evidence: Fender Prosonic, Marshall JTM45 45W Tube Guitar Amp Head, Hiwatt Park P18LH 'Little 45' Handwired18W — Run Fender Prosonic after it and the bright edge settles into something more warm.
How much does the Boss CE-20 Chorus Ensemble cost?+
Around $293.15 (live listing price, updated Oct 23, 2026).