Arion Stereo Chorus Replacement/Clone

colourofsound

So I love my Arion, but it pops, it's not built very well, there's a volume drop...

Has anyone cloned or improved on the circuit? There's obviously loads of Boss and MXR chorus derivatives about and I wondered whether someone had taken on the Arion given its fame with Clapton/Landau.

Any suggestions on a chorus that gives the same lovely tones as the Arion would be appreciated...

chromatuna

Good question, I would like to know too.

I have been back and forth between the SCH-1 and the MXR Analog  several times, settling on the MXR for size, bypass and mix / tone controls but it does lack some of the vibey / chewy character of the Arion and I still hope to find something that combines the best of both.

menamestom

You could probably rehouse and put a new switch on it and mod it for the volume drop.

Or perhaps see if somebody could do it for you?

colourofsound

menamestom said:

You could probably rehouse and put a new switch on it and mod it for the volume drop.

Or perhaps see if somebody could do it for you?

A rehousing will be troublesome on this pedal. Everything is board mounted - including the in and out jacks - and so it could potentially be a risky job.

Cabicular

Probably doesn't help but they modelled it for the Helix and it is *really* close
Andertons used to sell a modded one for silly money
I love them too I've had a few over the years 

Cabicular

https://www.andertons.co.uk/p/ARIONSCH-Z/chorus-pedals/arion-modified-sch-z-chorus-vibe-pedal

steamabacus

Get a Boss LS-2 and put the Arion chorus in its loop (with volume boost) maybe?

chromatuna

I have considered putting the Arion in a loop and blending and also rehousing but it's a big PCB. Ideally I would just like to keep things small and simple with a compact pedal that gets closer. Maybe and Analogman mini with a blend option? It all gets a bit expensive trying different boot eek! options though when they don't work out. I had high hopes for the Callisto for example but it was an icy cold sounding thing

ESBlonde

The big problem i have with my Arion pedal is the jack sockets. once they get worn a little they pop and cause signal loss. They are difficult to replace because they are board mounted so I bought a spare pedal, then another. Great sound, putting it in a loop might help but just being on my board a few years is enough to give problems. Hard wired might be an alternative in a permanant installation on the board.

colourofsound

steamabacus said:

Get a Boss LS-2 and put the Arion chorus in its loop (with volume boost) maybe?

I have a Boss ES-5 loop switcher; when I engage the loop with the Arion in, it pops

57Deluxe

the NuX does...

chromatuna

I would never have considered one of those, I mean its really cheap right? ;-)

In some of the demos it does sound richer than the MXR and it has that all important for me blend control

Thanks

bingefeller

colourofsound said:

So I love my Arion, but it pops, it's not built very well, there's a volume drop...

Has anyone cloned or improved on the circuit? There's obviously loads of Boss and MXR chorus derivatives about and I wondered whether someone had taken on the Arion given its fame with Clapton/Landau.

Any suggestions on a chorus that gives the same lovely tones as the Arion would be appreciated...

Landau now uses the Way Huge Blue Hippo for his chorus sounds, you might be able to pick one of them up if it's a Landau sound you're after.