The Mr. Black Vintage Ensemble Stereo Professional is a digital chorus and pitch vibrato pedal built around the sound of the Boss CE-1 Chorus Ensemble, the 1976 pedal that put stereo chorus and vibrato on countless records. Where the original CE-1 used analog BBD circuitry1, Mr. Black's take is what Guitar Pedal X calls "a Dual Digital Delay Line recreation of the Boss CE-1 Chorus, set out of phase for glorious stereo output"2. The pedal runs two fully independent stereo modulation engines with dedicated delay lines, and adds things the CE-1 never had: tap tempo, presets and full MIDI support3.
Mr. Black describes it as delivering "authentic vintage chorus and pitch vibrato" with Normal and Stereo modes for classic or dimensional chorus3. As of July 2026 it was priced at $299, down from $349 at launch, and sold out awaiting a new batch2; Mr. Black's product page lists a regular price of $349.95 and a sale price of $299.953.
A digital take on the Boss CE-1
The CE-1 was a mains-powered unit featuring both chorus and vibrato modes, with stereo outputs, and it used all-new analog BBD circuitry1. Mr. Black's Vintage Ensemble line has spent a decade chasing that sound: the maker says the 2015 Vintage Ensemble "captured the lush, dimensional chorus heard on countless records"3.
The Stereo Professional gets there differently. Instead of an analog bucket-brigade chip, it is, in Guitar Pedal X's words, "a twin digital delay line modulator recreating and doubling the Boss CE-1 Chorus/Vibrato," with Stefan Karlsson noting that Mr. Black is "reconstructing the Delay Line Mechanics digitally - versus than just blending up a sound!"2. The two engines matter most in Stereo Mode, where the pedal "links the left and right modulation delay times in opposite directions. As one side shortens, the other lengthens," which is what widens the chorus image3. Premier Guitar's reviewer found the independent delay lines in stereo mode "thickens up and animates the chorus image"4.
Controls and modes
The pedal keeps the CE-1's simple spirit. Guitar Pedal X calls it "a really straightforward pedal to operate with essentially 2 modes - Normal and Stereo"2.
| Control or switch | What it does |
|---|---|
| Wet/Dry Mix knob | Continuously variable lossless blend between chorus and true pitch vibrato32 |
| Depth knob | Sets modulation depth2 |
| Rate (Speed) knob | 0.24Hz to 8Hz3 |
| Tap tempo | 0.03Hz to 8Hz, via the Tap-Tempo footswitch32 |
| Normal/Effect footswitch | Bypass switching2 |
| Tap-Tempo footswitch (hold) | Preset recall2 |
The wet/dry mixer is the heart of it. Mr. Black says it "allows players to seamlessly blend between classic chorus and true pitch" vibrato3, and Premier Guitar's reviewer highlighted "a continuous chorus/vibrato mixer that enables many nuanced mod textures"4. At blend levels favoring the vibrato, that reviewer found you "can get supersized Magnatone-style vibrato tones"4.
Power and connections
Power is standard pedalboard fare: 9VDC, center negative, 2.1mm plug3. Mr. Black lists the current draw as 74mA at 9VDC3, while Guitar Pedal X's review gives 9V DC at 100mA2; plan power headroom for the higher figure. There is no battery option.
The jack layout, per Guitar Pedal X: "Ports include Stereo + Mono Input, TAP/EXP, TRS Mini MIDI In, 9V DC [-] 100mA, and Mono + Stereo Output"2. You can wire the pedal in mono or stereo, and in stereo you can flip between Mono and Stereo behavior via the Normal/Stereo mode setting2.
The TAP/EXP jack does double duty: it takes a tap tempo switch or an expression pedal2. On the earlier Vintage Ensemble Stereo Chorus/Vibrato, the expression input "allows control of any setting through an external pedal"5, so an expression pedal can drive any parameter rather than one fixed control.
MIDI is full support, MIDI Type-A, over the TRS Mini MIDI In jack32. It also unlocks storage: the pedal saves one favorite preset, recalled by holding the left footswitch2, and MIDI adds 8 more presets3.
Specifications from Mr. Black3:
| Spec | Value |
|---|---|
| Input impedance | 470kΩ per channel |
| Output impedance | 2kΩ per channel |
| Dimensions | 3.725" x 4.75" x 2.10" (94.6mm x 120.6mm x 53.5mm) |
| Weight | 13.25oz (375g) |
From Vintage Ensemble to Stereo Professional
Premier Guitar's reviewer frames the Stereo Professional as "the third evolution in a series that began with the very simple, 3-knob Vintage Ensemble," which then became the Vintage Ensemble Stereo4. Mr. Black dates those steps: the Vintage Ensemble arrived in 2015, and in 2018 "the Stereo Vintage Ensemble expanded that sound into true stereo, opening an entirely new spatial dimension"3.
The middle step, the Vintage Ensemble Stereo Chorus/Vibrato, was "specially designed to replicate that original 1976 'Chorus Ensemble' sound," with a true-stereo audio path and "carefully tuned delay times match those of the OG chorus circuit"5. The Stereo Professional carries that lineage forward and adds tap tempo and MIDI capability4.
The series has branched in other directions too, including the analog Analog Chorus/Vibrato Deluxe and the compact Mini Vintage Chorus, both BBD-based takes on the same CE-1 heritage.
What reviewers said
Premier Guitar's review was positive on both sound and build. On the sound4:
"It can be swimmy, hot-tub warm and immersive, subtle, and very evocative of real rotary speakers at some settings4."
Premier Guitar's reviewer4
The same reviewer found that "the $299 street price seems especially fair" once you factor in "that sonic abundance alongside the sturdy U.S. build"4. Guitar Pedal X's Stefan Karlsson kept coming back to how easy it is to use, calling it "a really straightforward pedal to operate"2.
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Questions
Does the Mr. Black Vintage Ensemble Stereo Professional have MIDI?
Yes. Mr. Black gives it full MIDI support, MIDI Type-A, through a TRS Mini MIDI In jack on the side. Over MIDI you can also call up 8 additional presets on top of the one favorite preset you can save and recall by holding the left footswitch.
Can the Vintage Ensemble Stereo Professional run in mono?
Yes. The pedal has stereo and mono inputs and mono and stereo outputs, so you can wire it up in mono or stereo. In stereo you can flip between the Normal and Stereo modes with the mode control.
Is the Vintage Ensemble analog or digital?
It is digital. Guitar Pedal X describes it as a twin digital delay line modulator that reconstructs the delay line mechanics of the Boss CE-1 digitally, rather than just blending up a sound. Mr. Black's earlier three-knob Vintage Ensemble was a simpler analog-style take on the same CE-1 sound.
How many presets does the Vintage Ensemble Stereo Professional save?
You can save one favorite preset on the pedal itself, recalled by holding down the left footswitch. With MIDI connected you get 8 additional presets, for nine total.
Can I use an expression pedal with the Vintage Ensemble Stereo Professional?
Yes. The pedal has a TAP/EXP port that takes an expression pedal as well as a tap tempo switch. On the earlier Vintage Ensemble Stereo Chorus/Vibrato, the expression input allowed control of any setting through an external pedal.
Is the Mr. Black Stereo Vintage Ensemble Professional true bypass?
No. Mr. Black specifies a buffered bypass on the Stereo Vintage Ensemble Professional. The original three-knob Vintage Ensemble was true-bypass, so the bypass type changed over the series.
Sources (5)
- The Legend of the CE-1 and RE-201 Preamps, BOSS (articles.boss.info), 2023-10-26
- Guitar Pedal X, Guitar Pedal X, 2026-07-02
- Stereo Vintage Ensemble Professional, Mr. Black
- Mr. Black Vintage Ensemble Stereo Professional Review, Premier Guitar, 2026-06-30
- Mr. Black Vintage Ensemble Stereo Chorus/Vibrato, Delicious Audio, 2019-08-21
