The PastFx Chorus Ensemble MN3007 Mini, or CE-7 Mini, is a compact analog chorus and vibrato pedal from Australian maker PastFX. It is a modified version of the PastFx Chorus Ensemble Mini, itself part of a line that recreates the Boss CE-1 chorus/vibrato circuit, and it packs that circuit into a 1590B style enclosure measuring 112 x 60 x 53mm123. The key difference from its siblings is the chip: instead of a rarer BBD, it uses the less obsolete new-old-stock Panasonic (Matsushita) MN3007, a 1024-stage bucket brigade device2.
Like the circuit it traces back to, it offers both chorus and vibrato, with a triangle wave LFO driving the chorus and a sine wave LFO driving the vibrato1. It also incorporates PastFX's "Noise Killer" circuitry1.
The controls and built-in mods
The Mini keeps the control set of the circuit it is based on, with a few PastFX additions. The front panel centers on a Vibrato / Chorus toggle switch and a High / Low input sensitivity changeover switch, plus a Normal / effect footswitch12.
How the two modes are controlled differs:
| Mode | Controls | LFO |
|---|---|---|
| Chorus | Intensity knob and Depth, via the built-in Depth Mod1 | Triangle wave1 |
| Vibrato | Depth and Rate1 | Sine wave1 |
The built-in Depth Mod is the main functional change from the stock design. With it, the Vibrato Depth knob controls the depth of both the chorus and vibrato modes; the stock depth setting of the chorus can still be reached by turning the Vibrato Depth knob fully clockwise2.
The pedal also carries a switchable buffer circuit that can be added or removed as desired. PastFX includes it to remedy the loss of high frequencies that occurs when the High input sensitivity setting is selected2.
One behavior worth knowing comes from the manual's description of pushing the Level control hard:
"On some amps it can almost sound like a fuzz, and on others a more traditional crunch sound1!"
PastFX manual, describing heavy clipping with the Level control on high, same as the original1
Power and connections
The Mini runs on the industry-standard 9V DC, negative tip, 2.1mm supply1. PastFX specifies a regulated, isolated linear or transformer-based supply1, and the current draw is high for an analog pedal of this type at approximately 110 to 130mA2.
Batteries can be used, but PastFX warns they will have a shortened life because of the pedal's high current requirements1. A 9V battery-to-2.1mm DC jack adapter cable may accompany the pedal as a troubleshooting tool1. With a draw this high, a proper isolated supply is the practical option, and a daisy chain shared with other pedals is not what the maker specifies.
On the output side, the pedal has stereo and mono outputs. In a stereo setup, the wet signal is directed to the Stereo jack and the dry signal to the Mono output jack1. Run in mono, it works as a single-output chorus for a standard one-amp rig.
The full-size Chorus Ensemble and the Mini
The Mini is a compact version of the full-size PastFx Chorus Ensemble MN3007, the CE-721. The CE-7 is itself a modified PastFx Chorus Ensemble Deluxe, using the less obsolete NOS MN3007 BBD, and PastFX describes it as a faithful, meticulously crafted recreation of the classic Boss CE-1 chorus/vibrato3.
The two MN3007 pedals share their core circuit, chip, LFO shapes, and power requirements, but differ in format and switching134:
| Chorus Ensemble MN3007 (CE-7) | Chorus Ensemble MN3007 Mini | |
|---|---|---|
| Format | Full-size pedal | Compact 1590B enclosure, 112 x 60 x 53mm2 |
| Bypass | Not true bypass (JFET switching), with a Stereo True Bypass mod, standard on the full-size pedal4 | Not true bypass (JFET switching as original)1 |
| Footswitches | Normal / effect footswitch and Vibrato / Chorus footswitch4 | Normal / effect footswitch1 |
| Mods | Up to 4 extra switchable mods, all switchable off to restore the original circuit4 | Built-in Depth Mod and switchable buffer12 |
On the full-size CE-7, the Stereo True Bypass mod comes as standard and allows both outputs to be true bypass when its internal pushbutton switches are activated; in that mode the Peak Level Indicator does not work when the effect is bypassed4. The Mini keeps the original-style JFET switching instead1.
For players weighing alternatives within the same maker's chorus range, PastFX also builds the PastFX Stereo Chorus PX65 and the PastFX Kurt's Cologne, alongside other MN3007-based modulation pedals such as the PastFX Echoflanger and PastFx Poly Chorus. The Chorus Ensemble line is the one to look at for the CE-1 sound specifically; see the chorus pedals overview for the wider field.
Videos
TheSuperFunAwesomeHappyTimePedalShow
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Pedal Experiments
Questions
Can the PastFx Chorus Ensemble Mini run on a battery?
Yes, but not for long. PastFX says batteries may be used but will have a shortened life because of the pedal's high current requirements, which run around 110 to 130mA. The maker recommends a regulated, isolated linear or transformer-based 9V DC supply with a 2.1mm center-negative jack, so a proper pedalboard power supply is the practical choice.
Is the PastFx Chorus Ensemble Mini true bypass?
No. The Mini uses JFET switching, matching the original circuit it recreates, so it is not true bypass. It does include an inbuilt buffer circuit that can be added or removed as desired, which helps preserve high frequencies, especially when the High input sensitivity setting is selected.
Does the PastFx Chorus Ensemble Mini use a real MN3007 chip?
Yes. PastFX states the pedal uses an obsolete new-old-stock Panasonic (Matsushita) MN3007, a 1024-stage bucket brigade delay chip. The MN3007 is the same BBD family used across several of PastFX's analog modulation pedals, sourced from remaining vintage stock of the discontinued part.
How do the stereo outputs work on the Chorus Ensemble Mini?
The pedal has stereo and mono outputs. In a stereo setup, the wet (effected) signal is directed to the Stereo jack and the dry signal to the Mono output jack. Plugging into the mono output alone gives you a single combined output for a standard one-amp rig.
Sources (4)
- PastFx_Chorus_Ensemble_MN3007_Mini_Manual_final_2021.pdf, PastFx, 2021
- Chorus Ensemble MN3007 Mini, PastFx, 2026
- Chorus Ensemble MN3007, pastfx.com, 2026
- PastFx_Chorus_Ensemble_MN3007_Manual_Final_dec_2020.pdf, PastFx, 2020-12
