The Rocktron Deep Blue, also called the Deep Blue Chorus on Rocktron's own product page, is a chorus pedal in a road-rugged extruded aluminum chassis1. Rocktron pitches it as "a smooth, multi-voiced chorus, rich in depth and lush in intensity"1. Internally it is an analog design: MusicPlayers.com's reviewer found it uses bucket brigade chips to generate its chorus effect, placing it in what Delicious Audio called the modern chorus camp, with a smoother response that lacks the phasing and flanging element of classic analog circuitry23.
For a player shopping for chorus, the Deep Blue's practical distinctions are its buffered (not true bypass) input, its mono or stereo operation, and its battery compartment with a quick-release cover, a combination that suits both pedalboard and grab-and-go use2.
The controls and indicators
The Deep Blue keeps its control set simple. The Rate control adjusts the speed of the modulation, the control that sets how fast the chorus sweeps12. A super bright blue LED indicates when the pedal is on, a detail both Rocktron and MusicPlayers.com highlight, with the reviewer noting the matching blue metallic paintjob12.
| Control or feature | What it does |
|---|---|
| Rate | Adjusts the speed of the modulation12 |
| Blue LED | Indicates when the pedal is on12 |
| Heavy-duty metal switch | Engages and bypasses the effect2 |
The pedal is housed in a sturdy aluminum case with a heavy-duty metal switch, and the battery compartment features a quick-release cover, so a battery swap between songs is not a project2.
Deep Blue Chorus and its lineage
The Deep Blue Chorus is the same pedal reviewers call the Deep Blue: Rocktron's product page and the press coverage describe one chorus pedal123. Where it sits among chorus designs is worth knowing. Delicious Audio placed it in the modern chorus camp, based around delay circuits rather than classic analog circuitry in its sound character, with a smoother response lacking the phasing and flanging element3. MusicPlayers.com, looking inside the box, found an analog chorus pedal using bucket brigade chips2.
On placement, Rocktron's guidance is that chorus pedals usually sound better when placed after distortion in the signal chain, and the company suggests trying the effects loop of an amplifier for a different sound1. Delicious Audio's reviewers agreed from experience, finding it sits well in front of the amp, sounds even better in an effects loop, and blends beautifully when combined with high-gain distortion3. The Deep Blue Instruction Manual covered basic operation, power supply requirements, and signal chain placement tips, which MusicPlayers.com found "right on the mark for the pedal"2.
There is also a related pedal with a similar name: the Harley Benton MiniStomp Deep Blue, a mini-format chorus with true bypass and a Mix control for mix, tone and decay4. MusicRadar reported its controls as Mix, Tone and Decay when covering the MiniStomp line5. It is a separate, smaller pedal, not the same unit as the Rocktron original.
The Rocktron Deep Blue has a buffered input, not true bypass2. If you run a long cable run or many true bypass pedals ahead of it, that buffer stays in your signal path when the pedal is off.
What reviewers said
The Deep Blue carries a $99 list price and sells for approximately $70 street2. Reviewers found it delivers a clean, modern chorus effect at that price, with solid construction and a look that holds up:
"for a clean, modern chorus effect, it sounds very good, is built solidly, is embarrassingly inexpensive, and it looks"3
"for a clean, modern chorus effect, it sounds very good, is built solidly, is embarrassingly inexpensive, and it looks cool, too!"3
Delicious Audio3
The consistent picture across both reviews is a solidly built, inexpensive pedal aimed at players who want a clean, modern chorus rather than a vintage-flavored one23.
Videos
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Questions
Is the Rocktron Deep Blue true bypass?
No. The input of the Deep Blue is buffered rather than true bypass, according to MusicPlayers.com's review. A buffered input means the pedal keeps a buffer in the signal path when bypassed, which can help drive long cable runs, unlike a true bypass pedal that switches the circuit out entirely.
Is the Rocktron Deep Blue analog?
Yes. MusicPlayers.com's reviewer found that internally the Deep Blue is an analog chorus pedal using bucket brigade chips to generate its chorus effect. Delicious Audio placed it in the modern chorus camp, describing a smoother response that lacks the phasing and flanging element of classic designs.
Does the Deep Blue run in stereo?
Yes. MusicPlayers.com's review notes that the Deep Blue features mono or stereo operation, so it can feed two amplifiers or two sides of a stereo rig for a wider chorus spread.
Where should a chorus like the Deep Blue go in the signal chain?
Rocktron says chorus pedals usually sound better when placed after distortion in the signal chain, and suggests trying the effects loop of an amplifier for a different sound. Delicious Audio's reviewers found it sits well in front of the amp, sounds even better in an effects loop, and blends well with high-gain distortion.
Does the Rocktron Deep Blue take a battery?
Yes. Rocktron describes an easy access battery compartment that makes changing batteries during a gig simple, and MusicPlayers.com notes the compartment has a quick-release cover. The pedal also runs on a 9V power supply.
Is the Deep Blue Chorus the same pedal as the Deep Blue?
Yes, these names refer to the same Rocktron chorus pedal. Rocktron's product page calls it the Deep Blue Chorus, while reviews from MusicPlayers.com and Delicious Audio refer to it simply as the Deep Blue. A separate Harley Benton MiniStomp Deep Blue also exists as a smaller related pedal.
Sources (5)
- Products, Rocktron (www.rocktron.com), 2024-08-28
- Rocktron Deep Blue Chorus Pedal, MusicPlayers.com, 2006-12-06
- Pedal Review: Rocktron Deep Blue Chorus Pedal, Delicious Audio, 2010-09-17
- MiniStomp Deep Blue, Harley Benton
- Harley Benton reveals its new MiniStomp effects pedals, MusicRadar, 2021-10-13
