The Way Huge Smalls Blue Hippo Analog Chorus is a compact analog chorus pedal, part of Way Huge's Smalls line of miniaturized versions of the company's larger pedals. It puts the Blue Hippo chorus circuit in a pedalboard-friendly housing, with a simple two-knob control layout and a switch that adds vibrato to the chorus tones1. Guitar World's chorus buying guide calls it "a miniaturized, pedalboard-friendly doppelganger of the original, preserving the same features and sweet tones in a compact pedal footprint"2.
What it does
The Blue Hippo delivers what Way Huge describes as "a range of luscious, liquefied modulation," covering everything from subtle tone-widening to heavy vibrato. The maker's own pitch is that the pedal is "straightforward and no-nonsense: just plug in and dive into the deep end"1. With the Speed and Depth knobs you can, in Way Huge's words, "dial in everything from lush tone-widening to full-on rotating speaker modulation madness"1.
Reviewers have been receptive to the vintage character of the effect. In his 2018 review of the Smalls line for Guitar World, Paul Riario wrote that "the Smalls Blue Hippo's thick chorus and swirling vibrato are incredibly vintage sounding"4.
The controls
The pedal keeps its face simple: two knobs, one switch and a footswitch15.
| Control | What it does |
|---|---|
| Speed | Sets the modulation speed1 |
| Depth | Sets the modulation depth1 |
| Vibe switch | Adds thick vibrato to the chorus tones1 |
| Footswitch | Engages and bypasses the effect |
For a chorus pedal, that is the whole layout. There are no presets, no tone shaping and no stereo outputs to configure, which suits players who want to set a chorus sound and leave it on. If you want more background on what chorus does and how it compares with related effects, see Chorus Pedals and Vibrato Pedals541.
The Vibe switch
The Vibe switch is the pedal's one extra beyond the standard chorus controls. Flipping it layers thick vibrato onto the chorus tones, and Way Huge describes it as giving "your already aqueous tones a little" extra character1. In practice it turns the pedal into a two-effect unit: chorus as the base sound, vibrato available at the flip of a switch. The MkIII version of the pedal, covered on its own page at the Way Huge Blue Hippo MkIII, carries the same Vibe switch arrangement1.
Power and bypass
The Blue Hippo runs on a 9-volt battery or a 9-volt AC adapter. Way Huge names the Dunlop ECB003 9-volt adapter as the adapter option, and notes that the pedal is also compatible with the company's DC Brick, Iso-Brick and Mini Iso-Brick power supplies. None of these come in the box1. Guitar World's review confirms the same power arrangement across the Smalls line: "All three pedals are powered by a single 9-volt battery or a 9-volt AC adapter and are true bypass"4.
The power adapter is not included, so budget for a Dunlop ECB003 or use a 9-volt battery if you do not already have a suitable supply1.
True bypass means the chorus circuit is completely out of the signal path when the pedal is off, which keeps your clean tone untouched on a pedalboard4.
The Smalls version and its relatives
The Smalls Blue Hippo is one of several forms the Blue Hippo circuit has taken. The Smalls housing is the miniaturized format, and the maker's own line on it was that "The Blue Hippo Analog Chorus sounds as lusciously liquefied as ever in a Way Huge Smalls housing"5. Way Huge describes it as a miniaturized, pedalboard-friendly doppelganger of the original, preserving the same features and sweet tones in a compact pedal footprint2. Later versions include the Way Huge Blue Hippo Analog Chorus MkII and the Way Huge Blue Hippo MkIII. The circuit has also been combined with an overdrive in the Way Huge Penny Saver Royale, which pairs the Overrated Special Overdrive with the Blue Hippo Chorus' primary mode6.
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Questions
Is the Way Huge Smalls Blue Hippo true bypass?
Yes. Guitar World's review of the Smalls line, by Paul Riario, reports that all three Smalls pedals, the Blue Hippo among them, are true bypass. That means when the pedal is off, your guitar's signal passes through without the chorus circuit loading it, which matters on a crowded pedalboard.
Is the Blue Hippo analog?
Yes. Way Huge markets it as an analog chorus pedal, and the name says it outright: the Blue Hippo Analog Chorus. MusicRadar's 2018 coverage of the Smalls line described it as sounding as lusciously liquefied as ever in the smaller housing.
What does the Vibe switch do?
The Vibe switch adds thick vibrato on top of the chorus tones. Way Huge describes it as giving your already aqueous tones a little extra something, so flipping it takes the pedal from chorus territory into a heavier, wobbling vibrato effect.
How is the Smalls Blue Hippo different from the original?
The Smalls version is a miniaturized, pedalboard-friendly take on the original Blue Hippo. Guitar World's chorus buying guide describes it as a doppelganger of the original that preserves the same features and tones in a compact pedal footprint.
Does the power adapter come in the box?
No. Way Huge lists a Dunlop ECB003 9-volt adapter as a power option, but it is not included. The pedal can also run on a 9-volt battery, or be powered from Dunlop's DC Brick, Iso-Brick or Mini Iso-Brick supplies, which are also sold separately.
Sources (6)
- WAY HUGE® SMALLS™ BLUE HIPPO™ ANALOG CHORUS, Jim Dunlop (jimdunlop.com)
- Best chorus pedals 2026: My pick of choices for your 'board at every price point, Guitar World, 2022-06-09
- WAY HUGE® SMALLS™ BLUE HIPPO™ ANALOG CHORUS, Jim Dunlop (jimdunlop.com)
- Review: Way Huge Smalls Aqua-Puss Delay, Smalls Blue Hippo Chorus and Smalls Russian Pickle Fuzz, Guitar World, 2018-07-02
- NAMM 2018: Dunlop launches Sugar Drive, announces mini versions of classic MXR and Way Huge pedals, MusicRadar, 2018-01-31
- Joe Bonamassa & Way Huge Launch Penny Saver Royale, premierguitar.com, 2021-03-02
Joe Bonamassa
