Eventide TriceraChorus Review (bought and tested)

There are four main components to the TriceraChorus that are providing the bulk of its flexibility:

• Three modulation modes (chorus, vibrato, and chorale)
• Delay times and filter for each chorus voice
• Detune option
• Swirl mode

I'm a little disappointed with my demo video below because I didn't exactly illustrate all the functionality very well. Still, it gives you an honest idea of what to expect from the pedal when played over a clean signal. It at least covers the basics. Like most chorus pedals, the TriceraChorus is most at home over said clean signal.

So for testing, I did a lot of layering and blind settings tweaks. One of the most unique aspects of this pedal was the delay control which allowed me to layer in a little bit of ambience. 

A lot of the settings are very pulse-focused which gives the pedal a rhythmic edge. 

I liked the swirl button a lot, which gave off a flanger-like tone and fit in well with the effects. So that's a lot of detail up front, but we'll get into some of the grittier details below.

Compare to Other Eventide Pedals

In this table we have several other Eventide pedals that you can compare to the TriceraChorus. You can also add other pedals in our database by launching the product search bar via the button below this table. Note that if ratings are labeled n/a it simply means we haven't reviewed these products individually yet.

Eventide TriceraChorus Price Guide

Prices updated Tue, May 30th, 2023.

Pricing from Sweetwater

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Price History

IDEAL FOR: Those looking for a pulse-heavy chorus sound and wanting a modern and classic modulation source in one box, with a lot of flexibility.

Audio and Settings Demo

As I've mentioned, I'm not exactly shooting the moon when it comes to demo videos. But I want to take you guys through some of the settings I've tried and at least part of my testing process. In this video I figured out some additional controls that I didn't totally get during the video, so I apologize for anything I missed.

You can hear the pulsating sounds in a lot of these settings. I also left on the swirl switch for much of the demo.

I never liked the detune sound so that's one I didn't use as much.

Take it for what it's worth.

Overall Tone Quality

To get the fussing out of the way first:

There were some sounds and settings that just sounded a bit generic, like a copy and paste chorus algorithm. For example, the classic chorus with all knobs at 12 o'clock is just okay and not particularly memorable. Having said that, it's not necessarily a bad thing to start simple and expand from there.

As I've mentioned several times, it doesn't take much knob movement to go to a more pulsating sound. A lot of the tones are rhythmic and punchy, especially when you're messing with the delay.

Some of the sounds I heard were more slapback. Combined with the chorus, it came up as a very watery flutter. 

Vibrato mode brought this out even more prominently.

I was most happy with the tone on more subtle settings in the chorale mode. From there I would just tinker around with the delay.

Given how punchy this pedal is, I'm really surprised they didn't include a tap tempo. I'd say make the Swirl bypass a panel switch, then use that bypass for a tap tempo button.

Problem solved.

TriceraChorus Controls

Between the three chorus modes, pitch shifting, delay, and a filtering knob, there's a lot of control on this pedal. It's right up there with the EarthQuaker Devices Sea Machine chorus, which has six different knobs that allow for all kinds of tweaking.

On the TriceraChorus you essentially have a knob for each effect. 

The rate is your typical modulation control and depth has sort of been absorbed by the detune knob. 

After these two expected controls you have the LFO and delay knobs. Most of my time was spent on the delay and rate knob, while I found myself leaving the detune and LFO controls neutral.

After this you have a mix and an output control.

The mix is a bit confusing, because it's just the chorus and chorale that can be adjusted with your dry signal. When it's centered on vibrato, you'll have no dry at all.

Check the graphics in the user manual. It has a lot of helpful labels for primary and secondary functionality as well.

Read more: TriceraChorus user manual

In short:

• Left: 0-99 chorus mix
• Center: 100 vibrato mix (no dry)
• Right: 99-0 chorale mix

All told, it's a very flexible chorus pedal, which makes up for some of the garden-variety tones on the more neutral settings. And I even had trouble figuring out the controls, so I'm sure there's more mileage to be gotten out of this pedal. Any chorus pedal with six forms of adjustment and some secondary functionality is going to have a pretty wide footprint. 

Other Notable Features

The Tri-chorus has a buffered and relay bypass, along with support for a USB connection and MIDI compatibility. Note that I did not test the Eventide software that works with the Tri-chorus.

I'm probably too old-fashioned for that now. I like to just take a pedal out of the box and use it.

No fuss.

You also have an expression pedal option and a stereo connection. If you use this, make sure you use the selector switch below the jacks and set it to stereo.

Is the price fair?

I was expecting to see this pedal at $299, but they actually have it at $249, which isn't bad for a pedal of this flexibility. Check the pricing tables above to make sure things haven't changed, but currently we think the asking price is pretty good, given other chorus pedals of this caliber.

What might push it near or over the $300 mark would be the addition of a tap tempo controller (so three bypass buttons on the front panel) and then some additional chorus modes/algorithms.

But given the balance of features, quality, and price, I have no complaints. The task of manufacturing any product is balancing quality and cost. In other words, keep quality as high as possible while keeping cost as low as possible.

Eventide has found a nice balance with the Tri-chorus.

The TriceraChorus Buyer Profile

The Tri-chorus is not particularly simple, so if you're after a set-and-forget type of modulation you're probably paying for more than you need.

In that case, shift down and go with a Boss or MXR chorus with a two-band EQ. A lot of people are happy with a simple rate and depth knob.

But if you think you'll use the expanded ambience and filter elements of the TriceraChorus, the additional cost is worth it. You'd get added value if you're the type to use a USB connection and software.

It's not my thing, but some people love it.

Review Conclusion

When I review pedals I try to paint a picture of what situations it would work best in. Though everyone's situation is different, so take this review with a grain of salt and decide whether the TriceraChorus is a good fit for you.

I enjoyed testing it and it's definitely a pedal that Eventide has put a lot of intentionality and care into producing.

If you have questions about my review process, or the Eventide TriceraChorus, leave them in the comments section below.

I'll see you there.

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