Overview
80s Chorus is an individual effect included with 80s Suite and extracted from the 80s Rack chorus block. It combines a Tri-Chorus stage with a DIM stage, so it can work as a moving stereo chorus, a more static width effect, or both stages in series.
The plugin supports stereo processing and mono input into mono or stereo output. Chorus wet/dry blending uses an equal-power blend, which helps keep the perceived level steadier as you move from dry to wet.
Formats
80s Chorus is included as Universal 2 VST3, AU, and AAX on macOS 14 or later. The Windows 80s Suite 1.0.2 release includes native x64 VST3 and AAX.
Quick Start
- Insert 80s Chorus on the track you want to widen or modulate.
- Leave BYPASS off.
- Turn on the TRI-CHORUS switch for animated modulation.
- Choose a Tri LFO mode: PRESET, MANUAL, or P+M.
- Adjust RATE and the LEFT, CENTER, and RIGHT depth controls when MANUAL or P+M is selected.
- Use the DIM buttons for additional width or color, then set WET/DRY to fit the part. Enable
100% WETwhen WET/DRY should trim only Tri-Chorus and leave DIM on its complete modeled path.
Controls Table
| Control | Range / Choices | What it does |
|---|---|---|
| BYPASS | Off / On | Bypasses the chorus processor. |
| TRI-CHORUS switch | Off / On | Enables or disables the Tri-Chorus stage. |
| Tri LFO Mode | PRESET, MANUAL, P+M | Chooses preset modulation, manual modulation, or both together. RATE and depth controls are disabled in PRESET mode. |
| Routing | TRI > DIM, DIM > TRI | Sets the order of the Tri-Chorus and DIM stages when both are active. |
| RATE | 0.05-5.0 Hz. Default: 0.8 Hz | Sets the manual Tri-Chorus modulation speed. |
| LEFT | 0-100%. Default: 30% | Sets manual modulation depth for the left Tri-Chorus voice. |
| CENTER | 0-100%. Default: 30% | Sets manual modulation depth for the center Tri-Chorus voice. |
| RIGHT | 0-100%. Default: 30% | Sets manual modulation depth for the right Tri-Chorus voice. |
| WET/DRY | 0-100%. Default: 50% | Blends dry signal and chorus signal with equal-power gain. Double-click returns to 50%. Mode changes and Factory Default preserve the current setting. |
| DIM OFF | Off button | Turns the DIM stage off. |
| DIM 1 / 2 / 3 | Mode buttons | Selects the DIM stage base mode. |
| DIM +4 | Modifier button | Adds the fourth voicing to mode 1, 2, or 3. It is disabled when DIM is off and is not a standalone mode. |
| 100% WET | Off / On. Default: On | Keeps the DIM stage at its complete modeled wet path. WET/DRY then blends only the Tri-Chorus stage. This setting is saved per preset and plug-in instance. |
| Preset strip | Factory/user presets | Loads, saves, compares, and deletes presets for 80s Chorus. |
| Licensing | Settings menu | Shows demo time and imports or removes the 80s Suite license. |
Tips
- Use TRI-CHORUS alone when you want audible motion without the DIM stage.
- Use DIM alone for a more compact widening effect.
- Try DIM > TRI when the DIM stage feels too static, and TRI > DIM when the modulation feels too busy.
- Enable 100% WET when you want DIM to retain its full ensemble character while WET/DRY trims only the moving Tri-Chorus layer.
- Lower WET/DRY on dense rhythm guitars, then raise it for clean parts, pads, or aux-send chorus.
- If the RATE and depth controls are dimmed, switch Tri LFO Mode from PRESET to MANUAL or P+M.
Troubleshooting
| Problem | What to check |
|---|---|
| No chorus effect | Confirm BYPASS is off and at least one stage is enabled: TRI-CHORUS or DIM. |
| The manual knobs do not change the LFO | Tri LFO Mode must be MANUAL or P+M for RATE and the three depth controls to drive the Tri-Chorus stage. |
| WET/DRY does not change the DIM balance | Turn off 100% WET when WET/DRY should blend the entire combined chorus path. |
| The sound narrows in mono | Use a stereo track or mono-to-stereo routing when you want width from the chorus. |
| Processing stops after 20 minutes | Restart the host for a new demo session or import the signed 80s Suite .lic file in Settings > Licensing. |
| A preset will not delete | Factory presets are protected; save a user copy before deleting. |