Starsky Carr vs The Chorus Symphony: When Cheap Gear Slaps and Clusterboxes Die

Starsky Carr wastes no time setting up a classic pedal face-off: the Behringer Chorus Symphony, a wallet-friendly clone of the legendary Roland CE-1, versus the BM-18M Clusterbox, which—spoiler alert—doesn’t exactly cover itself in glory. The Symphony struts in with vintage credentials and a price tag that won’t make your eyes water, while the Clusterbox is already looking nervous in the corner. Starsky’s style is all about straight talk, and he’s quick to point out the quirks and build differences between the two, especially when it comes to size and power options.

But this isn’t just about specs. The real battle is in the sound, and Starsky lines up a Rhodes, Jupiter 8, and Hammond organ to see which box delivers the goods. The Symphony’s stereo spread and chorus depth are immediately on show, while the Clusterbox starts acting up before the main event even begins. If you’re hoping for a fair fight, you might want to look away—this is more toaster-fight than heavyweight bout.

Let’s talk about the Clusterbox, or as Starsky might call it, the problem child. What started as a fair comparison quickly turns into a lesson in why reliability matters. The Clusterbox gets noisy—really noisy—and not in a good, analog way. Starsky’s frustration is obvious, and he doesn’t sugarcoat it: this pedal just isn’t behaving. For anyone thinking about picking one up, this is a public service announcement. Sometimes cheap gear is a bargain, and sometimes it’s just a headache waiting to happen.

Starsky wraps up with some honest thoughts on the Chorus Symphony’s place in the pedal pantheon. Despite the low price, it nails the classic chorus vibe and delivers the kind of sound you’d expect from much pricier boxes. For anyone after that lush, wide stereo effect—especially on keys—the Symphony is a no-brainer. Starsky’s verdict? It’s a proper street weapon for your studio, and at 65 quid, it’s almost rude not to own one.