Boss CE-5 Ensemble

About the Boss CE-5 Ensemble

The Boss CE-5 Chorus Ensemble is a versatile stereo chorus. Alongside the usual rate and depth it adds high and low filter controls that let you shape the chorus, from a subtle shimmer to a deep, lush swirl. Early units were analog; from late 2001 the CE-5 became a digital design. It is a long-running, affordable chorus, and a different animal from the vintage CE-1 and CE-2.

In one paragraph

The page's figures as one paragraph, assembled for quoting; not written by hand.

Listings of the Boss CE-5 Ensemble we watched from listing to sale typically went in 23 days (43 watched), a steady; it sells for a median of €60 over the last 90 days across 61 recorded sales, with most examples landing between €55 and €60. New, it costs €111 at Thomann (read 15 October 2026), so a used one at the median saves about 46%. There are 225 listings live right now across eBay United States, Reverb, from €53 asking, a median ask 108% over the sale median. Figures computed 19 October 2026 by Doirado from cross-platform listing data.

What owners have said elsewhere

Paraphrased from 58 discussion threads among 9 owners, 2024. No names, nothing quoted.

The CE-5 has a loyal following: owners simply say they love it, and several have kept theirs on the board for decades, one bought in 1998, another running since 1997 and always solid. It surprises people, one who came to it expecting little was struck by how good it is, spanning subtle colouring to deep and lush textures. Its standout trick, and the reason owners reach for it, is how well it sits with heavy distortion, it beefs up the dirt and adds depth and dimension without turning into a swirly mess, thanks partly to its filter controls, and it also adds sparkle on clean tones, all in true stereo. It is not for everyone, though. Some hear it as too digital or sterile next to the vintage CE-1 and CE-2 or a Boss CH-1, one owner was disappointed that he had to crank the controls to get a tangible effect, and players chasing classic chorus tones often prefer a CH-1, a CE-2W or a clone. But as an affordable, sturdy chorus that plays well with gain, it earns its keep.