Electro-Harmonix Nano Clonechat_bubble_outlineFrom real comments

By far the most repeated complaint: many users report loud hum, hiss, or white noise when the effect is engaged, sometimes described as a 'noise generator' rather than an effect pedal. This occurs even with correct power supplies for some, though a repair tech attributes worse cases to damaged or improperly powered used units.

@DAVE121063

I repair pedals (and associated equipment), including this model, as a part time job. This pedal should not be as noisy as it is! It has been damaged. \nFirstly it is (deliberately) old school technology using analog delay techniques and has necessary filters at the input and output. Secondly it has very little headroom as it is designed to work from a 9V supply. So for those two reasons alone, it's never going to be as quiet as a modern digital circuit. Modern circuits can also swing their outputs much closer to the supply rail and are capable of more headroom from the same supply voltage, as well as digital circuits being much less power hungry and generally quieter in operation (all things being equal). \nIf you use a mains power supply, any 'issues' with it will be more apparent with analog circuits such as this and will cause noise on the signal. Analog circuits are also much more sensitive to stray pick up of hum and noise which then easily becomes part of the signal, so you need to be careful how things are connected and where they are physically placed. The placements shown in the video are not good.\nThis has a centre negative power socket, most of the ones I get in for repair have been plugged, accidentally, into a centre positive supply. They are built to a budget and have only basic and very limited protection. Such action can cause damage which will result in either no, intermittent or very noisy operation. Damaged coupling capacitors often result, giving such noisy operation as can be heared here. Often the chips are also damaged, even if they still function to a degree. \nI suspect that this pedal was working as well as it can from new, but somebody connected it up wrong, or fiddled with the internal filter setting and messed it up. As it still technically 'works' , they sold it on cheap! \nI don't think it's fair to buy a cheap second hand unit when you have no idea of its history and then declare all such models as no good. It's not an accurate review of the actual item as it should be when new and fully functioning.launch

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May 7, 2024

@zRavenlord

I watched a ton of reviews and this is the only one that I heard a discernable noise like in this video. I suppose everyone else is probably fixing in post but...launch

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April 8, 2024

@gloryxkid

This one of the first pedals and it actually made me hate chorus initially, it was super noisy and didn’t take drive well. I thought it was just my pedal but saw a few reviews of people complaining about the same issue. It sounded fine here so maybe it’s just a common defect with this pedal. Got a neo clone shortly after and I absolutely love chorus nowlaunch

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May 5, 2022

@enriquemunozbenavente6063

I purchase this pedal in 2018. First I connected it in front of the amp and It was really a noise machine. However, I tried it by the effect loop and the noise dissapeared completely. It's important to say that this pedal works fine with the Ehx 9.6v 200ma adapter. If you use a 9v ppwer supply, it will sound with much less quality.launch

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February 28, 2022

Many commenters who compared this pedal directly to EHX's Small Clone or Neo Clone strongly preferred those alternatives, describing the difference as 'night and day' and recommending others spend a little more for the better-regarded models.

@gloryxkid

This one of the first pedals and it actually made me hate chorus initially, it was super noisy and didn’t take drive well. I thought it was just my pedal but saw a few reviews of people complaining about the same issue. It sounded fine here so maybe it’s just a common defect with this pedal. Got a neo clone shortly after and I absolutely love chorus nowlaunch

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May 5, 2022

@jonnihard1090

Thanks for the review. I love my small clone and was thinking about getting one of these to save some space. Definitely won't now hajalaunch

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December 1, 2021

@davidwantsahug

What a shit sounding pedal... much prefer the small clone or neo clone.launch

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August 8, 2012

@jgamez91

hey that pedal is crap and its not worth is money i tried the small clone u get a fatter sounds and u hear the difference!launch

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April 6, 2011

Several users describe a jarring, noticeable volume drop or tone thinning the moment the chorus is switched on, sometimes cutting output in half, which several found frustrating enough to sell the pedal.

@nickcarriermusic

Worst pedal I ever bought straight up. I had the same problem with excessive noise and for some reason mine would cut the volume in half when the effect was engaged. Mine went straight to the bin, luckily it was cheap.launch

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May 12, 2021

@AustinKorte

I got one off of Reverb and it completely kills my tone, my low end completely disappears when I turn it on.launch

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September 7, 2020

@TacooGrill

holy shit, you can hear the tone kill/volume drop when he switched that thing on! although this thing does sound kinda cool....launch

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July 8, 2011

@xr650r01

Sounds pretty decent to me. Perhaps the volume drop people speak of is from improperly daisey-chaining this pedal? It's reverse polarity means it needs its own power supply and can't be daisey-chained.launch

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April 13, 2011

Multiple users found the pedal became especially noisy or thin-sounding when combined with overdrive or distortion pedals, undermining its usability in typical guitar rigs.

@gloryxkid

Mine was really noisy and made my drive pedals sound very thin. It made me think chorus was a lousy effect until I got the neo clonelaunch

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October 24, 2022

@gloryxkid

This one of the first pedals and it actually made me hate chorus initially, it was super noisy and didn’t take drive well. I thought it was just my pedal but saw a few reviews of people complaining about the same issue. It sounded fine here so maybe it’s just a common defect with this pedal. Got a neo clone shortly after and I absolutely love chorus nowlaunch

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May 5, 2022

@Fenderobsesion

i got this pedal and did not work well\ni dont know why\nbut this pedal makes weak the sound\nand makes too much noiselaunch

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January 7, 2012

@brokensoul70

I had one and you are correct, they are very noisy if you use any type of overdrive or distortion. To top it off the circuit board burned out after a month using the correct power adapter from Electro Harmonix. This pedal was truly a disappointment, they make so many great pedals not to mention the regular Small Clone is fantastic. I was just do surprised that this one was so bad.launch

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November 26, 2009

Several users suspected their unit had a defect or was damaged, especially when purchased used, with a repair technician confirming that reverse-polarity power mistakes commonly damage these pedals and get resold cheaply as a result.

@DAVE121063

I repair pedals (and associated equipment), including this model, as a part time job. This pedal should not be as noisy as it is! It has been damaged. \nFirstly it is (deliberately) old school technology using analog delay techniques and has necessary filters at the input and output. Secondly it has very little headroom as it is designed to work from a 9V supply. So for those two reasons alone, it's never going to be as quiet as a modern digital circuit. Modern circuits can also swing their outputs much closer to the supply rail and are capable of more headroom from the same supply voltage, as well as digital circuits being much less power hungry and generally quieter in operation (all things being equal). \nIf you use a mains power supply, any 'issues' with it will be more apparent with analog circuits such as this and will cause noise on the signal. Analog circuits are also much more sensitive to stray pick up of hum and noise which then easily becomes part of the signal, so you need to be careful how things are connected and where they are physically placed. The placements shown in the video are not good.\nThis has a centre negative power socket, most of the ones I get in for repair have been plugged, accidentally, into a centre positive supply. They are built to a budget and have only basic and very limited protection. Such action can cause damage which will result in either no, intermittent or very noisy operation. Damaged coupling capacitors often result, giving such noisy operation as can be heared here. Often the chips are also damaged, even if they still function to a degree. \nI suspect that this pedal was working as well as it can from new, but somebody connected it up wrong, or fiddled with the internal filter setting and messed it up. As it still technically 'works' , they sold it on cheap! \nI don't think it's fair to buy a cheap second hand unit when you have no idea of its history and then declare all such models as no good. It's not an accurate review of the actual item as it should be when new and fully functioning.launch

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May 7, 2024

@gloryxkid

This one of the first pedals and it actually made me hate chorus initially, it was super noisy and didn’t take drive well. I thought it was just my pedal but saw a few reviews of people complaining about the same issue. It sounded fine here so maybe it’s just a common defect with this pedal. Got a neo clone shortly after and I absolutely love chorus nowlaunch

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May 5, 2022

@patrickbuzzo1970

Bought one second hand without having the chance to try it; makes a lot of hum ,i've read about the inner trimpot that can be adjusted to avoid the hiss, but this \" trick\" cancels the chorus effect, making the pedal just a sound brightener, nothing else. 35 euros spent for nothing. Disappointed...😡launch

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October 14, 2021

@patrickbuzzo1970

My Nano Clone ( with the old label \" El Nano \") makes a lot of hum ,not even the Decimator pedal \" killed\" this annoying noise. I've bought it used, without having the chance to try it. Talking about the sound it's ok. But i believe that i'm going to get rid of it, maybe if i get a new Neo Clone will be better; i have other E.H. pedals, 100% satisfied, but this one ....😡launch

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October 13, 2021

Due to its reverse polarity power design, the pedal cannot share a power supply with other pedals via a daisy chain, which some users see as a significant inconvenience for pedalboards.

@FLOYDMSMC

Yo it's a reverse polarity, so you gotta make sure your Power supply is thatlaunch

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July 30, 2021

@xr650r01

Sounds pretty decent to me. Perhaps the volume drop people speak of is from improperly daisey-chaining this pedal? It's reverse polarity means it needs its own power supply and can't be daisey-chained.launch

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April 13, 2011

@rewolfe0

I don't like to bash pedals, but this thing really does blow. I bought one used for 20 bucks, and I feel like i overpaid. Even in this demo you can hear the volume drop. This thing is also really noisy. And it cannot be daisy chained!launch

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April 25, 2010

Some users described the tone as tinny, robotic, or like an 'empty beer can,' feeling it made their guitar sound artificial rather than producing a pleasing chorus effect.

@patteague9247

only buy this is you want you tone to sound like shit intentionallylaunch

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July 22, 2020

@RodolfoSF

I have it, it sucks makes your guitar sound like those robot presets in mutil effectslaunch

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July 13, 2012

@Cosmogang

Make your amp sound like an empty beer can! \n\nThis tone is so tinny.launch

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November 26, 2009