OD-1 vs. TS-808 !!!

[CsaRvoX]

Well I know that's not an easy poll ...I have both of them and comparison betweem each other is very very difficult...my ears told me that both sound great & warm but OD-1 having a little more crunchier sound than TS-808...also I've tried to boost each other and found that OD-1 boosting in front of TS-808 sounds crunchier and TS-808 boosting in front of OD-1 sounds somewhat compressed...at the end I couldn't decide between them so I thought together we could decide which one is superior or they're equal?

[Metalman_666]

Re: OD-1 vs. TS-808 !!!

give me the OD-1. It doesnt get better than a smooth Boss overdrive.

[STRATDELUXER97]

Re: OD-1 vs. TS-808 !!!

For my styles the TS808 is very hard to beat...Not at all familiar with the OD1?

John

[CsaRvoX]

Re: OD-1 vs. TS-808 !!!

John there's little to no difference when playing solos...when it comes to chords OD-1 bites some more than TS-808...well I wonder the chip inside the OD-1...you have any ideas?

[Marinblues]

Re: OD-1 vs. TS-808 !!!

I prefer the OD-1. In fact, I prefer the OD-3 to the OD-1.

[STRATDELUXER97]

Re: OD-1 vs. TS-808 !!!

John there's little to no difference when playing solos...when it comes to chords OD-1 bites some more than TS-808...well I wonder the chip inside the OD-1...you have any ideas?

I absolutely have no knowledge of the OD1,but the Boss SD1 is very close circuitwise to a Tube Screamer..The SD1 uses 1 extra silicon diode than the 2 within a Tube Screamer...The SD1 has it's own 4558 chip but it isn't the JRC version on the Taiwanese versions I see most..The tone stack is voiced a bit differently compared to the Tube Screamer...By comparison,the SD1 is brighter,and more agressive in a crunchy way...A tube screamer is warmer,and more compressed in it's tone and actually is more polite..It almost seems the the OD1 is similar to the SD1 without hearing it?

John

[That90'sGuy]

Re: OD-1 vs. TS-808 !!!

The tube screamer kicks, can't imagine overdrive without one.

[midnite_man]

Re: OD-1 vs. TS-808 !!!

I'd have to go with the 808 if I had to pick. I love the sound of Tubescreamers too much. I'd be willing to try an OD-1 though.

[hacker]

Re: OD-1 vs. TS-808 !!!

The OD-1 is very similar to the SD-1 in the basic tone and amount of gain, but I think the OD-1 is voiced a little sweeter. The TS808 (or TS-9) and the OD-1 are my favorite overdrives. Because they are voiced differently, i use them with different guitars and amps. To me, the tubescreamer sounds better with my JB equipped tele and my fender amps (vibrolux and blues junior). The OD-1 sounds better with neck humbuckers and after a tubescreamer for more gain.

The original design of the OD-1 was as a boost for a marshall amp. In front of a JCM800, this pedal sounds awesome.

the main difference between the OD-1 (or SD-1) and the TS-808 is the mid boost that the Tubescreamers have. Also, the boss pedals have asymentrical clipping, for a slighlty more "distorted" overdrive, while the tubescreamer uses symetrical clipping, which is why the tubescreamer sounds more compressed.

BTW, the original Japanese OD-1s are going for some silly money these days, especially in Japan.

[STRATDELUXER97]

Re: OD-1 vs. TS-808 !!!

The OD-1 is very similar to the SD-1 in the basic tone and amount of gain, but I think the OD-1 is voiced a little sweeter. The TS808 (or TS-9) and the OD-1 are my favorite overdrives. Because they are voiced differently, i use them with different guitars and amps. To me, the tubescreamer sounds better with my JB equipped tele and my fender amps (vibrolux and blues junior). The OD-1 sounds better with neck humbuckers and after a tubescreamer for more gain.

The original design of the OD-1 was as a boost for a marshall amp. In front of a JCM800, this pedal sounds awesome.

the main difference between the OD-1 (or SD-1) and the TS-808 is the mid boost that the Tubescreamers have. Also, the boss pedals have asymentrical clipping, for a slighlty more "distorted" overdrive, while the tubescreamer uses symetrical clipping, which is why the tubescreamer sounds more compressed.

BTW, the original Japanese OD-1s are going for some silly money these days, especially in Japan.

Hey Hacker...Thanks for the great post with great info...I'll take a peeky over on She Bay and see what the OD1 looks like..

John

[MSGfan]

Re: OD-1 vs. TS-808 !!!

The OD-1 is very similar to the SD-1 in the basic tone and amount of gain, but I think the OD-1 is voiced a little sweeter. The TS808 (or TS-9) and the OD-1 are my favorite overdrives. Because they are voiced differently, i use them with different guitars and amps. To me, the tubescreamer sounds better with my JB equipped tele and my fender amps (vibrolux and blues junior). The OD-1 sounds better with neck humbuckers and after a tubescreamer for more gain.

The original design of the OD-1 was as a boost for a marshall amp. In front of a JCM800, this pedal sounds awesome.

the main difference between the OD-1 (or SD-1) and the TS-808 is the mid boost that the Tubescreamers have. Also, the boss pedals have asymentrical clipping, for a slighlty more "distorted" overdrive, while the tubescreamer uses symetrical clipping, which is why the tubescreamer sounds more compressed.

BTW, the original Japanese OD-1s are going for some silly money these days, especially in Japan.

Hacker has got it right as far as the main difference's between the OD-1 & SD-1 and the TS-808.
But! there is a major veriation in tone between the OD-1 and the SD-1, with the older MIJ SD-1 (with black plastic screw) haveing a little more low end than the MIJ OD-1 (with black plastic screw) with the OD-1 haveing a slightly smoother overdrive with more lower and upper mids that the SD-1 seems to be lacking.
The OD-1 was issued in at least 3 different verisions that I know of (haveing owed all three) with each one haveing a slight difference in tone and overdrive characteristics.
The best sounding OD-1 being the oldest model with the metal screw, momentary LED and haveing the longer style RCA (Japan) I.C. chip.
These OD-1's are byfar the best sounding one's and my main overdrive that I use with all my amp and rack setups!

[Soulman]

Re: OD-1 vs. TS-808 !!!

The original design of the OD-1 was as a boost for a marshall amp. In front of a JCM800, this pedal sounds awesome.

I just bought a JCM800 2x12 combo and I was trying out different pedals to see how they worked together.
When I plugged in my old OD-1...I nearly wept with emotion.
So good.

Soulman.

[RockNRoling]

Re: OD-1 vs. TS-808 !!!

I use both. I have a Maxon OD9 (same chip as TS808) to make my amp seem like its cranked, and then a SD1 (super overdrive) cranked up to give me a nice rocking sound. and my twin reverb makes them sound sooo full too!

[Gearjoneser]

Re: OD-1 vs. TS-808 !!!

For those that don't know, the OD-1 was the original Boss OD. I have no idea why they ever discontinued it, because it had the most pure tone of all the Boss Od's.
I had one when I was 18-21, using it with a Jubilee 2555. What a great tone that was! I think I sold it for $35. Stupid! I can't say which I like better between the two, but they're both classics IMO. I voted both great. I wish they'd dump the Super OD and Turbo OD and reissue the two knob OD-1.

[CsaRvoX]

Re: OD-1 vs. TS-808 !!!

Hacker has got it right as far as the main difference's between the OD-1 & SD-1 and the TS-808.
But! there is a major veriation in tone between the OD-1 and the SD-1, with the older MIJ SD-1 (with black plastic screw) haveing a little more low end than the MIJ OD-1 (with black plastic screw) with the OD-1 haveing a slightly smoother overdrive with more lower and upper mids that the SD-1 seems to be lacking.
The OD-1 was issued in at least 3 different verisions that I know of (haveing owed all three) with each one haveing a slight difference in tone and overdrive characteristics.
The best sounding OD-1 being the oldest model with the metal screw, momentary LED and haveing the longer style RCA (Japan) I.C. chip.
These OD-1's are byfar the best sounding one's and my main overdrive that I use with all my amp and rack setups!

I don't know which version OD-1 I have but only thing I know is that at the back it says 'Boss AC Adapter' and I've read that on more older models it says 'Power DC 9V' so mine could be some later models???Anyway it sounds great and I mainly use it to boost my TS-808 mod...sounds much better now...I also use it to boost Chandler Tube Driver mode and now I get the same exact Sweet Child O'mine intro tone!!!