Ibanez Tube Screamer ts808 vs. ts9

[barbarianbrute]

i heard that it's worth spending the extra money for the 808, but i've also heard that it's so similar that you can't tell the difference except that the ts9 has a bit more distortion than the 808. i've played many tube screamers, but never actually an ibanez (never needed to), so i don't know. what are your thoughts on these two and how they compare?

 

[Moonsorrow]

Re: Ibanez Tube Screamer ts808 vs. ts9

Not much difference imo except for the price. The TS9 is roughly $60-$70 cheaper which is why i went with the TS9! Great pedal BTW!!

 

[Lewguitar]

Re: Ibanez Tube Screamer ts808 vs. ts9

i heard that it's worth spending the extra money for the 808, but i've also heard that it's so similar that you can't tell the difference except that the ts9 has a bit more distortion than the 808. i've played many tube screamers, but never actually an ibanez (never needed to), so i don't know. what are your thoughts on these two and how they compare?

Most of the guys here are obsessed with the subtleties of tone...so for most of the guys here, I think the TS808 would be the best choice. I have both and have compared them many times. I prefer the TS808 and so did Stevie Ray Vaughn. It's not about one having more distortion than the other - it's that the TS808 has more tone. It's well worth the extra $$$.

Lew

 

[ErikH]

Re: Ibanez Tube Screamer ts808 vs. ts9

They're virtually the same except for the output section and in some cases, the chip. (I'm talking current reissues and originals). I'd get a TS9, or even a Maxon OD9 and change the output section to 808 specs and then change the chip to a 4558 variety. Some original TS9's, later years, came with different chips like JRC 2043DD. The 4558 is a better chip for that circuit. The reissues all have the TA75558 chip.

There's TONs more info here. http://www.analogman.com/tshist.htm

 

[jmh151]

Re: Ibanez Tube Screamer ts808 vs. ts9

I read the difference between the TS-9 and TS-808 are as follows:

Texas Instruments made the original 4558 chip, and still do. However, over the years they made improvements to the chip, and manufacturing consistency, which were not necessarily good for guitar applications. Ibanez took an original TS-808, and measured the specs of the chip. Basically the good original TS-9/TS-808's had a chip that was less than great, but alot better for guitar applications. So Ibanez gets a shipment of 4558 chips in from Texas Instruments, measures each one, and the ones that have the same specs as the original TS-9/TS 808's go in the TS-808 reissue. Due to this constant testing, and subsequent waste of chips that don't make the cut, the TS-808 reissues are much more expensive.

The TS-9 reissue have some other chip, I forget what, but I changed mine to a 4558. However, it could be possible that my 4558 chip doesn't have the specs of the TS808 reissues, particularly since I got the chip off ebay and it did not undergoe testing.

 

[wahwah]

Re: Ibanez Tube Screamer ts808 vs. ts9

I had an original TS-808 in the early 80's, and I can remember when the TS-9 came along I really thought Ibanez had dropped the ball. The 808 was smoother, creamier and just better all round. I never bothered buying a TS-9. The closest thing I found was the later TS-10 Classic (which SRV also used in later years) but they were poorly made and unreliable. Fortunately, I now have the Ulbrick 12AXE, which Dave Ulbrick made for me from original NOS 808 components that he had stocked up on when he heard the TS-9 and realized Ibanez had changed the formula. Robben Ford picked up one of Dave's 12AXE's when he was here in Australia a few months ago, after playing it for 10 minutes. He used it at that night's gig, and bought it the next day!



Cheers............................wahwah

 

[baritone]

Re: Ibanez Tube Screamer ts808 vs. ts9

The rougher, sharper sound of the TS9, compared to the smooth sound of the 808, is what I prefer about the TS9. The TS9 was intended as the modernized update of the Tube Screamer, but a lot of people did not appreciate the results.

 

[millsart]

Re: Ibanez Tube Screamer ts808 vs. ts9

I'd get a Visual Sound Jeckyl and Hyde OD/Distortion. Not much more $ wise and lots of extra versatility and its gets an excellent TS808 sounds and has a pretty cool distortion to boot

plus its a really cool looking pedal that stands out on the board

 

[Kac]

Re: Ibanez Tube Screamer ts808 vs. ts9

Most of the guys here are obsessed with the subtleties of tone...so for most of the guys here, I think the TS808 would be the best choice. I have both and have compared them many times. I prefer the TS808 and so did Stevie Ray Vaughn. It's not about one having more distortion than the other - it's that the TS808 has more tone. It's well worth the extra $$$.

Lew

+1

 

[TheArchitect]

Re: Ibanez Tube Screamer ts808 vs. ts9

i heard that it's worth spending the extra money for the 808, but i've also heard that it's so similar that you can't tell the difference except that the ts9 has a bit more distortion than the 808. i've played many tube screamers, but never actually an ibanez (never needed to), so i don't know. what are your thoughts on these two and how they compare?

Huh? It ain't a tubescreamer if it ain't an Ibanez

But more to the point, are you talking about the reissue stuff or the originals?

 

[jmh151]

Re: Ibanez Tube Screamer ts808 vs. ts9

i heard that it's worth spending the extra money for the 808, but i've also heard that it's so similar that you can't tell the difference except that the ts9 has a bit more distortion than the 808. i've played many tube screamers, but never actually an ibanez (never needed to), so i don't know. what are your thoughts on these two and how they compare?

Well after I modded mine by changing the chip to a 4558 and chanding 2 output resistors (a TS-808 mod kit I got on ebay), my TS-9 was alot clearer, smooth, less distortion (almost no distortion). It seemed to open up the pedal more, give it more headroom. Basically if you would crank the level and tone up on the stock unit, you'd get distortion. On the modded unit it would remain clear, unless you started cranking the drive.

 

[barbarianbrute]

Re: Ibanez Tube Screamer ts808 vs. ts9

I'd get a Visual Sound Jeckyl and Hyde OD/Distortion. Not much more $ wise and lots of extra versatility and its gets an excellent TS808 sounds and has a pretty cool distortion to boot

plus its a really cool looking pedal that stands out on the board

it's funny that you say that because that's my main pedal

 

[millsart]

Re: Ibanez Tube Screamer ts808 vs. ts9

Its definatly a great value as far as pedals go, compared to say a ts808 and I think it sounds quite close (though I haven't a/b'ed them at the same time) but have played both.

out of curiosity what makes you want to look to a st9/ts808 if you've got the Jeckly ? Just to see if theres any tonal differences to your ears ?

 

[Mincer]

Re: Ibanez Tube Screamer ts808 vs. ts9

I use a TS7, with the hot switch on it, and it rocks. However, the Digitech Bad Monkey is the best TS Ibanez never made. The bass and treble controls make a world of difference in taming that TS 'mid' thing tamed. And it is a lot cheaper. But some people need the name.

 

[dressed2kill]

Re: Ibanez Tube Screamer ts808 vs. ts9

If you ever have the chance to a/b them do it. I found the 808 way smoother than the ts9.

 

[Dr.Mavashi]

Re: Ibanez Tube Screamer ts808 vs. ts9

I use a TS7, with the hot switch on it, and it rocks. However, the Digitech Bad Monkey is the best TS Ibanez never made. The bass and treble controls make a world of difference in taming that TS 'mid' thing tamed. And it is a lot cheaper. But some people need the name.

:bsflag:

Sorry, but what would a dude from korn know about real tone and then digitech, such a house hold name in effects with a pedigree of mile stone albums recorded with their product, materialize the vision of such a tone afficionado?

 

[STRATDELUXER97]

Re: Ibanez Tube Screamer ts808 vs. ts9

Most of the guys here are obsessed with the subtleties of tone...so for most of the guys here, I think the TS808 would be the best choice. I have both and have compared them many times. I prefer the TS808 and so did Stevie Ray Vaughn. It's not about one having more distortion than the other - it's that the TS808 has more tone. It's well worth the extra $$$.

Lew

I've worked on,modded,and have played through "alot" of Tube Screamers and some of the clones out there....After you change a TS9 over to the output resistance of the 808 and get the right chip in there,the differences any of us hear or think we hear,is component tolerences...The tolerences of the pots alone,is enough to make one pedal sound a bit smoother,darker,warmer,etc...The caps,resistors,and main components of the circuits in the TS9 and the 808s are the same...I'd tell a guy today to buy the TS9 over the $70 more 808 reissue,plus the TS9 has a wider stomp switch than the 808....I have an 808,but a TS9 is great also...Even better is a modded Voodoo Drive Sparkle Drive though! Hands down!

 

[STRATDELUXER97]

Re: Ibanez Tube Screamer ts808 vs. ts9

If you ever have the chance to a/b them do it. I found the 808 way smoother than the ts9.

You may be hearing a combination of the different opamp and 2 resistor changes in the output,or you might just want to think that the 808 is smoother because it's $69 more? LOL.....Just maybe though?

 

[Lewguitar]

Re: Ibanez Tube Screamer ts808 vs. ts9

I've worked on,modded,and have played through "alot" of Tube Screamers and some of the clones out there....After you change a TS9 over to the output resistance of the 808 and get the right chip in there,the differences any of us hear or think we hear,is component tolerences...The tolerences of the pots alone,is enough to make one pedal sound a bit smoother,darker,warmer,etc...The caps,resistors,and main components of the circuits in the TS9 and the 808s are the same...I'd tell a guy today to buy the TS9 over the $70 more 808 reissue,plus the TS9 has a wider stomp switch than the 808....I have an 808,but a TS9 is great also.

Well John, seeing as you're the guy who rebuilt one of my TS-9's to TS-808 specs and it sounds virtually identical to my real TS-808 all I can say is: YOU'RE RIGHT! :thanks: But I also have an unmodded TS-9 and I do prefer the modded TS-9 and stock TS-808 to it.

 

[JB_From_Hell]

Re: Ibanez Tube Screamer ts808 vs. ts9

Sorry, but what would a dude from korn know about real tone and then digitech, such a house hold name in effects with a pedigree of mile stone albums recorded with their product, materialize the vision of such a tone afficionado?

What in the world are you talking about? The Bad Monkey pedal has nothing to do with the guy from Korn.