Maxon OD-9 vs. Ibanez TS808

[edsmith]

Maybe this might be useful to someone whose looking at tube screamers. I recently compared these two pedals directly and here's my assessment:

I personally liked the OD-9 a bit more. It wasn't as compressed sounding as the TS808 and just slightly grittier. I imagine that if the TS808 wasn't so compressed sounding, it would sound a bit grittier too perhaps. To my ears the TS808 was a bit more transparent than the OD-9. On the other hand, the OD-9 wasn't as bland, but with enough transparency. It doesn't color the sound, but it does have give the tone a real nice touch.

The TS808 was a bit more midrangy than the OD-9, but the OD-9 wasn't mid-scooped at all. The OD-9 had a nicer EQ balance than the TS808 I think.

The OD-9 is a bit tighter than the TS808, but I liked the TS808 in the lower registers too. Overall it's a very close match. I personally prefer the OD-9 over the 808 because it's a little less sharp in the high end, tighter, and a little more tonal character. Pricewise, the OD-9 wins hands-down unless you can pickup the TS808 new at around $140, then it's a toss-up between what you prefer in tone. I think the OD-9 is slightly better overall.

 

[Falstaff]

Re: Maxon OD-9 vs. Ibanez TS808

Cool! What amp were you playing through?

 

[edsmith]

Re: Maxon OD-9 vs. Ibanez TS808

Some of the amps I tried were:

Deville 2x12
Mesa F-50
Marshall DSL50

 

[Curly]

Re: Maxon OD-9 vs. Ibanez TS808

honestly, I think a better comparison would be the Maxon OD 808 to the Ibanez model.

The OD 9 should probably be compared to an Ibanez TS9, although it's built a little better.

also, I haven't played the TS 808 reissue, but it should be less compressed, more transparent, and have fewer mids than an OD9 or TS9. I do have an OD 808 ... I think it's actually kind of a subtle OD, but when used properly, one of the nicer little OD pedals.

 

[ErikH]

Re: Maxon OD-9 vs. Ibanez TS808

Right on, Curly. My thoughts exactly. Although this is still a good comparison, the Maxon OD-9 and Ibby TS-9 are the same circuit. The OD-9 and 808 are the same as well with very few part differences between them.

I've messed with the reissue Ibby 808's and I like them. I was never much of a Tube Screamer fan and I know why, I was hearing all the wrong ones. The 808 is where it's at for me.

I'm also a fan of the old Boss OD-1. Saved a ton of cash by taking two SD-1's and modding one to 808 specs and another to OD-1 specs.

And I'm sure this is already known, but Maxon used to make the Ibanez pedals, up until about 2002 or so.

 

[edsmith]

Re: Maxon OD-9 vs. Ibanez TS808

honestly, I think a better comparison would be the Maxon OD 808 to the Ibanez model.

The OD 9 should probably be compared to an Ibanez TS9, although it's built a little better.

also, I haven't played the TS 808 reissue, but it should be less compressed, more transparent, and have fewer mids than an OD9 or TS9. I do have an OD 808 ... I think it's actually kind of a subtle OD, but when used properly, one of the nicer little OD pedals.

No, not really. Right now the most popular purchasing decision is between the OD-9 and the TS808. The OD-9 pretty much blows the TS9 away, so a comparison is futile. The OD-808 being so similar to the TS808, but costing even less than both the TS808 or OD-9, isn't really a great comparison either or at least too typical to bother with.

I compared these two because of the popularity of each being the greatest of all the tube screamers. The majority of people seem to buy evaluate the OD-9 or TS808 as of late, thus my comparison. I tested these two pedals on several tube amps and was able to get awesome tones on the clean and overdriven channels with each of them.

The TS808 is more compressed and midrangy than the OD-9. Check out analogman.com. There is some good information on tube screamers there. The reason I offered this comparison is because I know there are a lot of people out there who might be deciding between these two. As I discovered though, you have to actually play each of them because they are quite different in some respects. In all fairness, I had a chance to compare these two on different amps over a few days time. I had a lot of opportunity to really get to know them. I didn't mention the true bypass thing either. I don't know much about it, but i could swear the TS808 seemed to suck just a little bit more tone than the OD-9.

 

[Vasshu the humanoid typhoon]

Re: Maxon OD-9 vs. Ibanez TS808

Yeah they are all really so enormeously different

 

[Usurper666]

Re: Maxon OD-9 vs. Ibanez TS808

I have compared my Maxon OD-9 side by side with: Ibanez TS9 & TS-808 RI, Keeley Baked TS-9, Keeley Turbo Tube Screamer, Fulltone Fulldrive (standard blue model) and an HBE Power Screamer. All of them had their good points but the Maxon OD-9 was by far my favorite. It just sounds "right" to my ears. My only complaint is the foot-switch. It's doesn't turn the effect on and off smoothly unless you hit it just right. If not then there is a split second of silence between bypass and the effect engaging. I use mine as a boost so it's always on but if I had to turn it on and off for solos that switch would drive me nuts. Another pedal that has really blown me away as a boost is an original Boss OD-1 with the 14 pin chip. That pedal boosting a Marshall sounds awesome!!

Cheers,

CJ

 

[edsmith]

Re: Maxon OD-9 vs. Ibanez TS808

I have that same problem with my OD-9, but I usually leave it on anyway so it's not a problem. Better than the TS808 though because at least I can always tell when the LED light is on. If I'm not in the dark or looking almost directly on top of my TS808, I can't tell if it's on or not.

 

[smashed39]

Re: Maxon OD-9 vs. Ibanez TS808

Well I have a TS808 and love it. I mostly use it to boost my DSL 100 though. But I use it as my primary gain on the clean green channel with the gain on low on the amp. On the red high gain channel I use it to push the gain more over the top.

 

[Falstaff]

Re: Maxon OD-9 vs. Ibanez TS808

No, not really. Right now the most popular purchasing decision is between the OD-9 and the TS808. The OD-9 pretty much blows the TS9 away, so a comparison is futile. The OD-808 being so similar to the TS808, but costing even less than both the TS808 or OD-9, isn't really a great comparison either or at least too typical to bother with.

I compared these two because of the popularity of each being the greatest of all the tube screamers. The majority of people seem to buy evaluate the OD-9 or TS808 as of late, thus my comparison. I tested these two pedals on several tube amps and was able to get awesome tones on the clean and overdriven channels with each of them.

The TS808 is more compressed and midrangy than the OD-9. Check out analogman.com. There is some good information on tube screamers there. The reason I offered this comparison is because I know there are a lot of people out there who might be deciding between these two. As I discovered though, you have to actually play each of them because they are quite different in some respects. In all fairness, I had a chance to compare these two on different amps over a few days time. I had a lot of opportunity to really get to know them. I didn't mention the true bypass thing either. I don't know much about it, but i could swear the TS808 seemed to suck just a little bit more tone than the OD-9.

Bud, maybe I am reading this wrong but please don't think you need to apologize...great thread and thanks for taking the time to do it.

 

[edsmith]

Re: Maxon OD-9 vs. Ibanez TS808

Bud, maybe I am reading this wrong but please don't think you need to apologize...great thread and thanks for taking the time to do it.

Nope, no apologies. Thanks. I'll post a review from time to time then.

 

[YEM]

Re: Maxon OD-9 vs. Ibanez TS808

I personally prefer the reissue TS-9 to both. Mine has the silver mod, & with the right rig the thing absolutely sparkles. That's the thing, though-tube screamers vary alot in how they sound depending on your rig.

 

[JB_From_Hell]

Re: Maxon OD-9 vs. Ibanez TS808

Yeah they are all really so enormeously different

:laugh2: