Members Jkater Posted August 24, 2010 Members Share Posted August 24, 2010 I'm bidding right now on a Tube screamer TS-808 the reissue of the "original" Tube screamer but I usually heard more about the TS-9. Isn't the TS-9 an actual improved version of the older 808? Just trying to get a sense whether I should push it to win that bid or not. New, the TS808 is actually more expensive than the TS-9 for reasons that I can't phantom. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members BG76 Posted August 24, 2010 Members Share Posted August 24, 2010 I own a few. The best one I have heard is the Maxon OD-808. I had the reissue when I bought it and the Maxon seemed to be cleaner and a little more detailed/less fuzzy then the Ibanez. That being said, it really comes down to preference. They're all good, but they do sound different. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members soundcreation Posted August 24, 2010 Members Share Posted August 24, 2010 I have the 808 and like it a lot. I've heard the difference is the 9 is a little more aggressive???...but don't quote me on that one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members jelloman Posted August 24, 2010 Members Share Posted August 24, 2010 The 808 uses a different op-amp, and there's a couple of different resistors but other than that they are identical... soundwise, of course is subjective...however it is telling that many people mod 9s to 808 specs, but not the other way around... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members oryan Posted August 24, 2010 Members Share Posted August 24, 2010 The 808 uses a different op-amp, and there's a couple of different resistors but other than that they are identical...soundwise, of course is subjective...however it is telling that many people mod 9s to 808 specs, but not the other way around... Yep, I changed mine from a 9 to an 808. It was basically an op-amp and resistor swap. The op-amp swap made the overdrive a lot smoother/creamier. The resistor swap made it more transparent, thus no bass loss when engaged. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members dcooper830 Posted August 24, 2010 Members Share Posted August 24, 2010 I have both and I love them both!!! It's weird though..... my TS-9 sounds a little warmer than my TS-808. Weird because I always heard the TS-9 has a more top end bite. However.... the difference can easily be negated by the small turn of the tone knob. They're both pretty much the same. Gratuitous pic of my Ibanez Tubescreamer collection. I love 'em all. No matter which one I have plugged in... I get a tone I like. Even the cheapie TS-7 sounds awesome. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members =JL= Posted August 24, 2010 Members Share Posted August 24, 2010 I bought a new 808 in about 1980 and still use it. Live I use cheap TS-7s and dcooper is right, they sound great. They're not better or worse than the original, just very slightly different. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members GAS Man Posted August 24, 2010 Members Share Posted August 24, 2010 I have both as well. I agree with most of everything I saw above. The 9 is a bit more aggressive and the 808 is a bit more vintage warm fuzzy sounding. I actually haven't used either for a while. For some reason my Fender DRRI wasn't taking the 9 very well, so I temporarily retired it (although it works fantastic in my Fender '65 Twin RI). But it yields a great classic rock tone. The 808 is a bit softer, but still plenty of wool there. But when I got my Fulltone OCD, I at least temporarily lost interest in both the Ibanez pedals. But I'd say, go ahead and get that guy. They are a very nice pedal to have. Even though I mention the OCD, that has more of its own overdriven tube tone voices (2 modes -tweed and Marshall) whereas the Ibanez work a bit more to push the tone out of your own amp. But one upside for the 808 over the 9 is that you have more dial wiggle room in the "edge of breakup" levels. I guess one debate here I've weighed in on from time to time was the Ibanez TS 9 vs the Bad Monkey, and although I luvs me monkeys (especially the feature of the bass boost & price) in an A/B'ing test I did, the Ibanez has a more spatial tone to it whereas the BM sounded more boxy. Point being, the Ibanez created more of a stadium rock kind of tone that I found to be kind of a remarkable attribute in my little A/B session. Amp used was a Marshall VS8080. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members GAS Man Posted August 24, 2010 Members Share Posted August 24, 2010 P.S. This is the one that blows my mind: $350 for a hand wired Tube Screamer! I don't see how that could be worth an additional $170 over this guy Gotta be some fat markups on those units. No? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Assumer Posted August 24, 2010 Members Share Posted August 24, 2010 I own a few. The best one I have heard is the Maxon OD-808. I had the reissue when I bought it and the Maxon seemed to be cleaner and a little more detailed/less fuzzy then the Ibanez.That being said, it really comes down to preference. They're all good, but they do sound different. Another vote for the Maxon. I got one about 6 months ago and love it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members RaVenCAD Posted August 24, 2010 Members Share Posted August 24, 2010 The 808 costs what the 808 costs because SRV made it famous. Ibanez had already moved on and made better versions of it, but that's what he used so collectors scooped them up. If I had my choice of any Tube Screamer, it'd be the Super Tube STL.. Great pedal, extremely under-priced right now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members dcooper830 Posted August 24, 2010 Members Share Posted August 24, 2010 Also I have the Hardwire CM-2. I love all my Tubescreamer type pedals (I also have the Bad Monkey and the Behringer T0800). But if I could only keep one..... it would probably be my CM-2. I love the sound of it and it has the added versatility of the 2-band EQ like the Bad Monkey. [YOUTUBE]83hmC9T-gPk[/YOUTUBE] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Invader.CC Posted August 24, 2010 Members Share Posted August 24, 2010 There is not a whole lot of difference between the TS-9 and 808..Although i have ran both on my board from time to time..I truly feel there is much better tube screamers out there.. Some cost alot more and some cost less..On the cheaper end i really love the sound of the BBE Green Screamer ..IMO tghis is the tube screamer were you get the most bang for your buck and they are on sale for i think $63 dollars right now.. If you can afford to go higher than the cost of a TS-9 or 808..The Maxon 808 the Keeley and Luther drive and several others are head and shoulders higher quality then the Ibanez.. Keep in mind though tone is subject and my opinion could just be what i hear and not what others hear...I would suggest you A/B several tube screamer type pedals and find what fits you the best.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members metallica_00 Posted August 24, 2010 Members Share Posted August 24, 2010 Neither IMO. The classic tubescreamer is a "classic", and if you're going for the specific sound it produces (ie SRV) i've always though the ts9 did the job just fine. These days, there's a lot of pedals that are more amplike and fix alot of the issues with the TS that make it so distinct (big mid hump, weak bass, lots of compression, modest range of gain) - in other words, for an all around od/distortion, many better choices in my view. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members dcooper830 Posted August 24, 2010 Members Share Posted August 24, 2010 Here's a couple clips where I'm playing a Tele into a clean amp and I kick on the TS-808. I love the tone!! [YOUTUBE]_BidtnOL4xs[/YOUTUBE] [YOUTUBE]lDLlsxfoJfk[/YOUTUBE] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members bsman Posted August 24, 2010 Members Share Posted August 24, 2010 Isn't the bad monkey supposed to be a copy of the TS as well??? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members dcooper830 Posted August 24, 2010 Members Share Posted August 24, 2010 Isn't the bad monkey supposed to be a copy of the TS as well??? Not a direct copy.... but it sure sounds just like one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members bsman Posted August 24, 2010 Members Share Posted August 24, 2010 Not a direct copy.... but it sure sounds just like one. For half the price of a TS-9, that's the one I like.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members sk8centilli Posted August 24, 2010 Members Share Posted August 24, 2010 I had the Hardwire CM-2 for a minute, but preferred the el cheapo Bad Monkey; however, truth be told, my Gearmanndude Luther Drive (based on the 808) kicks both of 'em out of bed. Although there's only one real Ibanez in the shootout below, it's fine a hairy mess of green pedal grit. OWM6ezhRpVw Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members sgt mukuzi Posted August 24, 2010 Members Share Posted August 24, 2010 the badmonkey has no dynamics, its rubbish Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members cratz2 Posted August 24, 2010 Members Share Posted August 24, 2010 I have these two and by FAR prefer the clone. It 'fixes' a lot of the 'problems' of the TS. You can have plenty of bass to fill it out or warm it up, you can dial in more or less bite... just a great overall pedal and I got it for $80 used vs $50 used for the Ibanez. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members scolfax Posted August 24, 2010 Members Share Posted August 24, 2010 I went crazy and splurged on a Maxon OD9 Pro+ a few months ago. Cu22N450I5U I think it sounds great, but I think they all sound great in their own way. I think it's hard to go wrong nowadays. I had the BBE Green Screamer mentioned above and wished I hadn't sold it. I bet it sounded as good as the Maxon for 1/3rd of the price. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Flatspotter Posted August 25, 2010 Members Share Posted August 25, 2010 One of my old bandmates had an original 808, and he sold it on ebay for something like $400. I have the DSP version of the 808. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members billybilly Posted August 25, 2010 Members Share Posted August 25, 2010 New, the TS808 is actually more expensive than the TS-9 for reasons that I can't phantom. Fathom, no ghosts here. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members mistersully Posted August 25, 2010 Members Share Posted August 25, 2010 808 is smoother... i actually prefer the 9... closest thing i have to a ts is a bad monkey... is does me fine for the amount of times i'm after that tone Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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