Tonal characteristics between a TS-9 and a TS-808?

[GodslasheR]

Hello to Andy and everyone here, i have a question that i hope you guys can help me out...

I recently acquired a TS-808 that a friend of mine built for me. I tried it out in the studio using a Peavy Triple X head, the studio also had a TS-9 so we decided to do a little test to hear the differences... The TS-9 sounded a little brighter where as the TS-808 had more bassy and low mid quality. We used the exact same setting on both tubescreamers and this was the result we got. Just wondering if the TS-808 is supposed to sound like this? We can't know for sure as we have not heard the real true tone of a TS-808....

A few possibilties would be that my friend who built the TS-808 for me, maybe didn't do it correctly or the other ones would be that both tubescreamers are totally different pedals and therefore, having different tonal qualities... Please help me out here, thank you very much!

 

[Andy Sneap]

The difference I hear between a TS 808 and a TS 9 is pretty subtle. The 808 is smoother, more open. To someone who's not really zoned in on the Tube screamer sound, you probably wouldn't hear much difference at all, but there is a better silkyness to the 808.

 

[Brooks]

I use this bad boy, the FAT Multiscream.

Its got a three way switch, 808, "Brown" (15% more gain), and Steroid (15% more gain on top of that.). Its hand made, true bypass, and sounds great!.

 

[Hopkins-WitchfinderGeneral]

Corr, that looks good. If it sounds anywhere near as good as you make it out to be that gotta be cool.

 

[Andy Sneap]

pedals on steriods......coooool! Have you a/b'd it next to a real 808???

 

[DIOBOLIC5150]

My 808 definitely sounds better than my ts9. I like the ts9 if I need a brighter sound. But the 808 takes the edge off anything...if you have a harsh sounding gain.. scream it..

 

[Exsanguis]

I don't have a real 808, but I did build myself one about a year ago, and I have A/Bed it against real ones, as well as TS9's. My one sounded nearly identical to the real ones, except my one didn't affect the tone when turned off(true bypass). I agree with Andy, the TS808's sound smoother and more open than the TS9's, but unless you're used to one or the other, you'd probably not hear the difference.

 

[black sugar]

Every good little Tube Screamer enthusiast should check out the Analog Man Tube Screamer page just for the info/history alone:

http://www.analogman.com/ts9.htm

For the warmest, most "natural" TS sound, I'd recommend the Silver Mod. I've actually owned a TS-9 reissue with the Silver Mod and it was brilliant for just nudging the front of a high-gain setting and giving it that extra "push over the cliff."

Hopefully not sounding like too much of a commercial for Mike/Analog Man, I'll suffice it to say that he does top notch work with a very fast turn time on lots of common pedals you probably have lying around your bedroom. Check it.


Bryan

 

[evildonkeymaster]

Every good little Tube Screamer enthusiast should check out the Analog Man Tube Screamer page just for the info/history alone:

http://www.analogman.com/ts9.htm

For the warmest, most "natural" TS sound, I'd recommend the Silver Mod. I've actually owned a TS-9 reissue with the Silver Mod and it was brilliant for just nudging the front of a high-gain setting and giving it that extra "push over the cliff."

Hopefully not sounding like too much of a commercial for Mike/Analog Man, I'll suffice it to say that he does top notch work with a very fast turn time on lots of common pedals you probably have lying around your bedroom. Check it.


Bryan

I second bryan on this. I have actual played Bryan's modded TS-9. I ran both my Les Paul Custom (550T bridge pick up) and my Ibanez RG621 into it and then into the Red Channel of my 5150 (OG not 5150II) and I must say I liked it soo much Bryan almost did not get his pedal back.

Basically made the amp tighter a bit more focused and gave it more balls

 

[vile_ator]

Maybe you guys can clue me into the Tube Screamer thing. I have tried using a TS9 dx, its a reissue with various heads including the 5150. What I have found is that it takes some bass away from the tone and that it compresses the sound a bit. Then it adds some extra saturation.

I have learned that its best to use a lot less gain when recording that I would live. And I am always having to do what I can not to get that "Chicken-Scratch" high end sound. So to me adding this pedal just gets me further from this.

What is the pedal giving you that you like that makes it worth adding more gain and scratch?

Colin

 

[evildonkeymaster]

Maybe you guys can clue me into the Tube Screamer thing. I have tried using a TS9 dx, its a reissue with various heads including the 5150. What I have found is that it takes some bass away from the tone and that it compresses the sound a bit. Then it adds some extra saturation.

I have learned that its best to use a lot less gain when recording that I would live. And I am always having to do what I can not to get that "Chicken-Scratch" high end sound. So to me adding this pedal just gets me further from this.

What is the pedal giving you that you like that makes it worth adding more gain and scratch?

Colin

Great question man, I felt the same way about pedals and such until I heard this modded TS-9. The stock TS-9 really does rob you of the bottom end. The modded one I used does not.

I agree it is best to back the distortion off when recording in fact that is exactly why the Tube Screamer works so well in the studio, when you back the dist off and add a little tubscreamer gain you get the power with out the scratch buzzyness. The TS-9 I used actual gave the guitar more balls but aslo more control and focus smoothing out some of the harshness before it hit the mic.

I have not had the same results with a stock pedal.

 

[GodslasheR]

Hey thanxs everyone for giving me some valuable advises! Well i kind of agree that the TS9 takes away some of the low end and makes everything sound brighter, but i guess everyone has their own opinion of what they prefer to have.

For me personally, after trying out with a Peavey Triple X head, i wasn't really convinced and so i decided to take it for a better test, and that was to jam with my band. I used a Fender Bassman 135 head, Sansamp GT2 with my hand-made TS808 and with my Jackson equipped with EMGs, it sounded like a monster! And from the post that i seen here, saying how much open and cleaner the sound became, it was all true! The bottom end as well as the clarity of the tone is just awesome and it was one of the best jam sessions i ever had too. Yes i do also decrease the gain level from the GT2 and let the TS808 shine in and it was amazing and it even cuts a lot of the irritating feedback i always encounter in the studio..

By the way, has anyone here tried a Fender Bassman head?? I can't help thinking that it had an amazing sound, with a fucking tight low end and the tone is just thick and fucking Metal!

 

[Ermz]

I'm just wondering, when you guys use the Tube Screamers live, do you ever run into any problems with clean tone, seeing as you need to have pumped the gain on the amp a bit to achieve the full tubescreamer distortion. Wouldn't that amount to a fairly substandard or semi-distorted clean tone when you bypass the pedal?

 

[GodslasheR]

So what is your take Andy, about the guys here saying how the stock TS9 robs the bottom end? The TS9 that i used in the studio is believed to be a stock TS9 and i compared it against my hand built TS-808 definitely made me hear the difference on this.

 

[DIOBOLIC5150]

I'm just wondering, when you guys use the Tube Screamers live, do you ever run into any problems with clean tone, seeing as you need to have pumped the gain on the amp a bit to achieve the full tubescreamer distortion. Wouldn't that amount to a fairly substandard or semi-distorted clean tone when you bypass the pedal?

Yeah, I have that problem. It have a little dirt when I switch to the clean channel. But it sounds good, just slightly overdriven. There really isn't any way around it unless you "jump" onto both the tubescreamer and the channel selecter at the same time. I'm too lazy for all that.

 

[Kazrog]

I use this bad boy, the FAT Multiscream.

Its got a three way switch, 808, "Brown" (15% more gain), and Steroid (15% more gain on top of that.). Its hand made, true bypass, and sounds great!.

I'm very interested in this, as well as getting my TS9 modded. Debating my options.

 

[The Dane]

Hi!

Does anyone know if there’s any difference in sound between the TS 808 reissue and the Maxtor 820 that Andy uses?

Thanks!

 

[commandante]

www.maxonfx.com

 

[Genius Gone Insane]

Maybe you guys can clue me into the Tube Screamer thing.
What is the pedal giving you that you like that makes it worth adding more gain and scratch?

Colin

You are doing death metal, Colin, (right?) and from what I'm hearing and reading, the Screamer is generally better for thrashier metal, not for your kind of stuff anyway. MOre pronounced mids, which i don't think you want there. my $.02

 

[Andy Sneap]

the stock TS9 works fine for me, I have 2, one which is just destroyed from years of use and another I bought three or four years ago. I also have the maxon 820 which to me is the closest thing I've heard to the original TS. I did a test last year with the Ibanez 808 reissue and the maxon against an original, and the maxon won. All this is very slight though, if you trying to acheive what I've been mentioning all along, a tighter low end, touch of compression, then the TS9 works fine, to me the 808 and 820 both have a sweeter mid range and a tiny bit more openess, which once you get someone going AAARGGGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHH over the top, you'll never notice.
Just try like I've said before, dial your tone in with just the amp, no pedal, then add the TS with drive at 9 oclock, tone and level at 12 oclock then tweek from there.