Tubescreamer...

It's sometimes hard to tell from samples online but it acts sort of like an eq that tightens the low end, rolls off some really low mud and boosts the mids. Using a boost is like a "feel" thing, too. I mean just chugging along is killer with it, though it might not fit everyone's style.
 
First of all, putting anything in your loop that boosts the gain level is going to kill your powertubes quite a bit faster than normal, aside from sounding like shit.

Erm, one vote against the 'shitty Ibanez TS' - same circuit (except 820), lower price (especially considering the TS-7 at $40) than Maxons. Get a TS7, I'll e-mail you the specs to get it from TS-9 to TS-808; if you're not happy you can sell it on eBay for well over $80 considering it's now a 'deluxe modded' Tube Screamer.


No matter how many threads you claim this in, the Maxon OD808 and OD820 will still sound 10x better.
 
Prove it. Really. I've tested them and you'll find the same differences between two OD808s as you will between two other 808s because the differences in the ones I've tried is just component variance. The 820 is different - I'll admit I don't know much about that circuit, so until I get a schematic I'll always note the 820 as being an exception, but I think this mojo thing is just bullshit and every blind test I've tried on teachers and fellow players points to cognitive dissonance and not a quality difference.

Jeff
 
The OD808 is more open sounding - it has a more open top end, a much sweeter/smoother midrange, and less of an overall narrowing effect.

It also has more gain on tap than the Ibanez TS's, I've found.

But seriously, as I've stated before... if your ears are so good that they're ignoring the overall differences and narrowing it down to component differences, you need your own forum.
 
Considering that most manufacturers use capacitors and resistors whose values vary from 5-20%, and that there are often upwards of 100 of these little fuckers in there, hearing differences because of that much difference in a circuit that's otherwise identical is not bad at all. Hell, ten percent variation in a logarithmic potentiometer can wind up meaning a difference between a perceived 'sweet spot' from 11 to 11:30 and 11 to 2:30, so it's not that far-fetched. This is simple mathematics and electronics, not magical ears (although if I could study and wind up with magical ears, I'd certainly do it), and it comes down to having a lot of parts with a lot of wiggle room.

Jeff