Bloody hell, the TS-7 has the RC4558 and I've NEVER seen one that didn't have one out of the box. Sometimes they're labeled differently, and I've seen people get their panties in a knot over 4558D vs 4558DD (note - the only difference there is shielding, and it's irrelevant in this application), but if you pop open a new TS-7 and it doesn't have a 4558-type op-amp, someone fucked with it before you.
The chips are three or four for a dollar, there's NO reason why they wouldn't. The TS-5 and TS-10 didn't always have them, and many TS-9s were missing them a few years back, but that was like the new formula vs. classic Coke ordeal and they've learned from that fuckup.
The difference between the 9 and 808 is a matter of brightness - 808 should generally be smoother, 9 should generally brighter. As has been said, TWO RESISTORS in the output stage. Unless you got duped with one of the 9s that didn't have a decent chip, not really a big deal.
The really sad thing about the whole thing is that the 4558 isn't necessarily a good chip and most of the time complaints come from people who want the same thing SRV played and not the one that actually sounds more like what THEY want. You look at the reviews on Harmony Central, some of the users talk about different chips that worked better, and I can all but guarantee that you'll find a more usable circuit if you try several different op-amps in sockets for a day or two.
Another long story short - xmarcelx, they changed that chip back after all the shit they got, so a new TS7 that hasn't been jacked with will have a 4558. There's been a name change or two but a 4558 is a 4558 just the same as Skippy from a Costco tub is the same as Skippy from a jar from the gas station. Yes, those film caps will help you out (also try greenies in the clip section) and a larger cap in the input stage will let more bass through. Might also want to toy with the cap in the clipping stage (different values let different 'brightness'/'buzz' through depending on your settings). I'd like to see the numbers on any non-4558-chipped 7 you bought (as well as the production date if you have it). Every circuit tinkerer and every new 7 I've seen (note that they may have produced different things under the number 7) will back me up.
Oh, and for the record (one more time) MAXON IS OWNED BY IBANEZ (paperwork ownership 'owned', not 'th3y pwn y00') and if they haven't changed the 808 the only difference between an Ibanez 808 and a Maxon 808 will be due to part value variance and not the circuit. All I ever hear about Maxon 'mojo' is pixie dust and unicorn shit, but if you can find a difference between Maxon and Ibanez parts I'd like to see it.
Jeff
