Fulltone OCD VS Maxon OD808
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clutch71
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THe OCD to me has always seemed more like a distortion pedal and not an Overdrive. The 808 just seem more transparent to me.
Since you posted this in the rectifier section I'm assuming that's what it's intended for. BUt it would also be beneficial to know what you plan to use it for...Boosted rhythm to tighten the tone (OD's cut the bass frequencies) especially in the looser Rectifier series or as a solo boost.
Since you posted this in the rectifier section I'm assuming that's what it's intended for. BUt it would also be beneficial to know what you plan to use it for...Boosted rhythm to tighten the tone (OD's cut the bass frequencies) especially in the looser Rectifier series or as a solo boost.
I have both. I got the OCD because my OD808 got a loose connection and stopped passing sound. I still have to get around to fixing it. It's pretty flimsy feeling. The pots are attached to the circuit board and the circuit board isn't very robust. It's a great pedal, but I think I got a lemon.
The OD808 sounds excellent on channels 3 and 4. I hate the way it sounds on channel 2 in the brit mode. I never used it on channel 1. The OCD works great on all channels. It has more boost available if you need/want it.
For the money (they're really similar in price), the OCD gets my vote.
The OD808 sounds excellent on channels 3 and 4. I hate the way it sounds on channel 2 in the brit mode. I never used it on channel 1. The OCD works great on all channels. It has more boost available if you need/want it.
For the money (they're really similar in price), the OCD gets my vote.
Like most clean boosts the maxon tends to do well for leads and such, but it also emphasizes the high end. Which on a Mesa sometimes isn't a good thing. The OCD is a distortion pedal yes, when running it on the HP setting with the volume at 3pm distortion completely off and tone in the middle it works as a great gain boost and really helps tighten up the lowend for me. I run my OCD always on with my amps gain at about noon. Get's me all the distortion I need without the harsh high end and flabby lows that come along when the gain on the amp is cranked.
For a lead boost I use a modded GE-7 in the effects loop. Does the job well and wouldn't change it for the world.
For a lead boost I use a modded GE-7 in the effects loop. Does the job well and wouldn't change it for the world.
fluff191
Well-known member
XevKai said:
+1
Depends on the amp youre using. The OCD has a much higher output and more lowend (especially the earlier versions) than the Maxon. For and amp that has tons of gain and lows like a recto id take a maxon. For amps with less bottom end like a marshall, the OCD would kill. The OCD works better than the 808 as primary sorce of distortion. They both are great as an OD booster. The OCD is very grainy compared to the 808.
If you are going to play metal on a recto, id go for the 808. Anything else id pick the OCD. Its an improvement over the tubescreamer design. If you can do both, do it. The 808 is a classic sounding OD and IMO every guitarist should have one in their collection.
If you are going to play metal on a recto, id go for the 808. Anything else id pick the OCD. Its an improvement over the tubescreamer design. If you can do both, do it. The 808 is a classic sounding OD and IMO every guitarist should have one in their collection.
Chris McKinley
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The 808 circuit that Maxon uses is essentially the "authentic" or "original" Tubescreamer circuit, except that they generally use better components than most of the units on the market. It's the same circuit that several manufacturers on the boutique level offer. What most folks aren't aware of is that it's an extremely similar circuit to the Boss SD-1 OD, and that the Boss unit can be modded to an exact duplicate of the 808 with just a few small changes and (optionally) some upgrades on certain components in terms of quality. If you know how to do it, you can save a whole heckuva lot of money doing it that way. Or, like I do these days, you could build 'em from scratch yourself and get exactly the sound you want.
The OCD, like all overdrives and distortion pedals, has diodes that produce clipping of the signal. However, it is not a "distortion pedal", per se, in that while it does produce an unusually large amount of clipping for an overdrive, it does not produce the compression levels that distortion pedals nearly always do. That's why the OCD has such an open and (mostly) transparent sound. And unlike almost all distortion pedals, the OCD allows you to dial that distortion way down to clean up the signal. Most distortion pedals don't let you remove the distortion below a certain minimal amount and they don't let you remove any of the compression.
The OCD is just a really powerful overdrive. While it will produce gain levels that reach distortion pedal territory, it's far more versatile than almost any true distortion pedal. Like has been mentioned, you do have to be careful when using it with a Rectifier because the OCD also boosts the low-mid (@ 200Hz) frequencies responsible for mud, which the Recto is already famous for overproducing. I've found from personal experience that it's nothing an EQ can't completely tame.
Both the 808 and the OCD are good overdrive circuits. They each have strengths and weaknesses that the other doesn't cover. For me, the ultimate answer was, "Why choose?" I have a version 4 OCD that I really like and I have half a dozen variations on the 808 circuit including an exact duplicate model.
The OCD, like all overdrives and distortion pedals, has diodes that produce clipping of the signal. However, it is not a "distortion pedal", per se, in that while it does produce an unusually large amount of clipping for an overdrive, it does not produce the compression levels that distortion pedals nearly always do. That's why the OCD has such an open and (mostly) transparent sound. And unlike almost all distortion pedals, the OCD allows you to dial that distortion way down to clean up the signal. Most distortion pedals don't let you remove the distortion below a certain minimal amount and they don't let you remove any of the compression.
The OCD is just a really powerful overdrive. While it will produce gain levels that reach distortion pedal territory, it's far more versatile than almost any true distortion pedal. Like has been mentioned, you do have to be careful when using it with a Rectifier because the OCD also boosts the low-mid (@ 200Hz) frequencies responsible for mud, which the Recto is already famous for overproducing. I've found from personal experience that it's nothing an EQ can't completely tame.
Both the 808 and the OCD are good overdrive circuits. They each have strengths and weaknesses that the other doesn't cover. For me, the ultimate answer was, "Why choose?" I have a version 4 OCD that I really like and I have half a dozen variations on the 808 circuit including an exact duplicate model.
OCD all the way. I use it as a clean boost and love the way it sounds when I am soloing or want a little more grit to my tone. I have an 808 and will probably sell it. It didn't seem to be as versatile to me. Just my opinion. To each their own, right?
