Ibanez TS9DX Turbo tube screamer vs. Xotic bb preamp pedal

[surferdeac]

Hello everyone out there. Its been a while since I last Posted anything. I was just wondering If anybody out there has done any A/B testing of the pedals i have mentioned the bb preamp alongside a Ibanez TS9DX. Both pedals seem very versatile. I think thats what ibanez has tried to do with this pedal anyways. I think versatility is good so long as it doesn't take away anything from the original ts9 tone. Both pedals seem to be pretty versatile, but was just wondering If anybody could put forth some of their own personal experience with these two pedals thank you. I am intending to use one of these pedals with my Stiletto's clean channel to add some dirt to it, to compliment my dirty channel tone/tones that i am happy with. I am looking to create some sort of a warm dark slightly to moderatly distorted tone out of the fat clean mode with one of these pedals, and was wondering whether or not someone out there thought one of these pedals would do a better job with that than the other. Maybe some other tube screamer and or pedal would do a better job than the pedals I have mentioned.

Any Input Would Greatly be appreciated

 

[Chris McKinley]

IMO, the BB Preamp is by far the better choice. It offers what I consider a better tone and it offers a wider range of possible tones as well.

 

[KH Guitar Freak]

I would have to say the BB Preamp is better. That being said, Keeley and Analogman make pretty good modded TS9DXes. I own one of the former, and it works well for me...

 

[surferdeac]

i have been really eyeing a maxon od9 Pro (as of today). this pedal really sounds good around 200 bucks. there is a a/b comparison of this pedal along side the original maxon 0d9.
what do you guys think??
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cu22N450I5U

 

[Chris McKinley]

Since I can build the exact same unit from scratch with better components than Maxon uses for about $45-50, I can't really endorse that. :mrgreen:

 

[surferdeac]

Since I can build the exact same unit from scratch with better components than Maxon uses for about $45-50, I can't really endorse that. :mrgreen:

well lets just say you couldn't and you where looking for a pedal that tonally sounded like a maxon od9 pro or something along that tonal line what would you go for to get the best bang for you buck :?:

 

[Chris McKinley]

surferdeac,

There are two other basic routes. You could learn how to modify pedals (as opposed to building them from scratch), then go buy a TS-9 or SD-1 and make a small handful of changes and get exactly the same circuitry as the Maxon. That's ultimately the cheapest and most empowering choice. Maxon's unit is very similar to a Keeley-modified TS-9. Both are essentially Tubescreamers with an extra emphasis in the mids/upper mids. They also both tend to sound a little more compressed than an equivalent Tubescreamer or modded SD-1. That's a good thing or a bad thing depending on what sound you're going for. Since I happen to live across town from Keeley, I can get one of his modded TS-9's for cheaper than the Maxon. I'm not sure what you'd pay for it. You could also check out Monte Allum's version as well....I hear it's pretty good.

 

[surferdeac]

Chris

thanks for sharing your thoughts 8)

 

[Chris McKinley]

Personally, for the same amount of money, I think I'd go with a more typical Tubescreamer type like an SD-1 for the more open less-compressed crunch, but add a graphic EQ to it to add in those mids and harmonics for soloing purposes.

 

[droptrd]

Great advice Chris.


Also, ive always wondered why the DX gets no love? Its features have addressed all the common complaints about tubescreamers.

I had one that was stolen (or forgotten at a show). I loved it. Was able to use it with my recto in TS9 mode - nice tight lowend and cutting midrange. And also use it with my old 800 in turbo mode - huge fat tight bottom transparent mid hump. Great pedal

 

[Chris McKinley]

It's a victim of both bad marketing and poor branding history. Ibanez let the original TS be outsourced to a cheaper manufacturer, making more profit per unit in the short run, but ultimately destroying the rep of their version of the pedal. Along comes Maxon with a better version, and later others with even better versions, and Ibanez's reputation was cemented as producing the crappy version you don't want.

Jump ahead a few years and they start making 'em like they used to, so to speak, but without any fanfare, and the new unit is introduced as part of a line of pedals, looking more or less identical to the others in the series. That only dissipated interest in it and guaranteed that people would assume it was just typical Ibanez production-quality, and not the boutique-quality unit that other brands already offer.

What they should have done is blown a huge wad of cash advertising the return of a legend, the real Tubescreamer of old, with even better component quality, and it should have been a stand-alone release with the unit's appearance being unique unto itself among the whole line of Ibanez products. But hey.....they didn't ask me.

 

[gonzo]

i MUCH prefer the Barber Direct Drive Super Sport, to the BB.


i had a ts-9 for a while, and tho it's not the turbo (i never tried that one) i never cared for the mid hump in the tube screamer series.

i had an original tube screamer, in the late 80's.

try the DDSS.

 

[fishyfishfish]

I gots a BB, and a TS9 and a EP Booster and a AC booster and Fulldrive and I like the BB best out of all on the clean channel for a little dirt and the TS9 to boost the drive channel. The BB is the best all around IMO for low gain/boost, because it dosent have the mid hump/ bass suck, but that can be a good thing for soloing.
Hope this helps.

 

[droptrd]

i MUCH prefer the Barber Direct Drive Super Sport, to the BB.


i had a ts-9 for a while, and tho it's not the turbo (i never tried that one) i never cared for the mid hump in the tube screamer series.

i had an original tube screamer, in the late 80's.

try the DDSS.

Never heard the SS but my regular Direct Drive is the best OD ive ever played thru. I also like it better than the BB. The BB is very boxy by comparison

 

[MrMarkIII]

All the O/Ds mentioned are good and I've owned all of them, but I always come back to my trusty MI Audio Blue Boy Deluxe. Silly name, but great sound, and more adjustable than any of the others as well. It does semi-clean boost, mid-gain, woolly fuzz, and it's loud. No mid-hump unless you dial it in.
I'd put the BB in second place, but of course, YMMV.

 

[fishyfishfish]

That one is a goodie as well. MI makes some good stuff.

 

[surferdeac]

all i have to say is that the Maxon od9pro plus overdrive is a SICK pedal. It works really well in the fat clean and tite clean clean modes of the clean channel in my stiletto ace, and with a little tweaking gave my ears a really WARM overdriven tone. I finally chose this pedal after trying a few overdrive pedals out. its a bit warmer/bigger sounding than the original od9 and is a well built (a heavy little pedal).

cheers

 

[soundchaser59]

Well the SD-1 is no Tubescreamer, sorry. Even modded I was unable to tolerate the SD1. But I dont do distortion at all.

I had a BB Preamp, loved it. BUt then I got an Analogman TS9DX for $100 bucks on the bay, and promptly sold the BB after doing side by side. The BB is a great booster, can be used clean to some extent, and has tone controls, it was never boxy sounding to me, but it is not more versatile than the TS9DX. I found one setting on the BB that worked great for me, but that was it. Set it and leave it or turn it off. The TS9DX has 4 or 5 settings I use a lot. I liked the BB better than the Fulltone, and the Fulltone is a good pedal. The BB was waaaay better in the fx loop, better than any clean boost I ever had.

I had a Direct Drive too, and I liked the one setting I had, hard to dial in, but good. Unfortunately, I did not like the way it changed my basic tone. I like a pedal where I can dial in a setting that makes the pedal sound the same on or off, then drive it or change it from there, kind of a "unity" setting. The Barber pedals I had would not do that, they changed the tone noticeably no matter how I set them. The one that changed my tone the least was the Tone Press, very nice pedal. But I dont have Barber pedals any more, though they are very good to have if you like what you hear.

Analogman anything for $100 bucks is a rare find, so if it were me I'd get a used TS9DX and put a Allums mod kit in it. Couple it with a nice compressor and you are talking killer sound. I also run a Allums modded GE7 in the loop to hit the power tubes hard and shape the tone but without over driving the preamp. Awesome!