Maxon OD9 vs OD808

[DumpyWumpy]

I'm gonna pick one of these up within the next few days to slam my 5150 with, anyone have any preference? Thanks guys!

[mhenson42]

I just got both within the last month. I read all the posts about the differences between the two and just decided to buy them both and decide which I like better. I just use them as a boost for my amps (Uber/Herbert). I honestly can't tell much of a difference between the two when used as a boost. I still want to do a blind test.

I did a blind test with the OD808 and my Bad Monkey and I did like the OD808 better. It was very close - but I did pick the Maxon as the better pedal 4 out of 5 times they were a/b'd blind.

If you are low on funds - just get a Bad Monkey - you will be happy. I used mine with my old 6505. If you want to spend a little more, either one of the Maxon pedals are nice. I will probably end up selling my OD808 and keeping the OD9 solely because the OD9 is true-bypass.

[mhenson42]

I also want to try a Homebrew (HBE) Power Screamer. It's more of a boutique tube screamer based pedal with an OD, a Boost and it is true by-pass. New, it costs about the same as an OD9.

[442w30]

I was having the same question about the actual differences between a
BBE Green screamer
Maxon OD9
MXR GT-OD
Bad Monkey
TS-9 Analogman Silvermod

I thought that the OD9 silvermod is probably as good as t gets, but like the MXR/BBE switch "type" better. I hear bad things about the actual switch in the MXR pedals

FWIW, have a japanese SD-1 and an MXR ZW-44 and for now thing the ZW has more beef, but i think it may sound artificial or scooped. The SD-1 sounds flatter, like I thought a TS sounded in comparison to the SD-1.

Now I need a good TS to compare LOL.

[mhenson42]

As I said above. Check out the HBE pedal - it has the swiching you prefer. I like that switching better too.

[442w30]

What drives me nuts is there are 50 different tubecreamers, yet no one will tell youu what is different about each. Instead they hire a fiction writer to make them sound creamy, edgy, one for days, mellow, transparent, etc.

Can't they say, we copied the TS808 circuit down to the caps and IC, then changed component X because we thught it made it more transparent.

or we liked the SD-1, so we build a schematic that is very similar, but changed components X, Z, and y. then added J for more boost because that's what Zakk wanted.

Today I don't know if a $30 Bad Monkey is 70% TS9, 99% TS808, or 100% different, but achieves similar results.

Homebrew looks quality from their brief description, but i don't know what they did that makes it better than the BBE (which is $99 street).

is it illegal to reverse engineer the schematics for each of these, build a chart of differences and post it on the web?

[sworn_enemy]

OD9 - true bypass, slightly more hi-fi sound, slightly more aggressive, more low end

OD808 - not true bypass, slightly more vintage sound, smoother, less low end