Vintage TS808 vs TS9

robinbowes

I went looking for info about the original OD-1 and found this range of chinese clones:

http://www.valeton.net/html/en/index.php?ac=article&at=list&tid=21

They look quite interesting.

Hang on, I don't do pedals any more - I have an Helix-  gaaah...

Dave_Mc

I really like the CM2, but I'm not sure it's what I'd get if I wanted to really nail the TS thing- it's got a bit more headroom and less compression than a TS (I guess maybe because of the bumped-up voltage inside the pedal?). It's an awesome pedal if you want one OD to do everything, and getting 90-95% of the way to a TS is close enough- but if your main aim is a TS there are other pedals that do it better IMO.

JEPBLEP

I suppose the biggest challenge is to ensure things are "stackable" or don't get into each other's territory too much. Although I'm wary they're all trying to do a similar thing, just in different ways. The TS will live on a board with a KOT and potentially a dedicated clean boost, such as a Timmy or something. I'm still tempted by a Klon Centaur because of the shinyness, but everyone seems in violent agreement they're too much.

TimmyO

imho a clean boost, a TS and a KOT is already overlapping.

It'd be worth trying some differently voiced drives - maybe something JFET based like a Blues Driver or an OD-3, or something a bit harder clipping like a RAT (and if you like mojo then tracking down an original RAT with the 'correct' chip etc is a thing)

JEPBLEP

TimmyO said:

imho a clean boost, a TS and a KOT is already overlapping.

It'd be worth trying some differently voiced drives - maybe something JFET based like a Blues Driver or an OD-3, or something a bit harder clipping like a RAT (and if you like mojo then tracking down an original RAT with the 'correct' chip etc is a thing)

I bow to your knowledge -as you know-, but I thought the KOT was Bluesbreaker-based and pretty stackable with a TS? I understand the clean boost may be superfluous with the yellow side of the KOT set to boost, that's a good point. 

From what I can gather, the RAT is more "fuzzy"? Must... do... more... research...

TimmyO

Just an example of something that isn't using opamp+diode clipping. There are so many cool things out there. 

to be fair an actual TS/clone thereof is a very useful thing to have - good at pushing a good valve amp (like yours) into 'more is better' territory.