Black Tube Screamer

darcym

I've just got back from a period of working away, and had some discussions with others while I was away and got involved in a challenge. 

I'm trying to find a tube screamer pedal in a black enclosure, but a really good one. Who makes a "black" tube screamer, I'm actually struggling to find one 

ICBM

https://medias.audiofanzine.com/images/thumbs3/ibanez-ts5-tube-screamer-342377.jpg

darcym

the TS5 was one I was considering as I remember someone having one in school. I remember them as "tinny" compared to the original, but I don't know the internals and how similar they are

stickyfiddle

Does it have to be an actual Tubescreamer, or is a tweaked version ok? I understand the Selah Feather Drive is a heavily tweaked tubscreamer-via-XoticBB circuit. It's certainly a good pedal

ICBM

darcym said:

the TS5 was one I was considering as I remember someone having one in school. I remember them as "tinny" compared to the original, but I don't know the internals and how similar they are

They sound identical to a TS-9 as far as I know - the circuit is exactly the same. I haven't done a back-to-back test though - it is possible that component quality could make a small difference, but it won't be huge.

The only real problem with them is the slightly flimsy jacks, but if it's going on a board it shouldn't matter.

prowla

ICBM said:

darcym said:

the TS5 was one I was considering as I remember someone having one in school. I remember them as "tinny" compared to the original, but I don't know the internals and how similar they are

They sound identical to a TS-9 as far as I know - the circuit is exactly the same. I haven't done a back-to-back test though - it is possible that component quality could make a small difference, but it won't be huge.

The only real problem with them is the slightly flimsy jacks, but if it's going on a board it shouldn't matter.

$199 for a copy?

steamabacus

I believe this is basically a tube screamer but with added tonal tweakability and a noise gate to suit the metal brigade...

darcym

found one in my drawer, I got the Keeley 808 in limited edition black a week or so ago, totally forgot about it. Sorry waste of time post. Although some interesting responses, so thank you

darcym

ICBM said:

darcym said:

the TS5 was one I was considering as I remember someone having one in school. I remember them as "tinny" compared to the original, but I don't know the internals and how similar they are

They sound identical to a TS-9 as far as I know - the circuit is exactly the same. I haven't done a back-to-back test though - it is possible that component quality could make a small difference, but it won't be huge.

The only real problem with them is the slightly flimsy jacks, but if it's going on a board it shouldn't matter.

so that surprises me as I love the TS9 more than the 808's I own, I don't care about the crappy case quality, I love the TS10 and that's made out of bubble gum and magic, however, the ones I remember where mega tinny, maybe that was the amps of the time, I'll certainly give one another go if I can find a cheapo one.

darcym

stickyfiddle said:

Does it have to be an actual Tubescreamer, or is a tweaked version ok? I understand the Selah Feather Drive is a heavily tweaked tubscreamer-via-XoticBB circuit. It's certainly a good pedal

I should have said "tube screamer voiced" basically "the tube screamer circuit in some form"

gibsongretschfan

Black Tube Screamers Matter

EricTheWeary

EQD Dunes is black and white. 

rossyamaha

I did a series of videos on my YouTube channel a while ago comparing all the production ts pedals against an original 808. The shitty plastic ts5 was the closet to the original. Who’d have thunk it. 

timmysoft

Racist 

darcym

rossyamaha said:

I did a series of videos on my YouTube channel a while ago comparing all the production ts pedals against an original 808. The shitty plastic ts5 was the closet to the original. Who’d have thunk it. 

certainly not I, but key to know, thank you

thomasw88

toadworks texas flood.

ICBM

rossyamaha said:

I did a series of videos on my YouTube channel a while ago comparing all the production ts pedals against an original 808. The shitty plastic ts5 was the closet to the original. Who’d have thunk it. 

The truth is, they all sound basically the same - in terms of the circuit. There is a difference caused by the chip, which is noticeable when the distortion is up full but - ironically given how they're usually used now - not at low settings.

Otherwise, the differences between individual TS-808s, TS-9s, and TS-5s are certainly real but are to do with component tolerance and drift variations rather than the circuit itself. (It's true that the TS-10 is slightly different.)

The TS-808 does have two different output buffer resistor values, but these don't actually affect the sound - you can fit a switch to prove that. So I don't find it at all surprising that an individual TS-5 might sound the closest to an individual TS-808...